Learning Letter

Dear Dr. Agriss,

I have been able to learn so many things from taking your class this quarter. Because of the book talks, unit plans, class discussions, and the readings, I feel more confident in my journey to becoming a teacher. At first, I was a little skeptical on this class and what it would entail but I am glad it is a requirement because this class was quite impactful.

The work I have completed in this class was quite tedious. The book talks were not as bad workwise, but they still took a lot of time and consideration when creating them. Although I got good grades on both book talks, the part that I struggled with was the teaching ideas. I never quite got the hang of what was actually needed in that section and was always docked a point or two from it. Altogether though the book talks were really helpful because it forced me to get into that mindset of a teacher and to explain why a book is worth reading and having in the classroom which was incredibly useful. The unit plans, although incredibly helpful, were the hardest things I have ever done. Probably not the hardest, but for sure the most tedious. I have never had to turn in so many drafts before finally getting one approved before. Although these were a ton of work, I do feel a little more confident in completing a lesson plan. I am not sure what my grade will be for this unit plan, but I feel as though I have improved a ton since the beginning of the quarter when a first draft of one was due. I had gone from having eleven pages for one lesson plan and down to four for all of them, and I was really excited about this.

As for the theories and concepts that were explored in class, I definitely learned a ton from the readings. There were so many new ideas about teaching and how to teach that I would never have even thought of had it not been for this class. There was one article however that I did not understand when I read it and am still confused about. It was the “Pedagogy of the Oppressed” and I just never got the hang of what was being said, even through the discussions. My favorite readings were the reading that talked about ways of assessing students other than through taking tests or the “I Read It, But I Don’t Get It.” These texts I found to be very helpful and I plan on implementing a lot of things that were discussed in these readings into my own classroom.

I really enjoyed this class. Especially the discussions. Through the discussions, I learned that although I may not participate in much of the discussions, I was constantly listening and learning from my classmates. This has ultimately helped me to become aware that I really want my classes to be discussion and journal heavy so I can really listen to my students and hear/read what they have to say about a reading or a lesson. I realized that even though I could have/should have joined in the discussion because I did have thoughts, perhaps it was not always necessary for me to talk. I learned way more through listening than I would have through talking just to say that I participated.

Overall I really enjoyed your class. It has ultimately made me even more excited for becoming a teacher. Even though I would have to say that the unit plan is the worst thing about your class, it is still the most beneficial part of it. Your class has not only prepared me for furthering my journey into becoming a teacher, but also prepared me for the EdTPA that must be completed to receive a teaching certificate. I truly have your class to thank for helping me to become more confident in how to teach literature and how to create a unit plan (or at least attempt to create a good one). So thank you.

Sincerely,

Sade Aribibola