Ms.

Goodwine: Master Teacher

I had the privilege to be placed in Ms. Goodwines class where I observed and
taught Biology and Anatomy/ Physiology. Ms. Goodwine is a master teacher and knows
great tips and tricks to get her students invested into what she is teaching, but also she is
making learning relevant to all of her students. Every day that I was in her classroom, I
learned something new and reflected on what I wanted to implement in my own
classroom.
One of the first tools that Ms. Goodwine used in her classroom to help
differentiate learning needs was a question asking technique. She would ask a question,
such as, Where are ribosomes in a cell located? Then she would pause for a few
seconds and call the name of a student who would be challenged by that question, but
should know the answer. That way, every student was thinking about the answer to the
question, but she knew who she was going to have answer when she asked the question.
It also allowed her to ask more learner leveled questions to each of her students. The
excelling students were challenged and the students struggling had an opportunity to get a
question correct or to be caught up to the material. This was an incredibly efficient and
quick way to scaffold the needs of her students almost every day.
At the beginning of the semester, I asked her how she built relationships with her
students, and she handed my a notecard that each student had filled out with information
about themselves on it. This way, she had a document of parents names and phone
numbers, but she also had a group of information about her students, so she could
connect with them.

One of the most amazing and growing moments I experienced in her classroom
was during a biology test. A student did not want to take the test and spend time working
on another activity. When I approached the student to get started with the test, the student
refused. When Ms. Goodwine approached the student to begin the test, again they
refused, and asked to go into the hallway. Ms. Goodwine followed the student into the
hallway, and they discussed options and consequences for not taking the test. After a few
minutes, the student rejoined the classroom and took their test.
After the test, the student went to Ms. Goodwines desk. I thought that an
argument or disagreement may break out, but instead, the student confided in her. The
student began talking to Ms. Goodwine about what the other activity was and why it was
so vital to get done before the test. They also shared some laughs and giggles, and when
the student left after class, I feel that Ms. Goodwine had a better relationship with that
student than ever before.
Ms. Goodwine was upset and concerned about the students actions at first, but
she wiped her slate clean in just a matter of minutes and began to appreciate and build
back the relationship that could have easily been let go. I desire to have the same
character and ability as Ms. Goodwine does with her students. I aspire to wipe my slate
clean and keep investing myself into my students.
Finally, Ms. Goodwine created relevancy in her classroom that connected me to
my agricultural roots. When we discussed difficult content, such as microscopic anatomy
of muscle tissue, she had a way of connecting it to the students by talking about how
much ATP is used per second when exercising and how to remember certain pieces of the
diagram by relating it to what students already know. In agriculture, it is easy to keep

content relevant and important to students, but Ms. Goodwine challenges me to make my
connections better and more meaningful.