Runninghead:EPORTFOLIOREFLECTION

EPortfolioReflection
JosephineRivera
EDU1010
December6th,2015

EPORTFOLIOREFLECTION
2

Uponlearningthatwewererequiredtocompleteseveralhoursoffieldworkinorderto
passthiscourse,Ibecameextremelynervousatthethoughtofspendingactualtimeina
classroom,observingandwitnessingmypotentiallifeasateacherfirsthand.Thisplagueof
nervousnessevenmademequestionwhetherornotbecomingateacherwastherightcall.
However,whiletheideaoffieldworkinitiallycausedmetobecomeanxious,theexperience
withintheclassroomenvironmentwasarewardingone.Thesignificanceoffieldworkliesinthe
invaluableexperienceitprovidesitgavemeawiderscopeoftheconceptualdevelopmentof
effectiveteaching,myvaluesasateacher,thenecessityofcommunication,andmysocialand
personaldevelopmentwithintherealmsofmyowneducation.
TheteacherIvolunteeredforhadbeenteachingforalmost34years,isheadofthe
Englishdepartment,andisarecipientofteachertenure.Manyofourdiscussionssurroundedthe
ethicssurroundingthispolicy.Iwentintocollegeandmyfieldexperiencewiththementalitythat
teachertenurewasunjustduetotherebeingmorecurrentandpassionateteachersmy
opinionbecamequitetheoppositebytheendofthisassignment.AstheteacherandIhadmore
andmoreconversationsdiscussingteachertenure,sheprovidedmewithanumberofridiculous
storiesandcomplaintsofstudentsthat,withouttheprotectionoftenure,wouldveresultedinher
beingfired.ThisteachertaughtseveraloftheclassesItookinhighschool,andeachdayIleft
feelinginspiredandwithanewfoundappreciationforliterature.Icouldntimagineherjobbeing
takenawayduetothesubjectiveopinionofaparentorstudent.ThelessonsIvelearnedduring
myfieldexperiencehaveshedlightontheimportanceofteachertenure,aprivilegeIhopeto
earnoneday.

EPORTFOLIOREFLECTION
3

Myphilosophyoneducation,classroommanagement,andassessmenthaschangedin
severalways,butnotdramatically.EventhoughIdneverenteredaclassroominthecontextofa
teacher,Ihadstilldevelopedasetofinnerbeliefsaboutteachingbasedoffofmyexperienceasa
student.Asmyvolunteerhoursincreased,myknowledgeoftherealityofthiscareergrew.For
example,Isawhowincrediblyimportantinteractionswithstudentsare.Myteacherwasableto
graspherstudentscompleteattentionbybeingatease,andbytreatingeachclassdiscussionasa
purposefulconversationratherthanalecture.Inhercreativewritingclass,herstudentsvalued
herexperienceasawriter,andIwatchedastheyfrequentlyaskedherforadvice.My
philosophiessurroundingtheimmensevalueofaneducationandenjoymentoflearninghavenot
changedmyteachersopinionsaboutwhatitmeanstobeagoodteacherbecameanextension
ofwhatIalreadybelieved:thatlearningisaccomplishednotonlybyorganization,precision,and
passion,butbyfindingconnectionwithyourstudentsaspeople,therebyilluminatingthe
connectionsbetweentheirlessonsandtheirlives.
Iobservedasherstudentswalkedthroughthedooreachmorning.Theyimmediately
pulledoutalloftheirmaterialsandbegantheirwarmup,whichwasusuallyabriefanswerin
theirnotebookstoarhetoricalquestionontheboard.Myteacheraccomplishedthisbyexplicitly
statingwhatmustbedoneeachtimetheyenteredherclassroom.Thestudentsevenhelped
designtherules,makingtheminarguable.IknewthatIwantedtohavethatkindofcommand
overmystudents.Iwantedtomanagemyclassinsuchawaythateachminuteintheclasswas
spentdoingsomethingproductive,entertaining,andengaging.Myteacheralsoenlightenedme
tohowimpossiblethiscanbe,andinordertocounteractthis,Imustrelyonmyowndata,which
bringsmetohowthefieldexperiencechangedmyideasonstudentassessment.

EPORTFOLIOREFLECTION
4

Themajorityofthepapersmyteacherhadmegradewerebasedoncompletion.Thisis
howshegradedmewhenIwasherstudentIwasntsurprised.Mostofherassignmentswere
responseoriented,meaningthatshedidntwantsummariesandregurgitations,butopinions.She
hadcultivatedherteachingaroundstrengtheningargument,individualism,andteachingher
studentstodefendwhattheydlearned.Becausetheendofthequarterwasapproaching,Iwasnt
abletogiveasmuchfeedbackonthestudentresponsesasI(orshe)wouldveliked.Otherthan
thegroundsmyteacherbasedhergradingon,Ilearnedtheimportanceofconstructiveand
thoroughfeedback.Inoticedhowbadlythestudentswantedtoknowtheirprogress,andmy
teacherdidanexcellentjobofprovidingaccesstoit.Iwillapplythisstandardofgradingtomy
ownfutureassessmentsbygivingworthwhileassignmentsworthyofassessment,andbytaking
thetimetoobservetheprogressineachofmystudentswritings.
Asthetimeapproachedformetogivemyteachingdemonstration,Ibecameawarethat
herstudentshadalreadylearnedtheinformationIdbeteachingjustaweekbefore!My
demonstrationwouldvebeenlittlemorethanareview,whichsomestudentsundoubtedly
needed.Iobservedherteachingstyle,whichwascalm,collected,andincontrolofthesituation.
AsIpreparedformylesson,Ibrainstormedwaysforittobecomemoreeffective.Thisincluded
readingthereviewsfrommypeersinEDU1010.Inervouslyanticipatedbeingputonthe
spotlight,butwasreassuredbythefactthatthisiswhatIseemyselfdoingforthedurationofmy
life.Or,atleastuntilage65.
AsIbeganmylesson,Irealizedthatmynaturalabilities,combinedwithmyacquired
knowledgeinschoolandfieldexperience,allowedmetocomfortablypresentinformationina
concise,cohesive,andengagingway.Imadethemlaugh.Igainedtheirtrust.Severalstudents

EPORTFOLIOREFLECTION
5

cametomeafterwards,sayingthattheywishedIwastheirEnglishteacher.Thiswas
incrediblyhumblingandabitunbelievable.Iveneverfeltsoyounginmylife.Andyet,asI
continuedmyfieldexperience,spendinghoursinaclassroomwiththeseteenagerswhoseenergy
inspiredmemademyuneasinessaboutbecomingateachermeltaway.
Ihadbegunmypaidassistantteachingjobatalocalelementaryschool,Iimmediately
knewthatelementaryeducationwasnttherightpathforme.Ireturnedtomyoldjobwithinthe
week,andcontactedmyfieldexperienceteacherthedayIquit.Myextremepreferencefor
secondarylevelteachingmadeitimpossibleformetoenjoyanyotherlevel.Iwalkedintomy
fieldexperienceclassroomwithavarietyofbiases,assumptionsaboutthefield,andstrong
convictionsofwhatIwantedtoteach.MydesiretobecomeahighschoolEnglishteacherhas
notchanged,butmyconceptionofwhatitmeanstobeaneducatorhaschangeddrasticallyas
Ivepaidcloserattentiontotheundesirabledetailsoftheprofession.AlthoughIenjoyedmy
teachersstyle,IlistedseveralthingsIwouldvedonedifferently,fromthearrangementofthe
room,hermethodsoforganization,andherapproachtohandlingstudentswhoweredistracting.
Sheallowedmetosharemyideasaswell.Ievenhelpedherdesignanewsetofassignmentsfor
theAPLiteratureclassunitonHamlet.
TherewereseveralaspectsoftheprofessionthatIwasawareof,butbecameevenmore
consciousofthroughmyvolunteering.Forexample,inthebeginningofmyfieldexperience,I
underestimatedjusthowtimeconsuminglessonplanningis,especiallyinthefirstfewyearsof
teaching.AsIgradedpilesuponpilesofstudentessays,Icouldnthelpbutpicturemyselfasa
youngteacher,tryingtofindwaystoorganizemytimeandutilizemyresources.Thisprofession
demandsorganization,creativity,andpassion.Thisexperienceinstilledanentirelynew

EPORTFOLIOREFLECTION
6

appreciationforteachersinme,andopenedmyeyestoadifferentviewofteachingonethat
isntidealized.
Ultimately,thisexperienceleftmemuchmoreinformedaboutwhattheprofessionof
teachingentails.Duringthefirstfewassignments,Ihadlittleexperiencetobasemyassertions,
opinions,andpersonalknowledgeon.AsIvebeenaparticipantandavolunteerintheworldof
teaching,IbelieveIvegainedastrongergraspandamoreknowledgeableconceptionofwhatit
meanstobeateacherbyparticipatinginworthwhile,firsthandexperience,suchasgrading
papers,helpingdesignassignments,andcollaboratingwithotherteachers.Ofcourse,my
experiencesarestillincrediblylimitedincomparisontomany,butthroughmypresentandfuture
fieldexperience,Iwillcontinuetobroadenmyviewofteachingbybecominganactive
participantandstudenttothosewhowillstrengthenmyabilitiesasateacher:otherteachers.