Aaron Hamann

Sept. 20, 2000

Martin CI 426

Taking a look at my School Law teaching segment, I’d have to say that I did an overall great job. There were some things that could be improved, but I received nothing but positive feedback.

The lesson plan format was something new to me. As a Secondary Math teacher, my lessons don’t always have an attention-getting anticipatory set or an explicit set of guidelines that I follow. Many times, the lesson tends to flow in the areas of misunderstanding or confusion by the students. This area changes class-to-class and from year-to-year. However, my group members were very impressed with what I had for a lesson and I learned more about lesson plans by doing one. In the final go-around, one of my group members commented on how Math teachers write outstanding lesson plans, and he was referring to me!! That makes me feel great as a new teacher just starting out.

The participation in my group was great. Everyone was quick to offer up suggestions and scenarios. I feel that some of this was due to my anticipatory set where I served an injustice and everyone wanted to correct it. It really helped get the ball rolling. I also used Bloom’s Taxonomy at many different levels ranging from simple Comprehension up to Synthesis and Evaluation. I incorporated these throughout the lesson instead of presenting all the information and then droning on with questions. This helped make the lesson go smoothly. Also, my guided practice was relevant and everyone felt as though being placed into a situation helped them better understand Due Process.

After reading the class comments, it seems as though my Objectives have been met. Everyone wrote down something learned that related directly to what I had listed as objectives. This helps me to know that what I set out to accomplish was actually accomplished. This also is a great feeling for a pre-service teacher.

One of the biggest areas that I need to work on is actually practicing my lesson. I haven’t had much experience in front of an actual class, so I haven’t had the chance to encounter those everyday occurrences that happen. I think that this skill of dealing with the classroom will only become stronger as I student teach.

All in all I feel as though I learned a lot about school law. I also feel as though I helped others to learn, which is why I love teaching. Experiencing that moment when the student gets it, the "A-ha!", is what teaching is all about. It is priceless.