Peck Reflection 1

Overall the lesson went somewhat as planned. I was surprised the students weren't too engaged in the task I created for them to do, and one of the students started copying the other students drawing. I noticed there were good conversation about the passage being expressed so while we were drawing our pictures I began asking questions related to what my two focus students thought the setting took place. Even though the passage is set in a forested area, not really a jungle, the students were convinced it was a jungle. I began asking questions attempting to get them to relate to the text, asking if they thought they would be able to live in the wilderness as this kid did. I noticed that the students began taking their time, and talking more than coloring so I decided to cut the activity where it was and discuss our pictures. I was surprised to see the students miss some literal cues, such as it talking about a bird, and the sun, but they did capture the water, trees lily pads and fish.

 I realized for this activity, even though I believed the passage was at a comprehend-able level for the two focus students, it may have been better to introduce this idea with an easier, poem-like text. This was one of the limitations of the lesson, and I think if there would have been a lower level passage the students would have been able to create these mental pictures easier. I think a strength of the lesson was the students ability to connect to the text and relate it to themselves, even though it wasn't a planned objective. This is just another way of making meaning out of the text, which relates to my objective. So although some areas fell short of the lesson and what I anticipated, other areas flourished, and still maintained my direction or goal of the lesson. 

Something I noticed about myself as a teacher is that desire that teachers have for their students to learn. I found myself getting frustrated when the students would trail off, and at the end of the mini lesson when I was asking feedback of the students I truely cared about if they felt as it was effective. I've found that sometimes as a teacher you have to take a step back and let learning happen the way its going to happen. There is a balance to keep as a teacher of self exploration and guidance, and when lessons are too heavily guided, it cuts the self exploration aspect out of it. I found myself guiding too much but was able to step back and let the students explore. Another thing,  not only with this lesson but as a culminating idea I've learned, is that lessons will not always go as planned, but there are ways to manipulate the direction the lesson is headed to still ensure successful learning. If I were to do this lesson again, I would start out with a more straightforward passage, and create prompts for the students to talk about with each other while they are working.