Description: This week I prepared as well as taught my video teach lesson. In order to prepare I did lots of research on alcohol. I wanted to make sure I had a thorough understanding of what I was teaching. I prepared a lesson plan as well as a powerpoint and two activities to do with my students. The night before I taught the lesson, I did about three practice runs in front of my mirror because this seems to help me remember what I want to say, although not completely.
Analysis: I feel this was extremely beneficial for me. I learned a lot by doing this activity. I already have one lesson that I can do with my students and I know that they seemed to enjoy this particular lesson. My students were engaged and I asked questions throughout my lesson to check for understanding. For the most part, they could answer my questions with few errors. For my lesson I followed the madeline hunter model. I had a warm-up activity ($5 bill activity), objective ( that my students could show they understand what I was teaching about short-term effects), Instructional input (powerpoint), Guided Practice ( questions and board race), Independent practice (board race), and closure (went over answers to board race and got students in groups to discuss the next lesson (long-term effects). This was pretty much the first time I have taught in a class (with the exception of sunday school, substitute teaching, and 6 junior achievement lessons at an elementary). It gave me an idea of what it is going to be like in the next fews years as I begin to teach and have a class for myself. It also showed how much preparation is needed; especially for the first couple of years when I don’t have most of my lesson plans already complete, or at least started.
Reflection: This is going to benefit me tremendously in the future; especially for next semester in my student teaching semester. I think part of what makes me nervous with teaching in someone else’s classroom is what they think is appropriate as opposed to what I deem appropriate. I know one thing I mentioned was students at a party/bar and how the text said one drink has been shown to relax you. However, I also said that one drink is probably not what most people are drink. Then I started to say something about making bad decisions with a significant other, but thought otherwise about going deep into it. Whereas I thought it would be extremely appropriate in that situation, I don’t really know what my cooperating teacher would think. Overall, I feel I was prepared and already having this lesson, as well as already teaching this lesson to a group of high school students, is going to make my future teaching be more comfortable.
