Blog Assignment 9

This week I read a post by an elementary school teacher named Mr. McClung entitled "What I've Learned This Year". Mr. McClung wrote about his experiences in his first year of teaching. This was a very interesting post for me because Mr. McClung gave some great advice on things that I should be mindful of when I begin teaching. There were seven great tips that Mr. McClung listed in his post. The first tip that Mr. McClung gives is that teacher have to pay attention to their students recations while they are teaching or lecturing. Sometimes teachers become too focused on their own lesson plan and they forget to make sure that students are understanding what they are teaching. I think that this point is very essential for teachers to remember. The whole purpose of being a teacher is to help students learn, so teachers should always pay attention to how well their students are comprehending material. This way, teachers can slow down the pace of the lesson if need be. They can also review old concepts, if necessary. The second point that Mr. McClung makes is that teachers need to remember to be flexible. Sometimes lessons don't turn out the way that a teacher wants them to. When this happens, teachers need to remember to be patient with their students and make modifications to their plan. It's important for teachers to realize that their lessons will not always be perfect, but teachers need to make the best out of every situation so that students can learn. I hope that I will remember to not become frustrated with myself or my students when things do not go exactly as I plan them. Mr. McClung's third point was that communication is very important. Teachers need to learn to work together with their fellow teachers and support each other. If a teacher has an issue, they should be willing ti share this with their fellow teachers so that problems can be resolved quickly. This way, the school will be a better work environmet for teachers and they will be able to be most effective in teaching their students. Mr. mcClung's fourth point was that teachers need to be realistic when setting goals for their students. Sometimes teachers expect too much from their students. They may feel like their students should behave professionally and stay on task at all times. These teachers forget that children are not completely mature and responsible. If teachers have expectations that are too high, then this will just lead to disappointment for themselves and their students. I think that teachers also need to be careful not to have expectations that are too low either. This can also have a negative effect on students because they will not be challenged enough. It's important to find the right balance. The fifth lesson that Mr. McClung mentioned is that teachers need to embrace technology. Many teachers feel threatened or overwhelmed by technology, but Mr. McClung points out that it is all part of a learning process. Teachers don't always automatically understand the best way to incorporate technology into their classrooms. Teachers need to be willing ti experiment and find what does work. This will benefit their students greatly. Mr. McClung also mentioned that it is extremely important to take an interest in the lives of students. Students need to know that their teacher cares about them. This will help the student to feel welcome in the classroom and give them a more positive attitude. This is also very important because students need to be able to feel welcome to share situations they are going through so that teachers can help them. For example, if a student feels depressed they will be more likely to get help and discuss their problems if they know that their teacher cares about them. Finally, Mr. McClung urges teacher to never stop learning. I think this is a great point because teachers need to learn to practice what they preach. Why should students be motivated to learn, if their teachers do not possess a desire to learn? If teachers are unwilling to learn about technology and new techniques that will better their teaching style, then they are hurting both themselves and their students. I hope that I will remember all of this great advice when I become a teacher. I really appreciate Mr. McClung's willingness to share what he learned with other educators. If teachers follow these tips, they will become more caring, inspiring, patient and effective.