Reflection #1: Post 401

I believe course 401 set a great tone of what to expect and what is expected of us throughout the program as a whole. The MAIT program caught my attention for multiple reasons, the main one being its uniqueness. I am thrilled with the fact that we have the opportunity to create something that we can take and directly use in our classroom. I also feel a great need and desire to continue my education and continue to grow as an teacher. I believe educators should never stop learning and striving to improve their craft. Education can be as fruitful a profession as any, if not more. It is like the gift that keeps on giving- if you reflect and allow it to do so.

I feel that after my first year of teaching full time I can really recognize my strengths and areas of growth. I believe I can create lessons that play to many multiple intelligences. I believe it not only makes the material more accessible to students who learn in different ways, but also make the lessons more engaging for everyone. Also, through my clear expectations, closely followed routines, and caring nature; I was able to create a safe, welcoming, and fun classroom environment. Laughter, learning and engagement were present of a regular basis. I also feel stronger in teaching the many grammar topics that students face in Spanish 1 and 2. I am, however, on the hunt to find more new and exciting ways to teach grammar. This year I was also determined to make Spanish 1 feel comfortable with speaking aloud and writing. I believe that the safe classroom environment really helped students foster their confidence in speaking aloud and their overall skills, along with many opportunities to contribute and speak in class. I also believe I had success with writing. However, the same as grammar, I am excited to learn, create, and implement more devices for working on writing. Another area that I want to work more on is infusing culture into my lessons. Thus my capstone project, a focus on culturally relevant experiences available to students studying Spanish in the Bay Area.

I am excited to dive into the program and my capstone project more, collaborate with all those involved with the program, and of course, continue to grow.