Blog Post #9

          While I know the assignment required us to read 2 of these blogs and write about them, I have decided to do my blog post on all 3 of Mr. McClung’s yearly review blogs. As with other assignments, I have learned from actual teachers on a variety of topics, but this is the first time that we have actually been able to get a real sense of what to possibly expect from our first three years of teaching. We spend all of this time preparing to become teachers, and its nice to be able to experience what it was like for someone else once they became one. I definitely enjoyed this assignment and I hope that my summaries of Mr. McClung’s work will do it justice.

Mr. McClung starts his first year blog by stating that you have to “be flexible”, this is of the utmost importance in my opinion for a first year teacher to understand. It is so important because we cannot begin our careers by thinking that we know everything, or are perfectly prepared, or that everything is going to go as planned. These students are human beings each with different challenges as it pertains to reaching them in the right way to be taught. We are also, FIRST YEAR teachers, and that being said, we have a whole lot more to learn. So flexibility is something that I personally will go into my career planned to be ready for. The next topic that really caught my eye was when he said “don’t be afraid of technology”. This statement obviously pertains to what we are learning in this class, but also shows that other teachers are starting to acknowledge this important change in our society. We cant be afraid to push our student, parents, and ourselves further when it comes to the communication and learning of technologies benefits. As I have learned all semester, technology is going no where, and we either need to get on board, or get left behind. The last topic that I wanted to touch on is the “never stop learning” statement. This statement goes hand in hand with being flexible in my opinion. We truly can never shut ourselves out from continuing our education as well. Whether we need to learn more about technology, dealing with parents, communicating with students, or anything else. We can never stop learning.

Mr. McClung starts his second year blog talking about the need to be able to “adapt”. Adaptation is something that a lot of people struggle with. We get comfortable with ourselves and what we know and are used to doing, and we find it very hard to change that. We all need to be more open to adaptation with our students or surroundings. Our students need to be able to relate to us, and for that to happen, we will most likely have to some what adapt to them. The next topic I really enjoyed reading was about “check you ego at the door”, this follows along the same lines as other points Mr. McClung has made. We cannot go into a teaching situation thinking that we know everything and that our way is the right way. We need to keep an open mind to new ideas and new ways of doing things. People don’t respond well to someone who is egotistical, and a primary goal of a teacher is communication. So if we are to communicate the best we can, we must leave our ego at the door. The last topic I wanted to mention is how we are not to lose sight of whats important. Now that statement can mean different things to different people, but to all educators it should at least mean that we are never to lose focus on our students and their goals. These students are our responsibility, we have been entrusted with shaping them for the future. We can never lose sight of the student above all else.

The final blog that Mr. McClung wrote is probably the most profound. We can really see his evolution as an educator. He has gone from mostly extrinsic qualities and situation to much more intrinsic things that he now acknowledges. His first topic is “know who your boss is.” he then goes on to write about how the student is the focus and it should not be the parents, or faculty. This statement is wonderful, and truly shows what a wonderfully enlightened teacher Mr. McClung truly is. We can never forget who we are there for, and the day we do, is the same day we should possibly consider a different profession. While the principal, or administrator may have superiority over us, the student should be king in all teachers eyes. The student is who we are there for. “Don’t get comfortable” is another profound topic that Mr. McClung touches on. We should always be pushing ourselves to become better educators. We should always take a look at what we are doing to see if it can be done better or more efficiently. While some of us get comfortable after a while, the great teachers never do, they are always adapting, learning, listening, and working. This driving force is a key component to becoming a great educator.

Mr. McClung has possibly been able to articulate more about the first three years of teaching and learning to be a teacher, than anyone else could have. I am so very happy for the students that will be able to experience this man in their own class rooms for years to come. I can only keep these words close in hopes that they don't fade and I can one day too have the potential of this great teacher. I hope to read more of his work in the future, and I can only hope that maybe someone someday is as impressed by my teaching and insight as I am by his. Thank you.