Field Experience Reflection
This semester, I was lucky to have receive an amazing field placement. Throughout the short two months of observing at Chamberlin, I have learned so many helpful tools for my future teaching. Not only did my cooperating teacher teach me skills, I also learned a lot about myself as a teacher. The first day of my new field placement, I was nervous like any new school. There was a new group of students, new rules, and a new atmosphere. I was also nervous because it was my first time observing a split grade. The grades I was observing was 3rd/4th. As time went on the nervousness left and I felt like I belonged in the classroom. The students were no longer scared of me and were willing to come to me for help. I learned
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This is because I had to create and teach three different lessons. When creating these lessons I had to look up and find the particular state and national standards that corresponded with my lessons. The more practice I have looking up and finding the standards the better off I will be. It also helped that I had to look up standards for both third and fourth grade. Along with this my LLOs improved. This is because I had to use critical thinking skills and creativity to create lessons that would interest both third and fourth graders. Since LLOs are a big part of the University of Charleston’s curriculum I wanted to make sure that my lesson plans incorporated them. The LLOs in my lessons include creativity, critical thinking, and communication. Every time I create a lesson plan I use my critical thinking and creativity skills, and every time I do, I am improving my skills. The middle school concept came into play with the diversity and no students being left behind. The classroom I was in, was very diverse and the teacher understood each students needs and was able to help all of them. In the classroom I was in there was a set of three desktop computers and a set of IPads that the students were allowed to use, and a broken smartboard that would project images, but you could not touch this. Having the technology taught me two things. The first …show more content…
My cooperating teacher taught me multiple classroom management classroom strategies. Since she was teaching two grades she had to manage two different sets of lessons. To help her do this she divided up the classroom, 3rd grade on one side, and 4th on the other. Another thing that she taught me is to always have the rules of the students up where they can see them, and that is the same with the goals of the students. Another thing that she did was have specific roles for the students, and they change every week (bathroom checker, line-leader, sweeper). My cooperating teacher was always confident when she taught and was able to change lessons on the spot if she had to. She always knew how to keep the students attention. Another thing she taught me is how to keep their attention or get their attention back if they got off task. Whenever they got to loud she would clap three times loudly, and they would repeat, and she would do it again, but quieter, then they would repeat. This is when the students knew to get quiet. She also would say, “1,2,3, eyes on me” then the students would repeat “1,2, eyes on you.” After this the students would get back on task. Another thing she taught me and it is probably the most valuable lesson I learned, before I left she said, “It is okay to fail, we all do. Just don’t show it, the students will never know if you mess up, stay calm and fi it.” That
In general, the field experience assignment has been a learning and growing experience for me. While watching Ms. Hines deal with her class I’ve realized a few aptitudes I’ll be utilizing in the future. She has taught me how to manage a classroom, how to implement good behavior, and how to make a safe and comfortable classroom for the
My philosophy of classroom management is that the management of elementary classrooms require several things. Among patience, determination and motivation are: flexibility, careful planning and consistency. A well-managed classroom did not get well-managed without a teacher who planned, had a flexible vision and was determined. Any new teacher, who is asked, will say they want a classroom with as few behavioral problems as possible as well as one that is easily manageable. But any experienced teacher, who is asked, will tell those new teachers that classrooms do not come "well managed". They have to be made into well-managed classrooms. These experienced teachers would also encourage by saying that it is not easy, but that it is not impossible to have a manageable classrooms. On the other hand, they would be quick to add that all classrooms will have behavioral problems at some point or another. This is proven to be true to anyone who has been in an elementary classroom, whether they were a teacher, observer or a student themselves. But what teachers can take to comfort is that they can prepare themselves. The first thing that is needed is flexibility. Being able to evolve with changing needs is something teachers need to acquire quickly. Adaptability can make or break classroom climate. A teacher who is not flexible and wants things one way, will find themselves in a power struggle that will be hard to reverse. Also, the negativity will build up and make teaching unpleasant for the teacher and learning unpleasant for the students. Being able to "go with the flow" will help teachers tremendously. The second thing needed for classroom management is careful planning. Now this d...
Overall my classroom observation hours went pretty well, and I focused on trying to receive eight hours in SPED classes, and the other eight in classrooms that participated in inclusion this semester. I wasn 't able to follow through with my plan. I was missing two hours of observation, and with the insane weather it became more difficult to schedule anything in a regular school setting so I turned to daycare. I quickly realized that a normal school was completely different from the daycare I completely my observation hours at.
I was given the chance to observe and interact with Mary over the course of the semester. Each time I was in the English Language Learner classroom, I learned something new. As the weeks went on, the lessons would become more challenging than the previous ones. I was able to see Mary improve her English skills each time I was in the ELL room. The first two times I was there, we corrected some of her mistakes on a multiple worksheets. We worked on mostly English worksheets, but one math worksheet as well. I was able to observe Mary interacting in her physical education class. Mary also read out loud to me several different passages that the teacher gave her. However, the second time I was there, she read a book out loud to me and we worked on vocabulary words. The third and last time I was at the school, Mary had choir class. We also read more books, did a few more worksheets, and she took two quizzes on the computer. I enjoyed seeing how much Mary learned in the short time that I was with her.
In my twelve years of teaching experience, one thing that most of my colleagues have struggled with at some point in their career has been classroom management. Classroom management is one many keys to instructional success. Unfortunately, many have left the teaching field due to lack of knowledge of classroom management best practices.
I have heard that for many beginning teachers, classroom management can be one of the most challenging aspects of their new career. Knowing this, I decided to experiment with many classroom management approaches during my student teaching to find one that fit both my students and myself. Based on these experiences, I designed a classroom management plan that I will implement in my classroom as a beginning teacher. It is important to note, however, that my classroom management philosophy will be evolving as necessary as I gain more experience and insight into the field of teaching. Also, my classroom management plan may need to be altered to fit my specific group of students.
Volunteering at the Boys & Girls Club of Shippensburg provided me with insight into the importance of afterschool programs in the development of children's lives. Completing different tasks before the kids arrived, conversing and playing games with kids, and helping staff clean up afterward were some of the main services I Provided. Working with younger teens from all different races helped me understand the diversity of people throughout society and that several forms of diversity can impact people and their families. Understanding the social work perspectives and how they apply to different situations will impact my professional growth in the field of social work.
As I sit here and reflect on how my education and work life experiences have prepared me for my future in the workplace; I truly become overwhelmed by the amount of things that I have learned and experienced. Like many others these experiences has influenced, motivated, and driven me to make the choices I have made. The good, the bad and the ugliest of them all have helped me to become the person that I am today.
Lastly, she gives them a card at the end of the class that she writes on that says “Well Done” for students who really tried hard in class. This promotes students not just participating, but also good behavior and learning while in her class, thus it is effective in managing behavior (Positive Reinforcement for Class
It is my intent to be a teacher that is accessible to all of my students as an educator, a role model, and an adult authority figure that will offer guidance and support of the whole child. I plan to create an environment conducive to growth by encouraging and facilitating the sharing of ideas, exploration, research, developing students’ problem solving strategies, ensuring that students understand foundational concepts, modeling problem solving, and collaboration via team and group work. I view technology’s role in education as imperative to the skill set I must cultivate within my students to reach their full potential and become contributing members of society and the world, which is my goal. In order to be viable in today’s careers, technology education runs concurrent with any of the subject areas
The cooperating teacher observes, records, and reports the actions of the student teacher. Most of the interaction between the two parties is one directional as the cooperating teacher presents a blow by blow account of perceived successes and failures. The last description is that of teacher educator. The cooperating teacher is engaged in the class and with the student teacher. The cooperating teacher is working closely with the student teacher encouraging him or her to get the most out of each opportunity that is presented (MacKinnon & Erickson, 1988, in Clarke
Technology has changed many aspects of our lives, so why should we expect less of the classroom atmosphere? Technology in the classroom has changed the way students learn and the way teachers teach. Technology today is integrated into the classroom as a teaching tool rather than being taught as a course. There are many ways that technology is used in today’s classroom such as the World Wide Web, Power Point, and Excel (Starr, 2011). Teachers will continue to be the most important aspect of a child’s education because they teach and technology does not. The use of technology in the classroom can bring advantages to a child’s education but can also bring disadvantages (Cleaver, 2011).
Classroom management is a necessary component to every classroom. It includes creating a set of rules and clear expectations that all students follow. This helps unify the classroom for both the teacher and students allowing for a smooth, effective, and educational environment. When the students are aware of what is expected, they are motivated in order to attain the goals dispensed by the teacher. Some students are naturally motivated and want nothing more than to surpass goals for the sake of triumph and pleasing the teacher. Other students need extrinsic motivation in order for them to become engaged in
students prefer technology because they believe that it makes learning more interesting and fun. They especially like laptops and tablets. Subjects that students deem challenging or boring can become more interesting with virtual lessons, through a video, or when using a tablet. Technology occupies an important place within students’ lives. When they are not in school, just about everything that they do is connected in some way to technology. By integrating technology into the classroom, teachers are changing the way they used to teach (lectures six hours a day) and providing students with the tools that will take them into the 21st century. One of the characteristics of the modern classroom is collaboration and technology helps to empower it. With classroom technology students can collaborate with other students and their teachers in and outside of the classroom quickly and easily.