Final CEDO 525 Reflections

As a seasoned teacher, I have used and continue to use many of the learning strategies presented in this course. However, through this course I have learned how to enhance them. I feel that I now have some strategies for approaching various problems I’ve encountered as a math teacher. Some of these include:
-improper note-taking
-groups that become social outlets
-assignments not done properly
-students staring at me as I lecture but really being off in their own thoughts
-lack of critical thinking skills as well as the ability to synthesize learning
New to me is the creation and use of graphic organizers. What a great way to set the tone of a unit and keep students on track. These organizers also serve as a reference guide for students throughout a unit. Though I’ve always known about rubrics, I’ve never used with my students. With rubrics, students will know exactly what’s expected of them. They can also use them for self evaluation. With the use of Cornell note-taking templates and a discussion on how to use them, students can learn how to properly take notes. Additional nonlinguistic activities can serve to get students more involved in their learning—keep them awake!
Using the discussion and blogging tools included in the BlackBoard Learning System can serve to get students from the mechanical mode of math to the thinking mode. These tools also provide an outlet for collaboration. Including writing assignments in a math course for promoting critical thinking and as a form of mathematical written expression is important. Google Docs is a good tool for this exercise since it lends itself so well to collaboration. Since the presence of technology tools in MATC classrooms is lacking, any computer work would have to be done independently by students in one of the computer labs or on their home computers. This poses a problem since there are different levels of student computer literacy. But forcing students to use computers also forces them to prepare for today’s technological world. Finally, this course and all previous courses in this program have opened doors of exploration to me as an instructor. I am now aware of many wonderful sites to research and get ideas from so that I can continue to grow as a math teacher.