Master Teacher Reflection

           After finishing up student teaching, especially the five weeks of teaching full-time, it was good to be able to leave my section of the building during the last week to go and observe other teachers at Goshen Middle School who are known for being “masterful.” At the beginning of student teaching, I had been fortunate enough to be placed with a wonderful teacher, Ann Carboneau, from whom I learned many teaching and management techniques/strategies. Ann is definitely artful in her ability to have control of her classroom while still making strong personal connections with her students and teaching content in a way that is accessible. After observing six other teachers during the last week, I came to the conclusion that having control of these three aspects of teaching (enforcing good management, making personal connections with students, creating accessible content) is key to being a “master” teacher, as these were the areas where the teachers I observed excelled, and thereby had successful classrooms. Through analyzing these three attributes, then, I was able to learn a lot through my observations.

            Two of the teachers I observed, Bria Carboneau (6^th grade English/Social Studies) and Brenton Fish (7^th grade Math) had great management over their classrooms. With the new 6^th grade schedule this year, many of Bria’s classes are about two hours long, which, according to her, can get really tedious for her students. However, the class that I observed of Bria’s was able to accomplish a lot in this long time-span because the students were focused on what they needed to be doing and knew what was expected of them. Because of this, Bria didn’t have to spend a lot of time giving instructions or telling students how to behave. There were a few times when she had to inconspicuously redirect a student to get back on task, but this didn’t happen very much. Brenton’s classroom also had good management as students were on task throughout the entire class period and also knew the established routines of the classroom. Class began right on time, as students were seated and checking the answers to their homework from the previous day when the bell rang. Students also knew how to take notes and regularly volunteered answers to the questions that Brenton asked throughout the period.

            A second attribute that most of the master teachers I observed excelled in was making strong personal connections with their students. I thought this was especially the case with Terry Hussey (8^th grade math). As I entered Terry’s class, the atmosphere seemed to be really positive, as students were sitting in groups and conversing as they got out their homework to review for the day. Throughout the review, students seemed to be engaged in the material and weren’t afraid to ask clarifying questions. In observing this, it was easy to see that Terry’s students weren’t afraid to ask for help, and also liked to show her their successes (when they had completed a tough problem correctly).

            Finally, a third characteristic of master teachers that I found was encompassed by those I observed was the ability to make the content they were teaching relatable. I specifically thought that this was a trait of Angela Stoltzfus, a teacher of Read 180 (an additional English class) at GMS. Angela’s classroom was very organized, and students worked at various stations throughout the class period, rotating every 15-20 minutes. At one station, students conducted group reading with Angela, where for the story they were reading she questioned their background knowledge by seeing what they knew before they began reading. When some students weren’t able to answer questions such as “What is poverty?” Angela proceeded to explain it in a way that students could understand and relate to, which then helped students to comprehend what the story was going to be about.

            All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed my opportunity to once again become an observer in a classroom, soaking up the techniques/strategies of master teachers that foster a successful learning environment. As I talked about in this reflection, some of the key components of fruitful classrooms that I have gleaned from my observations, and also from having taught in my own classroom, are having good classroom management, connecting with students, and making content relatable. However, I also realize that implementing all of these aspects of teaching is very difficult, and takes time to master. These elements, though, are the ones that I hope to master in my future classroom, in order to create a successful learning environment for my students.  

School Board Meeting

            This past week, I was fortunate to have the opportunity to visit a Goshen Community Schools board meeting. This was the first board meeting I have ever been to, so this experience was very informational. The meeting was held at the school administration building, and was pretty well attended for what I was expecting. Along with the general information discussed at the meeting, the focus for the night was on Goshen Middle School (GMS), so several faculty, staff, and students presented information to the board in regards to GMS. As I just finished my student teaching at GMS, it was interesting to see what information they chose to present. Jan Desmarais-Morse and Linda Dickerson, the 7^th and 8^th grade counselors, as well as Lori Shreiner, the principal talked about the success of several students on raising their ISTEP scores this past year after putting extra effort/practice into improving. Some of these students had improved their scores by 50-100 points, and were therefore at the board meeting with their families to receive awards. Mrs. Dickerson also presented on the anti-bullying actions the school is taking through the Secret deodorant “Bullying Stinks” campaign.

            After GMS finished presenting, the board proceeded to talk about other more regular agenda items. Some of the topics for this meeting consisted of talk about some traffic problems that have been occurring at Model Elementary, Autism paraprofessionals in Goshen being moved to other community schools, transportation cuts being discussed at the state level, and how Glenda Ritz was going to be in town visiting some schools. All of these proceedings were carried out in a parliamentary procedure format, and were sometimes difficult for me to follow, especially since I haven’t been keeping up with all of the school related news that has been occurring in Goshen School District. However, it was interesting to see the interactions of the board members and observe how they all work together to give and receive information and make decisions.

            Overall, attending this school board meeting was very informational and exposed me to a side of education that I am not too familiar with. Despite not having much experience with what happens in education at the more administrative level, I believe that becoming versed in the discussions taking place around education in places like school board meetings is important to keep current with. This is especially so as decisions made at a higher level eventually affect schools, and therefore teachers. Attending more upper-level functions like school board meetings, then, is one of my goals in the future.      

Reflection on the Nine Actions

            It was interesting to read the Grant and Gillette article A Candid Talk to Teacher Educators after having completed student teaching instead of as an introduction to my education courses at Goshen College, because I feel like I have a much different perspective of the teaching profession and myself as a teacher now than I did before I began this line of study. Although I believe that the article has good points about some of the experiences teacher candidates need to be exposed to before they begin their student teaching/teaching career, I also believe that it is very difficult for one to be well-versed in all nine areas before s/he is put into a school system, especially because student teaching is such a hectic time. With this said, though, I believe that there are a few of the nine actions that I had good practice with due to the teacher education program at Goshen College, and others that I could still use some more exposure to in order to make myself a well-rounded educator.

            A first of the nine actions that I believe I have had adequate experience with is taking education seriously. Throughout my life, I have been encouraged by my family to do well in my studies, and have always strived to do my personal best in the academic arena, which has resulted in achieving a plethora of “A’s”  and academic honors throughout high school and college. However, beyond solely receiving good grades, I was always taught the value of why education is important: because learning new ideas and how to manipulate/evaluate them is an important life skill to have. Because of this, I have always seen the value in ensuring that my students understand why they are learning the content they are, which is something I tried to do during student teaching.

            A second of the nine actions that I believe I have embraced, especially throughout my time in college, is learning how to become critically active. For me, being “critically active” means that one takes the time to evaluate/analyze the information s/he receives. This actually relates to what I said about the importance of learning, as I believe that developing the skill of questioning knowledge is a crucial aspect of learning. In my student teaching, I attempted to be critically aware of the methods/instructional techniques I was using in my classroom, in order to see which ones were effective. However, I also tried to be critically aware of the information I was presenting to students, ensuring that my students weren’t only learning at the surface level, but delving deeper.

            Although I thought there were a few of the nine actions that I practice regularly, there were also some that I felt like I need more practice with as I prepare to become a teacher. First of all, I believe that I need some more rehearsal in working with all types of learners and their families. My student teaching placement exposed me to a learning environment that encompassed students/parents from a wide range of diverse backgrounds. Because of the range of diversity, though, and because of the large class sizes I worked with, I found it difficult to cater to the needs of all my students and their families. To alleviate this, I believe it will be important for me to continue to get experience in working with diversity, as gaining experience, in this instance, comes from repeated exposure. I also believe that I need to continue to find ways to recharge my battery. Student teaching was exhausting, and many times I would forego activities that I usually do for enjoyment to work on lesson plans or grading papers. After awhile, though, this became both physically and mentally draining, and therefore unsustainable. To help avoid teacher burnout, then, I believe that finding ways to recharge is vitally important.

            All in all, I believe I have learned a lot from going through the teacher education program at Goshen College and from my student teaching in relation to these nine actions. However, I also think that I have much more to learn about how to become an excellent teacher. Through gaining some experience, and also keeping in mind the actions I can take to improve myself, competence, and maybe excellence, will surely follow.    

My Tutoring Experience in the Kindergarten

          When first trying to get a placement to do my tutoring, I had a frustrating experience with West Goshen Elementary, as they didn’t have any teachers that needed assistance at the end of the year.  I went to the Kindergarten as a last resort, but ended up having many valuable learning experiences through being thrown into this classroom.  This opportunity provided me with many chances to work with younger kids that I probably wouldn’t have had if it hadn’t been for this assignment, as I am a secondary education major.  By taking things as they came, though, and learning to work with younger students in a variety of subject areas, even when I didn’t know exactly what the expectations of the classroom were, I learned how to think quickly and adjust to my surroundings.

            Another aspect of helping in the Kindergarten that I really enjoyed was being able to work with a few students one-on-one.  I have never really tutored before, so being able to assist students in their math and reading was very informational and also affirming to myself as a teacher.  Granted, I was only in the classroom for two weeks, but I still felt like I was able to form relationships with some of the students toward the end of my time because of the one-on-one sessions with which I assisted. 

            Probably the greatest learning I attained from my time in the Kindergarten was the importance of a teacher (or helper) forming relationships with his or her students.  Because I didn’t have much time in the Kindergarten classroom, my teaching methods weren’t nearly as effective as those of college students who had been in the classroom all semester with the Kindergarten Practicum class and therefore formed deeper connections with the students.  I think that these younger students were very open to forming new relationships, but that they just take time to build. 

            Overall, this experience was very valuable in exposing me to an unfamiliar classroom setting and helped me to understand some of my own strengths and weaknesses in working with younger students.  After completing this tutoring, I have developed a new appreciation for tutors and have gained valuable teaching perception that will assist me in future teaching endeavors.  

MLK Post: Shakespeare Behind Bars

           As I was unable to attend any of the Martin Luther King events this past January, I decided to watch the documentary entitled Shakespeare Behind Bars to further my knowledge about the complex situation prevalent in the American prison system. Shakespeare Behind Bars is the story of a program that began in 1999 at Luther Luckett Correctional Facility in La Grange, Kentucky, in which around 15 to 20 inmates put together and perform a Shakespeare play each year. This facility is only a medium security prison, but still contains some inmates who are life-long prisoners. Luther Luckett was originally built to house around 485-500 inmates, but, in 2003, the year this documentary was filmed, the prison held over 1100 inmates. Despite this overcrowding, the warden, as mentioned in the film, believes that it is the job of prisons to prepare inmates for life outside in the ‘real world’ while they are locked up. Because of this, programs such as Shakespeare Behind Bars are encouraged and funded in Luther Luckett as much as possible.

            While watching this documentary, one overarching theme that stuck out to me was that of identity, and how many inmates have a difficult time formulating their self-identities after they are put into prison. This stems partly from the discrimination they face from those in society who will always look at them as being ‘murderers’ or ‘sex offenders,’ etc, but also comes from the laborious work  they face in overcoming self-loathing for the crimes they have committed. Throughout the documentary, many of the inmates state their crimes and some regrets for things they have done in their past. One inmate, Hal, talks about how he had trouble finding his sexual identity as a boy. Because he grew up in a conservative family, he said he always felt pressured to marry a wife and have kids, and when he fell in love with his wife, he was happy. However, he had never learned to deal with his pent up aggression and feelings, and would sometimes not know how to handle his wife’s emotions. One day when his wife was feeling overwhelmed with the pregnancy she had just tested positive for, Hal didn't know how to react, and so dropped a hairdryer into the warm bath he had just drawn for her, which electrocuted her to death. Hal said, through tears, that he continues to struggle with accepting himself after committing this crime, especially since he lied about it being an accident for ten years. This is where Shakespeare comes in.

            Hal’s role in the 2003 production of Shakespeare Behind Bars was Prospero, the protagonist in the play The Tempest. In this play, Prospero is usurped of his throne by his brother Antonio, and spends over 10 years on an island thinking of how he can punish him. However, in the end, Prospero ends up forgiving his brother’s crime after he has trapped Antonio and his crew on the island where he is living. This narrative of Prospero’s life was one reason that Hal chose to play Prospero in The Tempest, as he was able to encounter the ability to move on and find his own forgiveness in the character of Prospero. This, then, is how Shakespeare has been able to work so powerfully in the lives of the inmates who participate in this program. Inmates select their own characters in the plays they are going to present, focusing on parts that they can personally relate to. Curt Tofland, the volunteer director, who refers to himself as the production’s “facilitator,” says that the reason these inmates are able to connect so closely to Shakespeare’s work revolves around the similarities they hold with the actors who would have been performing Shakespeare’s work in the sixteenth century. In this time, the actors who would’ve put on the play were considered to be pick-pockets and murderers, just as the inmates at Luther Luckett. However, the powerful, timeless themes that penetrate Shakespeare’s works have been able to, even to this day, connect inmates like the ones at Luther Luckett to the self-forgiveness they need to begin to accept themselves as people.

           

            Nevertheless, self-forgiveness can still be difficult to show to the rest of society, as inmate stigmas (as was previously mentioned), tend to cloud any chance of parole or sentence-reversal that may be available to the individuals who have committed first degree crimes. Sammie, one of the most faithful Shakespeare group members who played the role of Trinculo in The Tempest, is in charge of the computer lab at Luther Luckett, and was even offered a job with the software company who donated the machines, as he was able to create some new programs for the computers. Toward the end of the practice sessions for The Tempest, Sammie meets with the parole board to look at options for his release, which he is pretty confident he will be able to secure. One of Sammie’s major worries throughout this process, though, is that even if he is released, he will not be able to function at the same emotional level outside of the correctional facility as he does within, as he will lose his community and newfound sense of self. However, he is denied parole for another six years, and, somewhat disappointedly, continues to serve as computer lab specialist because the parole board doesn't see evidence that he has changed.

            All in all, then, how does the documentary Shakespeare Behind Bars relate to the field of English Education in general and my future career as a teacher? Shakespeare and his plays have become a big part of high school English curricula, as many students are required to read and understand plays such as Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, and Macbeth. However, with the push for “getting through” texts by many schools for testing purposes, and also the inability of many teachers to teach Old English Shakespearean works in a way that students can connect too, a lot of high school students end up discarding Shakespeare as irrelevant and unimportant. Another factor that contributes to this de-valuation is the role of many literary theories, which advocate against the liberal humanist stance of finding timeless morals in Old English works, saying that they are Eurocentric and biased. Nevertheless, I believe that, as a future educator, it is my job to try and teach students to try and re-find some of these values that are present in Shakespeare. In interacting with some of the students I've had in my placement at Goshen High School this past semester, I know that there are students who experience the same feelings of identity crises and loneliness that the inmates at Luther Luckett have. In future classes that I teach, too, there will be students who face abusive situations at home, who have gone to juvenile detention, or who struggle with finding their sexual identity. I believe, though, that through presenting Shakespearean characters, works, and themes in a way with which students can connect, students may be able to appreciate the complex, life-like values and situations that literature can portray, and perhaps through seeing their own lives reflected in literature, learn the path to personal identity fulfillment.       

            

Reflection on Anti-racism Training

           One of the most difficult things about living in a nation as diverse as the United States for many people is learning to empathetically look at and understand the stories of those different from themsevles. As I discovered by conversing with other students at the anti-racism training workshop held with Regina Shands Stoltzfus, inherent racism and exclusive stereotypes can arise from the way we grow up and the experiences we have as both children and adults if we only look at one story of a group of people that are different from ourselves. In reflecting on the round table discussions I had, I was not only able to hear and appreciate the stories of others, but was given the opportunity to look back at my own background and the way I have been influenced through my family and its values. Regina did a very good job of showing how what we learn from family and culture can also be influenced by societal structures, such as government policies. Historically, the government has made certain programs more difficult for people of color to attain, which is something I have never been exposed to as a Caucasian. However, through learning that hierarchies continue to exist, I am aware that they can be exclusive in a subtle manner.

            My own racial identity is not something that I have talked much about before coming to college. Nevertheless, discussing the privilege I sometimes have because of my skin color is important, as it is critical to know how these privileges can affect my standing in a diverse society. I believe that it is also important to understand how racism, although it is not an overt problem in the United States anymore, still affects how people are treated by the national government and its policies. Along with this, I believe that learning how bigger systems affect personal identity is also very important, as different individuals can feel the influence of government policies in various ways, depending on what they were taught about issues like race growing up.

            In looking at how my own prejudices can affect my role as an educator, I believe that it is important to understand that my opinion and inherent biases can translate to how I look at students different from myself in the classroom. However, I believe that this recognition is essential because it shows that by recognizing my own limitations, I have the ability to teach my students that differences exist and that they make individuals unique. By stressing the beauty of our differences and allowing students to acknowledge the cultural and societal influences that have affected them, I as a teacher will be able to introduce them to an open mindset that recognizes and embraces diversity.