STUDENTS' COMMENTS
The Pre-Teaching Experience
Daniella Junor
Fall 2005
I want to become a teacher, which is why I became a pre-teacher. As a
child I used to enjoy playing school because I got to be a teacher. My
students were all different shapes and sizes. They came in the form of
dolls, pencils, sticks, and many other weird things. Back then my students
were just things, but now, as a pre-teacher, my students are human beings
and I enjoy how some have become friends or acquaintances who I say
"hello" to in the hallway. Sometimes they greet me: "Hello
pre-teacher!" This is a greeting I love to hear!
I learned so much as a pre-teacher during my first semester. My
cooperating teacher was Ms. Wissman, who is a very good teacher. Working
with her sophomore honors English class, I came to form a teacher-to-teacher
relationship with her. I now know how much work a teacher has to do.
Teaching is already a hard job to do in school, but then you have to correct
and grade the student’s work at home (or when you have a little time at
school).
One of the most important things I learned as a pre-teacher is that
teaching takes a lot of patience. Also, your students must understand what
you have taught them. What you taught them must also help them to become
whatever it is they want to become when they get older. Some teachers
inspire their students to become teachers.
I taught two lessons to Ms. Wissman’s class. I worked with Candacia
Collins, who also was pre-teaching with Ms. Wissmann. Because the class was
big, we were both scared. For the first lesson we could choose our own
topic, but for the second Ms. Wissmann gave us a topic. Our first lesson was
on the history of Thanksgiving (since it was coming up) and the second
lesson was teaching the difference between "who’s" and
"whose." Both lessons went pretty well. Students participated and
there were a few questions, which we were able to answer. While there were
some students who didn’t pay that much attention, at least they didn’t
interrupt the lesson.
From doing the lessons, I learned from Ms. Wissman that we needed to walk
around the classroom and speak louder. She was right, and I feel thankful
that she pointed out what we did wrong and what we did well. Teachers make
mistakes but they also learn from their mistakes. Sometimes the students
correct the mistakes, which happened to me during the "who’s"
and "whose" lesson. I had filled in a blank with the wrong word,
and a student corrected me. I laughed and acknowledged my mistake to the
class.
I definitely plan to continue pre-teaching.
Mellesia Foster
Fall 2005
I have been pre-teaching for a senior English class with Ms. Barrett. The
teaching was a joyous experience. I corrected tests, homework, class work,
and Do-Nows. I interacted with the class whenever Ms. Barrett was unable to
get to every student. In the absence of Ms. Barrett, I instructed the class,
took attendance, and gave out the assigned work. To my surprise, the
students respected me and I appreciated it. Pre-teaching is a wonderful
experience that I think many people would enjoy whether it helps you build
up your confidence or brings you closer to your career choice. Pre-teaching
gave me a sense of pride and courage, and I am not afraid of what I want to
do anymore, which is to teach.
Jessica Stallings
Fall 2005
At first when I started pre-teaching it was kind of boring. Since it was
part of the Ramp Up Program, the class was a double period and for the first
period, which I attended, the students read for the first 25 minutes. This
didn’t really give me time to experience the teaching role.
While pre-teaching, you have to keep up with what you do daily by writing
in a journal. I wrote in my journal that I didn’t like the class because I
didn’t get to do much. When my journal was checked by my advisor, Ms.
France, she notified Ms. Stern and asked if she could change what the class
was doing so that I was able to help out and be a pre-teacher, which is what
I was there for.
Afterward I began to like the class a lot. I was able to help students
one on one and get to know their strengths and weaknesses. At times when I
was unable to help a student, I would let Ms. Stern know so that she could
help. I began to build a good relationship with students and they would
listen to me because of the relationship I had built with them.
Soon I had learned the skills of being a teacher by observing Ms. Stern
and I was ready to teach my own lesson. I taught the class a lesson on how
to use "to," "too," and "two." When teaching
the class I tried my best to get everybody involved. The class paid close
attention and afterward said that they all enjoyed the lesson.
Overall my pre-teaching experience has taught me that there are times
when things get rough as a teacher, but there are things you can do to make
it interesting so that each student gets involved and finds learning fun.
Celia Romero
Fall 2005
Last spring I did pre-teaching in Mr. Matos’ class. I assisted Mr.
Matos in taking the attendance, writing the assignment on the board, and
checking the homework. At first my impression of what the term
"pre-teacher" meant was that you did these things and no more. But
when I started the Introduction to Education class at Lehman College,
I learned that the job of an intern is also to observe the class and the way
the teacher teaches. Because of what I learned, I was going to teach a
lesson with the help of Mr. Matos. I taught a lesson relating to the
demonstrative objective. At first I was nervous but from what I had learned
in the program and class, I was able to teach my lesson.
Now I am pre-teaching with Mr. Spooner. This is a resource class. In this
class the teacher pays more attention to the needs of individual students.
Things are done slowly and carefully so the students are able to improve on
where they have problems.
November 2, 2005
While the rest of the class was doing their work, I noticed a student
having a problem. I decided to approach her and ask if she needed help,
which she did. I have noticed that the book they use to teach them math is
more complicated than the ones we used. Instead of helping them, it confuses
them. I showed the student how to break the problem into pieces. I told her
what my math teacher had told me–that with subproblems we can solve the
problem faster and it is less complicated. At the end the student was
relieved to understand how to use subproblems and I had the satisfaction
that what I had learned I was able to pass to another student.
November 4, 2005
Today Mr. Spooner gave the class a practice test. The practice test was
based on the first part of the English Regents. While he was reading the
passage, I noticed that some were not paying attention. They were not taking
notes. In that moment, I knew that they did not know the first thing about
the listening skills. Because Mr. Spooner is very perceptive, he noticed the
same thing. So we went over the skills needed for effective listening.
November 7, 2005
Tomorrow is Election Day. I guess that is why the teachers have all
assigned so much homework. In class a student approached me and asked if I
could help her with her Spanish homework. I was glad to help her, but
instead of me doing her work, I would ask her first to try to translate the
sentence by herself. After that we both corrected the mistakes. The reason I
didn’t do her work is because I know that she would not learn if somebody
did her work for her. You learn from mistakes. If you don’t try, you
cannot expect to learn.
November 30, 2005
Today one of the students needed help with a global essay. I advised her
that the best way to write a well organized essay is to make an outline. I
encouraged her to come up with different ideas and to organize them into the
outline. By the end of the period, the student had almost completed the
essay and it was well organized.
Jennifer Rodriguez
Winter 2006
The experience that I gained from pre-teaching is a tool for my future
career as a teacher. In pre-teaching I learned how to teach a class without
hostility or aggressiveness. I also learned how to elaborate on topics that
students might not understand. Being a teacher does not look like an easy
job, but with good experience and understanding, it becomes easier.
Pre-teaching has also made me look further into my plans for the future
because now I see that teaching is like giving out knowledge to make the
world a better place.
Zenova King
Winter 2006
Getting to pre-teach in a biology class makes me very happy. Throughout
my four years of high school I have enjoyed biology the most. Mr. Robinson
is a very good teacher and I expect him to teach both me and the students.
The students are freshmen. I did not want or expect freshmen, but I think I
can adjust.
Today I was told that freshmen are given a half-year introductory course
before they begin the year course toward the Regents exam. This was news to
me because this is not the way it worked when I was a freshman. I think the
introductory course is a good way to help freshmen really understand what
they are supposed to be learning, because many people during my time did not
understand science at all.
It has come to my attention that the students are either not
understanding what they are being taught or they are just not learning. Mr.
Robinson explained homeostatis and other biological terms more than four
times during the week yet the students still seem not to get it. I try to
get to the students one on one to see if they want to understand, but I see
no effort. This has challenged me and I really want to make the students
understand.
Finally we are getting somewhere! The students are responding! We are
also working toward the first test. I have asked Mr. Robinson to allow me to
do the review as my first lesson. On my review day, I noticed that the
students were really paying attention to me. It makes me feel really good.
With this lesson I have covered everything the students need for the test.
Mr. Robinson himself told me that I did a very good job.
Today the students are reviewing the test. Mr. Robinson says that almost
half of them have done a good job. This makes me feel bad because the rest
of the students did not really learn what I was trying to teach during the
review. Mr. Robinson says he is going to test them again based on reviewing
the test. I have decided to play Science Jeopardy with the students as part
of the review.
A
Day in the Life of a Pre-Teacher
Ulrica Sheridan
January 31, 2006
Today is the first day of class and already Ms. Wissman has shown a sense
of organization with her class. She has conducted an evaluation of the
students’ previous English class to become aware of what techniques to use
to help them excel in English. She has control over her class while keeping
a good relationship with the students. I really admire her approach to the
class and her efficiency as a teacher.
February 10, 2006
Today the students created political cartoons. Although many students
took a while to get settled, everyone participated. Ms. Wissman gave the
students 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place prizes as
incentives.
February 27, 2006
Coming back from an extended absence, I was glad that Ms. Wissman
explained all the work the class did while I was away. Instead of letting me
find out on my own, she gave me the old work and informed me about what they
were going to do. I like how Ms. Wissman includes me in her lessons.
March 3, 2006
Today Ms. Wissman gave a student of the week award. I think that by doing
so she has inspired every student to do assignments in a timely manner while
demonstrating good conduct. I like the idea of rewarding good students for
their behavior. Too often teachers reprimand and shun students who do wrong.
By acknowledging model student behavior, Ms. Wissman has done herself and
her students something good.
March 8, 2006
Ms. Wissman introduced a new kind of lesson–a media lesson. After
learning about the trouble that can happen with a media lesson in my Introduction
to Education course at Lehman College, I was interested in seeing how
Ms. Wissman would deliver the lesson. The lesson went well, holding the
interest of the students and using thought-provoking questions that required
attention to the video to answer.
March 10, 2006
The media lesson lasted three days, finishing today but with a quiz
yesterday. It was a good way to end and summarize the lesson for this
marking period. It also was a motivation to keep the students’ attention
until the completion of the topic.
March 17, 2006
Today Ms. Wissman gave the students a worksheet that tested their ability
to identify main ideas in writing. It was amazing to see how many students
had trouble identifying the main idea in simple paragraphs. Ms. Wissman and
myself went around the class to help the students. By the end of the class,
the students had a better concept of main idea. This helped them with their
writing.
March 21, 2006
For the first time in my pre-teaching experience I taught a lesson. My
lesson was about persuasive writing and how students could effectively write
a good persuasive essay. I followed The Pre-Teaching Manual’s
instructions on creating a developmental lesson. My AIM, I.O., and
motivation really got some discussion going in the class. Students were
interested in the lesson and were well behaved. Ms. Wissman was proud of my
performance.
April 5, 2006
Today Ms. Wissman introduced the students to the idea of spin. She gave a
definition and examples of what spin is. I was pleased at how in-depth Ms.
Wissman went on the topic to make sure that the students understood before
she gave them the assigment to create a spin paragraph on their own.
April 11, 2006
To go along with the lesson on spin, Ms. Wissman showed the students the
movie Wag the Dog. It gave more detail about the topic and was an
interesting movie. As always, the students watched the movie looking for the
answers to the response questions Ms. Wissman prepared for them. The movie
was beneficial in more ways than one. The students not only got a better
understanding of spin, but they were also able to create their own spin
scenarios. They evaded the truth to make bad issues and topics look good.
April 12, 2006
The worst thing happened today! I was grading some papers when Ms.
Wissman decided to let me break the students up into groups. Since she asked
me to do so out of nowhere, I thought there was some specific reason. I
thought I had to move students around and break up cliques or something. So
I tried to put the girls in four separate groups. Arguments over my decision
broke out and the process took way longer than necessary. Ms. Wissman said I
was letting the students walk over me by changing my decision to please
them, so I stuck to my decision. Some were unhappy and I looked bad.
April 27, 2006
In the Do-Now today there was a double question on the board. I helped
Ms. Wissman to make the two questions into one that would spur much
discussion, as I had learned to do from the teachers in my Introduction
to Education class.
April 28, 2006
Ms. Wissman was happy to see me in class today in spite of the fact that
I knew there would be few students in class. She thought that I might cut
pre-teaching because the Juniors had gone on a trip. After taking attendance
and grading a few papers, I played a game with the students. The game
introduced the concepts of nouns, adjectives, verbs, and adverbs. I had fun
with the few students who came to class and Ms. Wissman was impressed with
my performance.
Leomi Crystal Gonell
February 1, 2006
Today Ms. Morozuk was teaching the class about irregular "er"
verbs. During the lesson Ms. Morozuk was talking most of the time because
the irregular "er" verbs are hard. The class was just sitting
there looking at her. They looked so bored. You could see their thoughts on
their faces. Ms. Morozuk stopped and told a joke to see if the class was
paying attention. Guess what! They laughed and I laughed. I think that to be
a good teacher you should have at least a little humor in you.
February 3, 2006
Today Ms. Morozuk was reviewing the "er" verbs. When she
finished she asked if everybody understood. One student raised his hand and
said he didn’t understand. Ms. Morozuk then asked another student to
explain what she had said, in his own words. He did, and the other student
got it. I thought that was a cool method.
February 6, 2006
Today the students finished up the classwork they didn’t finish the day
before. While the class was working, a student went up to Ms. Morozuk and
told her she had a problem and asked for her point of view. They talked and
when it was time to leave, the student felt a little better. I thought that
was very nice. I would feel good if one of my students came to me and asked
for help. That’s one of my main goals, to help people.
March 24, 2006
Today was a half-day so I thought there would be only a few students. I
thought wrong–half the class came. We played Spanish Jeopardy to help the
students study for their test on Monday. I thought that was a great idea
because Mr. Murren (my history teacher) does the same thing and I end up
doing really well on my tests. That’s one method I would use when I become
a teacher.
March 27, 2006
Today the class took the Chapter 10 test. Hopefully, with the game they
played on Friday, they’ll be able to do well. Ms. Morozuk gets bored when
the class is taking a test, and I do, too. I understand–it’s more fun
teaching! So while the class was taking the test, Ms. Morozuk showed me a
map from Spain and gave me a tour around her country. It was fun, plus it
was nice because I felt that teacher-to-pre-teacher relationship.
Arjulis Sosa
February 1, 2006
As Ms. Barrett writes the Do-Now on the board, she receives everyone’s
attention and the classroom becomes quiet. Ms. Barrett engages the students
in a discussion about the book each is reading and the connection it has to
their own lives. I notice the students are interested in discussing how the
book relates to their lives.
February 8, 2006
As the class was reading the book Speak aloud, Ms. Barrett asked
some students to define words in the text using context clues. I believe
this method of learning vocabulary words is fun and is also more effective
than looking words up in the dictionary.
February 13, 2006
The class reads their independent books for 15 to 20 minutes, then there
is a discussion about how the books relate to anything they’ve observed in
the world. The students enjoy expressing themselves and many participate in
the discussion. I have learned that if you give students the opportunity to
express their opinions on a topic, they become more interested in the topic
and eager to learn about it.
February 16, 2006
Ms. Barrett wanted to help the students with their writing, so she gave
an assignment that would let her see the level that the students were at
after reading pieces of literature for the past month. I see that reading
literature enhances your writing and vocabulary.
Andre Salmon
February 10, 2006
Ms. Mihalitsianos started class by putting the AIM and Do-Now on the
board. It was clear to me right away that she was a strict teacher. She took
the ID card of each student who was not in dress code. She also made
everyone sign the late log or else the whole class would be detained 10th
period. While Ms. M. is strict, she laughs with everybody and does not put
people down for being wrong.
February 13, 2006
Today we continued the lesson begun on Friday. It seems that the students
have a case of overnight amnesia–everything they heard Friday they have
already forgotten. Ms. M. showed a documentary film. After every important
scene, Ms. M. would stop the video and ask questions to see if the students
were on the same page. This is a good teaching strategy. After the video,
Ms. M. instructed the students to group up in twos and compare notes, so
that whatever one student missed, the other would know.
March 14, 2006
I am starting to help out a whole lot in class. I take attendance, do
errands around the class, and, soon, will start marking tests and putting
grades in the grade book. I add again that Ms. M. is great with the students
and very funny.
March 16, 2006
Yesterday the students did an end-of-marking-period test. I scoured the
halls looking for pencils for a few students who didn’t have them.
March 27, 2006
I’m really getting to know the students and Ms. M. is really
appreciating me as a pre-teacher. I help grade tests and essays and take the
attendance every day. The students took their mid-term today and I hope they
did well on the multiple choice because the essays I read...well, let’s
just say that it made me embarrassed that I was once a freshman. A student
ran out of the class during the test. I feel bad for her and need to find
out what’s wrong.
Candacia Collins
March 6, 2006
This is my first day of pre-teaching for Ms. Fink. The class participated
with no problem. The class also read along quite attentively. I graded some
worksheets then watched how Ms. Fink was teaching the class.
March 8, 2006
When I came in, the students were finishing up on the work from 8th
period. I collected the papers and as I went along I asked or repeated
everyone’s name. My goal is to know everyone’s name in the class. During
the lesson Ms. Fink was not sure how to spell a word, but she told the
students she was still able to get through college and this made the
students laugh. I learned that it is not necessary to know everything and
that teachers also keep learning.
March 9, 2006
We got out of the classroom today. Ms. Fink had the students go to
different parts of the school, observe, then write about what they had
observed. I went with two sets of students and Ms. Fink went with the
others. The students didn’t quite know what to write about, so I gave them
some ideas. When we went back to the classroom, a student who usually doesn’t
get on task that quickly did an excellent job on her assignment. That felt
good. I went around from person to person and commented on the students’
work. I said "that’s good," and to some people "that’s
interesting," and I asked questions of others. I stood for the rest of
the period because I wanted to have more PRESENCE!
March 10, 2006
Today is Friday. It is 66 degrees outside. It’s starting to get warmer.
I said "hello" to the class as I walked in. Ms. Fink rewarded the
class with some donuts. When teachers do this, it shows that they care
because they actually spend their money on the students. Ms. Fink gave the
students an interesting activity today. That was a good idea, since it is
Friday and becoming like Spring.
March 13, 2006
Today I saw the technique of humor come into play with Ms. Fink. A
student made a joke and I saw her laugh. Ms. Fink is not stuck up and she
relates to the students. The students also respect her. When she noticed the
class was getting a little loud, she raised her voice only for two seconds
and the class quieted right down.
March 6, 2006
Today class was very interesting. It actually feels good to say words of
wisdom to others just like teachers do to me. But this makes me look at
myself and wonder if I am listening to my own advice. And my answer is
"yes" because I have actually been through this. The students are
really paying attention to me and respecting me as their pre-teacher. Today
I told Mr. Robinson that I would make copies of a word list for the students
because they seemed not to know the words they need to. It is nice to take
initiative. It makes me happy.
March 10, 2006
Today was test review. We reviewed in-depth what would be on the test. I
learned a lot. Before I knew the information, but now I understand
it. So it seems that I am learning with the class. Furthermore, when I was
in Mr. Robinson’s class as a student, I did not quite understand him the
way I do now as a pre-teacher.
April 5, 2006
Today we are doing labs in class. I remember this lab quite well from
when I was a Freshman and I had problems with it. But now, looking at it
again, it seems crystal clear and a lot easier. To let you know the truth,
being able to deeply understand the work is really great. What is even more
enjoyable is that I am able to easily explain it to someone else. Makes me
want to be a teacher! Not!
Margaret Asamoah
March 8, 2006
Today I taught Mr. Ferguson’s class while he was out enjoying his new
baby. My method was to teach a topic the teens could relate to. I was able
to get on their level, see through their eyes, and learn about their
opinions on drugs and alcohol. Many students said that peer pressure plays a
HUGE role in the use of drugs and alcohol.
March 9, 2006
Today I sat the class down and held a discussion on drugs. To my
surprise, my fellow teens actually participated! I figured out that all a
teacher needs to do for a good discussion is to 1) give the students a
topic, 2) make it fun and educational, and 3) understand where they are
coming from. These are just my suggestions from my own experience.
March 10, 2006
Today I decided to hold a debate in class! The theme was "Ways the
Media Influences the Use of Cigarettes/Drugs." I had the class prove
their points. I learned a great deal from the students. It was a good
debate, because both sides were able to back up their opinions.
March 14, 2006
Today I let the class "freestyle." They brought up any topics
they wanted to discuss. Everybody joined in and discussed the issues that
are around them, like sexual relations, unhealthy relationships, and how to
know/see abuse in any relationship.
March 15, 2006
Today I had the class "freestyle write." They took out paper
and wrote what they were feeling. This was a very calm and effective lesson
because the students were able to express their emotions through their
writing.
March 16, 2006
MR. FERGUSON CAME BACK TO SCHOOL AND I TOOK A BREAK!
March 20, 2006
After viewing the way Mr. Ferguson teaches, I realize that he tries to
reach the teens through humor and sensible/realistic situations and personal
experiences. He started the topic of decision-making and noted that teens
have it hard these days.
Kathy Ortiz
March 15, 2006
The class behaved very well today. They were quietly completing their
work and helping each other. The students participated in the discussion and
asked questions. Ms. Clifford asked questions that helped the students
analyze and think critically. They were not being asked questions that had
simple "yes" or "no" answers, they included
"how" and "why."
March 16, 2006
Pre-teaching class was okay. Today the students had an unexpected quiz. I
thought that this was a good method because Ms. Clifford would know who pays
attention, takes notes, and studies. But many students were caught by
surprise. They were used to taking quizzes on Fridays, not on Thursdays. One
student just sat there and warned the teacher that she would not be doing
the quiz. Ms. Clifford told her that she was on her own and to expect her
zero. The girl did not care, and did not take the exam.
March 21, 2006
The class received their grades today. Some students were actually
surprised when they found out that they had failed. Like they didn’t know
they were in trouble
all along!
April 4, 2006
Today the class watched a video about the dangers of obesity. I’m going
to teach a lesson soon, but I have yet to decide what I’m interested in
teaching. I’m going to go home and research topics dealing with health.
April 5, 2006
Yesterday I went home and researched what I would like to teach the
class. I’m still not sure about the subject, but I will continue to think
about it. Besides, for the next week, the teacher has an important lesson of
her own that she must teach. The class continued to watch the movie today,
and I must say I have a friend was was strongly influenced by this film.
After watching the effects of fast food on your body, she really limited the
amount she consumed. To this day she barely eats any candy or junk.
Hopefully the students will receive the same message and seriously think
about what they eat each day.
April 6, 2006
I informed Ms. Clifford that I have been researching topics that I would
like to teach to the class. She said that it was okay as long as I informed
her ahead of time what and when I would be presenting my lesson. I think
that I would like to teach a controversial topic, so that the students can
analyze and debate during my lesson. Perhaps my topics may include young
pregnancies, boot camps for obese children, or the use of drugs. I was
thinking about asking the class which of these topics they would be
interested in discussing. Then, according to what they tell me, I will begin
my lesson plan.
April 7, 2006
I asked the students which of my three topics they would like to learn
about. Many of the girls were interested in talking about teen pregnancies
and most of the boys wanted to speak about drugs. Therefore, I have narrowed
my options to two. I guess it is up to me to decide which one I will teach,
because the boys and the girls took different sides. I will teach about the
topic I find the most research on, even though I feel the topic on
pregnancies is more controversial.
April 11, 2006
I have decided that my lesson will be about teen pregnancy. I will ask
the students how they feel about teenagers having babies and about abortion.
I still have my teaching materials from my Introduction to Education class
at Lehman College last year, so I will use them to create my AIM,
instructional objective, and the developmental activities. I hope that I
will be able to teach my lesson the first day we come back from vacation.
April 24, 2006
Over vacation I researched my topic. I have many handouts and activities
that will help me teach the lesson. Because I want the students to enjoy the
activities, I am using some crossword puzzles. I also came up with the idea
of having the students perform skits of how they as parents would react to
their children’s pregnancies. Being that I worked on my lesson throughout
Spring break, I will be able to do it sometime this week.
April 26, 2006
The class has been pretty much empty lately. All of the Celia Cruz High
School students are on a trip, so there are only about ten students in the
class. For this reason I have not taught my lesson, although I do have it
ready. I would rather teach my lesson when the entire class is there, as I
will obtain greater class participation and have enough people to perform
the skits.
Gertrudis Centeno
April 4, 2006
Today in pre-teaching I went with the students to Cross-Age Tutoring. It
was a blast. When I got to the classroom, I sat at a table with two little
girls. I read them a story called My Robot. At the end I asked the
girls questions about the book and then they drew pictures of robots and
even named them. It was a fun activity.
April 5, 2006
I am learning about responsibility. Even though I know what
responsibility is, I am looking beyond the basics. I’ve realized that when
I become a kindergarten teacher, the kids will be my responsibility.
Kindergarten is no joke, because that is where children develop
understanding. To think that a child’s education is in your hands, and
that you are going to lead those children to first grade, is an awesome
responsibility.
April 6, 2006
For the past few weeks I have been keeping a reading status log for the
entire class. I made a chart in the computer with the names of the students.
Then every day I go around the class asking "what book are you
reading" and "what page are you on." This helps the teacher
keep track of the reading.
April 12, 2006
Today the students had to write scary horror stories. I collected them
and gave them to Mr. Bradley. I stapled papers together, gave out work, and
collected work. Then I observed the class. I like to observe, because I get
to see how everything should be done.
April 24, 2006
The life of a teacher isn’t always easy. I see that it is not all about
grading papers. A teacher has to be a role model to the students. The
teacher’s attitude, performance, and professionalism are all important.
The way a teacher carries himself says a lot.
April 26, 2006
I’ve realized how simple questions can affect the environment of the
class. Some lessons are boring because the questions that are asked require
just plain "yes," "no," and "maybe" answers.
Yet sometimes you can have a very interesting class just because the teacher
asks questions that lead to critical thinking and debates. When you ask
questions like that, you can really see the students’ thinking process.
April 27, 2006
Today I went around with the reading status sheets. I see that the
students who love to read most, and enjoy doing the reading response sheets,
make text-to-life (world) and text-to-self connections.
College
Course (ESC-135 Intro to Education at Lehman College)
Candacia Collins
The Intro to Education class has been a wonderful experience for
me. This class focused on teaching skills, which is exactly what I
need so that I can be a good teacher when I get older. I acquired many
skills during this course, because it covered all the important parts of
teaching.
One important thing I learned in this course is the art of questioning.
The way you ask a question is very important. Depending on the words you use
and how you use them, the replies you receive can range from a one-word
answer to a lively discussion.
My teachers are excellent examples of how to be a good teacher. They show
a great deal of presence in the classroom, though in different ways. Ms.
Tringali and Ms. France demonstrate that there are many ways to get the job
done, and that not everybody uses the same techniques.
I love when my teachers open the floor to discussion by all. In fact, the
classroom discussions are what make me love this class. At first I was
scared that the class would become a bore, but I was willing to take the
risk. But the open discussions really make me want to participate and eager
to hear other ideas. These discussions also allowed me to feel comfortable
with classmates who I barely knew before taking this class. Now I can stand
up and comfortably present a mini-lesson to these classmates. I’m no
longer as afraid and tense as I used to be. I used to fear getting up to
speak in front of the class, but now I am more open and find ways to keep
everyone’s attention while teaching. Not everyone learns the same way
(something I learned in this class), but if you catch everyone’s attention
there is a better chance that everyone will learn something.
The Intro to Education class is a good class to take. It builds
your confidence, which is needed in all aspects of life. This course makes
you ask better questions and to think better, skills that are needed in all
jobs, not just in education. And whether you like to participate in class or
not, you will find yourself doing so in this class just by the way the
teachers ask the questions.
Leomi Crystal Gonell
When I found out that I had this class I was happy, because I knew this
class was going to help me to become a better pre-teacher and that it was
also going to help me in the future. But when the first Wednesday of class
came around and I knew that I had to stay at Lehman College until after 5:00
pm, I was like "oh my God." I was planning not to go that first
day but I wound up going because I knew it was the right thing to do and I
figured that things would probably work out in the end. And guess what, they
did!
The days passed and I kept coming to my class with no problems. Every
Wednesday we did something fun, learned something new, or we expressed our
feelings or our thoughts. For example, one day we learned about what type of
learners we are. Then we worked in groups, and had class discussions where
one student would explain what happened in pre-teaching class and we’d all
give advice and opinions. But the exciting part was when we found out we all
had to make our own lesson plan and teach it in front of the class.
I really enjoyed this class. I learned many things about being a good
pre-teacher. When I put these things to work in the pre-teaching classroom,
things went very well. So staying until after 5:00 pm was worth it after
all!
Tirrell Witter
Intro to Education is a really interesting class. I enjoyed the time
I spent in class and also what I learned. This was the most fun I have had
in a classroom. I’m thinking of studying to become a teacher in college,
and pre-teaching and this class allowed me to see what it was like on the
other side of the desk. I think that my first-hand experience is going to go
a long way.
One of the things that was both good and bad about this class was the
small size. While everybody was able to get his or her points across, there
was little diversity. Usually there are many ideas and voices and headaches,
but the small size also allowed every person to be heard.
The fun aspect of this class really has to be taken into account. This
class was a barrel of laughs. I mean, I thought Ms. France was fun, but I
never imagined. Don’t let me get started on Ms. Tringali. My fellow
students were a ball, too. I had to live up to being the only boy in the
class.
This was a great semester. The fun in ESC was great and so was the work.
I learned so much, and I can’t wait to pre-teach again next year.
Daniella
Junor
As a pre-teacher there are so many things to learn and there’s a class
that helps you. That class is called Introduction to Education. I
would like to become a teacher when I get older. As a pre-teacher now, I’m
really learning how to teach. I’m also learning many things from attending
Intro to Education. This class has taught me how to conduct myself in
a classroom, how to teach a lesson properly, how to create a lesson plan,
how to go about dealing with difficult situations that take place in the
classroom, and so much more. For example, I was introduced to new things
like motivations, I.O.s (instructional objectives), and how to make up good
developmental questions.
Being in a class where everybody is sharing and giving feedback has
made me more outspoken and brave. As a teacher, I think there are times
where you would have to be brave and take control of your class. Now when
I go into a class, I try not to sit in the back. If I’m in my
pre-teaching class, I look for the students who are talking and where it
is that they are sitting. There is a relationship between the two. The way
I looked at a teacher before I took this class has also changed. Now I
know how much hard work it is to get something good out of a lesson.
Now I can create my own lesson plans and I have a teaching style that
can be successful. As a pre-teacher I am learning so much that sometimes I
think I can teach as well as some of my teachers! I’m so happy that I
took this class. I’ll receive three college credits, but I’m also
walking away with a bright future as a teacher.
Elizabeth Pellecier
I’ve had a very good experience in this class and have learned many
valuable lessons. I know that pre-teaching can be difficult at times but
it can also be fun. Pre-teaching leads you in a direction of feeling some
power. You can feel a sense of control and of making friends at the same
time.
It isn’t always about fun and games, though. You have to try and help
the students and let them know that you can’t always be "buddy
buddy." You have to let them know that you’re a student, too, and
you know times can be rough. Students should be able to ask you for help
as they would a teacher.
One of the most important things I learned in my Intro to Education
class is responsibility. I learned that it is very important to be
responsible. You should always have your work turned in on time. The
teachers may be nice the first time or two, but after that you will have
to deal with the consequences. This is a college class, after all.
I am very glad that I had the opportunity to be in this class. It gave me
a sense of college life and made me realize that not everything comes
easily.
Gertrudis Centano
I have learned so much in Intro to Education. It’s helped me
grow mentally. Besides that, this class was great for me personally
because I’m learning how to unravel myself, to be more outspoken, and,
at times, even to be philosophical. I have also learned the true meaning
of responsibility and of moral conduct. This class has pushed me to make
my goal of becoming a teacher a reality.
The environment of the class is just wonderful. Inside the classroom we
have so much discussion and we cover so many topics that an interesting
"vibe" is created. What’s nice is that you can apply the
information from the class to your daily life, which helps you to analyze
things and to mature.
The feeling in this class is something that you can’t explain. It’s
like how some people say "oh, you can’t tell it the way I can tell
it." Why is this? It’s because when you are seated in that chair in
that classroom and involving yourself totally in that class, people just
can’t experience it if they aren’t present. In this class it’s way
beyond the basics and all about looking beyond and outside of the box.
That is hard to explain to somebody who wasn’t there to feel it.
Danielle Ferguson
I will never forget my experience in Introduction to Education.
I feel that in this class I developed from a student into a
student-teacher. In this class I learned the ups and downs of teaching. My
teachers were funny and they made the class interesting. They also made
you think long and hard. I had heard many bad things about this class
because you have to write so much, but as you go through the class it’s
not that bad. Writing helps me to expand my vocabulary.
Making a lesson plan is hard work, and I’m grateful to every teacher
I ever had or will have in the future. I feel that taking this class has
made me a better person because I have a new respect for teachers and what
they go through. Standing in front of the classroom is definitely not as
easy as it looks!
Zenova King
The Introduction to Education class has opened my eyes for the
better. Having the opportunity to take a college-level class has been a
true blessing for a student like me. Ms. France and Ms. Tringali kept
faith in me although I’m not considered a student who has all the tools
for college. At first I felt self-conscious in the class about whether I
would be able to keep up. But my teachers made me feel comfortable, saying
little things like "don’t worry, if you need extra help, we are
always here." Because the class is college-level, it gave students
the responsibility of adults. I now have the feeling that college is what
you make of it, and if I attend my classes and do my work on time I will
actually be able to do it.
THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR
COOPERATING TEACHERS!
ART
Mr. Clement Roche
ENGLISH
Ms.Wendy Barrett
Mr. Wes Bradley
Ms. Leah Fink
Ms. Lee Matthews
Ms. Sydney Stern
Ms. Karin Wissman
HEALTH AND PHYSICAL EDUCATION
Ms. Barbara Clifford
Mr. Paul Ferguson
HISTORY
Mr. Thomas Lopez
Ms. Effie Mihalitsianos
Mr. John Murren
Ms. Silkie Ramos
MATHEMATICS
Ms. Sharon Ball
MUSIC
Mr. Robert Cepeda
SCIENCE
Mr. Ed Armas
Ms. Maritza Conde
Mr. Alex Goasdoue
Mr. Eston Robinson
SPANISH
Ms. F. Brown
Ms. Jessica Chase
Ms. Anna Morozuk
SPECIAL EDUCATION
Ms. Suzette Searing
RESOURCE
Ms. Barbara Feldman (Discovery HS)
Mr. Mark Spooner
For additional copies, or submissions contact:
Laura Tringali
Lehman College
250 Bedford Park Blvd. West
Carman Hall 176
Bronx, NY 10468
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Last Updated May 22, 2006 by Roz
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Spring 2006