Lydia
Harpe
02/01/2013
Reading
Reflection #2
The
first chapter of our textbook introduced us to the revolutionary
concept of project-based learning and how it impacts our
relationships as teachers with our students in the classroom. This
next chapter goes a step further to discuss our relationships with
our fellow peers: the teachers we work with in our schools and all
over the world. Many of my professors at Western have reminded me
that my most valuable resource as a first year teacher and beyond is
always the teacher in the room next door, and this chapter expounds
on that idea as a key component of project-based learning.
The
key word repeated over and over in this chapter is collaboration.
We must recognize the benefits
of working with each other, even if it requires staying after school
hours and giving up our time to do so. Opening ourselves up to peer
evaluation and assessment reaps many benefits; some of these include
(1) the ability to discuss new ideas and lesson plans (2) the sharing
of ideas and suggestions (3) the feeling of mutual support and help.
Instead of teaching being a solitary pursuit, the teachers and
principals in this chapters encourage us to reach out for help not
only with the teachers in our own particular school, but all across
the world.
Project-based
learning and all the ideas that come with it (including such
increased teacher collaboration) is a still a revolutionary concept
in many schools across the United States. All it takes is one teacher
to realize its immense benefits and strive to implement such a
teaching (and learning) style in her classroom, with all the
technology and resources along with it. I hope to someday become this
teacher and not only introduce my students to a new way of learning,
but also to my fellow teachers.
I thought it was great that you focused on the importance of collaboration. Collaboration is key to any successful team. I also thought it was good how you broke down the three benefits.
ReplyDeleteThanks Jen! I think that many of my classes this semester are teaching me how to have successful collaboration because of how much group work is required!
DeleteI'm glad you talked about how isolating teaching can be and how this chapter addressed it. It has always been one of my fears to go into my first year teaching not being able to collaborate with the other teachers and just feeling really lost. I'm glad the chapter stressed how important it is for teachers to be able to reach out and support each other, because it really is the only way we are going to be successful.
ReplyDeleteYou bring up a very good point about how sometimes we might need to make sacrifices as teachers such as staying after hours. I also really liked how you brought up the last chapter as well and how the two chapters mesh together and work off of one another.
ReplyDelete