Entries on teaching in Boston, my study abroad experience in Chile, student teaching in Western Massachusetts, and as a 1st grade resident in the Boston Teacher Residency Program are found below.
Here are some of my top learning moments—experiences where I “messed up” and either had the opportunity to try again or plan to do differently next time.
1. Students need a purpose for everything they are asked to do. If it’s handwriting, why is it important to write legibly? If it’s writing a book summary, why should we know how to talk about the books we read? If it’s developing automaticity in math, why is that an important skill? When students are told “why”, their dedication and effort increases exponentially. When I had students turn and talk to their partners, I started asking them to share what their partner said. They suddenly had a reason to listen