Reflection Paper On Field Experience

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

This semester was an exciting semester because we were given the opportunity to work with students from Hopewell Valley High School. The field experience was eye opening and I learned so much from this experience. This experience has impacted me personally and professionally is so many ways. From this experience I learned that no matter what you have planned, you would always have to change your plan to meet the needs of your students. The one day we were doing the scavenger hunt, my group had to change their plans because one of our students could not walk all the way to the pool. Instead we had to improvise and take him to another area. A lot of the time, time is not on our side and we plan so much and are not able to get to all the activities planned. I also learned that we were able to have so much fun with such simple ideas. My favorite experience was seeing all of the smiles on everyone’s faces when we were doing activities.

We will house kids who are products of all facets of society. For example, children of immigrants, children who have affluence, children who are loved and cared for greatly and children who may be in a situation of neglect. Teaching is about reaching out to each student, helping them to overcome challenges and be the best that they can be. It seems that an increasing number of these challenges may not be academic in nature. I believe that conquering these challenges actually beings with the little community forming within our classrooms. As teachers we have the obligation to teach our students how to have respect and compassion for one another. How to be on the same team and work together, no matter each person’s background.

My field experience took place at School for All Seasons in Isanti, MN. I spent some time in both a kindergarten and first grade classroom. This was an exciting time as I got be part of the kindergarten class on the first two days of school and the second week with the first grade classroom. The kindergarten classroom had approximately 18 students and the first grade classroom had approximately 22 students.

While observing during my fieldwork assignment I had the pleasure of speaking candidly with quite a few teachers. It was Chanel Thompson’s conversation that stood out to me most. It seems we are like minded in many ways. Currently she works at Francis Elementary, a school that is currently plagued with the daunting tasks of trying to enrich not only the academic careers but the lives of its students. Francis Elementary is one of the many Houston schools that services children that fall in the bottom of the lower middle class, in terms of socio economic statuses. Like me, Chanel stated that she picked this profession because of the impact she would have on various children that she would teach from year to year. After teaching for just four short years she still feels the same way. She went on to say “Teaching will be the hardest yet most rewarding job you will ever have.”

There was a noticeable shift in atmosphere. Normally the tutors joke with the kids or try to make their study time a little more fun, but as soon as they walked in all the tutors demeanor changed to a more no nonsense type attitude. The students had the same reaction. Our class at the moment was a group of older kids around thirteen or fourteen. This class isn’t necessarily the most well behaved class. There are a few certain kids who cause the most disruptions. I thought it was interesting that as soon as the group of teachers walked in suddenly they were acting like completely respectable students. They were doing their work, taking notes, and only speaking when it was appropriate. I believe it was because a large group of teachers walking in unannounced and staring at them, intimidated them too much to act out. Which makes me think that class probably doesn’t accurately represent how well students work together in a group setting. If they really wanted to get and accurate representation they would probably need to set up hidden cameras.

I began my field experience on June 4, 2015 with no idea of what to expect. During the period however I was able to gain a first-hand experience of how different environments affect students. It is always easy for someone to feel at home and function effectively in a familiar environment, but what happens to a student when the environment is not their own, or not what they are used to? Do the same principles or measuring stick apply to these students that apply to those in a familiar environment? It was interesting to observe these students who were completely out of their comfort zone but were required to learn at the same level and have the same academic achievement as those who were completely at home.

The day started off fairly well. Hatfield hadn’t told his students I was going to be observing, and thus they assumed I was his daughter or a substitute teacher. After giving the students their bellwork, he quickly dove into the lesson. Hatfield had taken a day leave the day before, so the classroom was a bit scrambled with what they did with their substitute. It was an interactive day with videos, discussions, and written work. The good thing was that he really seemed to love what he was doing and could keep the students under his reigns fairly well. There were some attitudes from some of the students that he dismissed with ease and it was palpable that he had been doing this for years.

I spent the past six weeks at Kensington Elementary School. The experience has been amazing, but also a huge eye opener. There were many negatives and positives sides to wanting to be a teacher. From the beginning to the end, I learned what it takes to be a teacher.

In assessment, validity and reliability are two major factors. “Validity is the soundness of your interpretations and uses of students’ assessment results” (Brookhart & Nitko, 2015, p. 38). This basically means, does the assessment measure what it was intended to measure? Validity has four principles: interpretations, uses, values, and consequences. An example of a valid assessment is the SAT. The SAT is valid, because it provides the assessor evidence to make appropriate interpretations and uses. The assessor is able to make meaningful judgments and actions based on the scores of the SAT (Brookhart & Nitko, 2015, p. 38-40). The other important factor is reliability. “Reliability is the degree to which students’ results remain consistent over replications of assessment procedure” (Brookhart & Nitko, 2015, p.67). For example, if a test is valid, the student should score consistently with no intervention. However, if a treatment or invention occurs, the score should be altered. An

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 field placement experience means so much to me. The placement started, theoretically with the interview. I was nervous about it, as it was the most important interview I have had to go to. I ensured that I dressed or the occasion, in smart attire and prepared some insight into the agency Acces Employment. The interview went really well, Harpreet Shah, one of the agency staff, gave me a short presentation and the interview was more informal than I expected. My first experience of an interview for a field placement was nerve racking, but from it I learnt a few things such as preparation is key, to talk in a calm, polite but confident manner and to ensure that you absorb all the information that the interviewee is giving thus allowing you to

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

My practicum placement took place at Lincoln High School, located in the Wisconsin Rapids School District. The school serves roughly 1,143 students, ranging from 10th-12th grade. In my practicum classroom, there were 16 students; the class was a mixture of students identified as having a sever Intellectual Disability (ID) and the 18-21 year-old program. The classroom was large, housing 5 tables, a full kitchen, handicapped bathroom, and attached access to the school sensory room. At times, the classroom was extended out into the community. This was most often witnessed when the class took the opportunity to go to lunch at a community restaurant (about once a month).

At the beginning of the semester, the two days of field placement seemed so far away, but the day arrived soon enough. I was placed in New Tech High School in Sioux Falls, which is a project based learning school. Coming from a traditional classroom setup, I was unsure how I felt about being placed in a classroom so foreign to me. However, after viewing the classes for a couple days I see some of the merit to the project based learning