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TRANSCRIPT
December11, 2011
Blog 10
Reflecting over my semester full of practicum experience, I truly feel that I have
learned and grown in my thinking, analyzing, and perception of the classroom. I have
learned that implementing lessons is not an easy task, and that just because it works on
paper does not mean it can be carried out well. I have also learned that successful lesson
planning consists of a lot of trial and error. This is not only okay, but also imperative to
growth as a teacher. There is not a manual to lesson planning because not every strategy
is going to work in every situation. It is important to not get caught up in thinking that
everything has to come out in an expected way. This will lead to frustration and
disappointment, but also will limit the opportunities for teachable moments. Student
understanding is the objective, and can be obtained in multiple ways. Most importantly, I
have realized that it is possible to successfully develop lessons that will engage and
empower students in their learning. This can be done through actually getting to know
students, gauging their interests, and applying the results to lesson planning. What works
one year may not work the next, but can be variated to meet the needs of the current
students. All students learn in different ways, and teachers must be cognizant of this
when preparing lessons. While I am sure it did not happen overnight, each of the teachers
I observed had apparent, developed relationships with their students. The personable
interaction was of definite benefit to the students, and the classrooms were tight knit
communities. This has made me realize that there is a direct correlation between
classroom climate and student learning. This experience was greatly important to my
education and I will build on it as I continue on my journey.
December 5, 2011
Blog 9
I have been contemplating how my perspective of teaching has changed, if any,
over the course of this semester. My first thought on this subject was that I don't think
my perspective on teaching has changed much since starting school. I am a non-
traditional, 35 year old student who has worked in education for the past ten years as an
instructional assistant. I made the decision to return to school and get my teaching degree
with clear views in my head about what kind of teacher I wanted to be. You see, I
definitely understand that being a good and effective teacher goes way beyond how I
want to decorate my classroom and arrange the furniture. I know it will be an exciting
feeling when I finally get to do those things, but I know the reality of the challenges I will
face managing my classroom. I will not have 20-25 perfectly behaved students who listen
politely with their hands folded in their laps while I teach. I will also not have a
classroom full of children with perfect home lives.
I know I want to be a good teacher, but what does this actually mean? A couple
years into my formal education now, I can see my thinking beginning to change on some
levels. I do know that teachers need to actively engage their students. I have three
children of my own, and my oldest son (a junior in high school) tells me how hard it is to
pay attention in his Geometry class. He says his teacher sits at her desk the entire class
period and teaches by reading the text out loud. We owe our students an engaging
learning experience. Children are learning in a different way than before, and it is our job
as teachers to meet them where they are. Good teaching is about making connections to
our students. It is about connecting what they learn to the world in which they live. This
is the kind of teacher I hope to be.
December 1, 2011
Blog 8
Today I spent time in a fifth grade classroom for math instruction. The goal of the
lesson was for students to independently develop several word problems, then partner up
to solve each other’s. After that step was completed, students found different partners.
The teacher had developed this as extra practice because the students were struggling in
this area. I thought this was a great way to better understand word problems because just
reading them can be confusing. However, actually developing them can lead to better
understanding and eventually help to read them as well. I also thought this activity was
great because it got the students out of their seats and addressed multiple intelligences. I
have heard many peers say they thought it would be difficult to incorporate multiple
intelligences into math instruction, but this was a great example of how it is possible.
You could even incorporate music as a timekeeper while students were switching
partners. I was very pleased with this activity because one of my biggest frustrations in
education is how math is taught. I know there are many creative teachers who spend huge
amounts of time on how to more effectively teach math, but with the majority I have
observed this is simply not the case. So many times I witness teachers reading the new
concept out of the math book and doing a few examples out of the book. Then the
students complete assignment independently. It is apparent the students do not
completely understand the lesson, but are hesitant to ask questions in fear of looking
unintelligent. I just do not think this is a very effective approach to math instruction.
Students are not engaged, and therefore are not grasping the concept. This particular
teacher recognized that her students needed more, and found a simple (yet effective) way
to accomplish this.
November 22, 2011
Blog 7
I observed a classroom of fourth graders today. This observation took place in the
general education classroom during reading time. The class was involved in an activity
called “Reader’s Workshop”, and was separated in five differentiated groups based on
reading level. This reading activity was completely opposite of the one I observed in third
grade previously. The goal in that lesson was not to divide the students by reading ability.
I was interested in comparing the two different approaches to reading instruction.
The first group was participating in reading conferences with the teacher. They first did
an activity together focusing on the skill of the week. They seemed to interact well
together and were engaged in the instruction. They did not seem to be distracted or have
trouble paying attention. Then each student individually read a chapter out of a book to
the teacher so she could check for fluency and comprehension. They all actively
participated. I thought this was a good way for the teacher to personally interact with
each student and check for improvement over the course of the year. At the same, time
the students were able to practice the weekly reading skill within a small group, which
helped them better understand and utilize the skill in practice.
A second group worked on a different reading activity without the direction of the
teacher. It was evident that this group had a little more trouble staying on task. A couple
of the students seemed to be distracted and were having their own irrelevant
conversation. Some of the other group members became frustrated that not everyone was
actively participating. They did manage to finish their task eventually, but it was evident
that some students contributed more than others. While there were some problems within
this group, I feel it was still very important for students to have opportunities to
participate in cooperative learning. Some of the trouble with this group was that they
were all of the same reading level. It was obvious the entire group struggled in their
reading abilities, which probably led to the frustration. Perhaps this cooperative learning
task would have been more successful outside of differentiated reading groups.
Members of the third, fourth, and fifth groups were reading silently and
independently around the classroom. It was called DEAR time (Drop Everything And
Read). The students did very well with this, and seemed to really be involved in their
reading. I could tell this was something they did often, and they knew what was expected
of them. None of the students talked out during this time, and I only noticed one student
who seemed to lose focus and daydream a little. The Reader's Workshop activity lasted
for 45 minutes, from 10:00 am to 10:45 am. After observing both approaches to reading
instruction, I am confident in one thing. I believe it is very beneficial to break down the
class into smaller groups opposed to whole class instruction. However, I feel that not
grouping students in ability level is the more effective approach. The opportunity for
students to learn from one another in cooperative learning is invaluable, and I feel it is
essential in the classroom.
November 20, 2011
Blog 6
As I reflect on my practicum hours this semester, and also ones from previous
courses, I can still honestly admit that I am most anxious about implementing good
classroom management. I have studied and observed multiple successful strategies,
however I believe it is one of those concepts you might classify as "easier said than
done". I know I must be cognizant of the fact that good classroom management is a
process that evolves over time, however trial and error has never been one of my
strengths. I tend to strive for perfection in other aspects of my life and become impatient
when things don't go as planned. Realistically I know this is something I will have to get
over in my classroom. I realize that I will not have twenty or so perfectly behaved
children sitting quietly at their desks, hands folded in laps, eagerly awaiting my perfect
lesson plans. I recently had a great conversation with a third grade teacher I hugely
admire. Every time I observe her she is perfectly prepared and has complete control. She
makes it look so easy! Yet when I substitute teach, I feel my classroom environment is
pretty close to chaos. Now, really, do they all have to talk at once? It is very hard for me
to admit this to anyone because I take great pride in my abilities and years of experience.
However, I have learned that vulnerability can be a powerful and reflective learning tool.
I spoke of my concerns to this teacher, and she reminded me of her many years of
practice and of how valuable it can be to recognize your fears and weaknesses. I realize
this post is portraying a different side of me, and to be honest it is refreshing to realize I
do not need to have all the answers all the time. I will continue to process what I have
learned, realize perfection isn't necessary, and grow through my educational experiences.
November 14, 2011
Blog 5
Today I visited a second grade classroom to complete field experience hours. I
arrived mid-morning to notice the students already busily working on folder activities.
Each student had a folder that consisted of spelling, reading, and grammar packets. The
students were working independently, but were required to have their work checked by
the teacher before they could move on to something else. The teacher explained mistakes
that were made, which the students had to go back and correct. After about thirty
minutes, the teacher introduced new vocabulary words for the week. They discussed the
definitions together, and then she asked for volunteers to use the words in sentences.
Most students were eager to have a turn to try a sentence. At this point, the class was
divided into two groups to read the weekly story from the anthology. The teacher took
one group, and I took the other. My group and I went to the reading corner and sat in a
circle on the floor. The students took turns reading around the circle. One thing I noticed
was how some students wanted to jump in and help other students having trouble. This
was great in some instances, but some students could have figured the word out if given
more time. I had to stress that we only helped with a word if specifically asked. I was
afraid that some students would not try if they knew the word would just be given to
them. I did try to watch for students that were extremely shy or had anxiety about reading
aloud. However, the teacher did not give me any forewarning of any issues of this nature.
After the group reading was finished, the students moved on to journal writing. The
students were given a writing prompt that went along with their reading story. They were
instructed to write independently for twenty minutes. The teacher reminded the students
to proofread their writing, use "wow" words, and read to themselves through whisper
phones. When the time was up, the students paired up to read stories to each other. I
thought all of these were effective strategies to improve student writing. The students
seemed to enjoy everything as well. As students finished at different times, they were
given the choice of file folder games, finishing any work not completed, or reading
quietly. All students seemed to know the routine quite well and the classroom ran quite
smoothly and efficiently.
November 2, 2011
Blog 4
Today my observation hours were split between two third grade classrooms, one
in the morning and one in the afternoon. The morning was spent observing a reading
activity that went along with the weekly story. The teacher had prepared for this activity
by first dividing the story into five sections. She then typed and printed out each sentence
from each section individually in large font. The sentences were cut into strips and each
section's strips were put into a different envelope. The students began the activity by
"popcorn" reading the story together as a class. This is where one student reads a
paragraph, then "popcorns" (or passes) to another person to read the next paragraph. In
this classroom, boys must pass to girls and vice versa. After the story is read envelopes
are passed out to each learning club. The students' desks are grouped into learning clubs
so that they can work collaboratively. Each group had the task of arranging their sentence
strips into the correct order of the story. This gave the students the opportunity to practice
the weekly skill of sequencing. I walked around the classroom to observe each group
complete the activity. I immediately noticed each group working together quite well and
was excited to see the discussion this activity generated. The students seemed to enjoy
working together and appreciated one another's ideas and feedback. After the sentences
were arranged, each group glued them onto large pieces of construction paper to be
displayed in the classroom. I thought this was a great activity and provided the students
with an effective learning experience, more so than just completing a workbook page.
At this time, the students went to a special. The teacher asked me if I would like to
decorate her calendar bulletin board. I was a little apprehensive of this as I am not the
most creative person, but thought I would give it a try. Since the rest of the classroom
was decorated with a rainforest theme, I used bamboo sticks to create a tiki hut to outline
the calendar. I used raffia and crinkled butcher paper to add to the effect. I must say it
turned out very well. The teacher liked it anyway!
After lunch, I went to another third grade class to observe math instruction. The
lesson involved multiple step story problems. This concept seemed rather difficult to
understand, and I was curious how the teacher would handle this challenge. She started
with reviewing single step problems, which the students had a good grasp on. She then
read from the book to introduce the new concept. After several examples were
demonstrated on the board, the students seemed rather confused. They continued to
complete examples together, but I felt like they still did not have a good understanding.
The assignment was given, and students had twenty minutes of work completion time.
Immediately hands flew up with questions, and students swarmed the teacher's desk. I
couldn't help but thinking there must have been a more effective way to teach the lesson
that would be conducive to student learning. While it will definitely take more time on
the planning part, I hope to continually enhance lessons with different teaching strategies.
Maybe it's not always best to do things "by the book".
October 31, 2011
Blog 3
Today I observed in an art classroom that saw students at every grade level from
kindergarten to fifth grade. While I do not particularly have any interest in teaching in a
specials area, I have realized through my Understanding Art class here at Ivy Tech that I
will have many opportunities to incorporate art lessons into my general education
classroom. In addition, being a strong believer in Gardner's Theory of Multiple
Intelligences, I understand that I will have students that learn in many different ways. It
will be my responsibility to provide learning experiences that will engage and interest all
learners. Art is something I have never enjoyed or thought myself to have much talent in,
but through coursework I have realized I can still use this medium to enhance other
lessons and subjects. This is the thinking that went into my decision to observe the
elementary art teacher today.
Previously I stated that I observed in an art classroom. I guess I should revise that
statement considering this particular elementary school no longer has the space for art
class to take place in a room of its own. Instead the students remain in their classroom
and the art teacher wheels a big cart to each room. I initially was thinking this must be a
huge burden to the teacher, and how much I would dislike not having my own room to
teach in. When mentioning this to him, his response caught me off guard and really made
me think. He stated that this would be the case if his happiness in his job depended on his
own comfort. He reminded me, however, that getting his students excited and interested
in art was his primary goal and that could happen in any old room. His enthusiasm and
love for teaching was inspiring. He entered every classroom with a huge smile on his
face, even though he was heaving a large, cumbersome cart. He immediately burst into
song, and the students knew to have supplies out before he was finished. Every classroom
throughout the day was excited when art class began and worked cooperatively on
projects. I was impressed with the control the teacher had over each class, even though he
was not in his own space. This showed me that learning could take place in any situation.
Had the teacher been negative about his less than ideal circumstances, the students would
have taken on this attitude as well. This was a great lesson for me to take away on how
our attitudes can transpire and greatly affect student learning... in both positive and
negative ways.
October 12, 2011
Blog 2
Today I had the opportunity to complete observation hours in a third grade
classroom at Selma Elementary School. Although I had previously worked in this
classroom as a paraprofessional, I was very excited to witness the new strategies for
reading instruction this particular teacher had implemented this school year. During the
previous school year, she had identified a need for differentiated reading without
grouping students according to ability. I was skeptical at first because I thought there was
no way she could accomplish this efficiently without grouping. I soon realized I had
definitely underestimated her and her desire for student success.
Starting with this school year each classroom was required to devote a one and a
half hour block to language arts. This classroom’s block took place from 8:30 to 10:00. I
thought to myself that this was quite a long time for students to stay focused, but I was
soon reminded of the teacher’s tendency to implement Gardner’s Multiple Intelligence
Theory into her lessons. She gathered the students to the reading corner to discuss the
genre, setting, and plot from the weekly story in the students’ anthology. The students
used white boards to illustrate answers to questions she posed. At this point, they began
the Daily 5. This is where they broke apart into 5 different activities, each lasting 15
minutes before they switched. One activity had each student pick a partner to listen to
him/her read a short book individually selected for reading level. Another group
individually read their selected books to themselves. A third group worked independently
on their spelling assignment: rainbow spelling. Group four played a vocabulary game
incorporating words the students had selected from their individual books. The last group
worked on haiku poems. The teacher monitored each activity, and even logged what each
group accomplished into a chart in a binder. The whole process moved very smoothly,
and I was impressed with the students’ eagerness to monitor their own learning.
Did this take a little extra effort and work on the teacher’s part? Absolutely.
However, I strongly believe this approach to teaching reading will achieve higher student
success than previous years. I admire this teacher’s effort to differentiate her teaching and
meet her students where they are in their learning.
October 5, 2011
Blog 1
On Friday, September 30, 2011 I had the opportunity to volunteer at Second
Harvest Food Bank as part of Ivy Tech’s Days of Service. To be completely honest, I
really was not looking forward to this at first because I did not understand the connection
it had to practicum hours in a classroom. It was not that I didn’t see it as a good cause; I
believe I just caught up in thinking that field experience in education could only be
gained in the actual traditional school setting. I found myself wondering how
volunteering at a food bank could possibly benefit my educational process. As the day
progressed, I soon began to realize that this experience did indeed have a direct
connection to the career I will soon embark on.
When our group first arrived, we were taken into a room to learn about the
Second Harvest Organization. We were educated about their history and process, but
most importantly about the issue of hunger our community is experiencing. The issue of
hunger MY future students are experiencing. Suddenly this became very real to me, and I
saw the importance of understanding the depth of this need. I was able to see how this
will directly impact my classroom, and why I need to be educated and aware. As I spent
the morning bagging items to be delivered to families, I reflected on my new
understanding, which led me to realize how important it will be to educate my students as
well. I began to envision a classroom that is actively involved in community service. I
like to imagine that my students will learn that they have the skills and the responsibility
for helping those less fortunate, maybe even peers in our own classroom.
This particular event was definitely a learning experience for me. While it was not
in a traditional practicum setting, it still presented an opportunity for growth and learning.
It helped me to better visualize and understand the connection between classroom and
community, which will be of great importance in my professional career. Perhaps more
importantly, it led me to realize the potential for learning in all experiences and to remain
open minded.
Reflection: The opportunity for practical experience and deep reflection through blog
writing contributed to a tremendous amount of growth in this particular principle. I
gained a deeper level of understanding of what goes into actually implementing a full
lesson plan in the classroom. I learned the planning process goes through a lot of trial and
error, and that a lesson plan is only successful if the students learn and grow through it. I
have found that effective lesson planning requires plenty of research and practice, and it
is always important to gauge student understanding before and after the plan is
implemented.