Field Experience Assignment

During the months of September and October this semester I spent time at two different schools in four different classrooms. Being able to observe different classes and teachers at Westside Junior High and South Live Oak Elementary was a very new and exciting experience for me since I can’t say I’ve always wanted to be a teacher. My experiences at these schools gave me a better insight into the differences between schools, classrooms, and teachers. The purpose of this field experience was to get 10 observation or tutoring hours in an elementary or junior high setting. I chose to observe a

I found this job very rewarding, and my excitement for teaching grew. After that, I volunteered to work as a teacher’s assistant for Mrs. Fast, the fifth grade teacher at my school. The experience I had in Mrs. Fast’s classroom had a big impact on me. Mrs. Fast was able to connect to her students, and gave the students every opportunity to succeed. As I worked in her classroom, I began to see what a teacher truly does: and that is to, not only teach, but to also instill a desire to learn in

Even though I volunteered in different schools, I never had the opportunity to ask about the real feelings of a teacher. During the interview, I learned that there is more than just teaching in becoming a teacher. This is because she told me how one of her hesitation on becoming a teacher is the time one dedicates for the job. She told me that when one is teacher, one must prepare lesson plans, come to school early to prepare for the day, and even stay longer to grade papers. She said that her typical day starts at 7:30 am to prepare materials and school instruction starts from 8:00 am until 4:30 pm. Then, even though the class ends already, she needs to create lesson plans for the entire week. She said that all these things are part of a teacher’s job, but they do not get paid to do these things. Therefore, I learned that being a teacher is not easy because there are a lot of extra responsibilities beyond the job description and that being a teacher extend beyond the classroom. Additionally, her answer made me reflect on whether I want a job, where I have to work more than the “work hours.” However, despite this workload, what amazes me was when she said that if she could go back, she would still choose to be a teacher because of her passion to make a difference in the lives of the

When I first heard of an opportunity to partake in an field experience, I couldn't help but get a tad excited. My first field experience was with elementary aged students, it was an eye opening experience that made me realize that perhaps I would be more suited for secondary age students. Therefore, this field experience I feel more excited about partaking in since it is with the age group that I will be working with. That being said, I am going to be at two different middle school's here in town Anthony and Eisenhower.

The valuable experience I have gained in the mission field has prepared me to work in underserved populations. I had the opportunity to travel to Haiti twice, both of which were during a devastating public health care strike that left the Haitian people without medical care. While in Haiti, I experienced events that average Americans will never witness. Upon my arrival the people of the small village learned that I was a nursing student and began approaching me with requests for medical care. With no experience and limited supplies I did my best to improvise. I encountered scared parents with children that had superficial wounds and children with rashes that covered their heads. Thankfully, I was able to offer some assistance and comfort to

This field experience was a very interesting project for me. I received many opportunities for learning and to gain experience as an educator and for my future as an administrator. Activities that were included: interviewing administrators, interviewing teachers, researching and reviewing two comprehensive strategic plans, evaluating a comprehensive plan using the supplied rubric, researching past school board agendas and minutes and comparing them to the comprehensive strategic plan. Throughout this field experience I was able to develop a new understanding of the process involved in developing a comprehensive plan at both the principal and the teacher level. The field experience I feel was meaningful for an introductory

My child 's name is Jude Alexander and he is a male. As a baby he is cautious around new people and situations, but warms up fairly quickly to friendly people. In kindergarten Jude Alexander seemed to have made one or two friends and usually played cooperatively and was sometimes reluctant to join in new activities with unfamiliar children. He performed below average on tests of vocabulary, and the ability to retell a story. He had a real knack for the art projects, and really got interested in the pre-math activities involving working with blocks and geometric shapes. In first through fifth grade he worked cooperatively in groups, usually respects the rights and property of others, and usually demonstrates appropriate peer social interaction. He demonstrates strength in art, all areas of reading, and in spelling and appropriate for the grade level in writing. He needs additional help in the areas of speaking and listening and in the content knowledge of social studies, science and music. He was average in mathematical problem solving, understanding of data, number concepts, graphical applications, and arithmetic computation. In the seventh grade, he consistently contributes to cooperative group activities and respects the rights and possessions of others, and shows age-appropriate social interaction with peers. He demonstrates strength in art, reading, spelling and writing. He was average in math and science, and needs additional

Today was my first day of field placement. I am in a Kindergarten class and I am worried I will not be able to answer all the questions the way or as in-depth as I need to. Here goes!

Over the course of these 5 weeks, I have grown a lot spiritually in learning more about the goodness of God. He has provided for all of my deepest needs throughout this field experience including a support system of friends, family, and people to pray for me.

The purpose of the fieldwork experience was to create two portraits. One of an infant or toddler who was between 0-30 months old and another portrait of a child between the ages of 3 and 8. The fieldwork consisted of observing the infant or toddler and interviewing at least one of the child’s parents, with the observation and interview taking a combined total of approximately 5 hours for the first part. The second part of the fieldwork consisted one observing a child between the ages of 3 and 8 also for 5 hours and following the same steps used to create the first portrait. The fieldwork experience was based on 10 hours of fieldwork on the child portraits which were based on the children observations and interviews.

Ideally, when I graduate, I would like to enter the credential program at Cal Poly Pomona. As an English Education major, I feel like this is the next logical step for me as I seek to move forward on my path of becoming a teacher. The opportunities that await me in the credential program truly excite me because I have always found my studies of English Education to be very rewarding and purposeful. I have found this to be especially true now because I am currently in the process of conducting observation hours at local high schools in Pomona as part of my English Education curriculum. When I am in the classroom, I immediately feel a sense of joy, purpose, and productivity. Outside of the classroom, I do have experience teaching as a leader for a club on campus; I am a Woman’s Bible Study Leader for Cal Poly Cru and I have found this experience of teaching college students to be the most exciting, challenging, and rewarding experience I have ever had the pleasure of being a part of. It can become overwhelming as doubts and deadlines tend to sneak in on me from time to time, but I know that being a teacher is worth every ounce of pressure because of the positive impact that a teacher has the ability to make on a student. There is an incredible statistic that states that “On average a teacher affects 3,000 children over the course of their career” (Bickley). This opportunity stirs my heart like nothing else because when I was in high school, I had an incredible teacher named

Reflecting back on my field experience, I was able to gain quality insight as well as a better understanding of the teaching and the learning process of ESOL in a mainstream classroom. My experience in Mrs. Little’s classroom has shown that the role of the ESOL teacher is to educate students in functional language skills, offer content that is academically challenging, and helps students acculturate to the new language and culture.

Nowadays, more than ever, teachers are faced with the challenge of teaching students with a wide array of abilities. As VanSciver (2005) has voiced, "Teachers are now dealing with a level of academic diversity in their classrooms unheard of just a decade ago" (p. 534). In a single classroom, students ' learning abilities can greatly differ from students practicing in below grade level work to above grade level work. For instance, in a third grade class made of 26 children, you will find that their reading abilities differ immensely in level. One of your students may be reading at a kindergarten level, while another is reading beyond a fifth grade level. In cases such as these, the teacher needs to find ways to adapt lesson plans to meet

There are many aspects to teaching and as a teacher it is necessary to understand the most important aspects of teaching and how they should be incorporated into the classroom. A teacher’s most important job is not to teach specific material but to build relationships with the students and ensure they feel safe and cared for. Once the teacher is able to ensure this then they should focus on teaching, however teaching is more than listing off facts and sharing information with the students. As teachers it is essential we try to engage our students. There are many ways to engage students and each teacher as a specific way they get their classroom involved in learning. During my field experience I have learned the importance of being able to engage students and I have seen what a classroom looks like when students are not engaged. My field experience has helped to reflect on student engagement and how I would place the experience in my philosophy of education.

Thesis: Elementary teachers may not have highest income, but they have one of the most fulfilling careers.