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As I leave the University of Redlands, I look back and am astonished at how my

understanding of education, my role as a teacher, the students perspective, curriculum,

classroom management, and assessments has dramatically changed. I believed that the purpose

of education was to fill students with information. My role as a teacher was to tell students about

key concepts in biology and show them how to utilize the scientific method in experiments and

labs. My main goal was to help students understand biology and prepare them for their next

science class. My curriculum would strictly follow the district-provided topics, pacing, and

standards. The assessment at the end of unit would be the district-provided multiple choice

exam where the student had to choose the correct answer, or in some cases, all that applied. I

didnt have classroom expectations, just a list of rules that mainly consisted of many Nos such

as, NO cellphones in class, NO talking when the teacher is talking, NO late work, NO exam

retakes, NO horseplay, and so on. Before this program, I had no idea that there were different

philosophies in education, that methods of instruction evolve, how to create effective lesson

plans, and how to prepare students for their future.

By being challenged to examine my own preconceived notions of education, this program

has helped me gain a new outlook on education and establish my own educational foundation. I

now know that the purpose of education is to prepare students with the skills they need in order

to analyze, interpret, and overcome any challenge that may come their way. Instead of trying to

find their place in the societal hierarchy, students should challenge, influence, and improve the

society in which they live. My role as the teacher is not to simply regurgitate information once

given to me, but to create learning experiences within my classroom that will spark the interests

of students and create a lasting memory. My time needs to be invested into my students,
teaching them the skills they need to be successful in their own way. My curriculum should

revolve around these three questions: What do I want my students to learn? How will they learn

it? How will I know they know it? The curriculum needs to be flexible, interactive, hands-on,

and encourage group collaboration. I learned that assessments come in many forms, not just

exams. Whether its discussing the bellwork thats on the board, an exit ticket as students leave

the concept, 1-5 rating of concept understanding, group project, oral exam, or free response, each

type of assessment should focus on understanding how much the student knows. A grade is more

than just a number or letter. A grade should accurately depict how much and to what degree of

precision a student has mastered a topic. Some students may take longer to grasp a concept

compared to other students, and they should not be penalized. If they score low on a test but

understand the concepts better a month later, I believe they should be allowed to retake the exam,

something that I did not think I would say prior to taking this course. I learned that classroom

rules are rarely as effective as classroom expectations. Telling students Dont do ____ puts a

negative connotation in their minds and provokes them into misbehaving. Showing students

what you expect from them each day by being their main example is more effective. Teaching in

a mainstream biology classroom while undergoing the credential program here at Redlands gave

me the opportunity to immediately put into practice the great pedagogy that I was learning. I

was astonished to see how much my classroom had changed as I advanced through the program.

My teaching styles began to shift, I have become more understanding, and students have become

more interactive. They showed a greater desire to come to class, eager to learn about the world

around us.

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