Learning Letter

In my ENGL 493, Teaching Literature to Adolescents class, we completed a lot of important documents and ideas that we discussed as future teachers. More so, the book talks I really enjoyed and liked discussing certain books that I didn’t know or kinda knew about. The two books I choose to write about were “High Heat,” and “Slam!” which are great books for young adults that teach a good life moral lesson. But also, the unit plans were another piece of document that I completed in the course. This unit plan was tough and hard at times, but I pushed threw and finished in time, which it made me happy inside knowing I worked hard and completed this big unit plan. My unit plan that I created was Hamlet, as I had a timed-writing final for the end of the unit, but I had a discussion board points for the students and a library day, which allows my students to get an understanding on graphic novels. Also, I put so many other things that will show my future employers that I know how to make a TPA lesson plan. However, with some of the theories and concepts that we learnerd and explored through readings and discussions, I would have to say I really enjoyed “I Read it, But I Don’t get it,” as it gave many good ideas to help you as a reader, but to help your students out most importantly. Some of those ideas that I really enjoyed were Chapter Two: The Realities of Reading. The idea of the section called, “I’ll Do Anything but Read,” gives teachers ideas about some of the possibly students they could have in their classroom (14). That student could be somebody that doesn’t like to read, and is a “resistive reader,” who survive from listening to their teacher and fellow students (15). Henceforth, in Chapter Three: Purposes for Reading, gives the idea that every text we read has purpose and meaning behind the context. Most students determine what is important, “in the text, what is remembered, and what comprehension strategy a reader uses to enhance meaning,” these students who read difficult text often come up with these complaints such as, “I don’t care about the topic; I can’t relate to the topic; I daydream and my mind wanders; I can’t stay focused; I just say the words so I can be done; I get bored,” giving the idea that some of these students behave like this because they don’t have a reason for reading (24). Also, another concept or theory that we discussed would be the social justice in the classroom, which the article that I picked was called, “Creating Classrooms for Equity and Social Justice,” which one of the ideas that I thought was important was “Grounded in the lives of our students,” giving the idea to teachers that everything starts from the respect for our children and students. Those respects contain their innate curiosity and the capacity they can learn at (1). However, it should be the curriculum that must be rooted into their students’ needs and experiences. That can range from the teachings of science, math, and English, or even social studies/history. But also, the idea to think “Critical,” is huge, because it allows you as the teacher to think about certain questions such as, “Who makes decisions and who is left out? Who benefits and who suffers? Why is a given practice fair or unfair? What are its origins? What alternatives can we imagines? What is required to create change?” (1). Lastly, I feel that I could’ve talked a little bit more in class, but I loved hearing my fellow students talk about ideas first, then bounce a couple of my ideas on top of theirs. However, at times I liked to start of and give a few ideas for them to listen at times, but overall, I really enjoyed having these discussions in class, as it allowed other students who didn’t like to talk that much. It allowed them to get more comfortable and helped them with their speaking anxiety. Yet, I believe these discussions will help me as a future teacher, as I watch our teacher Sean bring us back on topic or helped guided us to keep the conversation going and on task. Overall, I really enjoyed this class and the ideas that will stay with us forever, and that’s what I really like and enjoyed about this class as it helped us as future teachers to create ideas to think about.