How is this experience shaping your teacher identity? Give specific examples/stories.
This experience has taught me so much. I have learned so much about myself that I never knew. Because I am working with my aunt in this classroom she allowed me to teach a literacy lesson. I stood up in front of the entire class and taught the whole lesson. I had to read a story and ask them questions which made them think deeper in the story and connect them to outside experiences. This made me realize that so much in the classroom is related to a child’s background and what they have learned at home. When I was teaching, I kept thinking to myself that when I was a student I hated being talked down to. I remembered in 6th grade I felt as though I was old enough to be talked to as an adult. I began a discussion by asking them a question which allowed them to answer me as an adult, not as a child. 6th graders are beginning a stage in their life in which they are confused whether they are too old to act like a child and too young to act like an adult. As a teacher I must help a child understand where they are in their life and where it is appropriate to use their own sense of direction. I feel that the students were able to connect with me and feel comfortable with the questions I was asking. Other examples are students are now asking me questions and I am feeling confident enough to answer the questions and help them with their work. I am beginning to trust myself in that I am making a good decision for this child. My teacher identity is still going to develop as I interact with children and I really am sure that this is the field of work that I want to go into.
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Hi Shana, I wish I was given the opportunity like you to teach a whole lesson by myself. I would have been very nervous at first but it was nice that you had your aunt there to help you. Now you have even more experience that will help you out down the road. It seems like you really took a multicultural learning approach to your lesson because you let all the students participate and what they learned at home or culturally will definitely come out in their response. I liked how you let them answer like adults because this empowers them to strive for the future and really lets them feel grown up. I think that is a really nice way of making them feel worthy and important and really show that you respect every answer they give you. I will try and use this in my classroom one day because I want my students to feel comfortable around me as well and know that I understand them. We are all still developing into wonderful teachers and this is a great example of all the fun times to come.
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