Wider Views -- Beth

Something we talked about earlier this week in my seminar class was response to various issues like cheating or disruptive behavior. Our class had several experienced teachers (like over 40 yrs of combined teaching experience) in the room telling us how they have dealt with these types of issues. One experienced teacher stated that we as incoming professionals need to decide what we want our students to walk away with at the end of the semester -- which is hopefully much more than just a better understanding of our content material. In the examples the other teachers gave us, what was clear to me was the ability to listen and be patient with the students and not just assume that the issue’s solution would be black and white. This is not to say the teachers were push-overs. For example, one teacher told us how he responded to irresponsible lab behavior. Instead of banning labs for the rest of the semester (a threat that perhaps was warranted after the poor behavior), the teacher the following day informed the students that he expected adult like behavior in the lab and knew the students could handle this opportunity and that they would be repeating the same lab they did the day before until they could do it correctly. The students then performed as the teacher expected. During my student teaching time I often feel “busy” with all the planning and grading, but this class caused me to reflect on the broader reasons of why I want to be a teacher, to encourage student’s creativity, inquiry, and enjoyment of the scientific world around them, but also the feeling of what it is like to be in a respectful classroom (which I hope I maintain).