Week 1

Beginning Teachers

After reading this portion of chapter 1, it is plausible to say that new teachers share common feelings of being overwhelmed, unsure, intimidated on their first day of school as a new teacher. Although they have undergone immense years of studying and student teaching that will help prepare them, this still will not be enough to actually know what to expect and how to handle certain situations until they actually experience it themselves. I feel that I can relate to all these feeling of being a brand new teacher at a brand new school with brand new students and having a "reality shock" as Woolfolk describes it on page 13. It is important to have a foundation of support from other experienced teachers and the administrators at the school to help guide new teachers through their first school years. These colleagues can act as mentors and provide helpful advice on how to engage, motivate, and manage students. Even experienced teachers, can find teaching as being a continuous learning experience because every student has a unique background,especially in their learning styles, and as our society trends are constantly changing so is the motivation and engagement of the students. It is important to remember that teaching methods that reached one student will not always be received as easily as the next.

Nature vs Nurture
In chapter 2 Woolfolk arises the issues on which has more of an affect on a person's developmental growth, nature or nurture. It can be argued that nature, which refers to the genetic and biological make up of a person, can have a major influence on human development. The other stance can be argued that despite the genetic factors, nurture, social and environmental influences can have a lasting effect on how a person develops over time. I strongly believe that both biological factors and social experiences can have a long lasting impact on how a person develops mentally, physically, socially, emotionally, and how perceive and accept the world around them. It can possibly be said that a person's genetic make up may influence how they react and receive personal experiences. I feel that caregivers, parents, family members, educators, and friends are primary influences on the a person's developmental growth. As future educators, it is vital that we leave a positive imprint on every student we encounter.