Knowing the Students

     As I read Chapter 11 of D&Z I was suddenly overtaken by a memory.  It was one of my first courses at RIC so I was really nervous.  I wasn't sure I would able to handle the coursework at a real college, I wondered if I was smart enough and if I would be successful.  The professor handed us our very first assignment. It was to read a theory on discourse by Mikhail Bakhtin. Our professor asked us to approach the forthcoming assignment as if we were "Masters" students thinking of our future dissertations!!  I had no idea what it was like to be a student in a masters degree program and I had no idea what a dissertation was.  I just knew it was a really long paper.  I got home and poured over the reading...with my tears.  It was like reading another language.  I felt frustrated, incompetent and for lack of a better word, stupid.  I was reassured that I was not capable of completing this class.  However, inside of me there was a voice that said "just keep going, you'll figure it out!'  I have no idea where it came from or how I acquired an inner dialogue that pushed me forward, but somewhere along the way I did. Chapter 11 showed me that I knew what it felt like to be a struggling reader.  To think of myself as a struggling reader is strange. I've always been a great reader but what chapter 11 reminded me of was the background knowledge required to not only read the words but comprehend the text as a whole.  In order to know where our students are we need to "focus on essential process of building trust"(236).  The importance of this cannot be measured.  D&Z go on to quote a psychologist educator, William Glasser who states that "people who have repeatedly failed at something usually cope by focusing their lives elsewhere to avoid still more failure"(237).  If we build trust with our students in a way that they can come to us and let us know where they are struggling, not just in reading but in any subject, it offers us the opportunity to help them succeed. 

     D&Z also stress idea that being "supportive is not the same thing as easy"(237).  This is something that I really let sink in this semester. So often when a student struggles a teacher will just let the assignment slide or lower their expectations of a student. This sends a message to the student that says "You really are incapable" or "In the future make sure you tell people you are struggling so you don't have to do the work".  Both of these messages are equally as dangerous.  they will no doubt hold the student back from reaching their full potential and that is our main goal.  By the end of our time with each student we want them to reach their potential and be prepared to build on what they know.  The whole idea of UbD is about teaching to those bigger ideas, not just teaching the content, but focusing on the lessons they learn as they master the content and engage in it. 
     The third and final thought about Chapter 11 is on Modeling Thoughtful Reading on page 238.  We often teach through repetition and mimicry.  We teach a child to speak, walk and read by repeating a specific action.  When it comes to thought processes and critical thinking strategies we assume people learn it naturally because we don't "see" it.  However, this is not the case.  This is a skill which must be taught.  I read a strategy for teaching this on mage 102 called a "read aloud" that I will absolutely use. It requires the teacher to perform a soliloquy. They read a text out loud and stop to share what connections they are making and describe how they are understanding the text internal. essentially "showing" their thought process.  
      Taking into consideration the needs, abilities and background knowledge of each student requires a lot of effort.  However, it is likely the most important thing we will do, when the end result we are looking for is a student who has progressed as much as possible in 180 days!

Education: The Priority (Observation)

       I was set to observe a classroom that I had been in numerous times before in 406.  I was familiar with some of the work the teacher did with the students and one of the things I enjoyed was her approach to reading a text as a group.  Most of the students in her class struggle in school and need some help refining their reading skills.  For that reason it seems she spends a large amount of time in class reading as a group.  One of my fondest memories in school was in fourth grade when my class and the class next door would all sit together and listen to our teachers read us great books like Judy Blume's Tales of the Fourth Grade Nothing and Gary Paulson's Hatchet.  So my impression of this approach was positive.  As the students settled in to their desks, they all took out their books and Ms. G began asking for volunteers to read the dialogue of each character and the narrator.  A handful of students were chosen.  At first I thought this was  a great idea.  It was more engaging than being read to, it would keep the students paying attention to where they were on the page requiring more focus and would bring some life to the reading.  I too was given a book to follow along and the class was instructed to say "popcorn" if they wanted to jump in and take over the dialogue after a few minutes.  This meant that students would be given some control and choice over how  the reading was handled.  Even better, or so I thought.
     As the student began reading their respective parts at first it seemed distracting.  The flow was off a little and they clearly were not coming fresh out of drama class.  I decided they just needed some time to get used to the technique.  After about twenty minutes I was really confused as to which character was who, what role they played in the group and which student was reading which voice. I was so confused I realized that if any one asked me to recount the tale according to chapter nine I would not be able too.  I began writing notes in my book about student engagement levels.  I looked around and there was a whole session, farthest from the teacher, where non of the students were even reading their books.  This was nap time to them.  The teacher and her assistant made some effort to get them engaged and with some difficulty they convinced a few to take over some of the reading parts.  The next time I came to observe they were continuing with the same approach to reading the next chapter.  Before they  could begin one student asked f they could change the approach and read the text paragraph by paragraph, or page by page.  He stated that the other way felt confusing and him mind would "jumble".  He said everything that I was thinking and feeling as well. I was really impressed by risk he took in sharing his difficulty.  The teacher agreed to change their approach.  It was not long after that some students began to complain that this way was "boring" and they wanted to go back to the old way.  The teacher conceded and they went back to the role-centered reading.
     I wanted to raise my and and ask if we could form groups!  By this time I was remembering what the novel was about and I didn't want to miss what was coming next!  Instead, I stopped following along in the reading and went back to writing notes about what was happening in the class.  Now that my suspicion was confirmed I though about what could be done differently.  I looked at the size of the class the number of students and their levels of engagement.  I started to form groups in my head.  First I would divide them by learning style:  role-centered reading, page by page reading, silent readers. I would break them up as close to this as possible: one reader, two active listeners (head up, book in hand), one passive listener (head down, book open), and one unengaged student.  It would definitely be tight but still possible.  The groups could read for 40 minutes and have roughly 20 minutes to discuss the reading or complete a review sheet.
      This approach would free up the teacher to work with each group for a few minutes at a time and make sure they were all comprehending the text or she could confer with a student she knows is struggling in something.  The method she used did not allow for any individualized learning or differentiating and there was no possibility for one on one interaction. 
     As a student-teacher and later a professional, I will remember this experience.  One of the things I hope to begin at the beginning of each year is to form reading groups if reading in class is the only option.  I want ensure that all of the learning styles are respected and provided for.  Students may not get along at times, but as a role model and mentor it will be my job to encourage students to find common ground and put their differences aside when they step into my classroom.  Their education has to be the priority.

An Open Letter About a Sensitive Issue

Hi SED 407 classmates,

I made my letter open to you all because I would like to get your feedback on this subject as well.  Obviously our jobs are to be educators, not psychologist, but I feel like we may come to find that we need more information and assistance on a situation than we predicted, in order to fully assist a student in their education.  Hopefully we have a chance to discuss it in class but if not please share your thoughts with me!

Thanks,

Kyla

Kyla A. Cornier

Rhode Island College

Providence, RI

November 5, 2014

Ms. O

 Psychology Dept.

Rhode Island College

Providence, RI

Dear Ms. O,

                Thank You for taking part in the "Making it Personal" Workshop over this past Weekend.  I am currently a student in the Feinstein School of Education at Rhode Island College and on Saturday November 1^st I attended the Multicultural Conference entitled “Promising Practices: Culturally Responsive Curricula in STEM.”  As part of the conference I chose to take part in the workshop lead by B C, someone I respect as an educator.  He engaged us in group activities that allowed us to reflect on how we could make the tasks more inclusive for all students.  This fit into the conference well as it continued the discussion on how to get all students to feel connected personally with their education. To my pleasant surprise you presented along with him.  You spoke about remaining sensitive to students' needs in the classroom and how trauma can effect a student’s engagement.  I found your information thought provoking.

 Part of my education here at RIC includes a class where I actively engage with the diverse community at CF High School. I read the description of the workshop and knew I wanted to learn more about engaging students with “culturally responsive curriculum and pedagogy while providing layers of health and wellness, social and emotional supports.”  As a student-teacher I have learned as much as one can from a book on classroom management, without actually practicing yet.  We have been given some basic strategies when it comes to difficulties that we may encounter.  Much of that relies on labeling students in order to categorize a situation.  This could include words such as defiant, disruptive, disengaged, etc.  Some attention has been given to informing us as to the reasons behind a student’s behavior through Educational Psychology.  I assume it will be the only formal knowledge given before I begin a career in teaching.  Your presentation was revealing and I have begun to realize the immense amount of insight needed to handle situations that might at first glance seem like a student just ‘wants to cause trouble.’  I began to consider more fully how this information will fit into my work as an educator.  Therefore, I have some questions I would like to ask.

As a teacher I am going to encounter sensitive situations that will require the assistance and/or intervention by a qualified professional.  In this event, how closely involved should I be and how well informed should I remain after I have made a situation known?   When I contemplate a scenario that may occur, I wonder what steps I need to take when a student continues to display behaviors that indicate the continuation of a personal struggle. Will the conversation continue between myself and the people involved in handling this aspect of social work?  I’m not sure if it is common practice for a teacher to work out strategies with the school social workers.  Is this something that you believe should be adopted as a part of my teaching philosophy? We discuss differentiated instruction often in our education.  However, it is most often through the lens of learning disabilities or differences. This brings to mind biological factors or factors that will often remain unchanged. You mentioned the fact that when a person endures a trauma it can affect their memory. I can see how traumas and circumstances outside of school can be brought into the learning environment and can hold a student back from progressing in their education as they once did.  This is something I had not thought of previously, when I considered differentiation.  Do you believe it is wholly encompassed in the differentiation we are learning to use or are there added supports I should actively engage with in these circumstances?  

Learning to be a teacher, we have been encouraged to find a mentor when we begin our career.  I can see the value in Mr. C’s position as Dean of Pedagogy at CF HS.  Having someone to discuss ideas and strategies to reach every student educationally is valuable. Mr. C alluded to the idea that 'it takes a village to raise a child' in his description of the workshop.  After your presentation, I’m beginning to contemplate the value that a relationship with the school psychologist could also have.  I would really like to get your feedback on this topic. I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

Kyla A. Cornier

Know Your Stuff

So I read the textbook two weeks ago.  As I flipped through it again tonight, what I thought I was going to discuss disappeared and something new came to my mind.  A bigger Idea .Well not the kind of "big idea" we have been discussing but a general observation of the reading.  What I realized while flipping through my text book was that what Daniels and Zemelman are showing us, by ripping apart textbooks as a tools, is that we need to know our text books.  There is too much information, not enough information, they are superficial and not written for students. That is the overall view, but within that overview was the message that if you know what's in your text book, you can find opportunities to expand your lessons with what is not there and also by using what is there.
The first idea I liked was the suggestion to use multiple sources to get a balanced view.   I remember reading an old encyclopedia from the sixties and there was a line about  Columbus' men and how 'unfortunately many were killed'.  That one word "unfortunately" showed a sympathetic expression for the white men who violently overtook the land and not nearly as sympathetic to the native people.  If an encyclopedia can show bias, so too can a text book.  It is important to remember that fact and look out for those sneaky agendas that can exist. In chapter six they discuss the importance of being familiar with what is on the assessments that the students will be required to take.  We talked about that a few weeks ago during the teacher panel and all of the teachers agreed that it was important.  I think knowing your assessment, (along with all of the standards) and knowing your textbook is the first step to take.  It will help you shape your "big idea" before planning your lessons for the year. When you know your material more fully it will lead to a better chance of success for both you and your students.

Another point I found interesting was that textbooks can be confusing.  I never thought of them as confusing.  All I remember was writing down "History Pg. 112-114, Q 3 &4" and when I got home I would open up and read, then answer the questions.  However, not everyone is like me and I do remember that there were many boxes on the pages that could be distracting, instead of helpful.  Which leads me to my second favorite suggestion.  In chapter 6, page 150 there is a "Textbook Feature Analysis".  I absolutely will use this idea.  I think it will create a cross-content lesson.  When you analyze the use of fonts, symbols and colors the students will be less distracted because they will know what the purpose is.  The same is true for symbols and boxes with added information.  They can decide if that is something to notate before or after the reading. Once you take away the mystery of the textbook students will be ready to concentrate on the information.  I hope...

So now I come to my difficulty.  I read the line "you have to decide to teach a few things well and fully--and let some other stuff slide"(146).  How do we decide which things to teach fully, and which to let slide?!  I am really hoping to get a great mentor or have a Dean of Pedagogy when I enter the work force!  If I'm on my own I'll have to be sure to 'know my stuff'.

Learn to Teach

After reading the article on improving the education for English Language Learners I really got an idea of how difficult the job of an ESL teacher is. We've been discussing lesson plans and how to be prepared for each day of teaching and learning and I have always felt that I will become a capable planner.  The reality that this article makes clear is that no matter how prepared you are you also have to be constantly ready to come up with new strategies when working with learners of the English language. It also occurred to me that there was so much information in this one article.  It was clear that we are just coming to understand how to teach learners of a new language and I feel like ideas and concepts are being tested all of the time.  We are always learning how to teach. 

One thought that stuck out to me was this statement that "All high school teachers, ... need to understand more about the language of the content area they teach and how learning in a second or third language might affect content learning"(2).  We have focused on literacy this semester and the importance of helping students master the objectives and goals of our content, ensuring that they carry the greater concepts forward.  In order to help students with a language barrier we need to make an effort to understand what specific challenges they will face when learning the concepts and language simultaneously.  This will require a greater effort to differentiate, using more teaching strategies than we may not have been prepared to do.  Many times the language we use in our content is not part of everyday speech.  There will be little to no expectation that they will understand words or concepts like polygons, plot, or civil rights without taking some time to research them.  It will take a  greater effort and cooperation between the student and the teacher in order for them to become more fully educated as students. 

One of the first things we need to do to begin this is to create an environment of trust (5).  If I had to choose one part of the article that was most important it would be this.  It is a risk to open up when you feel insecure, know you don't understand something and to say you need help. For students with special needs, that is the first step in opening the opportunity to educate them.  Once you show them that you are there to support their learning they begin to open up.  Your reaction and how you handle each situation will determine how the student will react the next time they struggle.  It's important for us to reflect on our own feelings and reactions to ensure that we are fostering a safe environment for learning and teaching. 

There is so much more to discuss but the overall idea I came away with is that as teachers not only do we need to be ready to teach but we need to be ready to learn.  Every student will be different and have a "special need".  It will be up to us to learn about our students, so we can be better teachers of our content.

Chapter 4

Chapter 4 gave me a lot to think about.  

As a student-teacher, one of the things that deflate a little bit of my excitement is the dreaded standardized test.  Not just a standardized test itself, but the thought  of being so consumed with anxiety over whether or not students are going to pass the test/s.  Similar to being a student in college “cramming” for a final exam in Psychology, I have this nightmare of being a teacher and just "cramming" to teach the content required every day.  That is not exactly what I had in mind when I first decided to become a teacher and I hope it’s far from the truth.   Instead, I expect that if I become an effective teacher, remain aware of what students need to know and master, and use numerous methods to accommodate the needs of my students, passing the tests will be more of a milestone, rather than an all-consuming aspect of teaching.  My anxieties and expectations see-saw depending on what I read or what I hear from others. The ideal I described is what pushes me forward to continue on my journey as a teacher. 

When I read about the group of history teachers on page 54 that got together, decided what “the big ideas” were and created a curriculum to included “readings, films, library research activities and small group presentations that gave deeper and more textured understandings”  I saw it as a promising sign.  The purpose of being a teacher is to help students connect to subjects, people, places, ideas, etc.  The tests are meant to measure, not dictate and we often lose sight of that.  These history teachers recognized that as long as they kept “the big ideas” as their focus, and they align with the standards put forth, they would be successful. I don't know what the final results were but I can only expect that they were positive.

                One other idea that struck me while reading this chapter is that I want to take the opportunity to work with other content teachers and help students make connections with the other subjects they are engaged in on a daily basis.  The Example at the opening of the chapter (the biography of E=mc²) really showed a great way to open horizons and build connections with other content.  In this example, not only are students reading but they are learning about an important historical discovery, in a way that will ensure they never forget the pertinent details.  Last week in class one of the teachers mentioned that she once planned a lesson with another content teacher, in order to help the students make an even deeper connection with a specific topic.  Why isn’t this something that is done more often?  It seems like it would be a genuinely successful practice.   It’s something I really want to explore.

What is it Like on the First Day?

   Over the summer I decided to do some light reading and I was loaned a book by my professor entitled The First Days of School: How to Be an Effective Teacher by Harry and Rosemary Wong.  I read that book in a matter of hours.  Although it was geared more towards elementary school teachers, I could see the value for all teachers.  They stressed the importance of being organized, making expectations clear and being predictable as a teacher.  In other words, make sure the students know what it expected on a daily basis so it takes some of the stress out of life.  After reading this book I imagined all of the ways I would decorate my classroom, including the entrance.  I decided that I would have a "Quote of the Day" that I would choose to get the students engaged  on the topic of my planned lesson.  I even thought that letting the students write their own favorite quotes on paper and placing them in a bowl might be a great idea...They might be proud to see their pick on the board!  I decided that I would be sure to greet each student at the door, ask how things are going and get to see their tone for the day so far...Effective teaching? Done.  Okay...maybe more like just getting started, but brainstorming leads to effective actions.
 
  Unexpectedly, I got to find out what that first day looks like and why it's so important to be organized and clear about expectations. Tonight was "Meet the Teachers" for my sons new middle school.  The way it was set up I got to see what a first day really looked like from the students perspective...as an adult it was petrifying.  I can only imagine what it must be like for an 11 year old!  You begin in the main auditorium.  From there, just like on the first day, you receive your schedule.  After receiving your schedule you are released into the maze of corridors.  You follow your child's schedule and are given 15 minute time slots with the teacher.  During this time the teacher explains the policies and procedures of their classroom, the curriculum for the year and any other information you might need.  There were a few things that I noticed "as a student".  Most of the teachers greeted us at the door, asked our child's name, made a comment about what a nice student her was, then asked us to scribble on the sign-in sheet and have a seat.  Many of them had power points prepared and some even prepared pamphlets with important numbers and other info.  In these classrooms I felt at ease. I knew what the teacher expected, he/she was clear and informative and they remembered my son already.
  The last classroom we went to was different.  As we were entering, the teacher was talking to the parents from the class before.  She was rattling off information she forgot to mention and asking for their children's names so she could show their first work of art.  We didn't get to greet her at the door.  We found our way to the sign in sheet and took a seat.  As we looked around, the room seemed out of order and there were supplies left out from the days work.  The teacher entered and she seemed frazzled, she was disorganized and her "speech"  consisted mostly of making guesses about what she would be teaching, scanning the walls for posters about "policies and procedures" and explaining that there were no real grades, it will be based on effort.  It was an art class so to be fair the grading policy seemed perfect to me!  However, this approach felt uncomfortable. She didn't seem to have a plan on how to inform us.  At the end I wasn't really sure what my son was going to be doing and I had a feeling he wouldn't feel sure either...It would be a surprise every week! 

  After this experience it made me realize that the first day of school really will set the mood for the year.  As educators we really have to think about what kind of teacher we want to be, how we will present ourselves and how to maintain the aspects of our teaching that we know will be really beneficial to our students.  Even something as small as greeting our students at the door could change something about our day or one of our students' days.  We also want to make sure we ourselves know what we expect of our students and effectively relay the important aspects of being a student in our class, at the institution we teach in. Students will be able to tell if we are confident.  If they feel we are trustworthy and knowledgeable, it will make our job easier and their own lives less complicated, so they can concentrate on learning, not guessing what they are supposed to do. 


P.S. If I didn't make it clear I highly recommend the book and I hear there is a CD for high school teachers but I haven't seen it yet!

The Basics in Activating Students

  There is an expectation that as an English Language Arts teacher, reading will, no doubt, be one of the most important focuses in my classroom.  When I picture the type of class I will have, I imagine being able to get my students engaged, just as these educators did with the topic of fast-food!  When I started chapter 1 I was so engaged that I failed to make one notation or highlight a single word or sentence for the first few pages.  The first line I stopped to highlight was something I never wanted to forget: "They had learned things that really got them thinking, got them agitated, got the activated."(5)  That is my goal as an educator...to get students "activated".  There will be students who are motivated by other factors, such as wanting to please the teacher, their parents, wanting a good grade, etc.  There will also be students that are unmotivated by those things and will want to sit in the back row and disappear.  To get a student activated through something they have learned, is an incredible accomplishment.
  It reminded me of the experience I had at the HS last week.  When I asked one of the students why he chose Diabetes as his topic, he explained that it was something anyone can get and if he could learn more about it, he could maybe prevent himself from getting the disease.  I was really impressed by that.  After reading this one line I realized that was what I was so impressed with, that this student made his study personally enriching.  He didn't choose the topic because it was easy or because he already knew about it.  I can think of the many times I have made topic choices based on what I know the most about.  When I think back to a time when I chose a topic based on what I really wanted to know more about, I realize that it was because it was something important to me.  Last semester in 406 we had to construct our own lesson plan and then teach it to our peers.  I chose poetry, specifically the sonnet.  I made this choice because I have had a feeling that using poetry is going to be an important tool to teaching students about reading.  (After reading Wilhelm I think my hunch is right!)  However, I didn't feel as if my memory was as strong as I wanted it to be in this area, so I chose it to get some real working knowledge.  The point is, when a student chooses a topic based on their desire to know more about something to help them in the future, they will remember what they learned.  It will impact their life in some way.  That is the ultimate goal:  To let the knowledge impact the student.
  When I read the metaphor about the classroom full of students resembling "rows of deeply impacted, unpulled teeth" (7) I laughed out loud (for real) and shuddered at the same time.  It is THE nightmare.
 For that reason, I really appreciated the exercise in chapter 2 when they had us read about Cricket.  It was one of the most eye-opening experiences I've had as an education student.  As an English Major I have an upper hand in reading a text, even one that I'm not completely sure about.  Even when I read the information on RNA Interaction, I was able to make some small sense of what was going on.  I recognized some of the information but not all. With cricket I was completely unfamiliar with the terms.  I got a vague idea that a game was going on, but I ultimately thought that the writers had just created whatever this example was. This exercise really impressed upon me the need to be aware of the students prior knowledge, especially in a culturally diverse school such as CFHS. 
The overall lesson I learned from the reading was that if I want to "activate" students I need to start small.  I need to get to know the basics: my students abilities, strengths, as well as, deficits.  As the educator I need to choose topics that are beneficial but also engaging and useful to my students.  Allowing them the opportunity to choose from a variety of topics is one way to get to know what they are interested in.  I plan to use that idea!

A Thousand Words

            I’ve always been someone who pays close attention to detail.  I often notice things that no one else seems too.  It could be a butterfly, while I’m on a hike or a hawk flying through the sky as I drive along the highway.  It might also be about people.  I like to people watch and to pay attention to how they interact in the world.  Photography is an art form that allows me to capture those moments of notice.

            When I was young my parents and grandparents always had a camera, but most of the photos we took were group photographs.  It was always forced pictures, something to prove that we were all at the same place, at the same time, on that particular day. I was never impressed by this use of cameras.  However, my great -grandmother died of Alzheimer’s when I was 14 years old and one thing that seemed significant was that she couldn’t remember her trip to Ireland during her last year, a trip that was taken with all of her adult children.  It was her life’s dream to visit Ireland and everyone seemed so sad by her loss of that memory.  I wondered desperately why no one had any pictures to show her, even a group photo would have been helpful.  Years later, when I planned my first trip to Europe, I immediately felt that I needed a camera.  Not just any camera, but something significant and memorable. Instead of a digital camera, I decided a regular 35mm film camera was appropriate.  I bought it on Craigslist and it included a zoom lens with "Macro" capabilities.  I wasn’t sure exactly what all of those things meant but I eventually learned that it allowed me to get close-up pictures, to subjects that were usually more difficult to capture in great detail. 

During my trip to Estonia, I used my camera to capture details that I felt I would remember, but would be excited to share with my husband and children.  I took pictures of walls that were over 1,000 years old, the sun shining over the Baltic Sea,  people waiting by the dozens for public transportation. I stopped on the side of the highway to take pictures of fields of yellow flowers, and walked to the night club because there was still enough light to continue capturing details of the building we would pass by.  When I returned home I couldn’t wait for my film to be developed!  I gave my family the play by play of my trip, with visual evidence to help them.  I was so happy to see all of those moments captured on film, to help me remember as well.

After my trip I began to think about all of the opportunities there are to capture memories in life.  As a mother of young children I was beginning to see how fast my children grew and I wanted to capture those memories as well.  Soon though, I realized that using a film camera was expensive!  I was paying for the film, as well as, the development and I was developing pictures that many times did not come out as captivating as I would have hoped.  The capabilities of a digital camera appealed to me. I began asking some of my friends that also dabbled in photography and they recommended different brands.  I bought my first DSLR camera soon after.  With this new camera and a small SD card I was able to capture hundreds of photos in a single session and I could pick and choose which ones I wanted to share, or print.  I discovered the world of blogging and began my own photography blog on Wordpress.com. Within this forum I was able to interact with other photographers, amateur and professional.  I was encouraged by their feedback on my photos and inspired by the photos they shared. 

The more time I spent scrolling through the photos of my fellow bloggers and reading about the techniques they used to capture specific types of photos, the more I wanted to learn.  At the time I was a college student and I was feeling some hesitation about entering into the teaching program.  So, I decided to take a photography course.  I learned so much about the technical aspects of using a camera, developing film and printing photos.  All of which were intensely interesting and exciting.  However, something else happened.  I became over-inspired, if that is even possible.  After learning so much and being exposed to so many inspirational photographers, through documentaries, literature and prints, I saw what I could accomplish with photography … if only I would give up my dream of becoming a teacher and spend my life behind the camera and in the dark room.  When I realized I wasn’t willing to do this, my inspiration plummeted for photography. 

  Subconsciously and consciously, I took a break from my camera and my blog and decided it was time to apply for the education program at RIC.  I had been afraid that maybe I wasn’t going to be a good teacher, or that maybe I wouldn’t like it as much as I had imagined, all of my life.  It was the one dream I had since I was young, and it remained unchanged, which somehow made it pure and untouchable.  I had put off applying to the education program for so long.  However, when I followed my interest in the art of photography, learned so much about it in that small amount of time and also saw how inspired I became, I recognized that doing the same thing, with the “art of teaching”, would be the most rewarding opportunity I could offer to myself.  As I often did when capturing a photograph, I looked at the small details (applying to the program, graduating from the program) and placed them in the larger picture (becoming a teacher and leading a fulfilling life, reaching the goal that is most cherished to me). I saw that life was going by and my opportunity could also pass by.

Since applying to the program and beginning my journey, I have picked my camera back up.  All of the experience and knowledge that I have learned allows me to be a more versatile and creative photographer.  I can choose whether or not I want to shoot on automatic, if I want to have more control in manual mode, if I want a crisp, clear lens or if I want to place a plastic bag over the lens to create a softer look to my photo.  I feel confident that I can pick up a book about photography and have a good enough understanding to build on my knowledge with greater ease.  This confidence continues to transfer into other aspects of life, including my journey as a student teacher.  I no longer fear my dream of becoming a teacher but instead, I look forward to the challenges and inspiration that will help me to help others.  I know that my interest in photography will continue to inspire me and I will continue to take the opportunity to learn more about this art, not knowing where it will take me. They say that a picture is worth a thousand words, and there are thousands of opportunities to take a picture but a life long dream can only be realized once.