14 April- Field Experience weeks 1,2, and 3

I did my field work at Scera Park Elementary. My cooperating teacher was Mrs. Becky Weatherly and a teacher of the 4th grade. My field experience was different than everyone else because my situation is different. Right now I am only doing the program part time so I was not assigned to any school or teacher and only had to observe a classroom for the 3 week period. Because of this I was able to choose the school and teacher. That’s when I decided to go to the elementary school I attended when I was elementary age. I volunteered in Mrs. Weatherly’s class for the time everyone was doing field work.

As I was in the classroom, I learned a lot. While being in the classroom I got to do many different things. I graded papers, helped with all the paper work of being a teacher, I got to work in small groups and with individuals, and I was also left in charge of the class at times. This class was a very social class and loved talking with their neighbors. This made it challenging when the teacher left me in charge because they knew I wasn’t “boss”. As the week went on and the following weeks came, they started to know that when the teacher left the room, I was in charge.

From this experience in the classroom, I learned a little bit about classroom management. I realized that classroom management takes a lot of practice and planning. I learned that you need to know your students and you need to know what works best for your class. From comparing my experience with this recent field experience to other previous times in the classroom, I have realized that each class is different and each teacher is different in their techniques for management. There will be different students with different personalities and from different backgrounds each year. Each class will be different to manage.

My favorite part of the field was working in the small groups of students. When I worked with the small groups it would be anywhere from 3 students to about 6 students. I think this was my favorite part of field because I got to teach these students and help them learn. Since I wasn’t doing the same thing as everyone else in this class, I didn’t get the opportunity to get up in front of the class and actually teach a lesson. Working in the small groups was my opportunity to teach just a little bit. My overall field experience was definitely a good one. I learned a lot of things and took a lot from this teacher that I can use in my own future classroom.

This classroom didn't have very much new technology in it. the technology they had included: a projector and screen, and and ELMO, they used cd players to listen to reading, and they had a computer lab at the school. The technology they had at the school wasn't much different from what I had when I was in elementary school besides the ELMO. I had never seen an ELMO and thought it was pretty cool. It had the same purpose as an overhead projector. I didn't even know it existed until coming to this class. I do know that the amount of technology is increasing at elementary schools and that I need to keep up to date on the new technology. I know that I will need to know how to use the new technology.