The Most Important Thing I Have Learned

Being able to observe a fourth grade class has been very helpful and insightful. I have learned a lot of things about elementary education that I didn't realize before. These things will help me to be more successful in my future career and have a greater understanding. Observing/ helping out with the class has shown me that a teacher must be extremely flexible. As an elementary teacher, you take on so many roles. These can include educator, mediator, friend, example, organizer, leader, role model, etc. It is quite overwhelming to realize that the way a teacher takes on these roles will ultimately affect the mental, emotional, and social development of all of his or her students. I have learned that a teacher must know how to manage and balance all of these roles. A teacher must know when it is time to switch from being a teacher to a friend or from being a organizer to a listener. These roles are all important and necessary, but it is essential that a teacher know when and how to switch between roles. 

Flexibility also applies to teaching methods. Each student has a unique way of learning. A teacher must be able to adapt his or her teaching methods to the need of each student. Some student may learn visually while others may be auditory learners. In addition to learning modalities, each student possesses a different kind of intelligence. It is important that a teacher know how to incorporate these different intelligences into her lessons. 

The most important thing that I have learned is that a successful teacher must be flexible! 

Classroom Management

While observing a fourth grade class, I noticed that the teacher did many different things  to help the class run smoothly. In terms of classroom organization, I noticed that the teacher had her lesson plans neatly organized for each day of the year. Each cupboard had specific tools and resources which the teacher used throughout the year organized in a neat and orderly fashion. The teacher also assisted the students in being organized. She provided each of the students with different colored folders for each subject. This teacher taught the students how to be tidy. Also, before going to recess, the students were required to clean and organize their desks. The teacher had to check them off. Maintaining an organized classroom is key for functionality, efficiency, and success.

In terms of procedures, the teacher uses a lot of rewards to influence positive behavior in the students. The students collect fake money throughout the year in which they could use at a classroom store. These classroom stores are held many times throughout the year. This helps students to start off with a clean slate after each new store. Bad behavior from the beginning of the year can essentially be erased and corrected. The teacher also takes time to recognize positive behavior and publicize it. Children are quick to follow if they receive praise for their actions. This positive approach to teaching is most effective in children. 

Active Engagement

Piaget proposed that students learn best by actively engaging in their environment. This type of participation promotes cognitive development. Research shows that a concept is best remembered when all five senses are used (touch, smell, taste, sight, audio). The more senses a teacher can incorporate into a lesson plan, the more ingrained a concept will be in the minds of the students.
                                                        
                                      

While observing and helping in the classroom I have noticed how the teacher strives to actively engage her students. For example, today in class the students learned about soil and the different layers. First, they discussed the layers out loud (audio). The teacher also drew on the board while they were talking (visual). Afterwards the students were given a paper with pictures of different items. They were required to sort out the organic objects from the inorganic objects (touch). Following that activity, the kids were split into groups and planted five different seeds into the five fingers of a glove (touch and sight). The teacher was able to actively engage the students by incorporating 3 of the 5 senses into her lesson plan. Not only did the students remember the concept better, but they experienced less boredom and more excitement for learning. I think teachers are able to actively engage their students by incorporating each of the five senses into their lesson plans.

                                            

The Many Roles of a Teacher

As a teacher, you are required to take on many different roles. These can include that of an  instructor, friend, exemplar, accommodater etc. A teacher must be flexible and willing to adapt his/her teaching methods as needed. Each child has different needs and abilities. A teacher must stay in tune with each of his/her students and provide them with the best service possible. Elementary education is definitely not for the faint of heart. The role of a teacher requires constant awareness, adaptability, and effort.Taking a proactive approach is most important in the field of education.

I think the most challenging role a teacher takes on is that of a balancer. Teachers have to keep so many things in mind. Some of these includes assessment, learning styles, the classroom atmosphere etc. It's no wonder that most elementary teachers get summer's off. They need it in order to rejuvenate.

During my classroom time this week, I noticed how flexible and balanced the teacher was. It is because of the teacher's preparation and variety that each student was successful. I noticed that the teacher had many games prepared for the kids that taught specific concepts. I think this was very useful for maintaining their attention. Kids needs a balance of work and play. The teacher was able to keep the kids learning while they were having fun. For example, fractions were taught using pizza. Each slice represented a different fraction and had a different topping. Students were able to learn math while doing something that they enjoy. I think it is so important for teachers to maintain balance in all different aspects of their career. It is through balance and flexibility that individual needs will be met.

Managing Assessment in the Classroom

This week in class we have discussed the different kinds of assessment completed in the classroom. These types include pretesting, norm-referenced testing, formative testings, and summative testing. Each type of testing has a different purpose and each is helpful in certain areas. Pretests help teachers know what knowledge the students already have about a certain subject. Norm-referenced testing is helpful when comparing students. Summative testing may take place at the end of a unit, and formative testing occurs throughout the learning process. I can see why teachers have their students take a variety of tests.

During my classroom hours I observed some of the ways in which the teacher did testing. Because I have only been to the class a few times, I have not observed a lot of testing. However, last time I went I noticed the teacher doing reading assessments on the kids. She assessed each of the children individually on their reading speed and accuracy. From what I observed I inferred that she was doing formative testing. I noticed that after reading with the kids, she informed them of progress they had made from the time of their last assessment. It seemed as though these assessments occurred frequently. Rather than taking one test at the end of a unit, the teacher did continuous testing throughout the year in order to track the students' progress.

I think formative testing is a very important tool to use in the classroom. Formative testing assists teachers in being better scaffolders for their students. The zone of proximal development for each student will change throughout the year, and this means that the teacher will have to modify her teaching according to the needs of the student. As a teacher I plan to conduct some formative assessments so that I can better meet the needs of my students.

Flexibility With Exceptional Learners

I have never realized how wide the learning continuum is. When I think back to my elementary days, I don't recall there being so many differences in learning abilities among the students. However, as I have been observing a fourth grade class, I am beginning to notice how difficult it must be to cater to the needs of each student. Each child learns at a different rate. Furthermore, some children have severe learning disabilities which impact their ability to keep up with the class. Although it is important to focus on these students, it is also crucial that the rest of the class is receiving that education that they need. One student should not hold back the rest of the class.

Modifications Made in the Classroom:

This week I paid attention to some of the modifications made by the teacher and school in order to help each student be successful. The first and most obvious modification I noticed was the classroom aid. Each class has an aid that is paid to assist the teacher meet the needs of each student. This aid often helps students who are struggling or that feel they are falling behind. This aid can also be helpful when it comes to children with behavioral issues. I noticed that the aid in my classroom often helped a child with behavioral issues who seeks constant attention from the rest of the class. In addition to having an aid, the teacher allowed students who were struggling to work with partners as well as receive extra help during recess. These modifications helped all of the children to be successful in the classroom. I plan to make similar accommodations in my future classroom.

Nothing out of the Ordinary

A One-on-One Opportunity:

This week's classroom hours were mostly spent working one-on-one with a particularly troublesome student. The teacher warned me that me that this student had been having problems in the classroom. Well, he was causing most the problems in the class. I could tell that he was hungry for attention from the other students, and seemed to have an emotional need that wasn't being fulfilled. I quietly observed his behaviors. They ranged from yelling out comments in class (some of which were inappropriate) to asking for unnecessary help.

It was easy to see that the teacher was losing patience.  Even the students were flashing glares of annoyance making comments such as "that was mean" or "be quiet". Because of his behavioral issues, he was separated from the rest of the class. He was assigned to sit in the very back of the room, and he was the only student on his row. Although he wasn't separated on the basis of race, the separation brought the "separate but equal" doctrine to mind. I realize that the separation might have be necessary for the safety and well-being of the other students. However, I couldn't help but wonder how his being separate from the rest of the class affected the label he put on himself along with the label other kids attached to him. This label can act as a self-fulfilling prophecy and affect the mental, social, and emotional development of the individual. Separating the individual from the rest of the class is likely to reinforce that label. While I don't know the best way to handle such a situation, I believe that as future educators it is important to build up our students and give them each an equal opportunity to succeed.