How do I start thinking like a teacher (instead of as a student)?

At this point in time, I am still thinking like a student 100% because I am a student. What more do you want right now? I think it is hard to begin thinking like someone you haven't thought like before. Once, I begin to think like a teacher I won't be able to reverse and back track. When we begin practicum and making lesson plans this transition will be easier, but as of now I wait until I'm told what to do to begin working. Honestly, I feel like a zombie doing the same thing day inand day out. It will be a nice change to think like a teacher. Some thoguhts I will have to ponder in lesson planning would be:

• How will they do this?
• Can they handle this?
• What's a creative way to accomplish this task?

I know I'll be able to do it, this change will just take time. Working on the standards project may help this connect because we have to be able to teach the class something and make it stick. I'm sure you'll help make this change happen swiftly and with ease.

Which theories and historical influences should most impact the schools we'd like to have?

This question is so broad because there has been so many different influences and theories throughout history, how do I pick just one? They all seem important and valuable. We learned about some while reading our peers educational shift wikis and the chapter readings, yet, I still yearn to learn more about this topic. Which influences should I bring into the classroom? How should I go about teaching it?

How can I use knowledge of the learner to be a better teacher?

As you know we should never stop learning. "We cannot hold a torch tp light anothers path without brightening our own." -Ben Sweetland I like this quote because it is true, even in class we teach each other. As we learned to put our quotes on the artifacts page, we passed the moose around and taught each other and learned from the one before us. Teachers need to learn strategies to help their pupils progress and pupils need to know that they can teach the teacher, for somebody never knows everything. It's exciting when you learn something new and as I teacher I won't doubt my students instead I'll challenge them to do more than they know and challenge themselves to teach me something I didn't know. I would like to know more about learning to connect with teaching before this class concludes.

How can I be successful at UMF?

I can be successful at UMF being me. I am shy at first, but once you get to know me, I'll let loose. I put a lot into studying and am very hard on myself. I am a perfectionist and it kills me when I don't know the answers. I grew up in a family where crying could not happen and you had to play sports or you weren't a 'KENISON' and most of all that report card better have straight A's. The last was the worst for me, because I had a low attention span and would rather be outside than doing homework or reading. I tried. I always did the best I could, but it was in 9th grade that I discovered reading wasn't that bad. Actually reading was incredible because you could use your imigination and hey, writing was even better, it was your words. When I found my dream subject, my grades skyrocketed and my parents were so proud. My junior year I had to give up competitive skiing because of my knee so instead of picking up basketball like everyone wanted me to, I worte for hours after school and put my heart into what I loved. Therefore I think if I love what I do I can be successful anywhere, not only UMF. I think the quote excercise helped me at this because we got other peoples points of view on teaching. Also, being able to read our peers wikis and blogs let's us in turn help ourselves with ideas and such. So, I will be me and be successful.

How do I become a teacher?

Becoming a teacher is a lot harder than it looks. I thought hey, I like English, I like children and explaining things...I'll be a teacher. Getting to UMF I got hit with the reality bomb. I knew they don't hand teaching certificates to everyone, but I have to take the Praxis I and II even before I can student teach. WOW. I guess they really want to know that we can handle it before we get into the work force and totally screw ourselves. Looking up the certification process helped place this together and let us know what we need to do to become a teacher. As the saying goes, "If you can't do, teach," I disagree because you have to do to teach. You have to be able to make lesson plans and communicate with parents. Becoming a teacher is the hard part, but I think I can handle it at least I hope I can handle it.

Chapter 3: Families and Communities

7. Partnerships between teachers and families can improve the learning of students.

Parents and teachers should communicate and be a part of their child's life and learning. It is stated that when a parent is involved in homework more is accomplished, learned and retrieved. Parents should/can check the work to make sure it was done correctly, get involved in helping the student do work, ask the student if the work has been done and leave it up to the student. Contact with parents face to face can be more effective and personal than always talking throught the phone or e-mails. At parent-teacher conferences, parents want to know everything, therefore when they are involved everything the child hands in and does can be done with more ease. Parents and teachers should be friendly other than just an acquantice, teachers realize what parents really care. The students work reveals this for all to see.

Review

I reviewed the following six educational shift wikis:

• Corinne
• Kim
• Lindsey
• Melissa (for some reason hers got sent as a message to her inbox)
• Gerydd
• Marcy