Nolan Cummings

Educ 1301
4 December 2016
Ellis
Reflection Paper

I went to Greenville high school to observe 9th-12th grade agricultural technology. The
teachers name was Alex Xanthusa and he was very kind and answered all of my questions.
From Alex, I learned that being a shop teacher isnt as easy as it is cut out to be but he makes me
want to be a teacher even more. I originally wanted to be a shop teacher, and that is still on my
mind, but im starting to lean more toward being a science teacher because Ive always been
interested in life science and biology/ life science. Ive learned from looking at the classroom
through the eyes of a teaching professional just how much time and effort goes into a 10 minute
lesson over basic material. Alex has showed me the effort that he has put into his profession
through the students actions as well as the shape of his workplace. He does a very well job
keeping all the students on task and keeping the shop up to OSHA ( Occupational Safety and
Health Association) standards. He also does a great job implementing all of the TEKS that he
must cover in a way that tends to every child whether they be a tactile, auditory, or visual
learner. I specifically love the way he breaks down projects that the students work on in simpler
terms so they can understand what needs to happen. As a future teacher in whatever subject or
area I decide on, I have learned from Alex that it is a tough job but there are great benefits that
go along with the title. All of the childrens lives that you are an impact to as well as all of the
gratification that you get back from the students and parents. Ive noticed the knowledge Alex
has in the shop and the passion he has for what he does and the kids he teaches. From my time
observing with alex, Ive made the decision to bring his passion for what he does to my

classroom in the future. I feel that i will be most passionate about science which is why im kind
of changing my subject choice to science. This way, I am able to do for my kids what i have seen
him do for his. Overall, the experience was very beneficial for getting me started on my way to
becoming a teacher, giving me a glimpse at what a real world teacher does, not just what is said
on paper or lesson plans. This being said, I think Alex was a very helpful Mentor teacher and
would recommend him to any future student taking this course.