Reflection Paper

I don’t remember much about my first two years of school; matter of fact the only thing I do remember is what my parents have told me. I do, however remember sitting helpless, lost in my own world as I watched the others in the classroom scream with excitement as they recited the ABC’s and sang songs while sitting on a large rug. I giggled and laughed along with them, somewhat mimicking them. I recall my teacher, many times, redirecting my attention to the lesson. I wasn’t a bit interested in anything outside playtime; or of course lunch.

I have always been a reader. Almost every chance I get, there is a book in my hands. Somewhere in my life, I have found a way to make literature meaningful and applicable to my life. This is so because I can see the characteristics and qualities the characters have and what they do with what they and I can see which ones I want to apply to my own life, to do something good or accomplish something. They are the characteristics and qualities that I admire and strive to have. In the books my class read in English class I can find characters with qualities that I prize and desire to have. Three major writings that resonated with me are The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, and excerpts from The Odyssey by Homer.

Growing up in a Christian home, I was surrounded by people telling me about Jesus and what he for me by dying on the cross and saving me from my sins. Not putting together that it isn’t just about the knowledge of God, but fully believing what His word says. However, in eighth grade I started to see faith differently. That winter, four years ago, the church planned on going to Hume Lake as they do every year. I had gone to this camp multiple times, considered myself saved as a result of knowing bible stories. On one eye-opening night, a speaker explained the difference between knowing the real Jesus with all your heart and not just your head. I felt a tugging in my heart that night and decided to give my life to Christ.

State the rationale for the task: First we are going to ask questions related to the task to engage the students. Then we are going to introduce the task and show them an example. Afterwards, we will do the task together as a class, and then I will let them do the task on their own. Once they finish the task, we will have the concluding thought.

Through reflection teachers better understand and extends their professional activity (Churchill 2015, p.486). One who can reflect critically, can comprehend why a lesson worked or didn’t worked, and build on from these experiences to understand ways different learners learn and develop their teaching practices. Throughout this report, I critically analyse the strengths and weaknesses of a mathematic sequence in money for a grade one/two class. I also reflect on potential and missed opportunities, and threats to my teaching and the students’ learning. Initially, I was given a unit plan (Appendix two) that was not suited for this class. My mentor and I designed a unit plan which better suited for greater differentiation and enacted it, rather than the original one. In the body of this report, I have analysed the teaching of three lessons; lesson one, lesson two and lesson five of the sequence.

This past year has been a learning experience that has led me to where I am today, attending Citrus. I graduated from Glendora High School in May of two-thousand sixteen with the intention of moving away to school and attending the University of Arizona; however, within the week post-graduation I decided it would be in my best interest to take some time away from the books. I love education and every ounce of learning. My school work, grades, and attendance have always been a top priority, but I began to feel as if I was a car running out of gas, I knew that if I went into my freshman year at a university with the mindset I had and the drive I was lacking, I probably would not be very successful nor would I get very far. For me to figure out myself and where I desire to be a break was needed from not only school, but also this town. Unfortunately, my gap year wasn’t filled with any crazy stories of finding myself while lost backpacking or traveling, but it was filled with personal growth amidst new coworkers, a newer environment, and a boyfriend as well as some family. I moved to Arizona anyhow and that is where I did most of my recent growth. Now you’re probably wondering how I landed myself back in Glendora, a question I now have the confidence to answer. Arizona was great, I love it, and it holds such a large part of my heart however I could not muster up an ounce of motivation to go back to school. I felt too comfortable with what I had and feared going back with

At this moment there is currently 7,430,931,842 people in the world. Nearly 3 billion of those people are currently living in poverty. Today, 350,000 babies will be born. The world, continues to grow, to prosper, as I sit in my bedroom staring out the window waiting for creativity to strike and give me the words that so effortlessly describe me. There is currently only one person in the world with the name Gabrielle Vozzi, and right now she is attempting to describe something that is indescribable: herself.

Throughout our discussion there were several intriguing and engaging questions that were asked and sparked a good conversation among our group. One moment where I believe I was most successful in the discussion, was throughout minutes six through sixteen. Throughout this time, we discussed how the Party’s control in 1984 can be seen in the world around us today such as in North Korea. This question was first prompted by Leo but what I feel made this our groups most engaging point was how everyone added to the question by rephrasing it, or adding additional information and perspectives, or incorporating it into aspects they are most passionate about in their lives. From this point, I related it to history and how history can be rewritten to correct ways a nation or person has morally failed. I used the example of slavery to show this point. Starting from about minute eight I discuss with my group how according to an article my English class read last year, Texas history textbooks teach slavery based on how it economically impacted the South rather than by teaching the dehumanizing and awful treatment of other people. This question and the points brought up by this question were what I found to be most engaging. Our group spent nearly ten minutes on this point, because this point took a personal side and everyone had something to discuss from it. I believe the passion developed from this point is what made this not only my most successful moment but one of our groups best

Students all attend school, for the same reason, and that is to learn. While most of the time we are being taught the same material, our school experiences vary from student to student and from school to school. Some countries schoolings are known far and wide for their academic performance and then there are some that don't even have basic schooling necessities. Some experiences are so wonderful, you never forget them. Others are so bad it's impossible to forget about them. I have had my own fair share of experiences be it domestic where I was shunned or foreign experiences which gave me a whole new perspective on education. It is these very experiences that have made me who I am today, a strong, critical-thinking and compassionate person.

Last summer my cousin and I were enjoying a meal with our families in China. It’s been 7 years since I last saw my cousin. We are about the same age and my favorite memory of her was celebrating her 11th birthday. I remember my uncle and aunt sitting to my right and my grandparents sitting to my left singing happy birthday as she blew out her candles. It has been so long I almost couldn’t recognize her when I arrived at the airport 2 weeks prior. My mom receives a call and leaves the room to pick up her phone. She comes back 10 minutes later in tears. She breaks the news to the family and that our trip would be cut short. She was diagnosed with breast cancer. In the following week, we pack up our bags and head out to the airport. She had to start treatment as soon as possible. I knew I would become the man of the house to take care of my mother and brother, who has autism, while my dad worked in New York.

Everyone has at least one point in their educational life that has shaped them into the student or person they are today. For me, coming together after being separated as the “Germantown” and “Farmersville” kids for the first six years of school changed the way I built myself as a student. Becoming friends with new people, having new teachers for every subject, changing up the routine, and actually having to switch classes has taught me a lot of different things.

“Pay attention!” My abnormally boring teacher snaps at me as she struggles to catch my straying attention. I’ve just discovered that if I trail my eyes without moving my head, I can look at anything I want rebelliously and ignore the lesson. However, my teacher is less than thrilled. It’s as if she was just told to put a collar on a flying dog, which by the way is totally possible. She’s frustrated with me, as I’m the only child in this vast class who gives her this much trouble. I won’t even sit still and pretend like I know what’s going on around me. It’s not my fault, I just can’t understand, therefore I can’t pay attention to the “meaningless” words like ‘cookie’ or ‘ball.’ I can hear obviously, but what I’m supposed to be learning isn’t registering in my tiny five year old brain.

Being in a life or death situation, or at least believing you, can radically affect how you feel about the world, and everything around us. To unknowingly shake loose your repressed feelings and thought, through the rush of adrenaline and reflection on your own actions, is a truly freeing experience. While such a freeing experience comes with a terrifyingly dangerous cost, I was able to find a refreshing outlook on life.

Life represents a culmination of unforeseen events that eventually lead to success, and in the minds of the majority college symbolically defines the first major obstacle one must overcome to continue that journey. Every year, high school students across the nation eagerly anticipate the coming of their senior year and the rapidly approaching adventure to follow, but for many it simply reminds them of the heartache that is soon to come. My own personal experience began with the blinding influence hope cast over my judgement as inner levels of excitement exponentially increased and my emotions became steadily influenced by the people surrounding me. However, little was I aware that my future had already been decided and no external force would have the necessary impact to reconfigure my current course. In a sense, my ship had already sailed and was leading me in ironclad chains to foreign lands of which my presence was to be forced. College, to me, would soon become an indescribable burden where reality would suddenly become brutally clear and all hopes for a productive future existed upon the fate of an unstable pendulum.

To be sure, John, I could never hope to sum up this entire experience in a hundred pages, let alone one or two. That said, this paper will center on the dangers of cliche´, staying in your own lane, and continuous improvement. Despite their seemingly innocuous nature, these particular topics are fundamental aspects of learning any art and cannot be stressed too greatly.