The Last Day
The last day of field experience seemed to go by really fast. I would have been okay with time slowing down a little bit. The students didn't know it was our last day until midmorning. I noticed after they knew we wouldn't be coming back on a regular basis like before, they were vying for our attention. During read-to-self, many students wanted us to sit next to them so they could read a book to us. I had one student read five books to me without much help. It was incredible because I had heard him speak very little up to that point. Another student was so proud of reading the book without any help that she smiled the entire time she read. They are just a great group of kids.
I can't say enough good things about my cooperating teacher. She would point out teaching strategies she used to encourage behaviors or stop a behavior. She told us how the room was set up and how she uses colors, numbers, and letters for organization. Keeping her classroom clean is very important to her, so she would tell us about things that are not allowed in the classroom like snow boots, food, or beverages. The students know that she expects a lot from them and they expect a lot from each other.
This class was an exceptional bunch and I'm going to miss them.
Monday, December 5, 2016
Recess...Snowy Recess (11/22/16)
Snowy Recess (11/22/16)
The students have so many layers to put on now that there is snow on the ground. Some of the students look like marshmallows when they head outside and I find myself wondering how they can even move around in all their bulky clothes.
The neat thing about the snow is that it has created an additional playground of sorts. There are students that are content with walking around in the snow or climbing on the snow pile for the entire recess. I even saw one student laying down in the snow, peaceful as can be.
Then there are the students that have discovered how much faster you go down the slide in snow pants. That area of the playground is filled with a constant flow of laughter. You can't help but laugh right along with them.
Unfortunately, many other parts of the playground are very slippery just like the slide. Kids are resilient and most of them take a little tumble and jump right back up to keep playing. Some take some nasty falls though. I witnessed one student running around the playground and his feet went right out from under him while taking a sharp turn. He actually got up fairly quickly, but I noticed how he would stop to rubbing his elbow and hip throughout the rest of recess.
Kids get bumps and bruises, it's as simple as that. I would much rather see them out playing and having fun instead of sitting back and being afraid to be active.
The students have so many layers to put on now that there is snow on the ground. Some of the students look like marshmallows when they head outside and I find myself wondering how they can even move around in all their bulky clothes.
The neat thing about the snow is that it has created an additional playground of sorts. There are students that are content with walking around in the snow or climbing on the snow pile for the entire recess. I even saw one student laying down in the snow, peaceful as can be.
Then there are the students that have discovered how much faster you go down the slide in snow pants. That area of the playground is filled with a constant flow of laughter. You can't help but laugh right along with them.
Unfortunately, many other parts of the playground are very slippery just like the slide. Kids are resilient and most of them take a little tumble and jump right back up to keep playing. Some take some nasty falls though. I witnessed one student running around the playground and his feet went right out from under him while taking a sharp turn. He actually got up fairly quickly, but I noticed how he would stop to rubbing his elbow and hip throughout the rest of recess.
Kids get bumps and bruises, it's as simple as that. I would much rather see them out playing and having fun instead of sitting back and being afraid to be active.
Let It Snow (11/18/16)
Let It Snow (11/18/16)
There is a new student in the classroom that had never seen snow until today. The snowflakes started falling midmorning and it was quite a show. The flakes were bigger than normal, falling faster than normal, and actually accumulating on the ground to create a white blanket over everything. There is something about the first snowfall each year that is exciting for children and adults alike, but the look of astonishment on this student's face is something I will never forget.
My cooperating teacher took the student outside to touch the snow. The student came back into the classroom with a handful of snow with the intent to keep it. Adorable. Naturally this student was unaware that snow melts and the snowball was quickly moved to the classroom sink before creating a puddle.
I don't remember what it was like to see snow for the first time because it has been such a regular part of my life, so being able to witness this moment for one of the students was pretty neat.
There is a new student in the classroom that had never seen snow until today. The snowflakes started falling midmorning and it was quite a show. The flakes were bigger than normal, falling faster than normal, and actually accumulating on the ground to create a white blanket over everything. There is something about the first snowfall each year that is exciting for children and adults alike, but the look of astonishment on this student's face is something I will never forget.
My cooperating teacher took the student outside to touch the snow. The student came back into the classroom with a handful of snow with the intent to keep it. Adorable. Naturally this student was unaware that snow melts and the snowball was quickly moved to the classroom sink before creating a puddle.
I don't remember what it was like to see snow for the first time because it has been such a regular part of my life, so being able to witness this moment for one of the students was pretty neat.
Art Class (11/8/16)
Art Class (11/8/16)
Today I stayed in the classroom for an entire day. My time with the class is usually finished when the students are finishing up lunch and getting ready to go outside for recess. I was excited to stay the entire day to experience what they did for their specialist time.
Art class was an eye-opening experience indeed. I joined the students for a painting day and it was best described as controlled chaos. It was worth it just to be there and watch them try to put on paint shirts. Quite a few students ended up with their heads coming out of an arm hole and it was pretty humorous. They were using watercolor to fill in a circle as part of a two-class project. I was impressed by how many students listened and started with yellow and worked their way to the darker colors. Some of the students were very precise and particular about the colors and some students didn't seem to care and enjoyed the act of using the paints without any concern for the outcome. It will be interesting to see how they all look once they've had a chance to dry.
Today I stayed in the classroom for an entire day. My time with the class is usually finished when the students are finishing up lunch and getting ready to go outside for recess. I was excited to stay the entire day to experience what they did for their specialist time.
Art class was an eye-opening experience indeed. I joined the students for a painting day and it was best described as controlled chaos. It was worth it just to be there and watch them try to put on paint shirts. Quite a few students ended up with their heads coming out of an arm hole and it was pretty humorous. They were using watercolor to fill in a circle as part of a two-class project. I was impressed by how many students listened and started with yellow and worked their way to the darker colors. Some of the students were very precise and particular about the colors and some students didn't seem to care and enjoyed the act of using the paints without any concern for the outcome. It will be interesting to see how they all look once they've had a chance to dry.
Sunday, December 4, 2016
Reflecting
Reflecting on my experience as a whole, I'm happy with how my field experience went. I'm sad that it is over and I'll miss many parts of it. There were downsides, but I'm going to miss waking up and seeing my kiddos each day. I made a connection with many of them, including some I never thought I would. I think I gained a lot of insight from this experience. It was my second field experience in a Kindergarten classroom, and while it is not what I expect to want to teach in the future, seeing it from two different perspectives and classrooms is very interesting and beneficial. It was my first time in a St Cloud area school as well, which was also very different from what I am used to. It was 5 weeks of hard work, but I'm happy to be moving on closer towards the ultimate goal. Field experience is great, but I cannot wait to student teach.
Last Day
The last day of field experience was bittersweet. I lead the morning meeting and smartboard slides instead of the CT and it was a great learning experience. I received a book from the students with their names signed on the cover. It was nice to see that I had made some strides in my classroom management and gained valuable experience.
The benefit of building relationships
On my second to last day I had the opportunity to spend the entire day in my classroom. There is one student that I have been spending a little extra time with to try to encourage him to stay in the classroom. That morning, I told him that I had a secret for him, that I was going to spend the whole day with them and that we had some fun activities planned. I kept reminding him throughout the day of the fun activities throughout the day. We were able to have a lot of really good conversations about his favorite things to do, who his friends were, and more.
By the end of the day I was shocked. This student managed to spend the entire day with his class besides the small portion that he was pulled out to talk with the social worker. This is the same student who has not spent an entire morning in his classroom, let alone the entire day since kindergarten. On the last day, he unfortunately had a rough morning and ran away within the first hour. Before I left the building I found him and talked with him for a little bit before I left. I believe that the positive relationship that we have made was a big reason of why he stayed in the classroom that day. That experience gave me hope for his future as well as mine. I hope that I can make a difference like that on many other students as well.
By the end of the day I was shocked. This student managed to spend the entire day with his class besides the small portion that he was pulled out to talk with the social worker. This is the same student who has not spent an entire morning in his classroom, let alone the entire day since kindergarten. On the last day, he unfortunately had a rough morning and ran away within the first hour. Before I left the building I found him and talked with him for a little bit before I left. I believe that the positive relationship that we have made was a big reason of why he stayed in the classroom that day. That experience gave me hope for his future as well as mine. I hope that I can make a difference like that on many other students as well.
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