Blog Post 9

Mr. Joe McClung starting teaching in 2009 in Noel, Missouri. After his first year of teaching
he moved to a junior high school in Fayetteville, Arkansas. He also completed his 3rd year of teaching their. At the end of each year Mr. McClung writes reflections on his experiences and learnings on his blog. His blog is entitled, "At the Teachers Desk". I visited two of his blog post reflections.

May 27m 2009 Blog Post
Mr. McClung first reflection blog post talks about:
How to Read a Crowd
Be Flexible
Communicate
Be Reasonable
Listen to your Students
Never stop learning.
Don't Be Afraid of Technology

None of these topics are a surprise to me. However, two of the topics I felt were very great advice. Under how to read the crowd he explains that teachers should always keep their lessons student centered. He states, "They become so concerned with the delivery of the content that they are missing the most important aspect of teaching, and that is checking for student comprehension." From experience, I learned that just because it was enjoyable for everyone doesn't mean that the skill was actually learned. I quickly realized that fun didn't always equal comprehension. While I wanted the students to enjoy the lesson and ultimately learn the skill, that wasn't always the case. What I am saying is teachers should focus on the skill then the delivery.
As he talks about being reasonable I think about the many times I've seen elementary children being treated as adult. Normally it is the students who are a little move advanced than the rest of the class. Regardless of the knowledge and skills that the student has, they are still children and should be treated that way. McClung state, " Teachers can sometimes really loose touch and forget that we are dealing with children.". Sometimes children often get scolded or expected to do and handle things as if there were adults. While the teacher may think they are helping the student it may have a negative affect and actually discouraging them. As teachers we should always want to encourage our students.

Mr. McClung's Blog Post. on THURSDAY, JUNE 23, 2011

In this post Mr. McClung began stated that this was the first time he taught in the same school more than one year. During that time he had many new experiences.
Know Who Your Boss Is - He explained that teachers should not get so caught up in pleasing individuals. They should not be so worried about what others think of them as their main focus should be the students. This is great advice for all teachers but especially first year teachers. When I got my first teaching job I was very concerned about how my boss and co-workers would perceive me. I wanted to be sure that I was not the talk of the teachers lounge as the worst teacher. However, as time progressed, I realized that I was putting too much time in trying to please others, when I could have used that time to focus on what I was teaching and most importantly my students. The more I understood that the more I felt the weight being lifted off of my shoulders. I found that doing what was expected of me as a teacher and teaching my students what was needed was more rewarding.

Don't Expect others to be as Excited About Change as You Are - In this topic he explained that you cannot let others "stifle your own excitement and joy that you experience in teaching or any other facet of life for that matter". Sometimes others can be Debbie Downers. When they get to this point I feel that they have just lost the passion for what they are doing. As teachers we should always remember why we wanted to teach in the first place.
Don't be Afraid to be an Outsider - Teachers should stay true to who they are and have little concern about wanting to be like someone else.
Don't Touch The Keyboard- A coworker explained to Mr. McClung that if you touch the "keyboard" they will never learn the tasks that they need to learn. In other words, when students have difficulties doing a task do not do the work for them. Students will never master the skill if teachers "take over and do the work for them".
Don't Get Comfortable- Teachers should not get comfortable in their daily routines and and teaching methods. "They need to be willing to be "movers and shakers" and be advocates for the changes that need to happen in our schools."

In reading both of the reflection blogs I was reminded of how I did self-reflections during my internship. After each lesson I taught I would always reflect on how I taught the lesson. It was a great way to help me understand my strengths and weaknesses. This also shows that reflection is also a means of professional development. Self reflection is the strongest tool all people have in order to control their own feelings, behaviors, and decisions. When teachers self reflect, they are providing invaluable information to themselves. This may then lead to changes and improvements in their teaching. As Mr. McClung stated, teachers should "never stop learning". Teachers should always look for personal growth as it is what helps to create an effective teacher.