Entry 1 ~ What I've Learned

If you would have met me at the beginning of the semester, and asked me about teaching, I would have said something to the extent of "yeah, I'm excited...kind of." But now, after this semester, I cannot WAIT to teach!! I have learned SO SO SO much from everything Ms. Huntley has taught, what I have experienced, and what I have accomplished. I have learned that language arts is the most important thing that you must teach in the classroom. Everything else adds on to that. I have learned that balanced literacy is so important, that a word wall in my classroom is a MUST, and that the Gradual Release of Responsibility lived out in my classroom will grow my students from completely reliant on me, to independent and great, purposeful readers, writers and thinkers. I have learned teaching methods that give me the desire to be a fantastic teacher. I have learned to respect my students, no matter who they are or where they come from.
My cooperating teacher, Mrs. Grigg, has been influential. I have learned a lot from her and her classroom; what TO do and what NOT to do. It is really interesting and lifechanging to read about methods in the textbook and then see those lived out in the classroom, or the absence of it. For example, I did not know how influential shared readings were to the students until I did my lesson in the classroom. Mrs. Grigg does not do any shared readings, but when I did mine, the students were receptive. I even heard one say, "That was fun!" The great thing about shared readings are that the students really do become more fluent and love to read in a group. It builds confidence in them and makes them better readers.
I am getting more comfortable in the classroom, and in the methods and materials of elementary teaching. I get excited to make lesson plans, and the final project has really helped me think about how to integrate the teacher handbooks into balanced literacy. Through this semester, I feel like I have transformed from a college student, who majors in Elementary Education, to a teacher-candidate.