Blogging Reflection

As this semester (and #SSED307) comes to a close, I can say I have learned a few things. But even more so, I think I have learned a lot just by jotting my weekly thoughts and feelings down in this blog. Believe me, this semester in SSED 307 has been one for the books. Never in my life have I learned so many new ways to do things in an efficient manner. I am glad that I got into blogging. The things that I have been learning this semester correlate directly to the North Carolina Teacher Candidate Standards, which will prepare me further for Student Teaching. I figured that the most efficient way to summarize the learning, reflection and practice I have done over the months is to go through each of the NCTCS Standards and reflect on what I've learned for each one.

Standard 1- Teachers Demonstrate Leadership

• I've had lots of practice this semester in the task of displaying leadership, with anything from leading in SNCAE to finding our way through the depths of DC. However, in terms of this blog, I think that I have been able to reign in on my inner commandeer when I'm blogging. I feel like I have a different tone of voice that is more serious and hopeful in terms of education. Blogging has also made me realize that every good teacher should blog. It is a show of confidence in our abilities if we are able to talk about them to the whole world on a blog. 

Standard 2- Teachers establish a respectful environment for a diverse population of students

• I feel like something that has been heavy in my blogging this semester is talking about how differentiation strategies affect our instruction. I think differentiation is so so important, especially coming out of this class and having so much more familiarity with it. I also rememmber in Hannah's blog when she was talking about disciplining your students. I think there is a fine line in how we treat our students, and I was glad that she shared those experiences she had in her clinical classroom.  I really also liked Benjamin's blog on the reality of special needs students, because I think that is something that needs to be addressed more within the mainstream classroom. 

Standard 3- Teachers know the content they teach

• It obviously helps to know your stuff, but I think that blogging has helped me to understand that if I cannot write a solid blog about it, I need to do some more research because I obviously do not know what I need to know. I think this would be a good method to assess student knowledge. If they cannot blog on it, there is obviously a missing puzzle piece somewhere. That is why I want to do everything on my part so that I can read some of the best content-heavy blogs my students can give me! Also through this process of blogging, I have learned that we should enjoy writing about this content! That means that not only can we understand it, but we can make it appealing to our viewers, who will be our students! 

Standard 4- Teachers facilitate learning for their students

• There have been so many learning facilitation blog moments this semester that it is impossible to talk about them all, but if I learned one thing from the "teachable moment" blogs that my classmates and I wrote, it is that relevancy is key to facilitation. Like I said previously, if you cannot meet students at their level, then you will lose them. I think we all have learned from each other, primarily in our blogs. Even though some of us are not on-campus students, I think we have still maintained that sense of community through blogging and such. Of course, I don't think I could have made it without my best friend Hannah by my side!

Standard 5- Teachers reflect on their practices

• Obviously, your blog should be a safe place where you are not afraid to talk about your weaknesses or strengths. I know that, personally, I have used this blog as a method to look back on what I have learned this week and let it sink in. For instance, many of us would begin a blog with a recap of what has been going on during that particular week. Some great, some not so great. But like I said earlier, the community that we were able to rally around got us through those good and bad times. Not only that, but we have reflected and moved on to correct our mistakes and become greater educators through the suggestions of each other. 

In saying all of this, I think I have become quite the blogger. Prior to SSED 307, I had a blog, but wrote sparingly. I did not really have much to write about. But taking time to reflect and talk about education once a week on a digital platform has changed me. I have grown so much through blogging in every aspect that an educator could grow. I am more susceptible to peer advice, I am able to critique myself to make positive change in my instruction, and I am proud of the journey that I have been able to record as life passes by. 

It is my goal to continue blogging. Of course I will continue to blog in EDUC 435, but I want to be able to continue the process and take that with me to student teaching. I want to make it my goal to blog once a week in reflection of the weekly highlights. The good, the bad, the downright funny. 

I have thoroughly enjoyed becoming a community with you all, and wish you the best of luck as we keep calm and carry on into the world of education. It's been a pleasure learning, growing, and stretching minds with you all!