Learning Letter

Matthew Dickman
17th March 2020
Dr. Sean Agriss
Dear Dr. Sean Agriss,
I felt that the work in this class made a big difference in how I view teaching and how I want to set up my own classroom. The work that I felt was the most helpful were the text presentations. Each time I gave a presentation I felt that it helped me understand what I  had read even more and think about different methods that I could teach and how I could teach the book in my own classroom. It was great to be able to watch my fellow classmates do the same. I thought their work was excellent, especially when it came to the grammar texts. This was very helpful because I had little to no knowledge of what texts to use in my class, or what I would feel comfortable turning to in my classroom for answers when it comes to grammar. Furthermore, I enjoyed seeing such a variety of different texts. I liked that the notes for the presentation for the blog were posted or printed because then I could highlight the information that I thought would be valuable to me. I have kept all of the printed handouts and already know that I will be using some of the texts that were presented in my classroom, either as a tool or as a guide in my first few years for lesson planning and helping with creative ideas. 
Moving on, I thought that the discussion posts were very valuable too. These posts were valuable because it helped me think about what I was going to be teaching and the different ways I could be and would be teaching material. Before this class I had no idea how to find the Common Core State Standards or navigate other sites such as PESB. These sites have helped me understand what I will be expected to be teaching and the different ways I can incorporate it in my classroom. The NES text also was beneficial to read, as it helped me pass the NES test. I think it helped on the test less than I hoped, but it does make it clear what is expected of the test taker and what English teachers should be able to and will teach, and for that, I really enjoyed this book as a tool. 
The content portfolio was also beneficial because it got me thinking about how previous classes have also prepared me to be a teacher, and the different methods and tools that I could use in my classroom that I have seen or learned in these classes. I originally thought I would give some sort of a presentation so that others could see my work, but I was okay with the blog post because I know if people want to look, they will be able to. I thought I would not end up writing that much, or wouldn’t have enough to say. I found that was not the case and wrote nearly ten pages, and that may have even been a little too much. I found that I had a lot more experiences that I could use and apply to my classroom than I ever thought I had. Before this project I really hadn't thought about how the English classes that I had taken had prepared me to teach English. I know that may sound a little funny, but I just thought of it as something that I liked to do and was doing to get into the Education Program. However, now I can see how vital these classes were and how much I needed them to be prepared for teaching. 
Most of the texts that we read and looked at, I have in a way already discussed. I think that the texts for the presentations, the NES book, and the discussions that we had about what we read in class all helped me because it helped me think about teaching in a different way and hear what other people's ideas were when it came to teaching. Before this class there was never really an opportunity to think about or hear about other people’s ideas about teaching. It was especially beneficial when I got to hear your feedback, Sean. It is always nice to hear what a teacher has to say about teaching, especially when they have a positive attitude toward their job, enjoy teaching, and are honest. Before this class I thought differently about the Common Core State Standards, and thought they were negative. Now I can see that they can actually be very beneficial and help everyone be on the same page. I can see that there are different ways to incorporate more than one category in one or more lessons. I think this class was very beneficial for that, and I am very happy that we covered it in class. 
I think that my participation in this class was vital to bettering myself as a future teacher. I had to make sure that I was focused on what I was reading, understand what was being asked of me as a teacher, and make sure I listened to what others were saying in their presentations and when they were speaking about their own ideas about education to ensure that I gained the most I could from this class. I will say, it was a strange quarter with many different things affecting students learning and I found myself actually worrying about school and being prepared for the education program. Before I met with you, Sean, I was meeting with my general education counselor and was very confused about the requirements about getting into the Education Program. I think you caught the tail end of this as now I seem very anxious about it, but that is okay, because at least you know I am serious about it. I think that my participation in the class might have been reflected in the same way, just because I want to make sure that I learn as much as I can before I go into the field. For me, it was not the presentations, or hearing others that had the most impact, it was actually the reading, blog posts, and discussions. This is because I was able to read, think about and write what I had read, and then talk about it with a couple others and then hear what the class thought. I thought this was very helpful because then when it came time for the presentations I was able to focus on my own and others in a way that I could not have before and looked at it through the lens of a future teacher and as someone who had read about the CCS and PESB standards. I was able to think about ways I could apply the methods then discussed in the class in my own classroom and for that I am very thankful.  The participation in this class for me again was vital but I felt that it was laid out in a way that made it not so stressful and engaging to participate in. 

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