Week #8

    Before I started my fieldwork hours, I still wasn't sure what I wanted to major in.  I had changed my major 4 or 5 different times, and thought maybe I would give Elementary Ed a shot. I love kids, but never thought teaching was something that I would be interested in. Going to a class room each week completely changed my mind! After having spent over 20 hours in the classroom with these kids, I couldn't love them more than I do. I know teaching is what I need to do in order to make a difference in the lives of others.

    Even though I was only in the classroom with these kids for a short, I developed such a love for them! It was so rewarding to see these kids succeed each in their own individual way. The most important thing for me that I learned this semester, is that I want to be a teacher! I know that teaching is hard work, but the reward of changing the lives of these children make it all worth it. I still remember my favorite teach from elementary school, and I hope that someday I can be that teacher for these children, and make a huge impact on the lives of each one of them. 

Week #7

    The teacher I have been observing has been teaching for over 15 years and is very set in her ways. Her students know exactly what she expects and know the punishment if they do not follow the rules. The teacher has a chart in the classroom with various colors. Each of the students start in the same place every morning, but based on their behavior will either move up or down on the chart and receive different consequences or rewards. The chart shows exactly what the consequence is whether good or bad, and they know where they stand on the chart. If they are doing something that does not line up with what the teacher expects, all she has to say is "move your pin" and they students immediately know the behavior they are participating in is either good or bad.
   With the different levels of learning in the classroom, the teacher has to have a classroom that is very quiet. There are times when the students know they can be loud and have fun, but when they are working on certain things, they know the teacher expects it to be quiet. They have points on the board called a "yahoo" and an "oh man". When the students are exhibiting exceptional behavior, they get a "yahoo" point. At the end of the week if they have more "yahoos" than "oh man" points, they get extra recess time. 
   I think this teacher is very successful with the way she runs her classroom. Her students know what she expects and she always follows through with the consequences of her rules.

Week #6

   The teacher I have been working with always makes it a priority to keep her students engaged in the lesson or instruction she is giving. She has a job chart so that each student feels important and is more involved in the classroom. 
   As we do math in her classroom each day, she has the students physically work the problem with items she has given them. This keeps the students engaged in learning how to do the problems rather than just listening to her talk. They do worksheets together as a class rather than on their own, and she gives each student an opportunity to answer a question. 
    The teacher I observe also has a smart board in her classroom and lets the students engage in the lessons while using that. As we have been learning about synonyms and antonyms, they play a game on the board deciphering between the two and each child gets to take a turn learning that way.

Week #5

    

    I think being a teacher can be the most challenging thing, but also the most rewarding. As a teacher, it is hard to see kids struggle, yet also very rewarding to see them succeed. Teachers have to alter lesson plans according to the needs and learning styles of each child.
    The teacher I have been observing is very aware of each individual student's different needs. The first day I attended her class, she told me about each student sitting on the front row and why they were in the front. She told me the needs of each individual child and how she specifically wanted me to help them. 
   As I have helped this sweet boy the last six weeks and watch him struggle with ADHD and OCD, I can't help but think of him and how he will do in school in the long run. It is a struggle for him every single day, and all I want is for him to succeed. He succeeds everyday in his own way. Just getting one math assignment done is a big success. As he moves on throughout the years, it makes me wonder if he will always struggle with these things in school. It is hard to see your students go through hard things. As you grow to love these students, I would say that is one of the most challenging things. 

Week of 3/5/15

    This week my first graders are preparing for some testing. I helped prepare things that each student needs in order to be able to take the test, such as their login information. But I also helped them prepare as they reviewed things they have learned throughout the year. It is so exciting to see how far these kids have come in just the short time I have been attending their class. They have learned so much and have really started understanding the different concepts they are learning in order to do things on their own. 
    The student that I have been specifically working with throughout the semester really struggles and I worry about him. He is a smart boy and has lots of potential, but doesn't have the ability to focus and get problems done in the allotted time frame. In the short 6 weeks I have been attending this class, I have loved watching these students learn and grow. Each of these students have so much potential regardless of their test scores.

Week of 2/26/15

    In the class that I am currently observing, I work with a boy that has ADHD, OCD, and is bipolar. These three things combined make school a struggle for him every single day. He constantly has to have someone by his side to help him keep on track. The teacher of this class is very patient as she works with him and many other students and makes many changes to her lessons to accommodate various students.
    The specific accommodations she has made for this little boy really help keep him on task while also praising him. He has a chart on his desk and every time she sees him doing something good or staying on task, she gives him a mark, then a reward once his chart is filled. While I attend the class, I help students with various worksheets she gives them, reading, and math. He has a hard time focusing but also can't move on to the next problem unless everything on his desk is perfect. While I work with him, I repeat instructions and questions multiple times to help him stay on task while also praising him when he is staying focused. Many times I have seen the teacher allow him to leave assignments unfinished because he has given the best he can. 

Week of 2/5/15

    I went to a new class this week and this week was wonderful. I was in a classroom at a charter school this week that had about 12 students. I was able to work one on one with a couple of them and loved every minute of it. The kids were so enthusiastic and excited to learn. 
    The first student I worked one on one with was a student that needed a little extra attention. The teacher informed me he has OCD, ADHD, and is bipolar. I sat with him for nearly an hour and helped him stay on task and made sure he understood assignments. I helped him with his worksheets, through his math test, and helped him do some reading. As I was working with him throughout the day, I was able to see more clearly the different learning levels of each student. I was able to see how the teacher altered the lessons to fit each child's needs to help them.
    The students in this class loved the extra attention I was able to give them. Every student made sure to find something I could help them with, even if they understood the assignment well. I spent 3 hours in this class in one day and fell in love with the kids. They were truly excited to see a new face in the classroom and made me feel extra special. I know if I was a teacher the love that I would have for my students would be tremendous.