This Sunday is graduation day at Hofstra University. Graduation days are times to celebrate and think about the things you have learned. In this post I share thoughts about teaching from graduates completing the teacher education program.
New York State student teachers are saddled with a series of questionable tests that they must pass in order to become certified. Probably the most difficult is the edTPA, a sixty page commentary that includes video segments that is submitted electronically to Pearson (Mis)Education for evaluation, but no feedback for improvement. The project is so complex and stressful that it essentially swallows up the entire student teaching experience, interfering with the ability of prospective teachers to really learn how to teach.
Despite testing, edTPA, and Pearson, New York State's newest group of teachers are determined to learn the skills they will need to make a difference in the lives of students. Under the circumstances they should be roundly applauded. I do not expect Governor Andrew Cuomo or the state Board of Regents to, so I will. We also need a shout-out to thank their cooperating teachers and field supervisors who made their student teaching experience possible.
In our final weekly seminar for student teachers we put edTPA behind us and discussed their answers to three questions. As a student teacher, what did you learn about teaching? What did you learn about your students? What did you learn about yourself? I thought their comments were insightful, worth jotting down, and with their permission, worth sharing with a wider audience. Hopefully it will contribute to a broader understanding of what it means to learn how to be a teacher.
Jen (Science): The key lesson for me during student teaching is that less is more. You have to teach within time constraints. I always over-planned materials for my lessons and did not leave enough time to recap and reinforce learning. I think I finally realized the importance of engagement. Lessons cannot just be about information. I had to find a way to connect what I was teaching to things they already knew. When we were studying rocks I made a lot of food analogies. Cream-filled cupcakes covered with chocolate look a little bit like the crust, magna, and core of the Earth. Students always wanted to know what was going to be on the test. That can't be the most important thing about learning.
Joe (Social Studies): I had a few big epiphanies. First, you must be systematic in planning and instruction. Second, you need to relax; lessons will never be perfect. Third, make your lessons into a story; they will make more sense to you and your students. Fourth, talk to students, learn about them, and include their interests in your lessons. Last, remember that students have much more going on in their lives than your class.
Diane (English): Some of the material we were reading can be upsetting to teens so we must make sure they experience school as a safe place. I tried to do this by finding ways to connect to them on a personal level. My students wanted a chance to speak about what they were thinking. An important part of teaching is stepping back to make space for the students. A big part of what I did was helping them to reflect on what they said and thought.
Kris (Art): The #1 lesson I learned is that you have to tailor your lessons to the individual children in your class. One size does not fit all. One thing I stress with students is that while some people are born with talent, everyone can learn skills. Don't tell me you can't do something because you don't have talent. We can figure how to do it together. But you have to earn the skills. This is an important idea that children can learn in art and take with them to their other subjects.
Courtney (Science): Kris is right. There are skills students need to learn. But I soon realized that there are also skills teachers need to learn as well. I am still learning how to be organized. In teacher education classes we say students learn differently but when we get to classrooms we act like they are all the same and learn the same way which makes it so many do not learn at all. Our students learn from what we do, not from what we claim to believe. When teachers treat students one-way and expect them to learn as if they are all identical, we lose them.
Kan (Science): Teaching was much harder than I thought it would be. It takes commitment. You can't just skate by. I started out with lessons that were too teacher centered and didn't make sure to take the students with me. It helps when lessons are multi-dimensional. I also realized that being in the classroom as a teacher is very different from hypothetical discussions in teacher education seminars. I had to shift my mind-set.
Stephanie (English): I had no idea what teaching is really like until I actually began to teach. I discovered it is the most rewarding feeling when students understand something, make a connection, or are engaged because of something I said or did. The look on a student's face when they just got something, or earned a good grade after grappling with a difficult text or assignment, is priceless. As a student teacher I learned how important it is to relationships with students, taking the time to know who they are, what they stand for, and what they like, makes a world of a difference. Treating students like people and not like little kids helped create in them a sense of responsibility to meet expectations. But the key to teaching for me is preparation. Planning kept me organized and focused. It's hard to plan ahead when you're doing so many other things, but it's absolutely necessary. I tend to be a perfectionist. But teaching helped me realize I can't take the weight of the entire world on my shoulders. You must do the best you can, but that is all you can do.
Kimber (Social Studies): Some of the theories we learned in the teacher education program actually are relevant to the classroom. I know you can't reach every student, but I think we have a responsibility to give ever student a chance to succeed. I was surprised to discover that heterogeneous grouping actually worked. Stronger students helped weaker students and they learned better at the same time as they tutored and explained. Groups also freed me to move around the room more and work with students individually. I used groups a lot in my classes. I stopped just presenting content and concentrated more on interactive learning.
Scott (Social Studies): I taught in college for many years, but my high school students helped me to quickly realized I never learned how to teach. The key to a successful lesson was student activities and discussions, not what I said or did, although I did play a role. I always had to discovery what were the topics or issues in their lives that interest them and I had to figure out ways to connect what they were interested in to the lessons I was trying to teach.
Jess (Science): I agree with what Jen said about less being more. I was teaching inclusion classes and realized that I could not just move onto the next part of a lesson; there is never too much reinforcement. I also realized how much students like to talk about themselves. We need to connect their interests to the lessons, but we always must make space for their voices. Also, for me, learning new stuff as I prepared lessons is fun.
Chris (Social Studies): Teaching is much more difficult than I anticipated because I was often learning along with the class. I didn't know what I was getting myself into. But I discovered I could have fun with students. For me, management and preparation were the keys. I agree with Jess that student want to be heard and that lessons are most successful when they get to express their voice.
Nick (Social Studies): I always believed that we need to know history because the past influences the world we live in today. But just because I believe it doesn't mean my students automatically will or will be interested in what I planned for the lesson. They need to be engaged, to be convinced. I also realized that I would not be able to reach every student every day. They are individual human beings with a lot of other concerns, just like we are. Two other things. It is possible to be friendly without being a friend. They need me to be their teacher, not their friend. I also realized that a lesson is not a race to the end.
Jeff (Social Studies): Lesson planning is annoying, but as Alan says, "Planning and structure give us the freedom to teach." I liked high school better than middle school because I had a greater ability to be flexible while teaching. Rigid is not my style. You have to prepare and also be flexible. One thing I constantly struggled with was figuring out what level of material was appropriate for the students in my classes.
Dwayne (Social Studies): Teaching five classes a day, five days a week, for an extended period of time, was more demanding than I ever anticipated or what most non-teachers realize. The job of the teacher extends far beyond the classroom. Successful teaching requires extensive planning. It is the advanced preparation that gives us the space and time in the classroom to be flexible and attentive while working with the students.
Michael (Social Studies): This semester was my second chance to student teacher because of medical issues the first time. I admit I was afraid at the start. I think my biggest lesson was that as a teacher you have to walk into the classroom prepared and with a positive attitude because our attitude rubs off on the students. I also learned the importance of staying with something even when it is difficult. I hope I can bring this lesson to my students.
Clarissa (Science): I learned that I can't assume my Blackness will automatically convince students to relate to me. I wasn't a positive role model just by showing up. I had to work hard, pay attention to them, and earn their respect. The students in my classes have a lot going on in their lives. I had to pay attention to them if I wanted them to pay attention to me. I also had to learn to treat them as individuals. Everybody is not the same. There is no magic sprinkle dust that turns you into a teacher. I had to focus on being consistent, on being structured, and on following through on the things I said. But most important, you can never give up on yourself or your students. I don't give up.
Congratulations graduates and new teachers.