Personal Reflections

Personal Reflections

I did not really have many questions at first, but now that I have viewed how "Teachers" interact with students and the impact they leave on them, can be quite rewarding. I also feel that the personal frustrations that can come with this kind of career is only due to not being able to enjoy what you do. The teacher I observed was very resourceful AND confident in her content area, and I think that is what I have realized that is the most important thing one as a teacher needs. If you do not like what you do in life, then the unhappiness you carry will unfortunately be bestowed on others.

I have always wondered what would be my cause in life when I grew up, and by no doubt I have found it!!!

FIN

END

GODSPEED

Interaction with Teachers and Students

Interactions with other Teachers and Staff

I was introduced to other staff, and teachers from the beginning of my field placement, it was a very active and goal oriented campus. I did not see a lot of teacher to teacher collaboration and or engagement, because I was situated in a classroom that specialized in my content level of study. But when I did go to the office and or the lounge area, I did view the interacting of the teacher support system in the school. I also viewed professionalism amongst them, which let me know that the school supported a very resourceful district and student goal oriented system. I did not lead any group activities, but did aid the teacher in helping several students one to one when they fell behind, or when they had been absent the day before, by explaining activity, and or worksheet. No school extracurricular activies were done in this class room.

Technology Integration

Teacher uses different kinds of Methods to deliver effective technology instruction to students

From the very start of class, the students walk-in to see the over head projector on showing the "question of the day" question on the overhead screen. Teacher uses various types of multimedia tools to illustrate needed lesson information, and also to provide students with current instructional information, she did not state any kind of special software she used, other than the Internet. Teacher also demonstrates lesson information via the laptop computer with online communication, there she shows them videos such as "brain pop". She also researches words or phrases when students don't understand, or if they ask of a certain topic related to lesson. At the time of engaging in experiments, teacher uses digital camera to take pictures of activity being done. Overall, teacher is very knowledgeable in the use of all needed equipment used in classroom, this also communicates to the students of the importance in learning how to use technology for learning! I would use this kind of technology as well with my students and permitting, I would try to incorporate a possible type of blackboard kind of tool, because it can start teaching students to learn how to take control of keeping up with their own school work, and at the same time it can teach them responsibilities.

Instructional Planning

Lesson planning comes easily for this Teacher, she has been an instructor for many years.

This Teacher stated she incorporates different kinds of lesson plans, but at the same time guides herself with the "5 e" method of instruction. She also said that she integrates them and creates different plans throughout year, basing them on the needs and evaluations of the students. She uses a state and district alignment instructional objective because she needs to follow age-appropriate curriculum, needs of assessing students in regards to prior knowledge, current skills, and school/district goals. Teacher does provide and support students with opportunities of reflection, with self-assessement by the use of their journal kept.

Classroom Management

Teacher has set of Rules and Agenda written on Board

Teacher starts beginning of class with greeting students at the door and reminds them to retrieve "Journal" that is worked on daily. She has them open Journal and instructs them to write Agenda information, as it changes on a daily basis. Student know procedure as has become a routine in this classroom.

Teacher has handed them a set of Rules to follow, and they have that posted inside their Journal.

Students know procedure, and consequences of Classroom Rules.

Homework, assignments, going to the restroom, and lunch time are enforced by Teacher on a constant basis. Students also know that if they do not follow the rules, they will in turn loose experiment activity time, and that also means that they will impact their peers as well. Teacher has very good control of the class, because she is constantly reminding them about how much fun it is to do experiments, and students have effectively realized this, she puts their name on the board and if there are any names at the end of the day, the next day they are not allowed to do EXPERIMENTS, but will have to work on a worksheet activity. This kind of enforcing gives them an incentive to not want to break the rules!!!

Lesson Observation

Physical and Chemical Changes

Introduction to this lesson started with gaining the student's attention by means of a question.

The teacher asked students if they knew the difference between a physical and a chemical change? She asked them if crushing a sugar cube and dissolving it in water, was a physical or a chemical change? Some students said it was physical, and others said it was a chemical change.

Teacher let them reflect on the question and at the same time, demonstrated the process in front of them, and informed them of today, they would be learning the difference between a physical and a chemical change, she also linked the question to students prior lesson knowledge. Students who said it was a chemical, said " You see, Ms. the sugar is gone with the water! She also gave another example of water and ice cubes, showed them water in a bottle, and then ice-cubes already made, and asked them if the water changed? Students were not sure of what to answer and this made the activity more interesting to all of them. Teacher explained that if the ice cube had something different in it other than water, and students then realized, that the ice cube was still water, but in a different form of matter.

Teacher explained to them that when you have an element and it does not create a new substance, that it is considered to be a physical change, that only when an element creates a new substance, that it is then a chemical change! Students loved the example, and became fully engaged.

She then had them watch a "brain pop video" explaining changes, and put them into groups to work on the activity. She went around the desks, becoming available to them, not only monitoring them, but explaining questions asked, and at the same time assessed their comprehension on worksheet activity. Even though this was a worksheet activity, teacher applied manipulating procedures of showing water and sugar cube, to reflect real-world produced products using a kinesthetic learning approach.

Students

Students consisted of only six for this class setting. The assessment of their behavior was of positive academic performance, because it exhibited

management of class kept by the teacher. At times some of the students

were funny, but it did not bring upon any negative events of any kind. Some students personality portrayed that of being extraversion, and were therefore always trying to explain, wanting to answer everything, and making gestures or facial expressions. Others were more introversive, but either way they all got along and collaborated to do experiments and to adhere to rules in order to keep on doing hands-on experiments, as that was one of the classroom rules. Most memorable moment was when doing a food color experiment some of the students were fast to get all their hands full of color, meaning that at any given moment, students are quick to do almost anything, those were in part to me as the most funny moments, because students wanted to show off to their audience, which was us, the observers! Rewarding moments in this class were when students showed facial expression of awareness to the experiments being done.

Classroom Arrangement

Teachers Desk was in middle front of classroom. Students desks were right in front of her desk and in the middle of their desks was an overhead projector and only one laptop computer in room, where teacher instructed them via the overhead that projects towards the wall behind her. There was a room with lock and key where all equipment and materials are kept. Displays and bulletin boards displayed periodic table, and several scientific methods, pictures of science equipment such as the microscope, glassware etc.

There were no filing cabinets. There was bookshelves that had science/chemistry books used by both students and teacher for instruction. A storage box was next to the entrance door, that kept the students journal notebook they retrieve daily. The board displayed classroom rules and school uniform policy, and also an agenda that changed daily depending on the lesson planned. There was also laboratory tables with sinks for all students, where experiments are conducted.

Mentor Teacher

The Teacher I observed has been teaching for past twenty eight years, and teaches the sixth grade level. She had a very professional demeanor about her. She stated she had become a Science teacher because she remembered how she loved doing science experiments when she was in grade school, and wanted to be able to give back to students what had been given to her. Her teaching style was very precise, as she carries a lot of experience in her field content (science). She was also very well prepared with her daily lesson planning, and not to mention class management! I really enjoyed being part of her class the days I observed her, because she modeled what a teacher should be like, and was also very concise and thorough in her instruction to the students, never showing them any disrespect and or negativeness. The advice she gave to me as a new teacher, was to be concise, persistent, and to also be aware that not all students learn at the same level. She also told me to learn to modify lessons in that regard, and to always keep improving my teaching skills. She also motivated the students by describing ways for them to make a difference in our own environment by taking action and initiative in ways they can make a difference.

School

Middle School in Edinburg, Texas

The setting for this school consisted of a relaxed atmosphere as you entered, the attendance office displayed attendance personal that were very courteous and friendly. There were various trophies displaying the schools sports accomplishments, and trophies of recognition of students as well. as you left the attendance area, you walked into the cafeteria, where there was a podium that had an school security officer present. There was no intimidation as you walked into this school and it showed in the students was well. The faculty and student body wore uniforms displaying their school name and colors.

The principal, and faculty that I interacted with, were very professional and offered to be of assistance. Displaying of leadership effectiveness and performance , including many different state college flags reflected on the several walls of the school, including the hallways and cafeteria; promoting self confidence for students and creating a meaningful guidance of higher learning knowledge and thinking for our future citizens!