EDU 6528 - Reflection (Autumn 2017)

Final Reflection 

            At the beginning of this course my thoughts on accomplished teaching were shallow and vague.  Are students engaged? Does the teacher know what they are talking about?  Is the classroom managed?  These were the big picture ideas that came to mind prior to this course. After many readings, discussion board posts, and face-to-face interactions my definition has changed in many ways.  Some thoughts remain intact but many ideas and principles have changed into something deeper, pointed and more meaningful.  Many experiences this quarter redefined my ideas on what it means to be not only an accomplished teacher but also a mentor and teacher leader.

            The focus of the first face-to-face meeting was centered on equity.  This word has come into discussions at school and previously in college, however it was never a primary focus. In my past experiences whenever I heard the word equity I would brush it off quickly, as if I deeply understood the meaning and its implications.  However after meaningful discourse with my peers in the program, equity is now at the front of my mind.  For me, accomplished teaching is partially defined as teaching that moves all students forward.  Most teachers would agree that every student needs not only attention, but that every student needs to progress.  However, in practice most teachers struggle to truly move all learners forward.  High or low, every student not only needs to be addressed, but they must show improvement in their abilities.  Looking back on my experiences in school, impactful teachers moved all students ahead into new territory and learning.  Equitable teaching is now a main tenant of my definition of accomplished teaching.  

            In the following face-to-face we discussed coaching strategies.  This experience opened my eyes on ways to build relationships of trust with not only other teachers but also students.  My previous assumptions placed the mentor in a dominant role, one that was later defined as a consultant.  From the consultant position the mentor gives timely information on procedures and need-to-know information.  This classification of mentoring can be useful however it is only one type and has its limits.  This type of mentoring is not conducive to building meaningful relationships and establishing trust.  This course showed me the importance of taking on the position of coach, both with students and when mentoring other teachers.  Strong mentors and teachers listen, acknowledge, and lead someone to possible answers.  A coach narrows an individual’s point of view and allows that person to discover solutions on his or her own.  Taking the stance of coach allows for collaboration and builds a relationship of trust.  The importance of strong trustworthy relationship, built through the strategies and mindset of a coach, is the second tenant of my new definition of accomplished teaching.

            After experiencing a shift in my viewpoint on accomplished teaching and mentorship I was then faced with a video reflection.  I chose a video that I had already reflected on prior to this course.  Previously I viewed this video as a strong representation of my teaching (to some degree I still do).  I felt that it demonstrated clear and effective teaching skills.  Clear instructions, strong transitions, effective modeling, strong repertoire, and joyful music making were all apparent in this lesson.  However after this course, I discovered new elements that were lacking, specifically the idea of equity.  My teaching in the video focused on the middle portion of students, however it failed to address the high achievers and the low achievers.  With confidence I can say there were both high achievers and low achievers not engaged with the material.  High and low achieving students did not move forward in this lesson.  Using the CEL 5D+ framework, I now saw how many domains were lacking in my teaching.  Student engagement, curriculum and pedagogy, and assessment for student learning all relate to equity and ensuring all students progress in their learning.

            Moving forward as a teacher and a mentor, my focus will turn to equity and relationships.  I will ensure all students receive not only my attention but all students will progress in their learning.  In order to do this, strong relationships are needed.  The students and other teachers must trust me in order to take the leaps of faith necessary for improved abilities and learning.  To better mentor I will work as a coach and collaborator more so than a consultant.  I will build relationships of trust and care, relationships that are collaborative.  This quarter has been eye-opening as my definition of accomplished teaching has deepened and become more meaningful and true.