During observations, I saw a lot of different methods to teach, control, and mold children. Most of the things I observed I liked, only in one class did I see something that made me uncomfortable but even then I was not too unsettled. The classes I observed all showed me applications of ideas that were discussed in class but they added their own twist on to it or they merged multiple ideas to suit their needs and make for a better learning environment. Student happiness is a huge factor in the amount of learning that happens in the classroom; the happier the student is the more they will pay attention and learn. Nel Noddings thinks that “when something gives us pleasure, we are inclined to study it more carefully” (Noddings, Happiness …show more content…
In the kindergarten class, students sat on a carpet away from all of the tables that are used only for their small groups, I think this was done because it separated group learning and individual learning in a physical way. I think this is a good method of indirectly letting students know they all learn different because first they have group learning where the teacher will try to teach all of the students the same way but then she lets them each pick a different station with different styles of learning but they all learn the same thing. Teachers use this set up, I think, because it gives all students an equal chance to learn the material because “’equality of quality’ in education cannot be achieved by forcing all students to take exactly the same course of study” (Noddings, The False Promise of the Paideia). Teachers use this method because it makes it the most equal for all students because Noddings is right that if all students must learn the same things the same way education will never be equal. It cannot be equal because every student in every classroom I observed is different; different backgrounds, interests, religions, they are not all the same person so they are not all at …show more content…
Most of my observations were very pleasant and informative and some were not so informative but I can still take things away from all of them. I got to see several different philosophies at work and I got to see several work in conjunction with each other. I plan on taking what I learned from theses observations to my classroom to see if I can make them work for my students and
On one end of the spectrum, I know people that have used none of the techniques of which we have learned about and then on the other end of the spectrum, I know people that have parented using some of the concepts that we have learned about this semester. I believe that a combination of the two would be the perfect balance for raising a child.
I completed my fifteen hours of observation in Dowdell Middle Magnet School. I observed five teachers. The subjects I observed were Math and Science. Each Teacher I observed has a different style of teaching and handles situation differently.
For my 3rd observation, I observed one full day in a preschool/kindergarten classroom. The number of children in the classroom this day was 20 with ages ranging from 3 to 5. The teaching style in this school is Montessori. This means that formal teaching approaches are not used. Some of the casual teaching used in this classroom is rather than giving the students worksheets to challenge the student’s thinking, the teacher uses the students and other manipulatives for learning. For example, the teacher gave seven students cards with the days of the week on them. The teacher had the students with the cards go to the back of the classroom and scramble themselves up. The others stood by the board. The students that stood by the board got the chance
Observation is a skill taught from a young age, anywhere from deconstruction in the classroom to wisdom throughout the course of life. Observation is a skill that everyone should master, as it comes with many benefits that can help you in a variety of situations. The skill of observation can help in a workplace, to ensure safety, or during social interactions. In Arthur Conan Doyle’s The Sign of Four and A Study in Scarlet, the skill of observation leads to positive outcomes.
Catalina was observed during the afternoon in her fifth grade classroom. At the start of the observation, the class, along with Catalina, entered the room. Catalina walked up to the observer and said, “are you the substitute for Ms. Taylor?” She then took a seat at her desk that was arranged in a group with approximately three other classmates. Mrs. Carter, Catalina’s fifth grade teacher, asked the students to get out their snacks as she began a math review. Catalina pulled out a snack out of her desk and showed it to a student seated in front her before she ate it. While Mrs. Carter read math answers to the class, Catalina appeared to check her answers, as she wrote on her math sheet. When Mrs. Carter asked the students if they had any questions,
This class has given me a lot of insight about the way I want to go about teaching my classes. Not only has it given me ideas on stuff that I have never thought of but it also broke down and explained the ones that I already have seen. When I look at behaviorism now and connect it to all the things that I do in not only my classes of the past, but also my current classes, I see just how far the ideas and understanding of human learning has come. It was almost frustrating learning the history behind the idea of schooling and how it was geared not towards growth, creativity, community, and self-enhancement, but rather towards the agenda of pushing the people at the top farther ahead. To change that I can only do as much as I can to let children understand the different options that are available and hope that they also strive for something more.
There are many goals when observing children. When observing children, you look for their interests, developmental level, skills, and their personalities. When you look for a child’s interest you are looking for it to make your curriculum better, if your curriculum involves around the children’s interests then the children are more likely to learn the information. When you’re observing to see where a child is at developmentally, you do it to help the child go to the next level and also so you can inform their parents on their development. When you have this observation you’re most likely going to group the children in the class with other children who are at the same development level as them. By doing this you are allowing the children to
...ause I have see over the past four years how I have transformed my own beliefs about teaching. I have learned from professors and cooperating teachers how to handle difficult situations, this has made me a stronger teacher in the classroom. I am able to quickly adapt lesson plans to the needs of a classroom, and know when something is not going to work by the response of my students. I have also seen changes in how I respond to students. I have learned that students really do want to learn; they just need to know that their teachers want to help them. This has been played out in many different situations. Some of the classrooms I have seen have been very open and comfortable classrooms. The students want to learn because they know that their teachers want them to succeed. I have thrived in these situations because I gain my energy off of the energy in my classroom.
In part one of my four series of reflective Journals I had discussed emotions in education and how they affect my own attitude to learning, I concluded that the process of learning should be exciting as it enables attention and connection. That is why; I believe that it is important for the teaching process to be one which involves both passion and enthusiasm.
In an observational method, data are collected through observation and description of a subject's behavior or an event in their natural setting (Sullivan-Bolyai & Bova, 2018). In effect, the role of the observer is vital in initiating a research that uses this method. Nurses are skilled in observing. As a matter of fact, observation is routinely practiced by nurses in undertaking daily responsibilities. Nurses use direct observation in assessing patients, interacting and understanding conditions holistically; has attention to details, recognizing signs and/or symptoms to which others might remain unnoticeable; actively listens and willing to learn from others; and record "factual, accurate and thorough" descriptions with relevant details (Salmon, 2015).
Lou, Abrami and Spence (2000) engaged in a thorough meta-analysis of studies done on ability groups. They were able to compare the difference between whole class instruction and small-group instruction, with the latter referring to ability groups. Students accustomed to whole-class teaching tend to conform to the norm since emphasis is on uniformity rather than diversity. Students focused on the teacher’s explanations and prompts and these are addressed to everyone with the same set of instructional materials that everyone gets. This also means that everyone should go on the same pace, as the teacher provides direct instruction and guided learning.
The school that I visited was new. It was the first year of the school opening. The school board had combined two schools into one, so the students had to adjust to their new environments and new individuals. They seemed to be getting along well with each other. Since the school is new the teacher has to adjust to new problems that araise. Times for the subjects and times for using the computer labs change. So the teacher must always be fixable for anything. In this observation of this classroom I learned about the enjoyment of teaching. How you have to adapt to each of the students.
Now that I have seen three different classrooms as part of my practicum observations, I still believe that there are several acceptable approaches and no universally correct teaching methods. However, my thinking has changed because I have seen that everything done ...
My goal as a teacher is to improve my student’s education and help them grow knowledgably. I like to see students at different levels develop with each other and learn. I want to challenge the students and watch them grow to their highest level of education. Therefore, having the students in groups is the best educational strategy I like to use a lot. I want my students to have freedom with whatever creativity they want, and to allow them to express themselves at any time. With this freedom students will be able to experiment with likes and dislikes and be able to figure their weaknesses and strengths. Education is for everyone and it’s a right by low for all; teachers, on the other hand, should do their jobs very honestly and effectively.
For my observation experience I went to Southern High School in Harwood, MD. Southern High School has a special education department for the students with disabilities. The teacher that I met with for this classroom observation was Ms. West. In the classroom there were at least four assistant teachers that helped Ms. West throughout the school day. The assistant teachers helped Ms. West co- teach the class and were there to help the students if they needed extra help. The school also has a couple of student aides that come in to help the teachers and the students in the classroom. There were at least twelve students in the classroom. The students in the class had many different exceptionalities such as learning disabilities, Down syndrome,