Focus: More Thoughts

Most importantly, this course offered me the opportunity to reflect on my own teaching practices. I feel like for a lot of this first year I have been in survival mode, just trying to get through one week at a time. I know I have so much to learn, but this course made me stop and look at what I am doing, and what else I can do. I'm not going to be perfect after a year of teaching, but if I stop to reflect on specific subjects or struggles, I can work toward a solution rather than just getting frustrated. While Schmoker's words were important, the discussions that we had as a group will be what I remember. I have enjoyed hearing ideas from other first grade teachers, as well as teachers from all grade levels, subject areas, classroom teachers and non classroom teachers. It has been wonderful to hear all perspectives and relate them to my own.