Field Experience: Week #5

      If their is one thing that has taken me by surprise this semester it is how fast time seems to go; their are some days where it feels as though time is going slower than molasses but when we really take a step back and look at it time is going faster than we can fathom. I can't believe I'm already on week five of my placement; I feel like I've been going a lot longer than five weeks.
      
      They say that time goes by fast when you're having a good time. I guess I could say that these past five weeks have been a good time. My cooperating teacher is wonderful; she has allowed me to be apart of the classroom. I pass out papers, help get experiments ready, and help students with any questions that they may have. I love being able to interact with the students and getting to know them as individuals.
 
   One thing that I have found interesting is my willingness to help students with their math. Growing up math was always one of my weakest subject areas; fourth grade was one of those times where I needed extra help. To be able to help students with the one subject that caused me so many tears and frustrations over the years is a beautiful testimony of how every situation and barrier is only for a season. I like how my teacher pushes her students to think on their own; she asks them to dig deeper and to explain in detail. It's easy for students to know the answer to a question but when asked to explain that's when they find themselves stuck.

      A way that my time at my school has applied to Education 203 is that each student is an individual. When talking with the students I try to use their name so that they know that I'm acknowledging their presence. I love when people use my name when speaking to me it makes me feel good that they only want to address me and want to know how I am personally.

      

Field Experience- Week #2

         Before arriving for my second week of placements I was quite excited to finally see my students again. I could see from the students faces a since of recognition and happiness when they saw me enter the classroom.
          
        One thing that I noticed my teacher do when trying to gain the attention of the class, she would ask them to give her five. That means she raises her hand and expects them to follow suite. I like this method because instead of yelling out she uses a quiet yet effective method. Another teaching technique that my teacher uses with her students is she tells them to further explain their answers to questions. Instead of one worded answers she asks them to expand on that thought. I also noticed my teacher taking on another hand on approach with science curriculum. The lesson for the day was on magnets so she passed around a couple of rocks and asked the what had to be in the rocks in order for them to attract the magnets.
      
           I had a very interesting conversation with my teacher about the change in common core standards specifically in the area of math. The 4th grade teachers are having to work backwards and to go back to multiplication and division but student's now have to explain how the operations work by using different explanations. The explained to me her frustration with this new method and the changing that she has to do in her teaching after 20 years. As I watched the students working on their math I  knew that it was very challenging for many of them. I do not remember learning what they were learning at that age. She even went on to mention the ISAP and that everything that they were covering would be on the the test.  The pressure of these tests are too much for students to handle, it annoys me that these test are weighed so heavily in the Education system.
          
        One thing that I learned that can apply to Education 203 is that we never stop learning. Although my teacher has been teaching for 20 years she is still in the process of learning and developing new methods of how to teach her students.

Day #1: October 3, 2013 Field Experience

    To be honest before arriving to my placement  the main emotion that I felt was nervousness. Most of the experience I have working with students is from Kindergarten to 2nd grade but 4th grade this was a whole new crew. After I was introduced to the class and took my seat in the back I began to observe the class.
   
        Right away I knew that this 4th grade class was no different then my own years ago. The two subjects that I was apart of were science and math. One activity that I really liked that the teacher had her students do was a model of a series circuit and a parallel circuit. They formed a circle and held hands demonstrating electricity running through both a series and parallel circuit. I think anytime a hands on model can be done in the classroom it's generally beneficial because many students learn best with a visual representation.
         
          One thing that I thought was interesting was how the teachers choose to do math. Instead of having only their students, the students were transferred to a different 4th grade teacher. At the beginning of the year the students took a pre-test to see where they were in math. They were broken up into about 3 different categories; enrichment, average, and advanced. I think that my teacher taught the average students; the teachers rotate which group they are teaching. The students were learning multiplication and division factor families. One of the activities that they did and seemed to enjoy was a team game. The teacher divided them into groups of 4 or 5; each team received a white board, marker, and eraser. She wrote down three numbers on the board and the objective of the game was for the students to write the factor family on their board while working as a team. I like that the teacher reminded them that the activity was just for fun and that it didn't matter who won or who lost.
        
         A way that my first day applied to Education 203 is that we can learn from our students. Although 4th graders are young and still have a long ways before they're adults; I feel as though I can still learn from them. They  know how to be excited and to be goofy, sometimes this gets lost as we become adults but that doesn't mean that it's not important.
    
          The students were very excited to share with me about the books that they were reading. I loved their enthusiasm! It is great that students are excited to read and enjoy talking about books. It seemed as though having class time to read was a treat for them.
 
  I'm excited to go back for day #2 with my 4th grade class!

Giggles, Laughs and Good Times!

This following is a reflection on my second trip to Circle Urban Ministries on October 4, 2013:

               Before arriving to Circle Urban on October 4th I thought I knew what to expect but little did I know. A few of us were given the option to work with the 4th, 5th, and 6th grade students; I jumped at the opportunity. "Finally!" I thought to myself  "I can work with the younger kids."  When we finally walked into the room full of 4th, 5th and 6th graders I knew the day would be an adventure! As I looked around the classroom filled with about twenty boys and seven girls between the ages of 8-12 years old I knew that we were in for a journey. The table that I worked with was a group of three fourth grade boys.As I walked closer to their table I could already hear their giggles and see their smiling faces. Here we go I told myself as I took a seat.

         The 4th grade boys that I worked with were a far cry in terms of maturity from the 7th and 8th grade students that I worked with my first day at Circle Urban. But on thing that was consistent is there goofiness and lightheartedness. They could still smile and laugh despite what might be happening in their environment. Their happiness reciprocated to me by the end of our time at Circle Urban I could laugh with them. One of my favorite experiences of the day was when I went  over to a table of 4th and 5th girls that were planning a wedding. I even gave them the ok to plan my own future wedding and they persisted in asking me questions on my wedding colors, bridesmaids, and cakes. They then went on to ask me which One Direction boy I want to marry and offered me their opinions of each one. They reminded me so much of myself at that age and I loved every minute of being with them.

            One thing that I have learned in Education 203 that I felt applied perfectly to my day at Circle Urban is the importance of loving our students. What I admired so much about working with the 4th, 5th, and 6th graders is the instructor that worked with them she was firm and had complete control over the class but still knew how to smile and laugh.
           

The Future is Bright!

This following is a reflection on my first trip to Circle Urban Ministries on September 27, 2013:
         
      Before my first day of joining Circle Urban Ministries I didn’t know what to expect in terms of what students I would be working with, what activities were planned and the type of reception I would receive from the students. While journeying towards Circle Urban Ministries I observed a change in the environment, as we drove further and further away from the Palos Heights area. Instead of being surrounded by a predominately Caucasian culture there were people of all cultures and ethnicities, this made me happy to see because as a minority I feel as though I can relate well with other minorities. The thought that I kept in my mind was that these kids are no different than the kids residing in the Palos Heights area and they should be treated the same. When we entered the room and finally saw the students I had to smile; this was me six years ago. The junior high years are a time of self-discovery and acceptance.  All it took was for me to have this moment of realization in order to channel myself six years prior, I was once them.

            What I discovered after Circle Urban was how much I love that the junior high age group can be goofy and light-hearted while still having moments of seriousness. My favorite moment was working with a student on her future goals, how she was going to achieve them, and who would help her.  She had high aspirations that were achievable. She knows the importance of studying for her tests and working hard for what she wants. In that time we were able to get to know each other a little better I learned her favorite movies, subjects, music, and colors. I loved to hear that her favorite subject was math because we need more students that love math it’s generally one of the most despised subjects in school. While we worked in the classroom she flew through her math assignment with absolutely no help.

            The repeated phrase that ran through my mind while spending the afternoon with the students was, “Student’s look up to college students more than rock stars.” This is something that I learned in Education 203. I’m excited to help these students make college or technical school a reality in their life and to answer any questions that they may want answered.  Most importantly I want to encourage them to keep their end goal in mind and that with God all things are possible.

As I continue to pursue my dream of becoming a teacher I want my students to know that despite any obstacles that they can pursue their own dream. I will use in my classroom the future goals chart that the students utilized in order to organize their goals and how to make them become a reality.