There were many things that I learned this week, particularly about how to handle problems in the classroom. I started to notice who were the primary offenders in the 4th grade classroom, who acted out not intentionally, but simply because they are still growing up. The students have gotten rather comfortable with me and my presence in the classroom, and now that it has been 2 weeks, I have become lumped into the "teacher" category, adding me to the pool of people with whom to test the thresholds with. I learned that its all about catering to a child's needs and rather than repermanding them for the things they do wrong. Miss Blessing is a prime and fantastic example of this theory. Instead of pointing out the behavioral faults, she asks them what it is that they SHOULD be doing and what they could be doing better. Its a very positive way to encourage children to change their behavior to an acceptable one, and it not only seems to bring greater success, but it doesn't diminish the relationship between student and teacher.
There we a few activities that I participated in that I definitely was apart of for a reason. I was the leader of a Math Station on Friday where we capped off their measurement unit by making a yogurt parfait that I created as a lesson plan. I think I participated in this as a way to get hands on teaching experience with running a small group, along with learning how to get the feel for the "flow" of how an activity can go and how to make changes on the spot. I had to adapt some aspects of my station due to small cup sizes, students disliking honey, and the distraction of eating while answering questions. Teaching, so I have learned, can resemble an improvisation in acting, you need to stay on your feet and be willing to change different aspects with any changing variables that may come up. I also began to teach my french class this week, something that was a main goal for my project. I planned out curriculum material and lesson plans, made a mini movie of my experience from france, and taught all different words, phrases, and cultural ideas. I was privileged enough to have this opportunity to teach both 1st and 4th graders French, and felt like i was given this opportunity so that I could get a feel for what being a teacher is all all about.
I will say that there were some surprises this week, for sure. I think the disciplinary factor was definitely something that hadn't even crossed my mind when I thought about how the week would go, and how it may affect me. I was interesting trying to find my place as an educator, observing senior from Proctor, and how to react to students acting out when working with me. I found it surprising that it wasnt that hard to handle the behavioral issues, and by handle I mean, simply "ignore" and gently coax the students back to working. I was pleased with myself for handling this so appropriately.
I really enjoyed everything that I did this week, and everything that I participated in was very beneficial. I feel like I really benefitted teaching french this week, one of my greater accomplishments, was something that will help me greatly and give me hands on teaching experience in language. I couldn't have asked for a better week filled with greater experiences because everything exceeded my hopes and goals. What a fantastic second week!
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