When I read my original teaching philosophy, I was very pleased. I feel like I have stuck by what I said, and have started to become the teacher I want to be. Although some things I am not able to do yet, like provide office hours, I am certain that my thoughts will stay the same.

There was one major difference I noticed between now and when I wrote the original philosophy. I was completely focused on didactic teaching, and did not have any thought written as to what I would be like in the clinic. Now that I have had some experience in the clinic, and realize how much I enjoy it, I felt it necessary to make the addition. I stressed hands-on learning, and using what they have learned in the classroom and putting it to use in real life. I also explained that I see myself as a guide, and really want the students to be making the decisions and proper treatment for each individual patients. I will be there to assist, but I think it is especially important for senior students who are about to graduate.

I also added that in the classroom, I will use a mixture of group work and individual work. I know preferences vary on this topic, so I will include a variety. Most of the work will be done individually, but the group work will also include evaluations from their peers. Hopefully this ensures each individual participate, which is my fear with group work.

I have a clear version of how I see myself as a teacher, in the classroom and in the clinic. I still struggle with the ‘instructor vs. friend’ complex because many of the students are my age or even older. I remind myself to be professional, and I think I am able to maintain a proper relationship with the students. I enjoy seeing how much they grow over a short couple of months, and I look forward to following new groups through their years!

Clinic is fun.. and STRESSFUL!

So far, the best experience I have had came from one particular student. She has always impressed me with her clinical skills–for being a junior, she has great technical ability. From previous experiences working with her in clinic, I know that she can successfully identify areas of calculus and remove them. However, this was her first day seeing a patient with a lingual retainer. She knew she left some calc in that area, but did not know how to remove it. I was able to pull on my experience and recommended she try a few different instruments. I showed her first, then she sat down and we worked on perfecting her scaling strokes to make them more effective in this area. She was so thankful for the help, and I felt like I actually made a difference–hopefully one she will keep in mind throughout her career.

I think in the beginning I was being too nice 🙂 Now that I am seeing how they learn and how I teach best, I am becoming more comfortable with giving constructive criticism. Sometimes I have to recognize that students don’t just skip things because they forgot, but because they are taking shortcuts. This was difficult for me, but I am getting better at discussing the issues with students, and I learn a lot from the clinical instructors on how to deliver bad news without being harsh.

I am becoming more confident in myself as an instructor, and less afraid to jump in with students. Everyone can learn, and I have knowledge to share, so why not? I am learning how to communicate with students on terms they understand and find helpful.

This internship is aiding in my career goals because it opened my eyes to the challenges of clinical teaching. I know how important clinic is to develop students’ skills and patient management, but I was really interested in teaching in the classroom. Now, I am definitely open to both clinical and didactic teaching. I enjoy working one on one with the students and seeing how each one changes throughout the semester.

The thing that surprises me the most is how much is going on in the clinic at one time. Not only does the instructor have to think about where 5 students are, who they are seeing, what needs done, who needs checked, and who needs a swipe, but they also have to think about things such as possible board patients, helping students meet requirements, and working with the dental faculty.. the last one has been quite the challenge recently. Another surprise–how much I enjoy it!

So far, things are going very well! I am really enjoying working with different students and instructors to find my own style of teaching. Since I am still a fairly new graduate, I can relate to the students and where they are in the program. The junior students are overwhelmed with balancing their course work and clinic, and the seniors are a month away from taking their board exams and nervous about meeting their graduation requirements. It is fun for me to be able to recall on my experiences and help them from personal experience.

I have learned that clinical teaching is very individualized. The experienced instructors have worked with these students, and it helps when they share what they have observed in the past with students. For example, one student struggles with time management. For her, it is important to set time goals and keep her moving. Other students struggle with instrumentation, so I have to watch the way they do things and individualize how I help them. I have learned that there are patient management situations that are difficult for the students to handle, and some are just out of control. I have had several students cry for various reasons, and it has helped bring out the mentor in me. I guess I have used war stories in these situations, and tell them about my bad experiences and how they will pass.

I relate with the instructors because they are still learning as well. I really appreciate when they take my feedback into consideration when reviewing the day with the students or grading students. Like I said before, I can relate to the students on a different level because I was just in their position and remember it vividly.

I think I am good at working with students on professionalism and patient management. I have found that many students are not confident in themselves yet, and struggle to answer their patients questions. Also, they get frustrated with Axium, and forget that they are in front of a patient. Sometimes they need a friendly reminder that the patient always needs to be the focus of attention.

In the same way, I need to work on letting the students answer patients’ questions. I have been in a few situations where there is an extensive restorative exam or periodontal consult, and the patient is left very confused. I ask if they have any questions, and help explain things to them. This needs to be a situation for the students to talk, not me. I also struggle because I have different connections with these students. I used to be on a team with one of the seniors, work with one of the juniors, and I taught a cheer camp for one of the juniors. I have to keep in mind to keep my friendships out of the clinic, and keep things on a professional level.

This semester, I will be spending a day with junior and senior dental hygiene students in the clinic!

I chose this because in the future, I would like to start as a part-time clinical instructor. I enjoy my private practice office very much, and want to continue working there for awhile longer. However, I am anxious to enter the world of dental hygiene education. I figured that as a part-time clinical faculty member, I can experience the best of both worlds.

I am excited to put some of the techniques we learned in Amy’s class to work. I am currently half way through my first day, and I’ve already seen a few. The biggest one I noticed was the way the instructor gave feedback. She first asked the student how she felt the day went and the positives and negatives, and then they discussed. I am excited to see how I can learn to interact with the students on their level. I think it will be enjoyable to see many different patients and the way students go through their thought process to classify the patients and determine their course of action.

The biggest thing I want to focus on is my instructor to student communication. My goal is to have effective conversations with students by challenging them, but also keeping things on their level. I want to work on my ability to explain things multiple ways, so I can connect with students that think differently. I need to expand my thoughts to include these differences, so that if they have heard things in one way that didn’t click, maybe I can explain it in a way that does.

I do have a few concerns. Although I have not been out of school long, I quickly developed my own way of doing things. I think my biggest challenge is going to be ‘doing things by the books’. Even though I want to share my private practice experiences, I also want them to practice doing things the correct way before they modify them. I know it will be hard for me to talk the students through effective instrumentation, rather than just doing it for them. I know that things come easily to me now that they may struggle with, so I have to help them build confidence and skill.

I appreciate the chance to work with students at different skill levels, and I am excited to see their progress and know that I might have had an impact on their education.

The junior students today were one experience, so I’m off to have another with the seniors!

As we are getting closer and closer to starting our careers as instructors, we have to consider the reality that we will be placed in some difficult situations. The gravity of these situations will vary. Some may result in just a staff meeting to discuss it, and some may put us in jeopardy of losing our jobs. When these situations arise, instructors have to be aware and make the best decisions possible.

I do not think I was surprised by this, but it was something I found interesting and would not have considered. CIE (pg. 401) points out that many students have not fully developed their moral standards at this point in their career right now. Although they know what is right and wrong in the world, the do not necessarily know right and wrong in the world of dentistry. As instructors, we are role models in this sense as well. Students see the decisions we make in tough situations and think we must have done what is best for the patient.

CIE also discusses egoism, and I know I have seen this first hand. Egoism is decision making based on what the person thinks is right or will be good for them, rather than the effects it will have on others. I have seen this in private practice where one of the hygienists is completely misinformed about when to charge out a ‘gross debridement’. She was taught one thing (by the dentist), where the code clearly states another. She is doing what the dentist has told her to do, and knows she is increasing production for the office. She is doing it for the good of the office, but forgetting the real needs of the patient.

Students rely on their instructions to know what is right and wrong, so it is our responsibility to teach them why we make our decisions, rather than just doing it for them. For example, if there is a patient that needs SRP but really cannot afford it, we can try to work with them so they get the treatment they need. I do not know if there is any negotiating of fees in the clinic, but I think extenuating circumstances could call for this. By at least asking, the student is shown that the focus is always on beneficence and doing good.

The Handbook of Clinical Teaching summarizes what we need to do to protect ourselves as instructors: use common sense, be fair, know your program policies, and be sure students are treated with respect. Obviously it is important to keep ethics in mind and follow the legal guidelines, not just to keep your job, but to know that you are always doing your best to make the right choices.

Proper discipline seems like it would be one of the most difficult things for an instructor to learn. All students make mistakes or have off days, and it is important to manage these is a correct and consistent way. Like Amy said, we hope this does not happen very often, but issues will arise, and need to be resolved quickly.

As instructors, we try to prevent potentially dangerous situations in the clinical setting. Like CIE Ch. 15 says, there are certain signals that should raise concern before the student even begins patient care. We should be on the lookout for students that do not know when to seek help, show up late, approach patients with uncertainty, or do not recognize their errors (pg. 364-365).

However, issues will still occur. Whether disciplining, failing, or removing students from clinic, it is important to do so in a private way. Remove the student from the patient and try to find an area to talk without being overheard. As CIE pg. 366 says, present the issues in a matter-of-fact manner, and be thorough in explaining why you are taking the disciplinary action that you are.

Students can be disciplined for many things. The first and probably one of the most common would be students constantly showing up late. Rules for this should be laid out in the course policy, and students should know tardiness is not acceptable. It affects other students, the instructors, and the patients. Students should be disciplined for negative attitudes, derogatory conversation, not following instructions, and any kind of shortcuts students take. I have these ‘shortcuts’ from my classmates. Students would have medical histories completed before the patient came back, or spot probe but fill in a complete perio chart. They try these shortcuts to cut down on time or finish early, but are not acceptable.

Failing a student in the clinic, as CIE Ch. 16 says, should not come as a surprise to the student. When I think of failing a student, I think of them performing below my minimum expectations for their experience level. For a senior student ready to graduate in the next month, it is not acceptable for them to leave a certain amount of areas of calculus. Again, this would be laid out in their handbook. For students seeing their first patient, there could be a little more flexibility. Students would also fail the clinic session if they do not show up. If they do not have a patient scheduled or their patient does not show up, I would expect them to find something productive to do during the clinic period, or they will fail the session.

Removing a student from clinic would be necessary when there is potential harm for the patient or the student. This can be as obvious as an intoxicated student, or as hidden as a student suffering a traumatic experience. If a student experiences the death of a family member, they may try to hide it and continue with the clinic session. However, they are not focused on the patient and this could cause harm. Another example, that I know from personal experience, is if a student has not had the proper vaccinations to be treating patients. I had not completed my HEP B series but was still seeing patients. I received an email stating if I did not present proof of vaccinations to the student health center within the next week, I would be removed from clinic and it could delay my graduation. Looking back, I understand that this was a danger to me and my patients.

I think the hardest student related challenge for me will be lazy students and bad attitudes. I do not do well with laziness, and I do not think it should be tolerated. I am a firm believer in always doing your best work, and taking pride in everything you do. If you are lazy, you are not doing your best and that should not be the goal. Effort is required to be successful in school, dental hygiene, and life, and that is one trait I hope to instill into my students.

Bad attitudes reflect negatively on everyone around them. We have talked about this multiple times at my office–when someone comes in with a poor attitude, it changes the attitudes of everyone around them. Eye rolling is one of my biggest pet peeves, and I will discipline students if they roll their eyes at me. I am giving my time and effort to make them a better student, and they can value my thoughts.

I had a student a couple weeks ago that was not giving me her best effort. We were placing x-ray films on DXTTR, the training model. The student attempted to place her first film and before I could guide her, starting saying she didn’t know what she was doing and couldn’t do it and wherever she put it was going to have to work because that’s where it was going. I was not prepared to handle this situation. I advised her to calm down and we would work together to find the proper placement. On the inside, I was a nervous wreck and was slightly frustrated with her attitude. I had to tell myself to be calm and remind myself she was just learning. That was the only difficult situation I have experienced so far.

First of all, how is it already week 5?! Anyways..

I am amazed that anyone that knows anything about clinical teaching and student requirements could ever say ‘clinical instructor’ and ‘supervisor’ are synonyms. I strongly disagree that clinical teaching is supervision. Yes, supervision of students by clinical instructors is legally required, and students are practicing under the instructors’ licenses. However, clinical teaching is much more.

Clinical teaching provides a new learning opportunity and environment each day. As students see different patients, new challenges and concerns present themselves. Clinical instructors are there to help students develop the best plan of action for each patient, and guide them along the way. From the dissertation report “Students’ Perception of Important Teaching Behaviors in Classroom and Clinical Environments of a Community College Nursing and Dental Hygiene Education Program”, the researcher concluded that students ‘valued instructors that created a safe environment for trial and error’. Students want to be challenged and encouraged to engage in critical thinking, but also want to know they are able to make mistakes. Instructors act as mentors in this sense, and give students an outlet to come to with questions without fear of judgement.

Clinical instructors also bring the ‘real-life’ aspect into the clinic and teaching setting. These instructors have been in private practice, working directly with patients, which is still new to students. Instructors have learned more effective techniques and have tips to help students be more successful. I will never forget when an instructor told me to use the 204S on the lower anteriors. I could not help but think this was wrong, because that is not what the book says. In reality, it was much more effective than any other instrument I was trying to use in the area. That day changed my life as a hygienist, and my love for the 204S began.

The cognitive domain is all about acquisition of knowledge and learning. It relies on the thought process to recall information. In the clinical setting, it is important to draw on what students already know and the facts they have learned. We need to draw in didactic course material, and help students apply it to clinical practice. For example, students look at radiographs in the classroom and learn what decay looks like on an x-ray and such. When they take radiographs on their patients, it is important for instructors to review the x-rays with the students and help interpret them, rather than just grading them and sending the student on in their appointment. Instructors can draw on the fact that students know decay appears as radiolucent triangles, and can ask the student if they see any decay. The same principles go for evaluating bone health, which they learn in their perio courses.

The affective domain deals with feelings and emotions. In a dental hygiene program, students are under a large amount of stress, and we know they are balancing other issues with their school work. As instructors, we can take these kinds of things into consideration to help the students be successful. In a didactic setting, instructors can be flexible with assignment due dates or such. If students already have 2 midterms on one day, instructors are often understanding of the stress level and studying required, and offer to move their due dates. In a clinical sense, instructors can also take this into consideration. As a student, I had a very rough day in clinic and had missed many areas of tarter at my final check. I knew I performed poorly. Instead of just giving me a bad grade and moving on, the instructor took the time to figure out what was going on. She knew that kind of performance was not typical of me, and knew something else was going on. She talked to me and gave me some advice, and told me she knew I was better than that and would be fine in the future. I really appreciated this from her. No, she did not feel bad for me and grade leniently. She did her job as an instructor, but also embraced her role as a mentor.

The psychomotor domain involves the development of motor skills from simplistic to expert and mastery level. In dental hygiene, the skill aspect of the profession is extremely important. Without strong movement skills, a hygienist can not properly perform their tasks. When reading the article about teaching psychomotor skills, I really liked the whole-part-whole teaching. I did not know the name of it or that it was a teaching technique, but I have seen it done before. It makes a lot of sense. Students get an overview first, then an explanation, then a chance to see the different steps combine to an effective movement. For example, students are taught how to assemble a syringe. As instructors, we can show how to assemble with some discussion, then break it down and point out specific actions like aspirating, then show it again. CIE chapter 10 also discusses many effective techniques for clinical instruction, such as demonstration, questioning, and listening. As clinical instructors, it is our job to properly demonstrate how to talk to patients, positive attitudes, and clinical skills. We also want to encourage students to ask questions, but also ask them questions. Listening is also an important aspect of clinical teaching. Students will say things quickly, and we will have multiple students at once. We need to keep track of the different patients and what is going on in each appointment.

In the article “Students’ Perceptions of Effective Classroom and Clinical Teaching in Dental and Dental Hygiene Education”, the authors found that students want instructors to have individual rapport. They want instructors to make them feel welcome and be accessible outside of the classroom. They also want instructors to be organized and prepared. It also states that, “Given these context-specific dynamics, rapport as defined by creating an open and trusting learning environment, highlighting tone-setting, facilitating, and role modeling were viewed as critical responsibilities for effective clinical teaching.” I strongly agree with these findings. I want an instructor that is approachable, but also knowledgeable. It is important to have a strong skill set and mental sharpness, but not be too intimidating. I thought many of the dental instructors had the intimidating factor when I was in school. I want instructors to foster a learning environment where I feel I can be open with questions, have a good vibe, and a role model instructor.

Clinical Teaching vs. Didactic Teaching

There are many differences between the traditional classroom setting and the hands-on clinical setting. Even between the classroom and the lab, we see many differences. The biggest difference to me is the interaction level. Although didactic teaching is changing, most classrooms are still structured with students sitting in desks while the instructor presents material, and they take notes. In the clinical and lab settings, students are up moving around, seeing and touching instruments, talking to patients, and actually seeing the material from didactic courses come to life. It gives them a first sense of real-life application. These two environments appeal to different types of learners. Some people will learn best from seeing and hearing material in the didactic courses, and some will prefer to be hands-on in the clinic/lab. Another difference is the way students prepare for what setting they will be in. Students often think they can come into a classroom setting with a lack of sleep or think they can just sit quietly or browse the internet during the presentation. In a clinical setting, this is far from opposite. Each patient is different, and will present with a different situation. Students must be ready to use their critical thinking and draw on what they have learned in the didactic courses to make effective decisions for each patient.

However, there are also some similarities. When you are in the hygiene program, you are surrounded by the same students in both the clinic and the classroom. This may give some students a sense of comfort, knowing they can turn to their classmates for answers or advice in either setting. At Ohio State, many didactic instructors are also clinical instructors, so the personnel can feel similar. Both settings take preparation, just of different natures. In either setting, students should be actively engaged and ready to learn.

Change can be hard for anyone to deal with, no matter what age, background, gender, race, etc. No one wants change to happen, because things are comfortable. However, it is necessary to keep up with changes to provide the best care for patients, and ensure hygienists have top knowledge.

Changes in technology are typically more difficult for older individuals, who did not grow up with technology at their fingertips. Younger adults (and even kids) tend to grasp these changes and even be excited about them. It is hard for large institutions (like Ohio State) to incorporate technology changes due to size, cost, and environment. The school is working to go digital with radiographs, but it has been a long process. It is not practical to put a computer in each operatory, and the building is not set up for that. However, I think we can address this by exposing students to digital software when possible. There are a few clinics within the school that are digital, so if students could rotate through those, they would at least have some knowledge of the system. There are also outside rotations, such as the Columbus Health Department, that use digital software. Even when students cannot be hands-on with this, it is important to educate them on different systems and how they have changed.

Research is key for students and graduates to stay up to date with the changes in treatment recommendations. In school, students learn what is effective at that time. As more research is conducted, recommendations and guidelines change, and they will continue to do so. We must instill in students the importance of continuing to investigate these changes, so they have a drive to do so when they are on their own. Just recently, the ADA changed their guidelines on pre-medications and when they are necessary. This directly affects patient care, and it is important to notice such changes.

As we encounter the changes in student population, we must work to bridge the gap between all students for successful learning. As the book states, nontraditional students come in many different forms. We often think of age and race, but there are others: gender, commuters, part-time students, and parents (Clinical Instruction and Evaluation: A Teaching Resource, pg. 24).

The nontraditional type of student that stuck out most to me was the (often single) parent. When a person is both a parent and a student, they have a lot of life to balance. Both are two major jobs, and they may even work a job on top of that. This reminds me to practice patience with all students. Life happens. Things come up. I can be flexible in any necessary situation. I know instructors have to be careful with this not to get taken advantage of, but extenuating circumstances do occur.

As instructors, we need to appeal to all types of learns, whether students need to hear the material, see it drawn out, or touch/feel it for themselves. The more opportunities we provide for students to see the same material, the better success and retention. I have used this example before, but say we are teaching a student about Arestin. Some students are going to want to hear about how to place it, and hear those descriptive words. Other students need to see the diagram and step by step images of how to place it. Other students need to hold the syringe in their hand and place the tip in the syringe. If we can have all students do all three activities, we can hope to get that ‘click’ we are looking for.

In the Journal of Nursing Education article, they are specifically discussing age as the main difference in student population. I thought it was interesting that the majority of students from gen x and gen y preferred lecture compared to web-based learning. Typically, I would think the younger generation would prefer online information. Another point was found that no one prefers group work, and they do not need to see it be graded. This is something for instructors to consider, because group work is very common. From reading this article, it is apparent that the majority of students want structured, guided, face-to-face learning. Studies like this help instructors become more effective, and instructors can even poll their own classes. It is ok to make adjustments for each class. (Generational (Age) Differences in Nursing Students’ Preferences for Teaching Methods)

As we begin this journey into the world of clinical instruction, I am both excited and slightly nervous. I see myself beginning my teaching career in the clinic, so I look forward to learning how to be successful in this part of students’ education. I will begin my clinical teaching internship in January, so I hope to put what we learn this semester into action.

Roles of a clinical instructor:

1. A clinical instructor should serve as a resource for students.

    -Students are going to come across situations that they are not prepared for or know how to handle at this time in their education. An instructor should be available to guide students in the right direction to make evidence-based decisions. As an instructor, I would use the knowledge I have gained from my education and work experience, to help students realize what to do and why. This will help them in the future when they encounter similar situations. It is important to be a guide, rather than giving them the answer without leading them down the path.

2. A clinical instructor should be timely, organized, and prepared.

   -I think this role often gets overlooked in the clinical instructor role. From my experience, some instructors do not prepare themselves for clinic, and think preparation is more for didactic courses. In reality, clinical instructors need to prepare for their upcoming clinical sessions, and arrive on time.Clinical teaching requires extensive preparation. On page 51 of Clinical Instruction & Evaluation: A Teaching Resource, the author states, “The clinical instructor must have a working knowledge of the patients assigned to students, as well as a current understanding of healthcare problems likely to be encountered and the treatments, procedures, and policies that apply.” If a clinical instructor is not prepared by keeping up to date with current healthcare recommendations, they may not handle situations in the best way possible. For example, a patient may come in asking the thoughts on a new sensitivity toothpaste and if it works. For a student in their first couple months of clinic, this is overwhelming. The instructor must take on the responsibility of educating themselves on new projects, recommendations, and developments in the dental field.

3. A clinical instructor must be focused, prompt, and center their attention on the students and the patients.

   -This is an issue I noticed when I was in clinic, with both dental hygiene and dental faculty. I would ask for an area to be checked, but the instructors were discussing personal issues or browsing the web on their phones. It put me behind in my appointment, and if the patient noticed, probably looked unprofessional. I will make sure that the only delay of me checking one of my students is because I am working with another student.

I think one goal of clinical instruction is to help students think for themselves. Like I said earlier, instructors should be guides along the way. We want students to develop their own thoughts and opinions on how to handle situations. For example, most hygienists have strong feelings on how to treat periodontal disease, when to treat, what can wait, and timeframe for patients. These thoughts come from having a background knowledge, taking personal experiences, and considering the research. Instructors need students to think critically about each patient’s situation, and determine what is best on a case by case basis.

Another goal of clinical instruction is to develop strong patient communication skills. Many students struggle with verbiage, and how to discuss issues in language patients will understand. They have to display confidence, and get patients to want the treatment they need. Beyond this, some students struggle discussing things as simple as medical history. This gives them exposure to real life application.

As said in the text, clinical instructors play a role in helping students achieve their goals and objectives in didactic courses (Clinical Instruction & Evaluation: A Teaching Resource, pg. 43). It is the responsibility of the clinical instructor to know what students are learning in didactic courses, and help them relate this in real scenarios. It even suggests instructors sharing course outlines, materials, and text to ensure student success.

I think my strengths would be patient communication, and my background knowledge of hygiene. I feel that I have a strong case acceptance in private practice, and am well-versed when discussing major issues in lamest terms. My biggest weakness is that I do not appear as confident as I should. With my students this week, I kept having to remind myself that they are JUST beginning their hygiene careers, and have learned very little. I often had to stop myself and think, ‘they do not know what that means yet.’ It is hard for me to speak in terms they understand, and not talk over their heads. To fix this, I think it is a great suggestion from the textbook to review what they are learning in the courses, so I can keep up with what they have learned thus far.

ONWARD!

As we finish out the semester, it is crazy to think we are halfway through the program! From reading classmates posts and syllabi, and hearing how they talk about their future classrooms, I am confident we all have bright futures ahead of us. Many of us have an interest in didactic teaching, so I am excited to see what feelings develop for clinical teaching, and how they vary.

It should come as no surprise, but my favorite and most valuable part of this course was..

designing a syllabus!

This assignment was one that I underestimated in time, and did not realize how valuable it could be. I was unsure about creating a syllabus for a fake class, and designing course topics and assignments. It seemed like there should be something guiding this assignment, but I really appreciated that there was not. This gave me a chance to really think about myself as an instructor and see how I wanted my course to go. I had the freedom to discuss whatever topics I felt necessary, design my grading system, and choose from numerous assignments for what I felt worked best in my course.

One thing I know I will use from this assignment is my grading scale. When I was in undergrad, I hated courses that I could not figure out what each assignment was worth and how my grade was calculated. Some instructors made such a complicated system–but that is not what I want. Each of my assignments will be worth a certain number of points. Writing workshops, which are quick and easy, are worth 2 points each, and there are a total of 5 of these. That is 10 points. My midterm, for example, is worth 20 points. 10 points=10%. 20 points=20%. If a student earns 80 points in the class, their final grade will be an 80%. I think this will help students and myself to see where the weight of the course lies and what students need to do to be successful.

I think I appreciated this assignment, as well as the rubrics and course alignment, because it gave me a glimpse of myself in my own classroom. This course has by far taught me the most about how to be an effective instructor, and engage my students to drive their success. I have a better understanding of how to incorporate the flipped classroom, which is something I have always considered. I have also learned of a few things I did not like, and would not use (Voicethread, debates..)  

Thank you to Mrs. Henry, Amy, and all of my classmates for great discussions! This next year will be stressful and nerve-wrecking and rewarding.. and I’m excited for every bit. This is how I feel.. growing into an instructor: