From Practice to Knowledge..
I first developed a keen interest in Education when I had the social experience of working in a Foundation called ‘Saint Ann’. It was my first experience of teaching and dealing with misbehaviors originating primarily from past traumatic familial experiences. At that moment, that I was working there, I felt engaged with a kind of self- directed learning. This Foundation acted more like the Primary school for me regarding teaching. I felt an intentional change in an aspect of who I was (the real) and who I want to be (the ideal).
I have experienced a discontinuity or a moment of awareness and a sense of urgency. This particular moment of awareness I have experienced personally after finishing my MA in European Studies in UCL (University College of London) and my Bachelor degree in International Politics. I was nominated in various important educational institutions (UCL, McGill, GYLC, AIE, BAICE, Bath University) to present upon cross- cultural and political issues of our century. This aspect gave me the comfort of teaching in front of people and get them engaged with my topic.
That year, I found myself searching and researching on the appropriate Master degrees that would give me the chance to study in depth and research my field of interest, which was Education. Now, I am graduating this December from Michigan State University with a Master degree in Education. MAED Program gave me the unique opportunity to explain theoretically what I have done so far in my teaching practice setting as well as give to food for thought for what I should have done better. It promoted a whole new world for me full of instructional strategies for classroom.
Failure Syndrome students, Hyperactive, Defiant, Aggressive and many more were part of my personal experience within my teaching practice setting. Myself and the other teacher identified such misbehaviors in the Foundation. Afterwards, they were closely examined with the psychologist in order to find effective strategies to combat them and, then, were applied to each child independently. At this point and afterwards, I felt engaged to what I have been studying and discussing with my group and had clearly the ability to connect it to my classroom practice.
Many quizzes for depicting my teacher profile helped me realize who I am as a teacher and what I have done so far. For example, the quiz about Conflict Resolution Style was another reflection. It was really accurate and really depicted who I am as an educator. As I am always mentioning in all of my posts working in an environment like the Foundation with children with disturbed childhood years, it enhanced my abilities to cooperate.
My teaching experience made me believe that two individuals may come to more precise conclusions if working together than working individually. Personally, I was working closely with the Psychologist of the Foundation of the various misbehaviors occurring within class. The quiz I have been mentioning above stood as a confirmation for me about my thoughts and observations about the way I taught and my perceptions about teaching formats.
Towards the end of the program it launched me from what I have done up until now to what to expect from September 2014 where I have been accepted as a PhD student and I would teach mostly adult learners. Adult learners have characteristics that distinguish them from the traditional ‘well- established’ school format of didactic teaching. All adults come to courses with a variety and range of experiences, both in terms of their working life and educational backgrounds. These influence the ‘how’ and ‘why’ they participate in learning. More analytically, adults have established opinions, values and beliefs, which have been built up over time and should not be rejected by the teacher; on the contrary they must be respected.
Students should be more independent and self- directed. Students are not waiting the instruction by their teacher but they are planning, delivering and evaluating their own learning. The teacher just acts as a initiator in the above learning procedure. People in young adulthood- as my prospective students- are expected to be responsible for their own lives and choices.
It launched me from theory to practice and from mere observance of my classroom teaching techniques to positive reflection.
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