Estudio del Equilibrio α + β Estable y Metaestable en el Sistema Zr-Nb

•Teaching the Classics •Twentieth Century Poetry •Faulkner Class •Practical Grammar •Shakespeare Class •Literary Theory

English

Department

Sponsored

Classes

•Dr. [professor’s]Introduction to Secondary Teaching •Instructional Technology

•Dr. [professor’s] Class • Dr. [professor’s] Class •Psychology Class •Dr. [professor’s] Reading Class •Practicum

Education

Department

Sponsored

Classes

Courses and Experiences

Participants in the study also reported that Dr. [professor] class helped them in preparing students for the writing portion of the [State] High School Graduation Writing Test (GHSGT): ―Writing instruction is very challenging, especially teaching at the 11th grade level, because my students must pass the [State] High School Graduation Writing Test. I believe that this class prepared me well for these pressures‖ (BTQ, 787, 2009).

Another participant also had a similar response: ―Dr. [professor] EDCI 6600 was very helpful in preparing me to teach writing and grammar, while also teaching me the benefits of collaborating with other teachers and studying professional texts for use in the classroom‖(BTQ, 550-552, 2009).

The second major category of courses and experiences that helped beginning teachers in their classrooms was English department sponsored classes, and from participants‘ responses, it is evident that beginning teachers have an enthusiasm for reading, writing, and discussing literature. The participants‘ responses included descriptors such as ―love,‖ ―passion,‖ and ―comfort‖ to explain their enjoyment of exploring and writing about texts and a desire to pass on to their students this love of literature and writing. One beginning teacher stated: ―The best classes were the English classes – if you know what it is you are teaching and are comfortable with the material, then you come across and feel more confident. Students can tell when you get excited about something, and it‘s contagious‖ (BTQ, 637-639, 2009). Another beginning teacher explains how she is able to be a passionate instructor through a love of literature:

I took a class on Faulkner which I absolutely love. I developed an interest in this class in examining the work of one author and understanding on a grand scale the influence of an author‘s life in his work. I also learned what it is to be a

passionate instructor and how that passion can inspire even when the literature does not. (BTQ, 890-893, 2009)

Another beginning teacher said, ―…I loved my literature classes at SUU (Southern Urban University). Talking about literature, and writing about it is what we expect from our students; if we can‘t do it, how can we ask them to?‖ (BTQ, 717-718, 2009).

The third major category to emerge was education department sponsored classes. Participants listed several professors along with the theories and projects they presented

in classes. Participants typically did not remember the class name or course number but referred to them by professor and their emphasis. For example, one participant reflected:

I don‘t remember the numbers of the classes, but I know they were taught by [professor], [professor], and [professor]. [Professor‘s] class was Middle School instruction and what was best about that class was the variety of professional books we got to read. Through the group presentations, we got the gist of each book without having to read them which was a really fast way to get a perspective on different teaching methods. I remember that [professor‘s] class was on writing instruction and we got to map our lives as writers which was neat. I think

[professor‘s] class ended up being the most useful because she had us write our ‗teacher identity,‘ which was pretty much our stance on different educational issues. This was most helpful because I was able to give it to perspective employers so that they could get an idea as to who I was and my teaching style. (BTQ, 5-14, 2009)

Another beginning teacher made the following comments, ―I‘ve taken a bit from each class. I appreciate [professor‘s] emphasis on connecting to the students‘ prior

knowledge/experiences before beginning a unit or lesson; if students are not ‗hooked‘ from the beginning it‘s hard to keep their attention for the next 4 weeks…‖ (BTQ, 709- 712, 2009). Another participant also had a similar response:

I enjoyed several classes in the [English Education MAT] program; I thought that [professor‘s] Introduction to Secondary Education was valuable because it

introduced the concepts of mini-lessons and working with standards. It was a labor-intensive class, but I still use many of the ideas, materials, and textbooks from that class. (BTQ, 784-787, 2009)

Finally, the last section, impartial answers, presented the view that no courses can prepare one for the classroom, and only experiences in actual classrooms can prepare one adequately to teach. One participant reflected that he felt so overwhelmed in his first year of teaching that he forgot much of what he learned in the program:

I don‘t think any of the classes adequately prepare anyone for the classroom. That‘s not to say th(ey)aren‘t beneficial; however, the classroom is a living organism that changes day to day. I got great ideas and read interesting books about practices, approaches, and theories that I have used and helped me along the

way to ground myself, but those truly have only served as enrichments to the teaching process, which as I think, that‘s what they are suppose to be. I have felt sometimes that I felt lost in the whirlwind that is the classroom, and I forget some of the ideas that I came across in [Master‘s level English teacher education program], but when I realize that I got back to them and that has helped. (BTQ, 958-965, 2009)

One participant asserted that he thought the internship prepared him for teaching and that nothing except actual hands on experience can prepare one for the classroom:

I found that the internship was very helpful, though I wish it had been closer to my home and where I would be working. Overall, the internship was what really prepared me as you don‘t really know what to expect until you are in a classroom and are facing the students. When doing an internship you are asked to observe, teach, and grade papers. All of these things are what prepare a teacher for what to expect. Actually, some more time observing might be a good addition to the [English Education MAT] program, or even some more time talking with current high school teachers. (BTQ, 292-298, 2009)

Specific Projects, Theories, or Experiences that are Frequently Incorporated into Beginning Teachers‟ Classroom

Three distinct categories were determined—projects, theories and experiences— that beginning teachers transferred into their English/language arts classroom (see Figure 3). Many of the projects learned from the Master‘s level English teacher education program that beginning teachers reported they incorporated into their classrooms are: the Shakespeare project, multimedia and technology, double entry journals, graphic

representations, focused study project on books, graphic organizers, ―I am from…‖ poems, mini-lessons, and multi-genre projects. One project that several participants mentioned that they use on a daily basis was the mini-lessons. One beginning teacher stated the following:

I really enjoy using mini-lessons in the classroom. Since I teach standard, 55- minute classes (with countless interruptions), these mini-lessons allow me time to teach concepts that may not be part of the ‗main‘ lesson of the day. For example,

my high school has a daily grammar program, and I will often teach a grammar mini-lesson before launching into a lecture of discussion on the current class novel. (BTQ, 800-804, 2009)

Specific Projects, Theories, Experiences