I see grass and weeds and stumps and trees.
I hear the silence broken by the chirping of birds, the distant rumbling of cars, and the soft yammering of my classmates.
I smell the moist fabric covering my face and the hint of coffee breath.
I feel the soft, damp ground beneath my feet and the sharp prickly needles of the young spruce trees.
I’m slightly cold, but it’s nice and refreshing.
I feel fine.
This week’s reading made me reflect on all the conveniences that I take for granted and question whether my consumerism is in line with my ethics. In my opinion, the world is not going back on the trends of globalization and specialization unless there is some catastrophic event such as actually running out of fossil fuels without having come up with alternative solutions as the author suggests. The outsourcing of production of food and goods to various regions of the world has freed up the time and energy in other regions to pursue activities in education, research, arts, etc. to an extent that would not be possible if everything had to be produced locally. I don’t believe that streamlining processes, mass production, and globalization are inherently bad. They have proliferated to such a degree throughout modern society precisely because they serve important purposes and were essential to the progress of society and technology that we see around us. Although I agree that the idea of “back sourcing” and reviving older practices is interesting in its own right, the more important thing is to examine how we can continue our progress. How can I use my purchasing power, my vote, and other ways to influence the world to promote human rights and sustainable practices? What part can I play in solving global problems of climate change and energy production?
On the other hand, I did enjoy learning about rope making and braiding. I can see how there are fascinating patterns to study and I would be interested to read up more on the mathematics of ropes when I get the chance. I wonder how these activities can fit into the BC curriculum and how I can best incorporate them into my classes.
Today’s class introduced me to a few activities that I would certainly like to try in my own classes. Admittedly, I was somewhat skeptical of the effectiveness of teaching outside, but today’s class has really made me reconsider and reflect on how students can benefit from certain activities and observations that can only be done outside.
Observing angles in nature and discussing the differences between man made and natural structures really makes the abstract ideas of Euclidean geometry more relatable for students. I particularly enjoyed thinking about where we can find right angles and straight lines in nature (trees growing perpendicular to the ground, stickbugs, the horizon, etc.) and also how some man-made structures might be inspired by nature. I was also reminded of how I struggled, when first learning about angles, with how the idea angles applied to intersections between curved lines. Perhaps this can also be used when discussing the idea of tangent lines.
My favourite part of the lesson was measuring the altitude of the Sun with our body and tracing the Sun’s path through the sky. Reflecting on my own schooling, the experiences of my siblings and students I’ve tutored, I think astronomy is not emphasized nearly enough in most classrooms. Having students do real astronomical observations is such a fantastic way of engaging students and getting them to think about how the world works. In my opinion, the sky is a free, accessible laboratory that should be used more by teachers!
This article did speak to me as a new teacher candidate in 2021 and seem to be just as relevant today as it was back in the 1980s. In fact, from the discussions regarding the practicum, it seems like the teacher education process has remained largely the same. I think the authors have presented compelling arguments to be reflective teachers, and I definitely agree with the overall sentiment. Nevertheless, I think the authors were a bit too enthusiastic in their opposition to the norms and traditions of education.
Firstly, I would like to express my agreement with the ideals of open-mindedness, responsibility, and wholeheartedness. I think that despite its venerable age and history, teaching is still a quickly evolving field that requires each teacher to take responsibility for their own practice and to be continuously reflecting on and adapting their teaching style to their students. I think that there is not one "correct" method of teaching and that there is no "ideal teaching method" that teachers should be working towards. Rather, teachers must connect with their students and be continuously adapting based on their needs. An openminded teacher is willing to learn and change. A responsible teacher will think deeply about the consequences of any proposed changes and make decisions that will benefit the student. A wholehearted teacher has the dedication and will to realize these changes. In my opinion, these are all admirable and desirable traits that should be encouraged in all teachers.
But Grant and Zeichner also addressed three objections to reflective teaching: 1. Teachers don't have time to reflect and must act more intuitively than reflectively in a fact-paced classroom. 2. Teachers cannot act if the result of their reflection is in conflict with institutional norms, and 3. Teachers do not need to be reflective to be effective. Paraphrasing and simplifying the authors' responses, their counterpoints were, respectively: 1. Teachers can reflect outside of class time and small reflections during class time also count. 2. There is always some degree of flexibility for teachers to shape their classrooms while respecting constraints, and 3. Good teachers do reflect even if it is not always evident to researchers. My main issue with their response and in their following advice for new teachers to be reflective is how it seems to imply that it is usually good for an individual teacher to question and go against established methods. While I agree that teachers should be reflective, I think the article doesn't put enough emphasis on the point that teaching is a collaborative activity that is of central importance to society. In my opinion, it is better for teachers to be reflective and then share the result of their reflection with colleagues for discussion in an attempt to change the consensus, rather than attempt to go against institutional norms in their individual classrooms.
In conclusion, this article inspired me to question established methods and to continually work to improve my teaching. However, I believe that reflective teaching must also respect the need to work within time constraints, follow established rules and guidelines, and meet the expectations of parents and students. Being a teacher means being a key part of the community and as such teachers must hold themselves to their community's expectations. Teachers should be reflective in their individual practices, but should also be in constant communication with their colleagues and not readily reject consensus for best practice.
What stood out to me the most about Frank McCourt’s story is his ability to connect with his students by encouraging them to pursue their own inquiry questions that interested them, such as when he encouraged his students to explore and explain why they hated the novel that they were studying. I think this approach is likely more effective than ignoring criticisms and just pushing through with the lesson plan.
I think that Frank McCourt demonstrated inquiry throughout his life. Firstly, by having a "hunger for knowledge" and reading on his own while living in poverty and secondly, by being open-minded and willing to learn from his students. I agree with his statement that being a good teacher means also learning from your students. In my opinion, teaching should ideally be a collaboration and a conversation between teacher and students where ideas, questions, and feedback flow in both directions.
Reflecting on how this might affect my own teaching style, I remember being quite annoyed with some of my teachers who blathered on and on about their personal lives and I do not intend to follow their examples. However, I see now that some limited sharing of personal stories at appropriate times can help to make a connection with the students that will ultimately benefit the learning environment. So when I go out on the practicum, I will definitely try to take the time to share a few details about myself and establish that relationship with them from the start.
