Integrated+Unit+Reiff

Meghan's Integrated Unit

As a Graduate student who is not currently teaching (and has never taught, only tutored), I feel that everything I have learned this semester will be helpful in my future endeavors. My goal is to teach adults, ideally in the prison system or corrections system. I understand that many of my students in that field may be non-native students, so I find that everything from this course will be valuable in regards to effective communication and success for adults, even though this course is geared toward K-12 students. One of the most helpful theories that I have learned in this course was presented in the Brown book, in the chapter that focused on interaction in the classroom. Brown presents the idea that group work helps students learn accountability and responsibility, because the student's participation in group work affects not just the individual student, but everyone else in the group. This in turn helps the student understand the concept of responsibility for work for his or herself. Group work promotes more productive and responsible independent work, and promotes autonomy. I must say, all in all, that the **most** valuable information I gained from this course was from the Moran book. The concept of About, How, Why, & Oneself in regards to culture is so simple, yet so important. The idea that one must really work toward experiencing a culture to truly "know" it, and how one authentically "experiences" a culture was presented by Moran very clearly, and that information is invaluable. I know that the knowledge I have gained this semester will be extremely helpful when I begin teaching.