Reflection

Below is my reflection for CURR 511

CURR 511                                                                                                                 
Darren Knapp

Reflection                                                                                                                     
May 5, 2012

            Throughout this semester, I have grown as a literacy teacher and coach, along with learning many new ideas, thoughts, and techniques. From the readings, lectures, group meetings, and group presentations, I have obtained a plethora or techniques, methods, and materials that will help me strive as a literacy educator. When reflecting back on how I have changed not only as a teacher, but as a professional. It has occurred to me that through this course, I feel that much more prepared to step into a literacy classroom and help positively affect not only students reading skills, but their lives in general.

            When considering what I have learned from the beginning of this course till the end, a variety of thoughts pop into my head. One of the pieces of information I have obtained is what the roles, skills, and techniques a literacy coach must obtain to be successful. Prior to this class I had only a vague idea of what being a literacy coach encompassed. It was my thought that a literacy coach pretty much helped teachers through professional development seminars along with updating their knowledge through professional research. However, after completing the coaching guide, I was opened up to the world of a literacy coach. Not only do they complete the roles aforementioned, they also involve themselves in many meetings, administrational work, along with always learning from their experiences. As with teaching, a literacy coach “wears many hats.” I think the most important thought that I have learned from the literacy coaching guide is that a literacy coach should be a patient, personable, and life-long learner. Through this, I believe I have a better understanding of what a literacy coach does and has helped me strive towards a possible career in being a literacy coach.

            Along with learning what it takes to be a literacy coach, I have always learned a variety of strategies from my classmates’ presentations. From using song and dance to teach reading, to learning how to create and use blogs in the classroom, I feel that I am that much closer to becoming a skilled reading teacher. These presentations were a good change of pace compared to typical graduate classes as they were student/peer led which put the level of learning in a different set of framework. These skills and strategies also have broadened my horizons on my initial certification, social studies, and I hope to employ them in my social studies classroom. Because social studies does require a fair amount of reading, it is my thought that I can transplant these newly acquired skills to a social studies curriculum that will have students reading more.

             Through the readings, activities, and presentations I have learned that the use of technology in the classroom is vital. Blogs and wikis were a passing thought in my mind until my group created our own wiki. Throughout the creation of the wiki I not only learned how to create them, but I also learned how useful they can be in a classroom. Because students today are very aware of technology and learn from it well, I have considered many ways in which I could use it in my classroom. They are interactive (very important) but also a great medium for getting across a lot of information. They also work well for debating topics, an aspect that could work very well in today’s social studies classrooms. Along with learning about wikis/blogs, I learned a variety of skills from the silly sisters. Because of my background in secondary education, creating and implementing read-a-louds was a skill that I had not obtained yet. Through the creation of my own read-a-loud and Dr. Peck’s critique I learned that it is the small details that make for a good read-a-loud. From choosing the right book to having a clear voice to holding the book correctly, one must scrutinize every detail.

            I have always thought of myself as a life-long learner. However, through this course, this attribute has been expanded. The several articles dealing with literacy coaches provided to me many ideas and thoughts of when and where a literacy coach can expand their knowledge. Professional development was one these ideas. Prior to this, I typically viewed professional development as a resource that, could be, a waste of time. However, after reading how much can be learned, I have a different view now. This is one of many pieces of being a lifelong learner. Going along with this, I have always viewed being a reflective practitioner as important. Once one stops growing they become stagnate. Not only as a teacher, but as literacy professional this fact holds true. Through this course this thought was reinforced as it is important to constantly better yourself and your practice. Along with being a reflective practitioner, this course has helped me along my path to becoming a constructivist educator. Finding the importance of creating fun, interactive, and welcoming learning environments along with personalizing learning experiences for teachers and students alike was really brought to the forefront. As with being a lifelong learner, I believe being up-to-date with current research is important. This course revealed to me the importance of this aspect of teaching, no matter the subject. It allows one to not only expand their knowledge, but keep things evolving and improving in their classrooms.

            I have never been one to consider grades the “be all end all” of courses. It has always been my thought that I should walk away with more knowledge that what I walked in with. I feel this is true for this class, and therefore I was successful in its completion. However, grades do carry some importance as they measure completion and the knowledge acquired. If I were to assign myself a grade for this course, it would be an A-. I have earned this grade because of my completion of tasks assigned in a diligent and professional manner along with always trying to convey my efforts towards perfection. During group assignments, I worked well with my partners in order to insure our group produced the best possible product we could create. Along with this, it is my thought that I have walked away with many skills, ideas, and materials that have not only helped me grow as an educator, but as a coach as well.