Last Day- Most Important Thing I Learned

Today was my last day with the kids, and I can honestly say that I am pretty sad! I grew attached to them and looked forward to seeing them every week. Luckily I finished now because basketball season is getting started and it would just get way too crazy! But even though it feels nice to finish the hours, I will miss them! As I was leaving, some of the kids made me things, and they were pretty sad. It was really sweet :)
Looking back on these last few months, it was truly just what I needed. I think that the most important thing that I learned, wasn't necessarily in the curriculum, but what I learned is that I am in the right major. I was pretty sure this is what I wanted to be doing, but having to go to a classroom, be with kids everyday, and see what the teacher has to do everyday was perfect! I know that it isn't going to be easy to get through everything that I need to, but it is exciting and I look forward to the day that I can have a class of my own. Overall, the most important thing that I learned is that I'm going to be an Elementary School Teacher one day!
If I was to think about another thing that I found extremely important, one of the talks with Mrs. M was pretty influential, and that was the talk about roles that a teacher plays. I didn't realize every little thing that teachers do, and what roles they play in kids lives. I learned that every student is different and needs something different from the teacher and it essential that you do that for them. You can't be the same with every student, it takes a lot of different styles of teaching and talking to the kids in order for them to truly understand the point that you are trying to get across and what you are trying to teach them.
Out of all of the great things I learned observing Mrs. Mazeika's classroom, the most important things I learned were to treat each child to their specific needs academically and socially, and that I definitely want to be an Elementary School Teacher :)

Classroom Rules

I decided that instead of asking the teacher this question, I would take a look around the room and ask the kids the questions. It was definitely interesting this way and fairly simple. Just by looking around the classroom I could see part of the wall designated for class rules. It was really cute, it had pictures and words describing the few classroom rules that they had. The rules were move quickly and quietly, treat others how you want to be treated, and treat the teacher with respect. I saw one specific way that she put these to use. When the kids were supposed to line up to go to an assembly, they did it quickly, but they were really loud. Mrs. M made the students go back to their desks and try it again. They did it a lot quieter that time.

When I asked the kids, they couldn’t think of what happens if they don’t follow the rules, but they definitely knew why they wanted to! Mrs. M has a few systems that she uses in order to help students want to be good. The first is individual incentive. When she sees you doing something good, she will ask you to put your name on a secret number chart. It is a chart from 1-100, and once it is full, she draws a number and that person gets a special prize. Next she has a stick on a base that she puts nuts on when the kids do something good in their table group. At the end of the week, whatever group has the most nuts, wins something. Lastly, there is the class system, which is similar to the group system. If the whole class is good, she will add nuts to the stick, and if they do something bad, then they get some of it taken away. I love that system because kids really respond well to it. It makes them want to be better and helps them and each other be accountable. I also like that Mrs. M doesn’t really have a lot of classroom rules, otherwise they would be harder to remember, making them harder to follow. 

Actively Engaging the Students

To start off the class I decided to start by counting how many questions she asked in a specific amount of time. I decided to look at the clock for just a minute and see. She asked about 10 questions, just about simple things, but it really just engaged the students. It seemed crazy that there were that many questions, but it made sense! Next, I observed a reading period, which was silent a lot of the time, but then she brought them to the back corner to describe a feature of books, this time it was status quo. Then she split them into groups and had them discuss what the status quo was in their books and how it changed. She then had them write it down and present it to a little bit of larger groups. I thought that was interesting because it made them be really involved, and then had them in a little bit larger of a scenario. Next, in social studied, she had them stand to answer true or false questions (stand if you think its true, sit if you think its false). That way everyone’s answer was heard and it worked out really well.
It seemed that she didn’t really have any big ways to involve them; it was just constant little things that made it work. She constantly was splitting them up into little groups and having them work for there in order for everyone to be heard. It was just like in the "active engagement" slide show. All of the options to do instead of pure independent work was used. She always had hands on projects for them to do as well in order to make her point work. For learning about simile's  they were able to draw a picture by numbers picture, and the kids worked together to figure it out. It was really cool to see that the ways used in the slideshow weren't just there for example, but it is actually used! 

A screen shot of my Roles of Teachers project

Most Important Role

When I asked my teacher this question, she found it difficult to answer. She took a second to think about it, but eventually came up with a great answer. She said at her particular school, she plays a different role. But more specific than that, with each child she plays a different role; not one more important than the other. She explained that at the school she is teaching at, it is middle class. It is not extremely high end, so she has students who have financial problems as well as some students who have difficult family situations. To one particular boy, she said that her most important role to him is to be a nurturer, to show that she cares and will listen. She is almost a mother figure to this child. Then there is the another boy that her important role for him is to keep him engaged. He is a quick learner and absorbs things fast, so she always has to be ready with new material to keep him learning.
She explained that at she has a friend that teachers in Highland and they were talking about this same thing. Her friend explained that her most important, yet most frustrating role is that of a communicator with the parents. In the higher end school, there tends to be more parental involvement, and they want to know exactly what is going on and want to make sure their child is getting the best education possible. Although it is overbearing, keeping the parents satisfied and involved, yet not controlling the situation is her most important role.
I think that Mrs. Mazeika put it perfectly, that although there are lots of different roles we will play, the most important role is specific to each child and their needs.

Assessments

I was interested to hear about how my teacher does assessments in each subject. She said that in each subject she does it slightly differently. In reading and writing she does it very personal and meets with each of the children. She has spelling tests that work on directly what the kids need, and has a word program that adjusts to every child. It is actually a very interesting program. Where the kids go wrong, the program adjusts just to them. I would definitely consider using that technique. They also have to have specific words, write sentences with them and draw pictures to show that they understand. With writing, they write stories and draw storyboards to express and show what they are feeling. Writing isn’t tested as specifically as some of the other subjects.

            In math she does what they we learned in the module. She does pre and post tests. She said she finds that so beneficial in math and a lot of the kids like it because they can see the progress that they are making. It really makes a difference. In science, the have unit tests at the end and a few quizzes in between. Since it is fourth grade, they have a large comprehensive final at the end. Social studies isn’t something as widely regarded state and nation wide, yet they still do have tests throughout.

            Overall, there are a lot of different techniques that she uses and she adjusts them for each of the subjects

Exceptional Students

The class that I am in right now has a few children who are exceptional. There is this one boy who is such a sweetheart, but has some learning difficulties. He has a low reading level and Mrs. M told me he came with a psychiatric handbook. It is great how Mrs. M works with him, actually with all the children. In the fourth grade, there is a whole range of level. She has a program that she goes off of called words my way and has a reading program that is specific for those all level; whether it is below grade level average or higher.

This one child in particular has some difficulties, but she takes the time to work with him, or have me work with him during the studies throughout the day. It seems that with every presentation of a new assignment or idea, she helps him to understand exactly needs to be done. There are also some other little students that have some small difficulties learning, and Mrs. M is sure to always have them at the front of the class and easily accessible. She has additional assignments for him, as well as is more lenient with his behavior, yet still strict enough. She knows how to work with him in order to make him work.

            I asked Mrs. M if she has ever had some ESL students in her class, and in her three years so far, she has had some. She said that it was difficult, because some of them don’t know a word of English. The next thing that she said really stuck out to me. She said that if you are teaching the way that you are supposed to be teaching, than it really shouldn’t be that much different than what you are already doing. She even brought up the learning modalities (in different words) saying that you need to teach to all those different ways, and if you are doing that in your daily classroom asyou should be, then it should be not much different with those who are ESL. She also said that you never assume that your students know, you just explain it anyways.