Anne's+221+Reflection

__ The Never Ending Class and A Rainbow as a By-Product. __ My professional knowledge has grown and developed over the semester tremendously from my own personal pedagogy to my vocabulary to my interactions with middle school students. Teaching had always been a theory to me, but in this class, I was able to apply the knowledge I had acquired over a semester and develop it into a classroom environment. Throughout my time at Garry, I expanded my knowledge of who students are in today’s society and culture, and gained a broader perspective of the varying home lives, income levels, cultures and obstacles that these students have to face every day. Teaching is more than simply delivering a constructivist, project-based lesson. Teaching is about being culturally responsive, community-oriented and student-centered. There is no one way to teach although some teachers believe there is and it is called powerpoint. If I had to make one rule or guideline for my classroom, it would be placing the student first. This means differentiating one’s lessons, being flexible with schedules and assignments, and creating a safe and fun environment for students to learn. A classroom revolves around how a teacher interacts with their students. This is a powerful but sensitive tool which can change hundreds of lives. This is what is meant by a class that never ends. Teaching is like the sun coming out from a raincloud and student learning is the rainbow that comes from this interaction.