Classroom Reflection

My time spent in the Clinical setting, so far, has been extremely inciteful as to how to become a better educator in a classroom setting. Through the data I collected I was able to connect Borich’s Seven Variables of learning to the students. By being in the clinical setting for nearly two months, I have been exposed to new ways of thinking when it comes to structuring a classroom and instructing a classroom. Within this reflection you will find out how I would better plan an effective lesson for the pupils in my future classroom. You will also discover what I will do about certain issues in the classroom and how I will address/fix them.

In Miss. Hooker’s classroom she never makes a problem, just the student’s problem, but a problem they share and can fix together. Once the student would see that Miss. Hooker wanted to help them, they were very less offensive and were happy to have someone on “their side”. Another big thing I learned was to use every resource out there. She uses so many different websites and reading materials to get ideas, and talks to other teachers or other adults, she does not limit her circle of information. I also learned that sometimes it is true what they say “less is more”. In Miss Hooker’s classroom I almost felt claustrophobic. There were so many posters/resources on the walls, and every shelf was pilled full of books or totes, I was very over stimulated by the clutter. The stuff was not useless junk, it was mainly books, and different learning materials but there was so much stuff out that I do not think half of it got used. One big thing I realized is you cannot fix everything. There was always someone that had a hurt body part or did not feel good. Yes, Miss Hooker would show compassion to this matter, but she did not stop everything to try to best accommodate the student either. If she would have done something to accommodate every student she would have never been able to complete a lesson.

During CURR 305 I observed Mrs. Burkett’s high school health education class. Reflecting on my experience in her I class I observed many of her strengths as a teacher that are very beneficial to her students. One of her strengths is that she has a positive influence and personality. She is very easy going but is also strict at the same time. She is also a very patient person. Without patience I believe that a teacher will get frustrated easily and might handle situations the wrong way that could potentially cost them their job or burn out. A big thing that stood out and that I noticed was that her classroom is all about respect. Respect for yourself and respect for others. She doesn’t tolerate put-downs, one person speaks at a time and the students must be on time and prepared. She said that, especially with the sensitive topics discussed in a health classroom, respect is the most important thing. Students need to feel comfortable asking questions and participating in activities. She told me that if she had an opportunity to change professions, she wouldn’t. Many of Mrs. Burkett’s strengths have helped me in forming my disposition as a future teacher.

I believe a teacher must acquire appropriate skills in order to be successful and effective while teaching her students. Teachers should be trustworthy, approachable, encouraging, respectable, and understanding. Teachers can create a safe learning environment which will allow for equal opportunities for students. By providing a safe learning environment, students have the ability to reach their full learning potential, and can go above and beyond the goals they have set for themselves. During my time as a pre-service teacher, I had the opportunity to observe a well-respected teacher who not only earns respect from her students but gives respect in return. It is evident that Mrs. Birdsong makes a point to develop a relationship with each of her students in order for them to be successful during their short time in her classroom. She has created an

She says her teaching style is student centered and that she likes to “guide students so that they can discover information on their own”. The most important rule in her classroom is “to show respect

If one were to spend time in Mrs. D’s classroom, one would quickly notice the established classroom structure. While Mrs. D does not have many rules posted around the classroom, there are several rules and procedures that have been established to ensure that the class is an effective learning environment. For example, the students know that they are supposed to be settled down in their seats and ready to work by the time the tardy bell rings. They also know that unless their seat assignment was changed the previous day, they have assigned seats. Furthermore, since Mrs. D does not spend a significant amount of class time disciplining students or calling attention to misbehaviors, the students know that if

As I reflect over my duration as an educator, I ask myself the question, am I providing the best possible learning environment for every child in my classroom. Through experience, I have learned that through relationship building and everyday experiences which take place in either a classroom, at home, or any other stimulating environment, shape the way children learn. When I think about learning in my class, I think about constant improvement, the importance of professionalism in the classroom, and constant reflection.

After reading all the guidelines and examples, I realized that these ideas are very helpful with engagement in the classroom. The Industrial Tic Tac Toe caught my eyes because I am actually using it to complete this assignment and it gives me complete autonomy over my work, which is the point. When trying to engage students, I learned from the guidelines, is that you should give your students autonomy and when you give them choices, they're more willing to engage. Using the Tic Tac Toe assignment is a good way for engagement. When I have my classroom of 6th graders, I want to use this assignment method so that my students have choices. I would also probably do this once a week and give them the whole week to hand it in whenever. I feel

As part of the district’s goal to increase student engagement in the classroom, teachers are asked prioritize relationships when handling discipline rather than to use solely punitive measures. To support this initiative, the district has called upon Dr. JoAnn Freiberg from the State Department of Education. For the past two years, Dr. Freiberg has provided training to all administrators and any new teacher entering the district. The idea is to create the capacity amongst staff to use strategies that will allow students to recognize their wrongdoing and think about what they can do differently in future situations. This notion requires a shift in mindset away from simply punishing students every infraction.

I found the parent panel very informative – I loved being able to hear from parents about their opinions on important school related subjects such as new teachers, multicultural education, and homework. Personally, the most interesting aspect of the panel was listening to the parents speak about their thoughts on multicultural education. All four parents expressed that they did not see the importance of multicultural education being included in their child’s school curriculum. One parent explained that her daughter’s school has a culture night where families can come dressed up in clothing specific to their culture and bring ethnic food dishes. However, this parent said that she is fine with that being the only multicultural aspect in her daughter’s school. I found these statements interesting due to another class I am currently taking – ED 525 – whose sole purpose is the implementation of multicultural education into classrooms. In the class, the professor stresses how multicultural education is one the most important aspects of a school’s climate; I was surprised to hear from parents who did not agree.

In my twenty hours of observation I have learned quite a bit about how a teacher does an ever challenging job, which includes monitoring students’ behavior, making sure each and every student is involved in an active learning environment, and creating a safe, yet creative classroom environment. The teacher I observed was amazing at her job, and by watching as she interacted with the students, I could see the impact that a teacher truly has on a student. I have even learned that classroom organization can change how a student learns, and during my observation the teacher shared with me that by organizing her classroom in a central facing manner, she was able to draw attention to herself as she stood at the focal point in the classroom. This allowed the teacher to draw the students’ attention to her and away from any distractions that may have arisen in the classroom. I had also noticed how organized other material was in the classroom from course related books to the classroom rules and behavior guidelines. The students seemed to follow the rules better in this classroom with clearly labelled and organized behavior guidelines and rules unlike other classrooms that I have observed in the past.

2.    I am an activist. Walking into ETST 111 on the first day I was excited to critically analyze the history and repercussion of predominate movements that have undoubtedly affected the way in which society works today. Moreover, I was intrigued as to how my previous work as an activist will translate in my academic strives to understand what great movement building concepts are. The simple congregation of the class serves as a median to begin dialogue. I was curious to see how the structure of the class was going to mediate the aforesaid. In this part of the assignment, I will critically analyze how effective and ineffective the course structure, content, format, grading and decision-making process was for the class:

Teaching can be a challenge, you never know what to expect and each classroom will be unique. However, you will always have to be prepare for teaching in a situation you may not be comfertable with. Educating students and practicing proper knowledge on subjects such as race, class, gender, sexual orientation and disability are vital in creating a safe and respectful classroom for all. School is often looked upon as a place of security for students and it is our job as teachers to help maintain that status.

The teacher that I observed at the school was observing at was authoritative. She was warming and demanding towards her student 's. The teacher’s approach to classroom management at the school I was observing was she would teach her lesson on the carpet at circle time and then she would have the children transition to the

I witnessed many different personalities and new discipline techniques when it comes to listening when the teacher is speaking. While I observed the teacher I picked up on one key objective that never left her teaching style, respect and caring for others. The teacher taught the students that it is okay if you are not the best at a sport, or if your team loses, life does not revolve around winning. Being who you are as a person an continuing to grow and form new relationships is more satisfactory in life than whether you win or lose a game.