Chris Bang

BRMS TWS
January Reflection:
In the short period of time that I was here at Bill Reed Middle School (BRMS), I have
had a myriad of experiences that overall amount to an amazing placement. To keep myself from
rambling about all the daily events that Ive had I will focus on my first two days at BRMS.
My first two days at BRMS were chaotic to say the least. I met my host teacher, Mr. Karl
Jaras, the week before the semester began. This in itself was stressful. On that day, we spent
about two or three hours on the semester planwhich didnt amount to much. In fact, most
everything we decided on that day we abandoned or modified heavily. On the staff day before
the semester started, we spent about a half day frantically compiling ideas and such, but my host
teacher had to leave early because he had an abscessed tooth. The first day was more chaotic
than I could have imagined. We spent four 73 minute classes, playing Two Truths and a Lie.
The day was lacking in content, but in all it was a great success.
As I have progressed through this placement at BRMS, I have learned that teaching
(especially middle school) is about evaluating how students are doing in than their individual
lives, more so than the content areas in which teachers have researched their entire careers. That
sounds cynical, but I mean it to be insightful. I am trying to say that teachers are dealing with
live ammo and some of that ammunition is volatile and posed to explode. On that first day with
the students, I stuck with my management planning instincts and struggled through the wave of
new faces and misbehaving students. Though we didnt transmit much content, Mr. Jaras and I
kept our calm and made it through the day. I dont think that more planning would have made
that day less chaotic, but having more content on the first day would have been made me feel
more at ease.
My philosophy of education is built on the tenants of constructivism, and a student
centered classroom. If anything, this aspect of my philosophy has only gotten stronger since my
time here at BRMS. Mr. Jaras is a professionally cavalier educator. What I mean by that, is the
man never loses his calm; especially, when it comes to the continually discouraging news that
comes out of the district meetings. I feel very grateful that I have a role-model that is effective at
dealing with a chaotic classroom, and I hope that some of his stoic, cavalier approach to teaching
enriches my strategies for class management. I think my handle on the content of 8th grade
language arts is such that I will focus primarily on how I manage a student centered class, and
how well I can build a constructivist environment in the classroom.