My Top 10 Takeaways

1. One of my top ten takeaways is the idea that teaching is a constant state of becoming, and this means that teachers are not expected to know everything on the first day of school or after having spent multiple years teaching because we learn something new everyday. Teachers are not supposed to be excellent right when they are starting out, and this is okay because teaching continually changes, and they are constantly learning new ways to make their teaching methods more effective for students. This is impactful for me because it is a lot less stressful knowing that I am not expected to be an excellent teacher who knows everything there is to know about being a teacher for my first time teaching students.
2. Another important takeaway is the fact that it is crucial to meet students where they are and how far they have come in their learning. It is necessary to ensure that the students are understanding the material before moving onto new content and to make sure that they are learning effectively. This is important because it is beneficial for the teacher to know his or her students and what types of learners they are, along with having the opportunity of getting to know the students as people. This is impactful for me because I did not realize that students learn more and learn better from teachers if they know them as people. Now that I think about, I personally learned a lot better from teachers that I knew as people rather than from teachers that I did not know that well.
3. Most importantly, it is extremely important to focus on the students’ assets rather than focusing on their deficits. It is more beneficial to focus on the assets that students bring to the learning process because it prevents us from only focusing on the negative aspects about the students and what they are doing wrong or what they could do better. If a teacher only focuses on the assets and the positive aspects that students have, he or she will be better able to assist the students in their learning by using the students’ assets to leverage their weaknesses. This is impactful for me because often times, I only focus my attention on what children are doing wrong or need improvement with, and I end up overlooking their strengths and the things that they are good at.
4. Furthermore, I learned that there are two types of mindsets: a growth mindset and a fixed mindset, and that it is important for both teachers and students to have a growth mindset. A growth mindset is the mindset that is more desirable to have because it is the idea of thinking that there is always more to learn, and that it is possible to learn new concepts and material with patience and persistence. It is important for teachers to realize that they can learn new and effective ways to enhance their teaching styles and help their students learn better. Also, teachers need to promote having a growth mindset in their classrooms to help their students realize that they are capable of learning new information, and that just because they do not understand the concepts at the moment, it does not mean that they will never understand it. A fixed mindset is the mindset that students have when they believe that they cannot learn new concepts or that they will never understand the material, and this is an undesirable mindset to have because it limits students’ learning and often results in frustration for both the teacher and students. The fundamentals of the two types of mindsets are impactful for me because I will be able to better relate to my students and help them learn if I can determine what their mindsets are and help them develop a growth mindset by promoting the fact that we can all learn new things with patience and by not giving up.
5. In addition, I learned that it is important to teach with race and culture in mind and how I can become a culturally responsive teacher. It is important for teachers to be mindful of what they say regarding race and culture and to ensure that they do not offend any students. Teachers need to create a welcoming environment in their classrooms where students of every race and culture can feel welcome and accepted. Students need to treat other students of different cultures and ethnicities with respect, and teachers need to promote this and encourage kind, respectful conversations between students of different cultures and ethnicities. This is impactful for me because teaching material that is not racially or culturally biased will be beneficial for the students’ learning and will ensure that each student feels welcome, along with preventing feelings of discrimination towards other students.
6. Having the opportunity to participate in the Village Project was a very beneficial experience for me, and it provided me with a chance to interact with multiple students of different races and cultures than my own, along with helping me grow as an individual. I am not used to diversity, due to the fact that a majority of the people in my hometown and high school are white. Serving in the after school program at Keller Elementary School gave me a glimpse into what teaching is like at that school, and it was eye-opening for me to observe how many of the children at this school fail to obey authority and have a lack of respect for volunteers and staff members. I enjoyed building relationships with these children and supporting them with their learning, as well as participating in fun and educational activities with them. I loved seeing the smiles on the children’s faces as they would run up to me and give me a hug as soon as I arrived at the school. This is impactful for me because my experience volunteering for the Village Project has taught me how to better handle situations with difficult students and how to positively correct their misbehavior.
7. I learned that it is important to be aware of myself and have self awareness. Having self awareness means that a person always knows what is going on around him or her, and that the person always knows his or her surroundings. It is important for teachers to be self aware and always know what is going on in their classrooms to prevent any accidents or situations that students might have. Teachers also need to be able to scan the room, determine how the students are feeling about a certain topic, and be able to adapt to the reading of the room. This is impactful for me because it seems like it will be difficult to scan the entire room and determine how the students are feeling, and if they are understanding the concepts. This will be even more difficult if the students are still required to wear a mask next semester. I will have to practice scanning the room during my time at the Village Project next semester and see if I can figure out how the students react to the directions that are given by staff members.
8. Another important takeaway is that there are multiple different teaching styles and learning styles. This means that I am not forced to teach in a certain way, and that I can decide the teaching style that I prefer and the one that the students seem to learn best from. The idea that there are multiple different learning styles means that we all learn differently, and that each student has his or her own learning style. This is impactful for me because I will need to adapt my lesson plans and teaching style to the students’ learning styles and be able to relate information to every student, as well as ensure that every student is learning the material.
9. Having empathy and showing kindness to children is extremely important because this shows them that the teacher cares about them. It is important to be able to relate to students’ emotions and how they are feeling in order for the teacher to comfort them and build a trusting relationship with his or her students. It is important and necessary to be capable of putting myself in the students’ shoes and remember how I felt, along with the frustrations that I experienced when I could not understand new concepts, especially math. I believe that students feel more comfortable opening up to their teachers when they trust them and when the teachers are kind to the students, as well as supportive of them. This is impactful for me because I want to be able to relate to the students in the after school program and be able to support them in every way possible. I want the students in the after school program to know that I genuinely care about them and that I am here for them.
10. Lastly, knowing and understanding the fact that when children take their frustrations and anger out on me, it does not mean that they are mad or upset with me. I learned that often times when children have a bad day, they take it out on other people, similar to how adults express their anger to other people. This is impactful for me because I often tend to take things to heart or seriously and knowing that children are not trying to insult me is beneficial in helping me help them calm down. I want to be able to teach children how to positively express their emotions and frustrations in healthy ways. I also want to teach children that it is better and safer to express their emotions by having a conversation with a teacher or an adult, rather than taking their anger out on other students or teachers.

3 Ideas for Future Course Changes:

1. I would like to learn more ways to positively correct children’s misbehavior and ways to correct their behavior in a kind way.
2. I would like to learn more teaching strategies and methods that are effective.
3. I would like to learn how to teach and accommodate every student according to their individual learning styles.

Mya LaFreniere

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