Reasons to Teach

While in school, one can wonder, why am I putting in all of these hours with what seems like meaningless papers and assignments? It is easy to forget about the reason, we as college students, volunteered for this.... here are a few websites that may be helpful in reminding yourself why you decided to teach in the first place. 

 50 Reasons to Teach

9 Reasons to Quit Teaching - (10 Reasons to Stay)

Why Teachers Teach



For myself, it is always the intrinsic rewards that continue to drive me to teach. It is the chance to impact lives in a positive manner on a daily basis. There are very few jobs that hold the same responsibility and power as a teacher. It is the fact that no two days of teaching are ever the same. It is the chance to share knowledge of something that I am passionate with others everyday (even if they aren't). It is not being confined to a desk or chair each day that drives me. The chance to be creative, have fun and enjoy teaching others. Being a teacher is tough and demanding, with long hours and not enough pay (as so I've seen and heard). However, most careers that are tough and demanding come with positive rewards if done right, and teaching is one of those careers. Most people can recall one or two, some people even all of their teachers, even after decades of being in their classroom. When was the last time you remembered the person handing you the fries at the drive-thru? The opportunity to teach can be scary, rewarding, painful, but it can also be the opportunity of a lifetime.

Critical Nature of Knowing Technology

As a pre-service teacher looking to get into the profession, I have realized the importance of knowing how to use modern technology in the classroom. In short, being comfortable using and aware of up to date technology can be the difference between getting a teaching job or not. There are many veteran teachers who do not feel comfortable using technology in the classroom. I have heard stories of teachers not even attempting to learn new technology.  For some teachers using email or google docs is sufficient enough. In their defense, why change success? They have taught for so long and not had to use it and their students have still learned the necessary material. However, administrators will be looking for teachers who can teach with 21st century tools. This means using mobile electronic devices, Smartboards, Elmo's, tablets, online videos, apps, etc. Your students will have experience using these electronics, so as teachers we must be able to tap into this resource. If we use a medium that all or most students are comfortable with it lessens the amount of scaffolding needing to be accomplished at the beginning of a lesson. Schools will need teachers that can teach using 21st century tools, as our students will be required more and more to use these tools in their future professions. As teachers, incorporating electronics devices can be the difference in motivating a student to accomplish their work. Who wants to use paper and pencil when they can use their touch screen tablet? Not today's youth. Looking back, I wish my teachers would have used up to date technology and now as I approach student teaching, I do not want to make the same mistake.

Technology I Would Like to Get Better at Using in the Classroom

1. SmartBoard
2. Excel
3. Any clicker or polling technology
4. Using an Elmo
5. Glogster
6. Using digital pictures with lesson plans
7. Incorporating online videos with lesson plans
8. Using online discussion or live-chat with instruction
9. Prezi
10. Animoto
11. Windows Movie Maker
12. Podcasts with lesson plans

Field Tips from Fall 2012 Semester

As the fall semester winds down, here are some tips that I have learned from field placement at New Albany Middle School.

1. Get to Know Your Students ASAP - The quicker you get to know the students in your classroom, the quicker they know you. This makes that awkward transition from stranger guy in the classroom to student teacher easier. You earn the respect from your students and it makes teaching lessons less worrisome.

2. Good Communication with your Cooperating Teacher - This only helps your co-op as they need to know your schedule, your requirements and what they can do for you. Always get at least their email. Always contact them if you are going to miss a day.

3. Jump Right In - Once you feel comfortable, jump right in and ask what you can do in the classroom. Start small, with passing out papers or walking around and helping students. Show you are interested! Once your co-op feels comfortable with giving you tasks they will be more willing to give you more control of the classroom.

4. Know Your Surroundings - Get to know the layout and structure of the building. Specifically, know where the copier is, staff lounge, staff resources room, bathrooms, office, nurse's room, library, computer lab, it only makes things easier when students ask you a question to go somewhere.

5. Know the Secretary and Other Staff - Get to know the office secretary, it makes things smoother when you do not know where a place is or a protocol for doing something. Plus it will make signing in and out for the day less of a pain if you know the secretary. Also, greet anyone who looks like a teacher or administrator even if you have no clue who you are. It makes you seem confident and comfortable.

6. Be Yourself - This last and most important. Be yourself each day because this how you develop your own teaching style. Students and staff will get to know you for you. This can be tricky when trying to follow you Co-op's rules, never go against their classroom policies. Be as confident as you can and make it the best experience possible.

Smartboard Tips & Tricks

Here are few Smartboard tips and tricks. Also, there are links to helpful youtube videos in executing these tricks with a smart board.

1. Turning Writing to Text - The smart board can turn any writing into text in the smartbook notebook program

2. Making a powerpoint smartboard compatible - by sending the powerpoint to the smartboard document writer it transforms the powerpoint into something that is touch screen compatible

3. Interactive games - Using games are one of the bonuses of using a powerpoint. There are several websites with games specifically for smartboards.

• http://smartboard.someschoolgames.com/
• http://www.smartboardteamgames.com/

4. Miscellaneous Tricks - Turning shape drawings into shapes, incorporating angles of shapes, changing the color of the text, circle the text and tap to erase text

5. Smartboard Tips & Tricks Videos  - See other tips and tricks through these videos

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7brpM41H3xQ
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xWNCHG-xB9o
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOs0qf1ymn4

ELA Lesson with Technology

This semester I have been fortunate to complete my field hours at New Albany Middle School. As a part of methods placement, I am required to teach multiple lessons. One of the lessons I developed was having the students create an Ipod playlist. The sixth graders had just completed Crash a young adult novel by Jerry Spinelli. The students were asked to choose a character from the book and then create a playlist of either 5 songs, movies, podcasts, etc. Their selections had to describe their character and then they had to defend their choices on paper. Additionally, the students were asked to design there character's Ipod. Using an outline of an Ipod on a sheet of paper students could draw their character's wallpaper, apps, home screen, etc. Probably 60% of all of the students in my cooperating teacher's classes have ipods or mp3 players. This language was very familiar to them. The students enjoyed the choice and creativity this project provided. Several students were relieved that they were not asked to write a paper. Students were able to use songs, movies, apps on their devices in a way that incorporated literature. Students were also permitted to share what they had on their devices with other students that did not have a device. The familiarity and comfort the New Albany students had with this technology made for less scaffolding to be done However, this lesson could accomplished at any school because the end project is in paper form. Students do not need to have ipods to do this project, they need a background knowledge of songs or movies to draw off of. This project received positive feedback from the students. Students enjoyed the choice this project offered and the chance to be creative. I will undoubtedly use this lesson in my future teaching.

Pre-Assessment Strategies

One part of teaching that is being stressed in methods classes is pre/post assessments. It is critical to have this as a part of every lesson. It allows the teacher to see what each student learned that day. There are many different types of assessment strategies other than the traditional KWL chart.

Here are a few websites that feature pre-assessment strategies:

• http://kendrik2.wordpress.com/2007/09/27/pre-assessment-strategies/
• http://www.stemresources.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=51&Itemid
• http://nees.wikispaces.com/file/view/Pre-assessment%2Bstrategies.pdf

More resources will be added later.