MAT 743/Teaching Diverse Learners

Assignment on Becoming a Reflective Practitioner/Fall 2014

Cumulative Reflection
Name: Conally Owen
Date: December 2nd, 2014
1. In what ways are you developing as a teacher? What progress do you see?
I feel like I have come a long way since I started my internship this Fall. First of all, I notice that
I am now able to be constantly cognizant of what is going on around me in the classroom. When
I first started my internship, this was not the case. I was incredibly tunnel-visioned at the
beginningI couldnt imagine juggling attendance, tardies, hall passes, and starting a class at the
same time. I am now excited to say that I can see myself doing this. In fact, I have started to
become fully integrated in handling all classroom duties. Although it is still sometimes a
challenge, I see that it is possible and I am learning more and more each day.
My behavior management skills have certainly improved as well. I had no idea how to handle
discipline issues when I first walked into the classroom in August. Now; however, I feel
confident that I will stay calm, no matter what goes on in the classroom. Through the observation
of my mentor, I have been able to pick up behavior management skills that are comfortable for
me and effective for my students. These skills include soft discipline techniques, where I can
reach students by being kind, gentle, and firm while not calling them out in front of their peers.
My behavior management skills are something that I will continue to work on throughout my
next internship.
Another way I have developed is in driving content-focused objectives in my classes. When I
first planned a unit, I was somewhat disoriented in the sense that I had a hard time seeing the
big picture. Now, after developing and completing three original units myself, I am aware of
where I want to go with my material and how I want my students to get there. I think about my
objectives every minute of every lesson and I constantly work to meet the objectives for my
students.
Most importantly, I feel like I have progressed in developing a student-centered approach to
my classroom. I now understand and value the fact that every decision I make needs to be in the
best interest of my students. They are ultimately the ones that I am investing all my time, energy,
and passion in. I am thrilled to do this and can feel myself shifting my thoughts from is this
going to make me feel a certain to way? to is this going to be best for my students?
2. How have your thoughts and feelings about teaching changed since the beginning of the
semester?
My confidence as a teacher has skyrocketed since August. I came in feeling so fresh, so young,
and so inexperienced. I now feel like I would be comfortable in most realms of teaching an
English classin teaching reading, writing, and speaking. Because I am a sensitive person, I was
worried about all sorts of things happening in the classroom. I now realize that it is okay if things
happen; conversely, it is about how I handle them that makes the difference. I feel ready to take
on the hardships of teaching and embrace my job by working as hard as I possibly can.

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MAT 743/Teaching Diverse Learners

I feel like I am establishing and building relationships with students that are positive and
nurturing. When I first entered the classroom, I felt a bit nervous about meeting my students. It
was such a new age group and position for me and I was worried about whether they were going
to respect me or even know that I respect them. What I have found is that my students are
trusting and respectful towards me simply because I am trusting and respectful towards them. I
have left the classroom feeling amazed by the kinds of things they are able to dotheir
creativity, thoughtfulness, and energy continues to blow my mind every day. My feeling of love
toward teaching has grown from an ideology to a realityI love these students. They bring me
joy every day and inspire me to work harder for them.
3. How have your teaching strategies changed since the beginning of the semester?
Although I know I will constantly be working on my teaching strategies, I have seen and felt
immense growth in the way that I conduct lessons in the classroom. I used to have a visual
engrained in my mind of teaching as a teacher standing up and lecturing to a class. Fortunately,
my vision of teaching has changed. I see the value in leading students to answers. If a student
does not seem to know an answer at first, I have found that there are ways to help his/her
academic confidence by using strategic, guiding questions. I will not give up on a student. Also, I
feel more comfortable with letting students drive the lessons. I will ask students questions and
work on creating relevance in order to bring the conversation from me to them. This is
something that I am constantly working on; it is always on the forefront of my mind.
In terms of other techniques, I have become less awkward in guiding instruction. At first, I
struggled to transition between call and response, cold call, and hand-raising scenarios with the
students. It was difficult to implement and regulate a hand-raising rule as a beginner. However, I
now feel comfortable in leading a discussion using a variety of techniques to get student
responses. Cold call has been of particular help to me in this area. I have also found the value in
giving students time to think about answers to questions before I jump in. I am continuing to
learn that silence truly can be golden in some situations. Students are all different and I realize
the importance in embracing their academic differences and presenting information in many
different, understandable formats.
Lastly, I have seen my own questioning techniques improve. My first questions in teaching were
most likely extremely vague. Now, I feel like I have more pointed, precise questions. This helps
the students to know exactly what I am looking for. It also saves time and leads to less confusion
overall. Although these techniques are certainly not perfect by any means, this is an area where I
continue to see progress.
4. On what evidence have you based these conclusions or decisions?
I have based these conclusions and decisions mainly on the constant feedback I receive from my
mentor. He consistently writes down everything I say and then proceeds to reflect with me on it
daily. At first, I found this to be quite daunting. I felt so vulnerableteaching is such an
incredibly personal profession and I was originally apprehensive about laying my entire persona
on the line every day. I have grown to embrace and accept his feedback as a unique opportunity
for me to grow, both as a professional and a person. He gives me constant feedback on how I

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handle situations in the classroom, how I do with asking questions, and how efficiently I meet
objectives. I have also been able to carry out a vast amount of self-reflection, both through his
guidance as well as through the requirements in Dukes program. In my reflections, I am able to
effectively dissect my growth as an educator.
Along with feedback from my mentor, I have been fortunate enough to be surrounded by a
supportive community consisting of my Duke cohort and supervisors. My cohort always gives
advice and feedback concerning strategies that I use in the classroom. We exchange ideas and
give examples of things that work and do not work. My program supervisors complete on-site
observations and de-briefings afterward, which allows me to receive yet another perspective on
how I have grown and what I need to work on as an educator. I feel extremely fortunate to have
multiple facets of support along this journey.
I am also able to gather data by gauging student activity in the classroom. I am always looking to
see whether my objectives are being metI do this by having students answer certain questions
and by circulating the room, peering at student assignments. When students have to turn
assignments in, I am able to get an even closer look at the data. By grading tests and quizzes, I
can see where the gaps in understandings lie and what I can do in order to improve my next
lesson(s). In general, I enjoy seeking student feedback regarding the things I do that work for
them and the things I do that do not work for them. I look forward to continuing to gather data
that will ultimately help me to grow as an educator. I will forever continue to embrace both
professional/personal growth and learning.
Requirements:
Submit via email to Leah Fulkerson ([email protected]) by 9pm on Saturday, December 6th.

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