Capture/Reflection 8 - 11/2/2010

Reflection for the week again was on or from the teaching that took place. Now I taught today, but I don't want to reflect on that because there is a seperate assignment for such. As far as the teaching this week there is always so much to learn. Geoff gives very insightful feedback as well as many of the class. Feedback that really got me thinking, much of the reason is because I tend to struggle with it, is the idea of lecturing or presenting. We are supposed to be teachers, and it's hard to not just settle in as a presenter or lecturer. Why? Because we're at college and that's most of our experience over the past few years. All the general classes required by the school are lecture based and generally a very boring presentation of knowledge. Now I am a individual who thrives on activities and most of the time gets far more out of doing then just listening and jotting notes. In class we discussed various methods of teaching and the importance of being teachers and not presenters. How do you avoid falling into the lull of presenting o=vs. teaching? I suppose it's through better planning, yet also there is a level of avoidance in experience. Today I did teach, and I planned to avoid talking to much and spending more time on the activity I had planned, yet I failed. I planned well, so I thought, yet I didn't accomplish my plan at all. I'm sure there is plenty of room for improvement in my planning, yet due to lack of experience I struggled to succeed in my desires. THere needs to be careful planning, but also very careful time management and distribution of material. Does teaching come naturally? Is it something that takes years of experience to become an effective teacher? Is theory or practice more effective or are the equal? I suppose the answer is specific to the individual or is it clear and I'm not seeing it? I learned way more today from my own teaching as far as what I did or didn't do then from watching or listening to others teach, though they were beneficial too. Proper planning and effective classroom management is key, even if that management is only toward managing yourself. I want to be a teacher, not a lecturer or merely a presenter, though both have their place, yet it should not be front and center.