One Door Closes and Another Opens...

Group 2!

Explaining my wiki

"Change is the end result of all true learning."

~ Leo Buscaglia

Today we presented our wiki unit plan portfolios to the class. I could not believe it was the last day of the semester. It went by so fast! It was nice to see how everyone planned out their lessons and how creative some people can get. I learn so much from my peers that I am very grateful for. Unfortunately this class has come to an end and that means I'm also done working with my group. I think we worked really well together even if everything was very stressful at the time. I'm glad we were given the opportunity to teach and create lesson plans that are actually being used. We learned from each other, our peers, professor, and most importantly the students. I am so thankful for such a wonderful experience.

"Education is learning what you didn't even know you didn't know."
 ~Daniel J. Boorstin

One of the last assignments we were given was to be an interviewer for your own school district. I was given the opportunity to be an interviewer and I asked a series of questions to my peers looking for the most creative answer, because I was "hiring" for an inquiry based school.

Interviewing Lauren and Alyssa :)

I had a ton of fun pretending to be an administrator for a school, because it's not every day you are allowed to play that role. Even though I had a good time, I also learned a lot from this experience. The first thing I learned was that it is always easier to ask questions then it is to answer them. The second most important thing I learned was to always be prepared. You never know what kind of questions people are going to ask you, come prepared and don't forget to take a deep breath before you answer your question. Third, do not apply for a job you are incapable of fulfilling. If you are trying to be someone you are not then I can guarantee you will be miserable until you get a new job. Interviews are extremely nerve wrecking, and I can only hope that when my time comes to apply for a job that I am as prepared as I want to be! This activity was a huge reality check!

Talking with three great candidates!

When I first came into this course I was told I was going to fail. From that point on, all I wanted to do was prove those people wrong. I tried my best, and worked my hardest. This course was extremely difficult and pushed me to my limits to make me a better teacher. I am so thankful to have had a professor who truly cares about you and your progress. Each class, time flew by and I always learned something new. You know what they say, time flies when you're having fun!

 I learned how to make three different kinds of MSMC formal lesson plans using Bloom's Taxonomy. A direct instruction lesson, an excellent inquiry lesson, and a fabulous cooperative learning lesson. After teaching with two of the most wonderful group mates I have ever had, I have learned a few things I need to work on. Direct instruction is definitely my weakest point, but now that I know that I am willing to improve myself each time I write one of those lessons. Some tips I received from students and my professor was to tell stories while your teaching direct instruction lesson and to keep your eyes on the students at all times. Also use technology whenever you can. Students always love it and sometimes prefer it. 

Speaking of technology, I was shown various examples of how to use current events in the classroom such as tween tribune and how important they are in social studies. QR codes  and prezi presentations became my best friends, and Socrative is another website I will look into when working with my students, because you can get live feedback as the students are answering questions. Another really cool thing I learned about were virtual field trips. I was shocked when I heard about this idea, it's wonderful! Google docs was another neat addition to my new technology folder. I learned how to make presentation, tests, and share documents with my peers. What a great invention. Also blogging is extremely new to me. I have never blogged in my life until I started this class, and I have to say I think I like it! The reason why i like it is because it has a purpose and I can look back on it one day and see how much I have grown. Apple is even coming up with all of these incredible apps to be used strictly for the classroom. I can't wait to explore everything they have to offer!




I have to say, this class has transformed me into a technology loving fanatic! Even though this class taught me a lot of great new things, I still have some things to work out before I get to the real world, such as time management. I am terrible at trying to juggle everything at the same time. I need to get my priorities in check, or maybe have less on my plate. I love teaching, and I do not want to take away from my students because I am unable to manage my time.  

 "Learning is a result of listening, which in turn leads to even better listening and attentiveness to the other person. In other words, to learn from the child, we must have empathy, and empathy grows as we learn.:

 ~Alice Miller

My social studies classroom is going to be everything but chaotic and boring. I will have word walls with geographic terms for each unit, and I will have a time line that can be seen on the wall of the classroom. My students will be highly advanced when it comes to technology, but they will also be excellent writers and thinkers.  I can't wait to have my own class and teach them everything I know and learn from them too. It is going to be such an enchanting experience!

Ms. Benfer's class

From this class I have learned that I am capable of being one of the best. Now all I have to do is take a few deep breaths every now and then, close my eyes count to three, and then work harder then I ever have before.