Final Reflection

What subjects or areas do you wish were covered more extensively or in greater detail during your teacher preparation program?

The one area I wish I had a bit more time to grapple with involves standards-based lesson planning. While we did spend quite a bit of time on lesson planning, I think it would have been nice to spend more time with the standards to feel like I have a grasp on them. Rather, we were asked to pick one here and there that matched the objective of our lesson. This did not provide us with a deep knowledge of the standards themselves. Perhaps spending some time earlier on in the program just playing around with various standards, brainstorming potential lessons for each one, might have been a way to become accustomed to them and feel that we have an understanding of what's included.

Reflect on the challenges and opportunities you anticipate as you enter the teaching profession. How do you plan to navigate these?

I foresee my biggest challenge being adjusting to a rural school system. I did not anticipate working in a rural school when I started this program, which is very focused on urban education. I am curious to see how well the principles will carry over. I anticipate that most of what we were taught around culturally responsive teaching will still be applicable, and perhaps all the more valuable being that not many teachers will have had that training. With a growing Latinx population in the rural town I will be working in, I can imagine that a need for CLDE-trained teachers is high, whether or not that need is voiced. Perhaps being present for this community will be my greatest opportunity.

How has your personal teaching philosophy evolved throughout the program, and what principles will you prioritize in your future classroom?

I think my personal teaching philosophy has moved from saving to facilitating. By that, I mean that when I came into this program I was hyper-aware of my privilege and felt that it was my responsibility to provide as much help to marginalized populations as possible, which I now realize was somewhat of a "white savior" position to take. (The road to hell and all that...) Now, I feel that it is my responsibility to facilitate learning and provide tools for everyone, in order for them to help themselves. I can acknowledge my privilege without having it interfere with how students claim agency in their learning and in their lives.