#7 Practice Democratic Principles

Martin Luther King Jr. Day, we celebrate it every year. What did the great doctor really do? Well he was a big advocate during the Civil Rights Movement. As I sat in a couple different lectures and had a discussion with people during one of the sessions, I realized how much it has changed from then until now (how much what he did really influenced). Sitting at a table with a couple friends and professors, we discussed our relationships with African American people as well as got each others opinions on certain topics such as discrimination and what not. For me, living in the Detroit Metro Area was one of the best experiences of my life. Going to school and hanging around people of many different colors allowed me to grow up and really appreciate people. Coming here to Goshen College is the exact same way.
Our team had an opportunity to speak up about the national anthem. We had a meeting with our coach to discuss how much it had been part of our high school experiences and how much we would really like to have it played at our games. We had the opportunity go to over to Bill Born's house, have dinner, and discuss this with him as well. He listened and took in everything we were saying. I am very happy for it to be playing next year.

#6 Develop Ways to Recharge Your Battery

There was a certain way I was planning to recharge my battery, prayer a certain amount of time when I woke up and a certain amount before bed. The goal was 15 minutes and I did not know if I had actually set it too high. Not sure why I thought that at all because I love praying & talking with God. As I began to do this, I felt like 15 minutes was not that much and wanted to use that for more devotional time. As I would read and study, I began to feel better and stronger mentally. Reading in the morning got me ready for the day. The quiet time I got to have with God was so great and will continue to be. Through prayer and meditation, He began to show me what He wants done in my life. He has brought so many special people into my life over these past few months and I believe it is because of prayer. I've always wanted to keep a journal and write things down (verses, quotes, & such) that would be beneficial for me and others later on in life. I cannot express how much it has helped me and how many times I have used it for Him. Keeping this journal going is a goal I have. It's not an everyday thing, but the devotionals and prayer still are. God's opened up the door for a lot of different opportunities and I believe it has a lot to do with faithfulness in prayer. I am so thankful to have had the opportunity to "recharge my battery" and I pray that He continues to equip.

Teachers in videos vs. Reality #9

Recently a class I was in watched a movie in french called "The Class". It was about a teacher and his class, how he dealt with management, behavior, and all of the things that happened there. He was a very sarcastic teacher and this was one of the reasons his students did not like him that much. There was one point in the video where he said two of the girls were acting like "skanks". When he would be explaining something and one of the students would not understand, another student would make a smart remark about it and degrade the other person. However, the teacher asked that student a follow up question they did not know and this student was quiet for a bit. Many times students want teachers to care about them and ask questions about their lives. These students did not really want the teacher to know that much about them because they felt it there was no need for it in the classroom. This was interesting to me because I enjoy when teachers ask how everything is going. It shows me that they care about me as a person. At my high school, some of the teachers came to sporting events to cheer on their students. This shows the sense of community in the school. Many of my teachers would joke with us when we were in the classroom, so that we would feel more comfortable and want to participate. I did not want to participate as much because there were so many other students smarter than me in classes. However, teachers got me involved and that was greatly appreciated. In my classroom, I hope that my students will want to participate in discussions or lectures that take place. Allowing my classroom to portray community is a goal because it encourages learning through so many different things. Teachers should be people there students look up to. I can only hope to be such a teacher.

An Effective Teacher #9

There have been a few effective teachers I have seen, that have been quite successful at what they do. One of them is a teacher I observed and taught a bit fore at Concord Junior High. Mrs. K had been there for a while and was pretty established as a successful Physical Education teacher. Walking into her classroom on the first day, the kids tried to get away with little things. Mrs. K had them quiet and ready for the activity they were going to do in record time. It was as if they knew how they were supposed to act, but they were waiting for the teacher to say something before they did. She had a strong teaching voice and this allowed the kids to know she meant business. However, she joked around with them a lot, got to know them, how sports were going or families. The classes I observed went smoothly (good management). Mrs. K had the respect of those around her as well. There were a total of five teachers who taught other parts of Physical Education during this time and they knew that she was in charge. I believe as an effective teacher, you must be able to maintain the rules and such of your classroom, but also be able to have fun and enjoy what you are doing. If you do not enjoy what you are doing, the passion for your content will not show and the students may begin to feel the same way. In another class, we went around the room and mentioned a teacher who had really affected our reasoning for why we wanted to become teachers. It was interesting that out of about 18 students, five of them said the same teacher. In a college classroom, that is pretty substantial. It was how the teacher presented herself and the content which made learning interesting. These students wanted to be able to do the same for the next generation. That is what I hope to do for my students.