Reflection 10: What have you learned in this class? What is your most valuable experience?

Coming into this class, EME 2040, I was expecting another typical education class, focusing on just the education requirements and lesson plans but it was not was I had expected. There was more to this class. I loved the diversity in what we had learned. The professor was obviously not your typical professor but different. This was a class I looked forward to.
When attending a class you students do not always learn and when I say learn I mean understand what is being taught. Within this class I must say I learned. I was able to understand what we were being taught. The professor taught more by guiding us, giving us what was needed and it was up to us to take that and use it to our advantage, also taking the information and putting our own input. One thing I enjoyed and agreed fully on would be finding out what our educational philosophy. Every teacher has their own educational philosophy. When given mine I did more research and as I was writing my reflection based on this I found myself just being passionate on what I was writing, standing firm in what and how students should be taught. My educational philosophy turned out to be constructivism where students learn best based upon their personal experiences, taking what they already know and implying to what is being taught. Constructivism gets students to become involved and hands on in what they are learning, becoming active learners. Another helpful tool taught within this class, EME 2040, would be livetext. Livetext is a tool that I feel all teachers should have, it is very helpful and is also something that I can take with me beyond school; carry with me throughout my future career within the education field.

Something that I support 100% would be diversity and openness. When I say this class was different I mean that in a good way. We not only learned about education but became more aware of what is going on within the real world which I feel is something that should be implemented when teaching. My most valuable experience would be commenting on the poems given for us to read. These weren’t just any poems but they were raw eye opening lessons. One that struck me the most would be “Cité Soleil”. This poem addressed the trials and hardships that Haiti has and still is going through. The problems are not just of Haiti’s but many countries. By commenting on poems such as this you are being forced to give your opinion to think and understand what you are reading.

In conclusion I can genuinely say that this class was excellent. A successful class would be a class full of students who learned, understood, and are able to take what they learned on with them throughout their life. You, Professor Mcnair, have taught me a lot and I thank you. Wish you the best.