So I missed out on class on tuesday leaving me nothing to capture or reflect on there, yet I do have items of reflection on both the personality inventory and the readings. I don't have a lot to capture or reflect upon with the personality inventory due to what I assumed I missed on tuesday and the discussion that took place, but as far as my thought I can share such. I began taking the inventory not knowing what I was getting into, yet the inventory caused myself to really think about myself and who I am and who I want to be. I know that with teaching comes individual styles and techniques, meaning that I feel anyone can become a great teacher without becoming someone else. For example, the differences between both Dr. Shumway, Dr. Wright, and Dr. Christensen present great contrast in styles and approach. The contrast isn't in the subject, but rather in the personality of the individual and the techniques used in the classroom. I am apparently an analytical/amiable/expressive person and as such need to lear how to take such and apply and succeed in my efforts as a teacher.
As far as my readings, I did it all very quickly due to my procrastinating that I don't have as much to reflect upon as if I truly studied the material. Either way, I found many of Gong's thoughts and ideas very helpful in getting my mind to turn, and "analyze" who I want to become. I feel if I get anything out of this class it should be in the realm of learning who I am, teaching styles and techniques that are available to me, and then beginning to apply such in a way that builds upon my strengths and personality, all in an effort to become an effective teacher. In an effort to capture and reflect now I am going to share a few things that stuck out to me in my readings and why. On page 8 Walter states how he doesn't like giving people definitive answers but rather motivating questions. I like this philosophy on teaching, though I do also like just receiving the answers too. I feel that providing the student with "motivating" questions can lead to greater and longer lasting learning than just providing the answers. As a teacher one of my goals is to provide knowledge far beyond the classroom for my students and in order to do that there needs to be more than just the dispersion of information, but a given drive to explore and create within the individual. One of my greatest struggles as a student in retaining information that I was simply just given, whereas the information that I searched for and found I find easier to remember and apply. Another idea that Gong touched upon that brought thought and reflection was the idea of assessing your own success. He mentions on page 57 that he knows when he is "succeeding when the children who know the answers, instead of blurting out what they know, start waiting and coaching their neighbor to get it." As a teacher I know that there is a great feeling of accomplishment when your students begin teaching you, but also when they take the extra effort to teach and help each other. Now such success I believe comes from more than just your effort in the classroom but also others outside, yet I know and hope to be able to continue to feel and appreciate throughout my career the honor of seeing your students lear, understand, share, and apply the knowledge you are trying to pass on to them. As a missionary you knew the investigators or members understood what you were teaching if they then went and shared such with their friends and family. The same principle applies in the classroom. I feel that there is where you can measure success and know that you are making a difference.
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