Farewell!

As this semester finally comes to a close, I feel I am breathing a sigh of relief.  This semester was not only challenging and work intensive, but I also learned a lot about myself as a future teacher.  The fieldwork for this class provided me with so much valuable information that I will take with me into the future.  It was great to learn how to write direct instruction, guided inquiry, and cooperative learning lesson plans, as well as to teach these to an excited and enthusiastic group of students.  That is something that I will never forget, and really has helped me to become a better teacher.

 

In addition to fieldwork, I have also learned so much about teaching social studies, and teaching in general.  The five principles of powerful teaching and learning are something that can be applied to all content areas, not just social studies.  I have learned the importance of these elements and how to look for them to make sure they are in all of my lesson plans.  In my future classroom, I plan to incorporate fun and engaging activities that allow my students to gain a deeper understanding of all of the aspects of social studies.  I would like to create a classroom of students who are curious, kind, and always want to learn more.  I also would like to incorporate a lot of technology in the classroom.  This class has shown me some of the many great educational technologies that are available and I cannot wait to use them!  I do not think that there has been a single failure for me this semester.  I have worked hard, completed my assignments on time, and I feel that my hard work is reflected in the work that I produce.  

Overall, this has been a great semester and I have learned so much.  I feel that I am ready to begin student teaching in the fall and cannot wait to see how I do!