Our two course experiences have been about learning and teaching.
I've tried to provide a wide range of reading/writing/learning
experiences for you so that you could learn about yourself as
a reader/writer/learner and to reflect on the questions this personal
learning raised for you as a teacher.
I would like you to do a final reflection for me – a kind
of "portfolio" if you will. Here are some questions
to act as prompts for you:
- What did I learn about learning and teaching from what happened
in our class?
- What did I learn about learning and teaching
by observing Judith?
- What questions about teaching were
raised for me in the readings?
- What powerful ideas had
an effect on my understanding of teaching?
- What are some
new things I tried as a reader?
- What are some new things
I tried as a writer?
- What are some new things I tried as
a learner?
- What are some things I learned about writing,
reading, and learning from my writing/reading experiences?
What questions about my teaching has that learning raised?
- What
did I learn from my students? How did I learn it? How
did that affect my teaching?
- What do I know now that I
didn't know before?
- What is something I am now trying as
a teacher? Why?
- Overall, how do I judge my learning?
I'm not asking you to "answer the questions" – but
to reflect on your learning in whatever way seems appropriate
for you. Everything we've done since September has been directed
at helping you think about teaching—to get us to this point
where you describe for yourself what you know now that you didn't
know before; where you list the big "ah-ha"s you had.
Remember, the whole point of our learning together was to allow
you a "Just Try" experience. I wanted you to become
aware of your own learning and to consider what questions
that raised for you as a teacher.
From my perspective, this has been an opportunity for you to
look at your beliefs and to watch how those beliefs changed, why
you think that occurred, and what you think it means for you as
a teacher.
While I want to read what you write—keep in mind that this
final reflection is really for you—to allow you to articulate
for yourself what you've learned from this experience.
Judith
