Over the past few weeks, I have been trying different
methods of teaching. There is a growing push for the use of technology in the
classroom and now that all students are given laptops in my school building,
they should be used more often. I have been decreasing the number of paper
assignments and note sheets and replacing them with online work. My students
are seeming to respond better to this method based on their participation in
class and improvement in their grades. I have been trying to have students do
more exploratory and lab-based assignments that require students to learn on
their own a little more. It has seemed to be helping with their retention
because I have noticed on the last quiz they took, a lot of my students scored
highly.
To be an exemplary teacher, one needs to be patients,
caring, and versatile. An exemplary teacher needs to be patient because no
everyone’s learning style is the same. If a student does not get it right away,
a teacher should have patience and try to find another way to teach it. Being
caring is very important as well because as a teacher, students look to you for
guidance and if you are not showing that you care, then your students are not
going to be willing to learn. Versatile, I think is the most important
characteristic because like I mentioned before, not everyone learns the same.
Teachers need to be able to adjust on the spot at times for whatever reason.
Not all lessons will run smooth or how one plans, but it is important to do
your students a service and prepare them for the future.
For the next semester, I have a few goals in mind. I want to
one, finish this MAT program and become a certified teacher. I want to make sure
that I prepare my AP students for their exam in May the best I can. I am
hopeful that I will have a few students do well on this exam. I also want to
guide my bridge students in completing their bridge projects, so they can
graduate in May, as well. I want to be the best teacher I can be and be a role
model for my students. I want to help prepare them for their next chapters in
their lives after high school.
