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Exit Slip - Garden-Based Learning

I think garden-based learning is valuable on multiple levels. Being outside in the garden is such a different experience from being in a classroom. Even if the garden was not being used directly in the lesson, I think it is nice just to experience a change of scenery. In relation to math education, I think this is especially valuable for students who experience a large amount of math-related anxiety. It is hard to be anxious when you are sitting outside enjoying the sun and the fresh air. I think this type of learning would also be beneficial to the types of learners who may struggle in a classroom environment because they feel confined or restricted.  Obviously there are some restrictions to garden-based learning. Sometimes a classroom environment is a more suitable, efficient place to teach. Some lessons may benefit from the structure and access to materials/technology that are only found in the classroom. 
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Entrance Slip: The Tact of Teaching

"They do not care for their students in the abstract, they care for their students as persons who have names and personalities and with whom they have concrete interactions." I felt this quote was particularly applicable to me because as a teacher candidate, I can only think about my future students in the abstract. It is always easier to think about what you would do in a situation in which you are not emotionally involved. The risk of this type of thinking is that it makes the situation seem more simplistic than it really is. I do think that it is important that we care for our students but this care will make things more complicated when we have to make difficult decisions. "The social context of any classroom incident is always too complex for any single theory or set of principles to fit the bill." I felt that this quote was also very applicable to teacher candidates. We spend so much time discussing theory and that theory often seems somewhat basic or ob
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Entrance Slip - Becoming a Reflective Teacher

One of the things this article emphasized was just how many choices teacher candidates face as they try to figure out what type of teachers they would like to become. This is a sentiment that really resonates with me. When I think about the challenges and opportunities that are ahead of me as a future teacher, there are some areas where I feel very capable and confident and others where I am less sure. I feel confident in my understanding of mathematics and my ability to teach it. What I feel less confident about is my ability to make all the "right" choices about the kind of teacher I would like to become. I have lots of ideas about what I believe education should look like and what is important but I think the challenge is the actual implementation of these ideas. I guess that is why it is important to be a reflective teacher. It is inevitable that we will all make mistakes as teachers. Reflection allows you to acknowledge and analyze your mistakes and then get back on the
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