What I Learned in School Today Was…

We covered a huge amount of topics and so many concepts over the last two weeks that it is hard for me to focus on just one so I’ll just list a few that really stuck with me. First was the variety of ways that teachers can utilize in both new media and old media in the form of video games, YouTube, and classic literature to engage students in ways not previously deemed worthy of classroom curriculum. This idea ties into the next thing that struck me, the diversity of students and the ways they learn. I was amazed at the sheer number of demographics that one must reach out to in so many different ways. It is a little overwhelming to think of which technique I will implement in both the classroom but also in my home and personal life. With so many different kinds of learners and as many ways to reach out to them, what works and what is really not useful. But what gave me hope was my exposure to all the different kinds of learning methods and seeing how different learners bring different perspectives to the different approaches and these differences lead to rich discussion and personal bonding, despite whether it was my cup of tea or not. I also found useful the dividing of ourselves up in new ways, depending on the presenting group’s instructions, helping the students in class to form a sense of identity and bond in ways that we may not have without the activities provided. It helped us feel comfortable by giving us a sense of community, motivating us to work harder on the tasks at hand.