Lots of Learning

My field experience has been wonderful! I've enjoyed every moment in the classroom learning more about 3rd grade. Today we had a substitute in charge of class, she is such a sweet lady! She was really good about connecting with the students, being positive and upbeat, and treating every student with kindness. Today I had a different opportunity to help in the classroom. As the substitute teacher was reading aloud to the class her allergies kicked in and put her into a bad coughing fit. Because of this she had a difficult time talking and continued to cough until her allergy medicine kicked in, but until that time I was able to instruct the class on what they needed to do with their homework and planners, and was able to read to the later gaters. As I read to the later gaters, we were suppose to stop after every page and point out key meanings in the book. I was able to discuss with the class about different key points in the book with the students. The sub's voice finally came back and we were able to work together to teach. It was a great experience to help where I was needed and see how I do in the teacher's role for about 15-20 mins.
Right before I started reading, one of the students in the class told me that he thought I was going to be a great teacher someday. That made me feel so happy!
Afterwards I read with a few students individually in the hall. I am so excited whenever I get to interact with the students and I can tell that they enjoy it as well.

From my field work experience I have learned that children and so curious about their world and want to understand how things work. They have big imaginations and sweet spirits. I've learned that being a teacher includes many different roles and that it's certainly not an easy profession, although I understand more about the great rewards that come with teaching students. Through this experience I have even grown to care for many of the students in the class that I see every week, and don't really want to stop volunteering!

Classroom Rules and Procedures

Today in the 3rd grade classroom, I noticed a couple things that the teacher does to enforce classroom rules. She always give them praise if they are doing something right. For example, if they are listening, raising their hand before they speak, and effectively following directions she will thank them for their good behavior. Every child wants to be praised, so eventually more and more children will make good choices so they can be recognized for their good behavior as well. The teacher also mentioned another thing she does to enforce classroom rules which is to set routines. If the students understand what they need to be doing and know the next activity or assignment they are less likely to get in trouble and more likely to follow directions and not fool around. She recently started a new rewards system as well. If a student does something correctly or has good behavior they are given a "penny" which is a paper version of a penny. She has a classroom store with  many different items which costs a certain amount of pennies. If a child makes a wrong choice they owe her a penny from their stash.

The teacher has many different procedures that she does to help the class run smoothly. She has the children always raise their hands to make a comment so no child is speaking over another. When everyone is listening together at the big rug she gives instruction for a small period of time, then allows the children to repeat the instructions to their neighbor which allows them to engage with each other and recall their responsibilities. When talking time is over, she counts down from 5 to 1 allowing the children to finish their thoughts and reach silence by 1. The children are very good about being completely quiet again by 1. She mentioned that transitions can be the most difficult time to make the class run smoothly. At the beginning of the school year, she use to wear a stop watch around her neck and time the children on how long it took them to get from one thing to another. She would tell them their time and challenge them to make it even shorter. This motivated to children to see what their shortest time could be. As weeks went on she would slowly stop using the stop watch, but by that time the students were use to making speedy and productive transitions between activities.

Halloween!

Today was the funnest day at school! I forgot how much fun Halloween can be in elementary school. All the children and teachers were dressed up and had tons of fun through activities and games. Today wasn't a hard day to discover strategies that the teacher uses to help the children be actively engaged. Everything was themed around Halloween, which children loved. When I came into the room the teacher started with a game called "Don't Eat Pete." The children were to get into small groups and place pieces of candy on spooky faces on their playing board. One child left from the group and the others as team would decide which spooky face would be "Pete." Once Pete was decided, the child could come back and try to avoid choosing Pete, picking up candy along the way. If they picked up the candy on Pete's face, everyone would shout DON'T EAT PETE! At that point the child would stop taking candy and start over with someone else leaving the group and the rest would choose the new Pete. The game allowed the children to have fun, count candy, and work as a team developing strategies for choosing Pete. It was fun to see the children work together in this game. After the game, I helped pass out the fruit of the day. It was the craziest fruit I have ever seen. It almost looks like an evil fuzz ball! It's called a Rambutan which comes from Indonesia. After the Early Birds left, the teacher used a Halloween book for reading time to help engage the children. Afterwords they had the options of reading or working on a Halloween packet full of spooky pictures to color and Halloween themed word and math activities. I read to the children one at a time in the hall, and talked with them for a few minutes about their costume and fun plans for the evening. 

Here is a picture of the fruit that we passed out today. It was certainly a fun day!

The Role of Teachers

Teachers have so many roles in the classroom! As I observed the 3rd grade classroom today, I paid particular attention to all the things the teacher did. Besides being an educator, she is a mentor, tutor, helper and learner. Some of her roles went outside of the norm. For example today all the 3rd graders got together to rehearse a play they are putting together. The 3rd grade teacher I observe is in charge of the sound crew. Not only was she in charge of putting on this production, but was the leader over the sound crew helping the children know how to play their instruments and when to play them. She's a manager over the classroom with time, materials, and energy. She is a motivator, a conflict management facilitator, a literature expert, and a math wiz. There are so many labels that I didn't even realize. Being a teacher almost reminds me of being a mom. A mom is also a teacher, nurturer, nurse, motivator, mentor, helper, etc. So many roles!

In the dialogue response this week I talked about what I believed was the biggest role of a teacher. I feel like I still stand by what I thought then. A teacher must shape the minds of the children who will run the future. A very big responsibility! I think the most difficult thing as a teacher would be to make sure that every child is helped in the capacity that is needed. That is something I think every teacher struggles with only because of how short each year is! In the article provided I loved reading this quote: "teaching is recognized as one of the most challenging and respected career choices, absolutely vital to the social, cultural, and economic health of our nation." It makes me feel great knowing how important my intended future career will be. The role of a teacher incorporates a much bigger picture than I think anyone could imagine.

Assessment

In the 3rd grade classroom, the teacher does something specific during reading to make sure the students understand how to sound out words. During an hour of reading every student completes a word hunt. For this assignment they must find 10 words that fulfills the required word sounds for that day. They write down those 10 words in their notebooks in columns under the appropriate sound indicated. The teacher looks through the notebooks to assess whether the children are understanding how to sound out words and what words they need help with. While the children are reading, the teacher frequently calls the children up for individual assessment on their reading. They read to her and she gives them corrections and encouragement.

During an assignment today the children were taught how to read a timeline. In order to assess whether they understood, the teacher read a story with clearly marked times and events. The students were assigned to fill out a timeline marking what happened and when with brightly colored markers. This helped the teacher understand if they knew how to use a timeline by how well they could record an activity, at what time it happened, and where to mark it on their timeline maps.

IDEA

Today as I observed and worked in the 3rd grade classroom, I noticed a few elements that are incorporated with IDEA. Under IDEA, children have the right to a least restrictive environment. This basically allows the children the opportunity to have access to the best environment for learning. Today I noticed that one of the students, who is regularly off task more, was put in the front during the reading lesson so he would be able to focus easier. He generally has a difficult time paying attention and cannot sit still very long. I thought this was a great way to enable the best learning environment for him so he could hopefully take more from the lesson by sitting in front.  In general the classroom supports a least restrictive environment by providing appropriate and comfortable working spaces for children, a library set aside for reading, children's artwork posted around the room, and organized materials. While the children are reading, the teacher interviews each student to see where they are in their reading, if they need specific help, and how they have improved.

Another way IDEA has been implemented is through smaller groups. In the morning at the start of the day, only about 7 children come to school for about an hour before the rest of the children arrive. This group is called the Early Birds. Because this group is so small, the teacher can work with them on a more intimate level. Near the end of the day Early Birds leave and the Later Gaters stay to complete the same hour of instruction that the Early Birds received that morning. This way the entire class receives more one-on-one time with the teacher for extra help. As everyone knows, it is easier to help everyone in a smaller group than a larger group. I think this is an awesome idea to get to know your students more and be able to take time for each one of them.

Last day in Resource

A couple different things happened today on my last of in the resource room. When I talked in the teacher asked me to help two students with a math game they were playing to help memorize their prime and composite numbers. One of the students needed almost constant help and supervision to get a good score on the game. The other student was a little better but needed occasional tips but was quicker with internalizing and understanding prime and composite numbers. I followed the student that needed extra help to her classroom to help her more. The teacher informed me that this was one of her more needy students that required lots of help. I sat next to this 4th grader and helped her write down notes during the history discussion. The class was studying some of the early acts of the 1700's. The class was instructed to write down notes on a special paper. The student I helped didn't know what to write or where to write it even when the teacher explained it to the class. She seemed very confused. She is also very small and frail for her age and had facial features that could indicate a specific disability. I often had to repeat what the teacher said to her and prompt her on what to write on her notes. She was never defiant, only confused. If she didn't have me sitting next to her she wouldn't have finished the assignment in time like all the other children at her table.

When I returned to the resource room, I was asked to read with a group of 5th graders. I have read with them before, but today they were especially rowdy. Two of the three girls were whispering to each other and either kneeing or laying on the floor. After firm direction, I got them to sit back in their seats. The third girl is usually happy, but today she was sad and a little mopey. She didn't want to read, didn't want to follow along, and was fiddling with her bookmark. Afterwards I over heard this girl speaking with the teacher, apparently the two other girls were whispering about her which made her sad and embarrassed. I had no idea that was happening! I don't know how I missed that, but I wish I could have been more sensitive with her and more stern with the other two girls. The last group that came in included about four kids. The first boy wouldn't sit on his seat. After not listening to the teacher, he was asked to sit in another seat and then warned that he would be sent back to his classroom. He started back talking the teacher a little being defiant, then didn't want to incorporate himself in any other activities. The other children really enjoy working with the teacher.

Working in resource has been very enriching. I have seen how the teacher interacts with the children and how the children are able to grow from her instruction. I can see how some children just need extra help and guidance and that many of them have challenges from their home life that can affect their day at school. I believe the greatest thing we can teach these kids is that they are cared for. Knowing that will be the best thing they internalize.