I was actually kind of disappointed that we didn't have class today- this class has officially become my favorite class out of all that I'm taking this semester. I'm starting to appreciate and adapt to how untraditional of a class this is. I've realized that the problem behind teaching how we've been taught is fear and lack of exposure. Everything so far that we've been learning about this class scares me, because I've never been introduced or even exposed to these methods and I constantly fear that I'm going to mess something up. So instead of embracing it, I choose (or I'd like to choose, that's not really an option here) to revert back to what I know, or what I've been taught. However, like I said before, I'm starting to appreciate this class because it not only exposes me to new methodologies, but it forces me to experiment with them, which lessens my fear. I'm actually starting to like some of the methods and I'm trying to think how I could incorporate them into my future classroom.
I still don't understand unpacking standards too much, but I have a better understanding than when I first read about it. Last week, I asked a question in another education class about what KUD stood for. The professor told me to look it up and have an answer for her during the next class meeting. Shout out to Dr. Clark for getting me that definition because I totally forgot to do it! In my head, I was trying to think of all of these fancy words that could make up that acronym, who would've thought that they were three simple words. Those three simple words sure did help me when we did the practice unpacking activity in class. They made me stop overthinking, which I have a HUGE problem with!
While completing the Backward Design module, I realized that the reason that I struggle with writing Essential Questions and coming up with Big Ideas is because I've never had a teacher who correctly used these concepts. During high school, my EQ's were always factual questions or way too broad for me to even try to understand. I like how the speakers used the analogy of the standards being the answer to a question that has yet to be asked. That honestly did way more for me in being able to grasp what was being said than anything I read!
First of all, I have to agree with you that I was pretty bummed out about missing class today too. I also have say that I agree with you as well about how the KUD can help prospective teachers stop overthinking so much when it comes to lessons and the Essential questions as well because it is pretty easy to overthink these things and it's nice to have a tool that helps with that.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you about having no class Tuesday; the snow was fun but now I have too much time on my hands. I agree with what you said in the first paragraph. Being a little intimidated by and not quite sure of all this new stuff I was learning was how I felt when I started in 250 with Dr. Clark. But after about a month I started to get used to it and I actually looked forward to coming to class and actually learning something that will have an effect on my career. This class may be hard at times but it’s also a friendly and open environment where the professor is willing to work with us and help us to understand all of this instead of just memorizing terms and being tested on them and afterwards never having to come back to it.
ReplyDelete