Weekly Writing September 4

Weekly Writing September 4

As I was reading through the books and articles for today's reflection, the idea of teaching really hit home. Viewing the many different ways a student can learn, I was, to say the least, nervous. Having 8 different types of intelligence, there are so many different areas to cover so all students will be able to learn and grasp the concepts being taught. Reardon makes it a point to say every brain is unique, whether it be genetically or in physical size. I realized that sometimes that a teacher cannot always cater to every type of intelligence, but has to sprinkle in some parts of each type so that hopefully the learners can connect some things and push them to problem solve and be curious to the new subjects.

In the other readings, there were some other keys ideas on foundations of agriculture education. One of the lines that made me think more in depth was, "Occupational decision making is a process, not an event." This statement is something I never realized. When I make a decision, I usually just make it in a split second or within a very short amount of time. Rarely, do I see it as a process. Even though I weigh my options, consider the outcomes, and think about other items, it doesn't seem like it. These decisions made can either help or hurt the learning process. From the first day of school, to evaluating teaching skills at the end of the year, each decision needs to have the correct understanding, and reflection, to adequately fix or change a part. As a future teacher, I worry about making decisions. This day and age of teaching is much different, with more problems and responsibilities. I think decision making is a struggle for all teachers, whether they are first year or ready to retire.

Another idea I tossed around from the readings was the role of a teacher. I know teachers want students to pass their class, but is it better to have them just "pass" the class, or actually excel at that subject. I can understand some students have little interest in some subjects, but good teachers need to be engaging those students to become more involved. Teaching a subject is one thing, but teaching the real world applications, or aligning it with something the students relate to, is a true goal.

This week's reading gave me some ideas to further help my students. I want to find new techniques to increase my variability to all types of intelligence, making decisions not by emotional significance, but what is better for my students and myself. I hope when I am student teaching I will be able to connect the subjects to my own experiences, and make rapport to students so there can be numerous connections.

Here is a link to a short article that also discusses some decision making. I really liked his description of the four basic attributes of the decision making process https://cirt.gcu.edu/blogs/thoughts-on-teaching/decisionmakingintheclassroom