The communication part of this class was very good. Sometimes knowing where we were going
to meet or communicating about the times were a little foggy! However, this is where technology comes in! The e-mails helped
a great deal in planning and carrying out the semester. Also, the web-site was a wonderful use of technology.
There was communication during our wrap-up sessions at restaurants after meeting at Apache Elementary as we each shared from
our experiences and talked about the readings. Most of the research conducted was simply out of the text book and some
articles that were discussed as well. Collaboration was seen throughout the semester as we discussed our books, the
text, our experiences, and worked in combined groups with the Apache children. I loved our collaborative reflections
on our Chataqua projects each time we met.
Allowing each of the UNM students to do a Chataqua ahead of time and perform it gave each of
us the confidence to feel like experts and understand the pedagogy of helping create a character and story. By giving
us each the opportunity to work with the chldren alone and be responsible for bringing them each to where he or she needed
to be in that student's story gave us a sense of independence and authority. The knowledge content was covered in the
text readings, the web-site vocabulary, and in the discussions. Most of the skills and strategies were learned first-hand
while helping the students create a Chataqua character. We learned theory from the book and lecture, but we learned
how to carry that theory out each time we met with the students!
I have had some prior knowledge on education, working with children, and story telling.
However, it was wonderful to experience the culmination of my prior knowledge with the emerging experience of actually working
with the children on building a story. Reflectiveness is probably one of the most important characteristics to maintain
as an educator. I felt that this class offered a great deal of reflection through our discussion after each Chataqua
practice. The weekly scribe also allowed for reflection. Also, through the midterm and final, we are able to truly
think about what we have learned and how we have grown as educators and people.
