In Education 100, one assignment that I remember was to describe our definition of education using a simile or a metaphor, and then to put this simile or metaphor on a t-shirt. I remember this assignment so vividly because, after hearing some other classmates present before me, I thought I had read into the assignment too much and done it wrong. Most of my classmates used the analogy of gardens to classrooms, where the students were usually flowers and the teacher was water or sunshine and drew nature accordingly, always smiling, on their shirts--or some variant of this metaphor. To me, mine was very different.
On my t-shirt, I had drawn a hand-held mirror with a decorated handle that was tilted in a way that didn't show any particular reflection. My metaphor was, "Education is a looking glass." I then proceeded to defend my reasoning behind this metaphor to the silent class and teacher. I believed (and still do) that being an educator can reflects not only the information you know, or your personality or thoughts, but also your students' abilities, improvement, and reactions to your lesson. I explained that education as a reflection also allowed you to see yourself through your eyes, your students' work, your fellow educators' eyes, etc. The ability to reflect in this manner is what allows us to grow as teachers.
Well, as it turns out, I was far from being wrong with my metaphor, even if it did seem off-the-wall at the time. I have since learned that reflection is a crucial process of the Benedum program collaboration in addition to myself. This knowledge has helped me to hone my own skills and processes as a student reflector. It has also helped to make me aware that I am headed in the right direction as far as my journey to becoming an educator goes.
My second artifact is a technology lesson that I really enjoy. It involves an online program called "Blabberize". I used it once last semester with AP and general education 11th graders at North Marion High and I will use it again, modified, of course, with my 7th grade students at Suncrest Middle. This lesson allows for student choice on how they want to show me that they have comprehended at least 2 different materials and are able to synthesize their knowledge via the prompt associated with the assignment and the technology presentation that goes with it. Students have enjoyed this project in the past and I look forward to seeing how the 7th graders will react to it next week!
