As I am writing this blog, the Rascal Flatts, "My Wish", song came into my head. The 2014 cohorts time at University Parking is coming to end and we are reflecting on our time here. It is now time to be "gettin' where we're getting to" with student teaching as the next step. Lab was a very vital component to AEE 412 as it really solidified what we were learning in class.
A good example of applying what we learned in class was interest approaches for me. I planned my lesson out and thought that I had a good interest approach -- making a crop identification book. But then as I went through that part of the lesson with my lab section I decided that the book was more of a project rather than an interest approach. It was things like this that were really beneficial. Really being able to see what worked and what didn't work. It is impressive how some things sound really good in your head, but then when you put it on paper or actually say it out loud....it doesnt work.
Lab was also a good time to really learn from our peers, we got peer feedback right away in class as we filled out evaluation forms, then we got verbal feedback through watching voicethreads and lastly we got more feedback through commenting on each others blogs. This allowed us to see what each other was doing and who had similar fears or positive uplifting experiences. Sometimes it seemed like we were the blind leading the blind, but it always worked out in the end. In class we were assigned different roles, mine was sleepy, hard worker, bully, and complainer. I think that my peers got to see a different side of me with some of the off the wall comments that I made; but also a realistic side to what students may be like. Unfortunately a lot of inspiration for the things that I said, came from people that I was in class with in high school. Valerie's first day of teaching she wanted us to get a paper signed by our parents/guardians and I said some smart comment about not wanting to do that and not having anyone to sign it and she asked me who I lived with and I was like ehh a different person every night. This story doesn't exactly come from high school, but I think that this is a scenario that could definitely happen at some point in our professional careers. It is important to be prepared for those times so we are best able to help the student.
On a lighter note, we also got to learn how to deal with students who talked too much or who were distracted by technology. My cousin told me that high school students have taken to snap chatting teachers... my students better not do that! Lab gave us practice to look out for certain things that students try to keep under the radar.
Lab also consisted of larger projects such as Fall Leadership Conference, Micro Teaching and LifeKnowledge Lesson. All of these were great as we got to be in front of real students! It also drove home the point of being prepared. Students are in school for a reason,to learn, and it is important that the person in charge of making sure they learn something is prepared and ready to go each day they walk into that school building.
Overall, lab was really beneficial and I am glad that I have all these blogs to reflect on in the next couple year and laugh at myself and go "did I really try that?". I've learned more about myself in that I have to try extra hard to display enthusiasm since I tend to keep my emotions hidden. I have also grown as an educator and feel more comfortable with lesson planning and implementing what I have written. While AEE 412 lab is a lot of work, it is definitely helpful and prepares preservice teachers for their students teaching experience.
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