My teaching experiences

Throughout the first years of my professional career, I did little introspection about my teaching practices. According to González, Escartín & Pérez (2003), teachers not only have to be language experts, but they also have to be able to interpret and reflect upon the topics that are being taught and the possible problems that a classroom may have. Though I have always been very critical regarding my job and others as well, I have never stopped to think why I did the things in a certain method and not differently. Being part of a TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) College was an exciting adventure, where colleagues and teachers gave their opinion about my performance.
Gonzalez, Escartín & Pérez (2003) states that the teaching-learning process has changed throughout the years, being now much more collaborative than in the past. It was at that time when I realized how my actions impacted on others. Moreover, deep observations of my classes by other teachers started to make me wonder if I was doing things correctly. Was there another way of reaching students? Was I giving my best? External observations and feedback opened my mind in such a way that I discovered different activities and approaches. Just now I could finally put a name to the processes I had been going through for so long.
Facing classroom problems were, are and will be a real challenge, however, there is always light at the end of the tunnel. Asking for help to colleagues, peers and even students shows deep understating of the teaching practice. I always resource to more experienced teachers when I feel at a loss. Gonzalez, Escartín & Pérez (2003) affirms that critical incidents help teachers become more critical about their and others teaching practices. I have come to realize how the perception of my teaching practices has changed during the years. I can now state I have been part of some critical incident processes, in which I learnt how to be a better teacher.

Reference
Fernández González, F; Elórtegui Escartín, N; Medina Pérez, Mercedes (2003), Los Incidentes Críticos en la Formación y Perfeccionamiento del Profesorado de Secundaria de Ciencias de la Naturaleza. Revista universitaria de formación de profesorado, 17- 001. Zaragoza, España: Universidad de Zaragoza. Retrieved December 2007, from http://redayc.uaemex.mx/redalyc/scr/inicio/ArtPdfRed.jsp?iCve=27417107