Blog Post #6

Synthesis of Course

This semester has gone by so quickly. It is bizarre to me to think this is the last real semester of "typical coursework" that I will do before I graduate. However, this class has been very beneficial to me. I feel that I have been able to do a lot of reflecting for this class on what kind of teacher I want to be, what strategies I will use, and what strategies I plan on never using. So the rest of this post will be my scattered thoughts on what I have learned from this course

Probably one of the biggest lessons that I learned from this course is that students are like snowflakes. There are no two student (or humans for that matter) that are alike. Everybody is different and contains strengths and weaknesses. It is crucial for teacher to pick up on what strengths students have and magnify them to give them confidence and success. It is also crucial for teachers to be aware of weaknesses and cater to the individual needs of every student. Every student that wants to, has the right to succeed. It is the teachers role to provide them with what they need in order to success, no matter the challenge.

For some reason, critical literacy was the type of literacy that struck the biggest chord with me. I think that students learn many things while in school, but learning who they are and that they have a voice that is valued is one of the biggest accomplishments students can take away from school. Critical literacy is a way that teachers can help students find their voice. Bringing tough discussions into the classroom, while providing a safe/respectful atmosphere is key in any school setting.

I think that strengthening students literacy, no matter what form and by what means, will have a lasting impact on students for the better. It will prepare them for college, it will help prepare them for carreers, and it will help them mature into a respected and valuable member of a community. By helping students become more literate, us as teachers will help them open many doors to their future.

I am excited to be a teacher for many reasons, but selfishly I believe that by helping students reach success, it helps us as teachers feel vindicated in our career path. I look forward to applying many of the things that I learned this semester.

Self Selected Project: Book Club

Book Club Members: Thomas Williams, Jill Baker, Rusty Mendenhall, Kayla Youngs, and Jessie Jackson.

Books Read: Maus I, Maus II, and John, Paul, George, and Ben

I loved Maus I, but nobody else did. I liked how it covered so much of what it was like to live during the holocaust. It gave a real personal touch to it that history books do not give. I also loved the animations for it, they were very well done. The relationship that Art had with his father father was very unique. They didn't seem to get along very well. The book portrayed the father as a ignorant and not conscious of others feelings. His new wife was on the verge of leaving him. It was a unique perspective to see a holocaust survivor that was not very tolerant. You would expect a holocaust survivor to be a very loving and respectful person, but I think that is a big misconception that the book does a great job tackling. The book showed that the holocaust was the source of much baggage for the father, and his life was complicated. I do not think I would require my class to read this book for our class, but I would allow suggest this book for more mature students. It has heavy themes and might be hard for some students.

I did not read Maus II, but those in the group that did liked it better than Maus I. I will most likely be reading it over Christmas break. Those that read Maus II in our group said it dives deeper into the fathers present life and into the concentration camps. These were two topics the first book did not cover very much. I am anxious to read this book.

John, Paul, George, and Ben is definitely a children's book. However, it is funny and it proves an important point. Not all history that we grow up hearing about is factual. This book tells several short stories of each of these historical people. It tells what part of the story is fact and what parts of the story is fictional. It also adds a comical side to each story. I would read this short book in any history class to prove the point that not all history is accurate.

This was a fun project because I feel like I do not get to do all that much reading for books that I choose. Since I love to read, this was a rewarding assignment because I loved both of the books that I read. I would highly recommend both of these books to a friend!