May 7, 2015 - 17:13
I knew at the beginning of this semester that I would learn a great deal from this course. I had just received a job offer to work in Washington D.C. with Urban Teachers Center, a program that puts me in a host class for a year, where I learn from a master teacher. During this time, I will take graduate classes in elementary education. By my second year, I will be a teacher and will have my own classroom to run and will finish my graduate degree. This class has prepared me for the realities of an urban classroom in America. Before taking this class, I had only a couple of interactions with public schools, and I did not know the ins and outs of an urban classroom. While I still don't think I can say I am 100% prepared for the next few years that lie ahead, I know that I have a better understanding of what to expect in urban public schools.
The readings in this course have helped me better understand the larger institutions at play in education. I had never really known how closely related education and politics are, but I now see why I should constantly be updated on legislative, cultural, and political news revolving around the city and country I live in. From budget cuts, school closures, and school funding, politicians have a large say in what happens in schools. I now know that I need to be more involved in current news and protest and promote agendas that I believe have an affect on my career and my students.
Several readings also focused on standardized testing. Crawford-Garrett's book, Teach for America and the Struggle for Urban School Reform: Searching for Agency in an Era of Standardization, scared me upon first reading. As a future teacher, the standardized test worried me with my upcoming time in the classroom. One of my main reasons for teaching is to inspire students and give them a reason to want to continue learning in life. The way standardized testing is taught today doesn't speak to that at all. But as I continued to read the book, and take notes from my praxis placement, I began to have hope. Even though I have to teach students certain standards, it does not mean that I can't enjoy teaching lessons and my students can't enjoy learning. By using culturally relevant teaching in the classroom, I can speak to my students' home culture while instilling them with knowledge for the test and beyond. I never want the fun of learning to leave my classroom.
My in class experiences with this course have been amazing. It has been gratifying and helpful to hear my peers' opinions and experiences in class discussions. Even the blog posts have helped me understand different viewpoints and ideas that I may have never thought of. Bringing in my own perspective as an upcoming teacher has also allowed me to provide my own opinions and contribute to the overall class discussion.
This course has helped me form opinions about my profession and has provided me with the opportunity to learn from current teachers. I have also learned a great deal from my peers and their varying takes on the American education system. The strategies I have learned from my praxis placement will also help me when I begin working in the classroom with my own students.