Course Goals

Goals for the course:

Goal: To develop a better understanding of myself as a teacher
I think going into the interviewing process and even before you step into your own classroom, you should have a pretty good idea of what kind of classroom environment you want to establish. I feel we have previously had time to investigate different practices both in the field and in our TE classes; this semester I hope we can spend some time really getting a chance to create our ideal classroom environments on paper or through some other means so that we can keep that idea in our heads as we begin our internship year (though I know this may vary depending on our school’s environment). I feel like we were able to get a start on this during our first class period and I hope to continue this kind of instruction as the semester progresses.

Goal: To learn more about inclusionary literacy for an urban setting
Through both this class and my children’s literature class, I hope to learn more about how I can establish an environment that is inclusive of all my students as well as groups who may not necessarily occupy my classroom. This course would help me in this goal by perhaps giving me guidelines for choosing appropriate texts or even recommending some exemplary literature that would be useful in my classroom.

Goal: To learn more about interacting with students’ parents or guardians in an urban setting (or in any setting in general)
I’d like to learn more about how to get parents or caretakers involved in a child’s education. I believe this is vital to a student’s success, especially their literacy success, and would like to know more about what I can do and also where to draw the line when it comes to infringing upon privacy. I feel that literacy can be learned much easier and quicker if parental involvement and support is there, so learning about how to obtain that involvement would be very beneficial.

Goal: To learn more about assessing my students as well as my own teaching
This is really specific to literacy that I’d like to learn strategies for assessment. What resources are available for assessment? How can I assess my own teaching? I’d like to learn more about ways I can know when different teaching practices are or are not working.

Overall though, I would like my confidence in my teaching ability to bloom this semester. In the fall I will be in the classroom every day and by that time I would like to feel really confident that I can contribute to a child’s learning, no matter what kind of child I come across or what kind of area I work in. I think through my own hard work and useful/beneficial instruction in my TE classes, I will be able to accomplish the goals I have set for this semester.