Hello All,
I just wanted to thank those of you who saw my post regarding the ATS-W and offered kind words of support and encouragement. Karen made an important comment regarding the background information that is assumed we have: "Some of the areas of uncertainty you share here would typically not be addressed in an MAT program w/a focus on Eng. Education. These topics are often addressed in intro to ed courses on the undergraduate level".
Up until this point, I was glad that I did my bachelors in English, and not Eduction. But now I am not so sure it was the smartest thing. With all of the discussion we have had regarding the death of literature as we know it in the classrooms, all of the content knowledge that many of us have gained through our undergraduate studies in English may have less value than we hoped. Though I loved my time at Ithaca College reading a wide variety of classics and modern pieces of literature, I am wishing now, about to embark on my student teaching experience, I had more knowledge of the foundations of education. It is ironic and sad that we have all taken a course of this title, yet feel like we know almost nothing of the subject!
Are there any key resources you know of that I should check out to acquire this base level of knowledge that I would have received if I had been an education undergrad?
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6 comments:
So much to say...first of all, the fact that you are asking these questions is good. Keep questioning throughout your teaching career. Don't be afraid to honestly answer questions like: did that work? do they get it? does this mean anything to them? how could I improve on that for next time?
I have an undergrad degree in education which I felt served me very well. 506 has continued to push me to question my teaching the way many of my undergrad courses did.
I'd be happy to talk to you more about this in person. See you tomorrow night.
Charm-
I commented on your previous post about this topic...I wish I had majored in education as an undergrad too! See you later...katie
I'm still glad that I didn't major in ed as an undergrad. I agree that more information would be better, but I think that what we focus on in our program is far more important in the long run. I think that we'll learn most of what we need to know during student teaching.
Charm-
You looked stressed last night, good luck getting your Multi. Lit. paper done. I hope your presentation went well, I'm sorry I had to miss it. Let's all try to get together maybe even in January. I'll come Ithaca, no problem! :)
-Katie
Katie.Loizides@gmail.com (it's new, email me!)
Dear women, don't regret not getting an undergrad ed degree.
The most important teaching "strategy" in your classroom is YOU, not any "information" you glean from introductory ed courses. Not that they're not important. I would never say that. Good methods courses are VERY important.
But my most important asset throughout my teaching career has been (and still is) my intellectual curiousity and my own reading life.
All of your undergraduate majors nurtured both.
Ultimately, I'll take imagination/vision/wide reading in a candidate over "tips for teacher" any time.
You learn school culture as you grow into a position. All of you are so smart and so emotionally intelligent that I can't imagine you would not make good decisions regarding working with parents for example without reading a "manual."
Yes, I can recommend some good reading.
The Burke book that we're recommending for colloquium is a great read--read it over break.
It's a compelling dialogue between Burke, a master teacher, and a novice in his district.
Get it and read it.
I'm happy to recommend other titles that I have found very useful.
Love you, Karen
Thanks for the support Karen, your previous comment helped. Maybe I will pick up the Burke book.
Charm- when you get a chance email me at KatieLo26@verizon.net -- not the gmail one. Thanks!
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