Second Teaching Reflection

We each bring our own personalities and life experiences to our teaching. We develop skills. We talk with each other about our teaching, gain insight, solicit feedback. We are engaged in an activity that has tremendous social value and which entails tremendous responsibility. We are helping to create the future. Respect ourselves, respect our students, respect each other... and have fun! There is unbridled joy in the mystery that is teaching.

With these realizations, I think it's appropriate to address further my first question that I indicated earlier about whether or not I'm a good teacher...

I'm convinced that one never really knows for sure. It's like asking yourself if you're a good parent or a successful businessperson. How can you tell? Are you confident that it's a generalizeable answer? Even though this seems overwhelming, I can say that there are a few key points that are indicative of a good and effective teacher. I will address them further here.

The first is organization. Personal and classroom organization take time but it pays off. When teaching or managing a class such as IPC 1020, I plan out the entire semester. The syllabus tells what material I/we will cover each day. I know when/what the exams will be beforehand and so do the students. Each lecture is usually relatively organized and easy to follow. I arrive 10 minutes before class is due to begin, establishing rapport, and after class has begun, I foreshadow what we will be covering in the lesson.

Another part of being a good teacher (and possibly THE MOST IMPORTANT) is allowing your students to feel as if they are being challenged while also feeling a connection to you and their peers. During my lectures I make lots of eye contact and smile a lot. I exude enormous levels of energy and laugh at myself or with students. I jump and move and use my hands and slide and point and encourage participation. They smile and snooze and take copious notes and somehow learn lessons of life in the process... I even say "bless you" when they sneeze. I have fun. I teach the students, not the material.

Getting a little bit bogged down now. I'll continue answering this question in the next reflection.............

Until then, ciao!