*Confidence & Independence
First of all, there is now way around it, I AM a shy person. As much as I would like just to
be the opposite- I can't, having said that, I feel I am becoming more confident and independent during this first half of
the semester. I feel that my learning experience depends mainly on me, with guidance of the teachers and my peers. I feel
every time I am with children I feel more and more confident with them. I feel as my confident grows, I will be
able to develop better relationships with the students. I have also found more confidence in reading different genres.
I would have never discovered some books without stepping out of my box.
Knowledge Content
My knowledge content is o.k. right now. I don't know literary elements very well yet.
I feel like the class is just getting up and off it's feet, so I think in two more class times my knowledge will increase
significantly. I feel confident about getting the students interested in the story and using literature in different
lesson plans for different curriculum as well as expanding my literary genre. Most of the genres I feel I have a good understanding
of them, there is still a few though I just don't have a good understanding of, I am hopeing soon I will though.
Skills & Strategies
I feel my growth up to this point is I have gained a better understand of children. I feel I have
grown in my knowledge of genres and reflecting on books I have read as well. I've learned to give students more choices, I
have learned that communication between teacher and student is very important. I learned what a book sale is and how it works
and how to excite books up.
Use of prior & emerging experience
Experience prior that i think has helped me up to this point is working with children since I was
a senior highschool. Just observing children and tutoring children has allowed me to gain so much experience and has really
opened my eyes to the educational realm. I also volunteer with second and third graders every week at the church I go to,
so that has helped me as well. Right now I am teaching in a class and I think I am just gaining so much insight on who kids
are and what kind of books they like.
Reflectiveness
I feel literature is what makes life a great part of what it is! I have learned that children
need to read and read what they like! Read stories that will twist and turn their emotions, they need to read to better inform
theirselves. My first semester in this program and one day I feel confident and great and the next I feel horrible. It is
definately hard trying to get into the schools and feeling comfortable but not to shy. I have learned so much so far
but yet have three times more to learn!
I would like to give myself an A.
