Semester Reflection!

Wow. What a semester. This class was equal parts fun and stressful, but I can for sure say that I've learned more in this class than any other class I've taken at the Mount. This class made me not only a much better science teacher, but a better teacher in general. This semester was the first time I had ever taught in front of a whole class before, which was nerve-racking to say the least! But, I had a really great group who helped me through it, and I can now say that I'll be comfortable teaching in front of a whole class in the future. Something else I gained this semester was knowledge and insight into the inquiry model of teaching. This model with the "5 E's" of inquiry is really beneficial to student learning. They love this model because they get to immerse themselves in the material, form hypotheses and then explore their hypotheses. I enjoy using this model of teaching because it's way more interactive than just teaching direct instruction. Something else I'm going to take away from this course is the amount of technology I can implement in my instruction. Programs like mentimeter, voki and thinglink are all valuable tools for teachers to use to help 21st-century learners pick up information. I will most certainly use all of these tools and more, and will keep my eyes and ears open for more along the way! Probably the most important thing I picked up on this semester was how patient you need to be as a teacher. My patience was tested inside and outside the classroom this semester like never before, but that's the life of a teacher. I have to learn to stay the course even when the day isn't going as planned. Even if my lesson that I worked so hard on falls apart right at the beginning, there's no time to complain. The students need a strong teacher who won't yell and scream when things go bad, and that is really what I took away from this semester. Patience is a virtue, and no matter what, I will stay patient with my students and guide them towards becoming lovers of science who enjoy learning and inquiring about everything science has to offer!