Classroom Reflection Report

This movie, The Classroom, which was very interesting to watch, discusses all that goes on in the school system, the good and the bad. But it also shows how things at home can affect the way the student acts during the school day. This movie definitely makes you look at students that act out differently, instead of punishing them maybe we should all look deeper into the issue and find a way for the student to thrive and use school as an outlet.

One aspect of today’s class that I felt worked really well was Mrs. Wright’s morning routine. She welcomes the students into the classroom and asks them to use the restroom. If the restroom is full, she allows the students to go directly to the carpet where they can play with toys, such as blocks, magnetic blocks/shapes, and Lego fences. Mrs. Wright kept mental note of students who went to the bathroom and those who did not. Personally, I think it would be easier to have a checklist with ever student’s names on it, and place a check mark next to the student’s name after they use the restroom. This would ensure that all students go and would avoid accidents. It was very evident that the students were used to this routine because they were aware of what they should have been doing. Naturally, there were students who did not want to use the restroom, so watching how the teacher and her aids addressed these challenges. Again, I disagree with the way that they handled these situations, they would grab the student by the arm and drag them to the bathroom. This is very dangerous and not professional in any way. Nevertheless, this only occurred twice in the morning.

Now that we are near the end of this class my lack of writing skills has come into focus. What I have learned in this class has given me confidence and conquers my feeling of intimidation when it comes to writing. I never enjoyed school and did not put much effort into my prior education. As a result, I have struggled with my writing process throughout the years. I would feel intimidated when the need to express myself in writing was necessary, such as job applications or run reports required in my current job. My lack of effort coupled with an inadequate process has led to more than one embarrassing situation for me. I believe that this course has helped me improve and also taught that putting forth more effort and ongoing education is well worth my time.

To add feedback from my mentor via the 360 tool further demonstrated my effectiveness. Comments stated I had excellent communication skills, where I presented myself well and requested permission to complete care, which in line with the NMC demonstrated I gained informed consent that was documented before any action was undertaken (NMC, 2015). I would however in future practice ensure I indicated that I am a student nurse, as this illustrates I am proficient when working within my professional boundaries.

This semester at Forsyth Tech, I am taking Psychology 118 along with English 111. I am required to write in both classes, and English 111 has been more of a refresher course to me so that I can become a proficient writer in the future. Taking these classes together is given me the opportunity to project what I have learned, to apply it to other writing assignments, and papers in Psychology, if need be. I have two mandatory group essays in Psychology, but the majority of my assignments are entry journals. I was given directions in journal seven, to write an example of a time that I was subject to a persuasion technique, and how I responded to it. English class has been beneficial, and the handbook has been very convenient. I was able to reflect back to “Student’s Book of College English”, for in-work citations, to avoid plagiarism, as well as MLA format, even though it’s not mandatory in Psychology. Plus, I already have a good sense of detail and order in my writing, so the purpose and audience are clear. Nonetheless, my English teacher has guided me through this course and is giving effective tips that are helping me boost my confidence

Before I participated in the practical application service I was very nervous and worried that I would no do well. Although I was nervous I knew if I was going to make mistakes that this was the time and place to make them because it would allow me time to work on and improve my skills. This was a great experience and it gave me a better idea of what being a counsellor will be like. Learning about the eight skills that Young (2017) outlines was great, but putting them into practice and determining whether or not I fully grasp and understand how to use these skills was most helpful. The group I worked with also added to this learning experience as they were very supportive and informative about my strengths which helped me to identify my weaknesses and which skills need more work.

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.

Similarly, when I am able to co-facilitate the Doctoral Consortium at the Organizational Teaching Society Conference I often get feedback such as the following quote related to my workshop presentation:

Previously teaching was something that teachers did. The role of teachers was known to be the center of the classroom, they were expected to know everything about a subject matter and be able to explain it well to students. The role of the students was to learn by listening, practicing and working hard. We now know that teaching and learning are closely related. By understanding the relationship of teaching and learning we can understand the concept of Mathematizing. Mathematizing is the process of constructing meaning. This is accomplished by letting students develop their own strategies and questions and letting them explore them through classroom discussion with their peers. (Young Mathematicians at work) This can also be accomplished by allowing students to use real world examples to help deepen their understanding of the concepts.My understanding of this topic has evolved over this course I was always viewed teachers as the know it all of the classroom and the students roll was to retain as much as possible because they were going to need to use it on a test in the future. Learning the new concept of mathematizing I recognize that a teacher must also act as a facilitator of the classroom. Allowing students to think freely make mistakes and make sense of problems and concepts on their own. While also leaving space for the students to teach the teacher or help the teacher understand what they are thinking and how they came to their answer.

I had two opportunities to try activities with students at the Jacqueline M. Walsh School for the Arts, as a part of the development of the curriculum and an effort to boost health education at the school. During my first visit, I was asked to give options for three nutrition activities. Students were able to choose between creating a visual representation of the 24-hour food diary they had just completed, redesign a food label, or write a song about deceptive labeling practices. Because this is an arts high school, participants showed little apprehension about participating fully without any social reservations – a problem that I will admit is much ore of an obstacle in other populations during initial stages of implementing arts integration strategies. Students showed no hesitation whatsoever, and were excited to be able to show off their artistic practices to a guest. With a little encouragement, students produced sophisticated work far beyond what I had expected. One student, for example, turned her food log into a comic, while another chose to create an abstract drawing of her food melting together. A group of students, dissatisfied with a piggyback song they were trying to write, elected instead to do an extensive freestyle rap. When the time came to share their work, every student excitedly volunteered. Students looking around the room were quick to note that there were virtually no vegetables represented amongst the food diaries, which led into an impromptu

During my visits to Metzler elementary, I was able to observe all the different grade levels and I was fortunate enough to be able to observe eight different teachers, which helped me better understand and see the different ways I could teach the children. While observing, I really enjoyed and gathered information that I feel make good lessons from two different teachers, which were the fifth and fourth grade teachers.

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.

As an aspiring educator, my motivation for entering the classroom and the ideas will shape my role in the school centered around culturally relevant teaching. I was always aware of how vital it is to student achievement to be responsive to them as people and their experiences both inside and outside of school. However, my view on what it meant to be culturally relevant was limited. I knew that it was important to foster a caring environment, to be aware of sociopolitical factors affecting the lives of students’ and their families, and to do everything in my power to relate classroom discussions and curriculum materials back to issues that affected their lives. Before enrolling in ED 7438, I figured that this was the general scope of what it meant to be a culturally relevant teacher. However, through our examination of Universal Design for Learning (UDL), Differentiated Instruction (DI), and culturally relevant critical teacher care, I began to make connections between all three concepts as integral components of a culturally relevant classroom. While UDL and DI were not originally a part of the equation for me, ED 7438 has pushed me to recognize that you cannot have an environment centered around care without UDL and DI informing your teaching practices. I now understand that by incorporating UDL and DI into my concept of culturally relevant teaching, I will be meeting the needs of all students on both an academic and social-emotional level. In this reflection I will discuss the connections between UDL, DI, and culturally relevant critical teacher care. I will then discuss how I intend to incorporate the practice of UDL and DI into my instruction to inform my classroom culture of care and culturally relevant teaching.

When starting this class, I was a little concerned as I only have one class of my own this year and thought maybe I was taking the class at the wrong time. The more in depth we go in this class it is helping me more and more at my school because of the types of differentiation we are doing this year. I always thought I differentiated my lessons but through this class and my co-teaching experiences this year I’m learning that I have not differentiated enough. I have felt a pride in knowing that the music that I incorporate into student work time is beneficial. I also am glad to see that the use of pre and post assessments is important.

I observed Ms. Bannon’s third-grade classroom that consists of twenty-three students in the Lower East Side Manhattan. Her classroom was very well organized with colorful labels, completed classwork a along the windowsill and the students’ desks were arranged in groups. The lesson I will be referring to is Mrs. Bannon’s lesson on finding the main idea in English Language Arts. The Common Core Standard Ms. Bannon used was ELA.RL.3.2, ELA.SL.3.2. Her lesson objective is to, “Identify and write the main idea of a story in one sentence. ”