What? After field I've really started to better understand how important the Arts are in the schools. The lessons that my field partner and I included Arts related activities in were the lessons that the kids really seemed to enjoy the most and they also seemed to be the ones the kids learned the most from. They really understood the things that we were teaching them. They participated, for the most part, and worked really well with their groups. They really seemed to be learning the things we were teaching them.
So What? I think that including the arts is so important. It helps the kids learn to think outside of the box. By using things like visual art, drama, and dance, the kids are able to see that there isn't just one "right" answer. They learn to think for themselves and solve problems themselves. They also learn how to work with groups and solve problems that may arise in a group. Arts also seems to build confidence in students. They are able to express themselves in a safe environment where they are not made fun of and they are more likely to explore and develop their talents further.
Now What? I will definitely include the arts in my future classroom as much as possible. The kids will learn better that way and not just forget the information that I am teaching them. They will learn to share their creativity without being forced to follow strict rules of what is right and what is wrong when learning. It helps the kids that learn through different learning styles such as visual and kinesthetic. I think it's important to teach in a variety of different ways and not expect kids to all learn in the same way. I will use a variety of teaching methods so that each one of my students has a better opportunity to learn and understand the information I need to teach them in a way that they will actually remember it and be able to apply it in their own lives.
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Friday, April 9, 2010
Sunday, April 4, 2010
What? This week was our last week of field working with the 6th graders. Erica and I were able to teach more lessons on Ancient Greece and help the students more with math and other subjects. For one lesson this week we taught the students about Aesop's Fables and then divided them into groups and had them act out a fable. We took them outside to do this and they got a little bit wild some of the time but for the most part they all did really well and their skits turned out very cute. They all seemed to enjoy it and the groups worked together well. For another lesson we had taught the kids about myths and then had them work in groups to create their own myth. This was the day that our supervisor came and observed. The class had a substitute that day and they were really crazy for the substitute but then when we taught they were super good for us. Our supervisor told us we did really well considering the substitute.
So What? I learned that you can set expectations for the students and change their behavior, regardless of how they are behaving for others. I think it was very helpful to have a partner while teaching because while I was talking, Erica would help keep the class under control and while she was talking, I could help keep the class under control. It's a really good way to learn to work well with my fellow students and to learn to take advise from them. What I might think is the best way does not always work the best, and I've learned, working with Erica, that it's important to listen to the advise of others as well.
Now What? Learning to work with others will be really helpful as a teacher because I will be able to work with and take advise from other teachers and from the principal instead of just assuming my way is the best. Some things that I don't think will work actually turn out better than I expected. Others have ideas that I wouldn't have thought of considered doing on my own so working with a partner and with the cooperating teacher has really helped me to listen to the opinions of others.
Working with 6th graders was very helpful to me. I have only worked with younger students and working with older kids is very different. This experience will help me in the future to decide whether I want to work with younger kids still or if I want to try working with older students some more. It has helped me to see that it is fun working with older students and that I am capable of doing it, but I still think I would do better working with the younger grades. This field experience has helped me to actually start considering more what age group I really want to work with in the future.
So What? I learned that you can set expectations for the students and change their behavior, regardless of how they are behaving for others. I think it was very helpful to have a partner while teaching because while I was talking, Erica would help keep the class under control and while she was talking, I could help keep the class under control. It's a really good way to learn to work well with my fellow students and to learn to take advise from them. What I might think is the best way does not always work the best, and I've learned, working with Erica, that it's important to listen to the advise of others as well.
Now What? Learning to work with others will be really helpful as a teacher because I will be able to work with and take advise from other teachers and from the principal instead of just assuming my way is the best. Some things that I don't think will work actually turn out better than I expected. Others have ideas that I wouldn't have thought of considered doing on my own so working with a partner and with the cooperating teacher has really helped me to listen to the opinions of others.
Working with 6th graders was very helpful to me. I have only worked with younger students and working with older kids is very different. This experience will help me in the future to decide whether I want to work with younger kids still or if I want to try working with older students some more. It has helped me to see that it is fun working with older students and that I am capable of doing it, but I still think I would do better working with the younger grades. This field experience has helped me to actually start considering more what age group I really want to work with in the future.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Week 12-Field
What? This week was the second week of field experience. We had the opportunity to teach and help out more and also to teach 2 social studies lessons. For the first social studies lesson we taught we created a power point but we weren't able to hook up the computer at the school so were weren't able to use it. Erica and I have learned a lot about accommodating when things don't work out exactly the way we planned. The second time we taught created the power point in Google Presentations so we were able to use the teachers computer to do the power point. Google Presentations is very helpful because so long as you have the internet you have access to your presentation.
So What? I have actually enjoyed working with and teaching the 6th graders more than I thought I would. I was so scared to teach them because I want to teach 2nd or 3rd grade. I never thought I would do well working with the older kids but I have actually enjoyed it. This field experience has helped me to realize that I can do things that I originally thought I could not do. It is good to be able to try new things and gain different experiences and a new perspective on my abilities.
We were able to incorporate art into one of the lessons we taught this week. we taught the students about different city states in Ancient Greece and then we divided the students into groups and assigned each group to be a different city state: Athens, Sparta, Thebes, etc. and had them create a flag representing their city state. We gave them an info card about their city state and told them to use that information to create their flag. The kids had a lot of fun with it and I think it will really help them remember the information about the city state they did their flag on.
Now What? I have learned a lot from watching my cooperating teacher teach the students. There are a lot of things that I would do similar to what she does and other things that I would do completely different. It is fun to get ideas from her and see different approaches to teaching so I can find out better what way I would like to teach and to see first hand how these things apply in the real classroom and how students respond to these teaching methods. I know that in my future classroom I will teach math different than she does. The kids do not seem to understand the math very well at all. There are a lot of things I would try differently.
So What? I have actually enjoyed working with and teaching the 6th graders more than I thought I would. I was so scared to teach them because I want to teach 2nd or 3rd grade. I never thought I would do well working with the older kids but I have actually enjoyed it. This field experience has helped me to realize that I can do things that I originally thought I could not do. It is good to be able to try new things and gain different experiences and a new perspective on my abilities.
We were able to incorporate art into one of the lessons we taught this week. we taught the students about different city states in Ancient Greece and then we divided the students into groups and assigned each group to be a different city state: Athens, Sparta, Thebes, etc. and had them create a flag representing their city state. We gave them an info card about their city state and told them to use that information to create their flag. The kids had a lot of fun with it and I think it will really help them remember the information about the city state they did their flag on.
Now What? I have learned a lot from watching my cooperating teacher teach the students. There are a lot of things that I would do similar to what she does and other things that I would do completely different. It is fun to get ideas from her and see different approaches to teaching so I can find out better what way I would like to teach and to see first hand how these things apply in the real classroom and how students respond to these teaching methods. I know that in my future classroom I will teach math different than she does. The kids do not seem to understand the math very well at all. There are a lot of things I would try differently.
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Week #11: Field
What? This week we started our 3 week field experience. Erica and I are in a 6th grade class at Edgemont Elementary in Provo. We haven't had the opportunity to teach yet, but we've observed a lot and we've been helping the kids out, especially with math. I've realized I've forgotten all the 6th grade math I know and I've been relearning it as I help the students with their questions. This has been helpful to me because I realize that just because I've learned something in school, doesn't mean I will remember it when it comes time to actually teach it.
So What? We have not seen the students do very many art projects. They are, however, making a movie about the Trojan War and we were able to see them film some of it. I think this is really helpful to the students. They learn Greek history while at the same time they are developing their language, memorizing lines, learning how to speak clearly and confidently, and having fun. I think this is a great way to help the kids learn Greek history in a fun way that will help them actually remember it.
Now What? I think that observing the teacher and helping the students with their questions will be really helpful to me as a future teacher. I've learned so much about how the classroom works and what things work for the students and what doesn't. A lot of the kids in the class really don't understand the math. It is helpful to see what the teacher does to try to help them understand. When I have my own classroom, I will have to use different techniques to help my students understand topics when the way I thought would work, doesn't work. I could teach a whole lesson and they might not get it and I'll have to find a new way to teach it.
So What? We have not seen the students do very many art projects. They are, however, making a movie about the Trojan War and we were able to see them film some of it. I think this is really helpful to the students. They learn Greek history while at the same time they are developing their language, memorizing lines, learning how to speak clearly and confidently, and having fun. I think this is a great way to help the kids learn Greek history in a fun way that will help them actually remember it.
Now What? I think that observing the teacher and helping the students with their questions will be really helpful to me as a future teacher. I've learned so much about how the classroom works and what things work for the students and what doesn't. A lot of the kids in the class really don't understand the math. It is helpful to see what the teacher does to try to help them understand. When I have my own classroom, I will have to use different techniques to help my students understand topics when the way I thought would work, doesn't work. I could teach a whole lesson and they might not get it and I'll have to find a new way to teach it.
Friday, March 12, 2010
Reflection #10
What? This week, Erica and I worked on figuring out what lessons we will teach during field and how we will integrate creative arts into those lessons. We are going to teach a unit on Ancient Greece so we were able to add the arts in easily.
So What? For one lesson, we are going to have them make a flag in groups representing their city-state (Olympia, Athens, Sparta, etc.). We will give them an info card about their groups city-state and have them design a flag using markers, colored pencils, etc. incorporating the information on the info card into their flag in a visual way. For the second creative arts integration we are still deciding between 2 different activities, both in the drama category. For one, we thought we could have them do a mock trial. We would assign students to be different Greek gods and goddesses and they must answer the questions as if they are that person. Our second idea is an idea that Erica found online. Zeus, the head god, is retiring and he is taking applications for a new head god. We would assign the students each to be a different god or goddess and ask them interview questions and they would have to tell us, as their character, why they should be the new head god/goddess.
Now What? Now we will have to develop the ideas further and after we meet the students on Monday we will decide between the two drama activities which we think would work better for that particular class and which activity they would like better. Also, we have not came up with an idea for the trial, so we can't think of anything, we will end up doing the drama activity. We also need to decide what kind of paper we would like to have the students make their flags on and if the teacher has it or if we need to provide it for them.
So What? For one lesson, we are going to have them make a flag in groups representing their city-state (Olympia, Athens, Sparta, etc.). We will give them an info card about their groups city-state and have them design a flag using markers, colored pencils, etc. incorporating the information on the info card into their flag in a visual way. For the second creative arts integration we are still deciding between 2 different activities, both in the drama category. For one, we thought we could have them do a mock trial. We would assign students to be different Greek gods and goddesses and they must answer the questions as if they are that person. Our second idea is an idea that Erica found online. Zeus, the head god, is retiring and he is taking applications for a new head god. We would assign the students each to be a different god or goddess and ask them interview questions and they would have to tell us, as their character, why they should be the new head god/goddess.
Now What? Now we will have to develop the ideas further and after we meet the students on Monday we will decide between the two drama activities which we think would work better for that particular class and which activity they would like better. Also, we have not came up with an idea for the trial, so we can't think of anything, we will end up doing the drama activity. We also need to decide what kind of paper we would like to have the students make their flags on and if the teacher has it or if we need to provide it for them.
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Reflection #9
What? I learned a lot during the music presentation. I don't know a lot about music and I'm a really bad singer. Singing with the group helped me to realize maybe I can sing with my students. I just have to practice a lot so I can actually sing in tune and stick to really simple song.I realized that songs are a really good way to help kids remember confusing things such as parts of speech and dates in history. It's easier to remember things when they are put into a song.
So What? I think it will be good to remember how much easier it was to learn when the groups sang the songs over and over again. When I'm teaching I think I'll be tempted to put up a poster with the words on it if my students are able to read it. I need to remember that's not the most effective way to teach a song.
Now What? I will work on singing so that I can sing in tune and not teach my students wrong. I need to find lots of good CD's with music on them to teach with since I might not be able to sing well enough to teach no matter how much I practice. I really liked the idea of using music to teach the parts of speech. I think I will get some more Ruth Heller books and use them to make up some more songs to teach about nouns, verbs, etc. I really think that music helps the kids remember it longer.
So What? I think it will be good to remember how much easier it was to learn when the groups sang the songs over and over again. When I'm teaching I think I'll be tempted to put up a poster with the words on it if my students are able to read it. I need to remember that's not the most effective way to teach a song.
Now What? I will work on singing so that I can sing in tune and not teach my students wrong. I need to find lots of good CD's with music on them to teach with since I might not be able to sing well enough to teach no matter how much I practice. I really liked the idea of using music to teach the parts of speech. I think I will get some more Ruth Heller books and use them to make up some more songs to teach about nouns, verbs, etc. I really think that music helps the kids remember it longer.
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