THE MOST POWERFUL LESSONS THAT I LEARNED DURING ACTIVITY ONE

The question posed in Activity One, though not difficulty, was thought-provoking.  Attempting to identify the single most influential moment in my development as a teacher from a career that has spanned twenty six years, was definitely challenging. The exercise therefore resulted in me reflecting and reminiscing on some special moments that occurred both in and outside of the classroom, from interactions with students, colleagues and parents, to encountering past students who are now contributing members of society.  Indeed, it was interesting to note that those that stand out most in my mind, are the ones that are related to students' learning and development.  

The group discussion was quite interesting, and I noted some commonalities in responding to the second part of the activity.  Many of my colleagues agreed that the principles of collaboration, staying current and relevant, listening and being open-minded can help us in our efforts at being more receptive to the influences that help us to develop as teachers.  

There is no doubt that I have learned quite a lot from both the readings and the group interaction for the activity.  I was reminded in Whitaker's article that my students are not empty vessels to be filled by me, but that through active engagement and voluntary participation, the students in my class can have maximum benefit from classroom interactions.