Engaged Learning

Twitter Chat

Twitter chat was frustrating for me.  This was me first time using it.  If I hit a wrong key things would go CRAZY.  I was not able to see my posts on the feed.  The only place I could see them was on my home page,  I enjoyed reading the comments of my fellow classmates.  I think twitter is a neat way to communicate and discuss topics.  I think this would be a good tool for the upper grades, not so much for the younger grades.  Technology is all around us and we need to use it WITHIN reason.

I learned that students need to feel safe in their learning environment.  As a teacher I can adapt to the students specific needs to help them succeed.  In a positive classroom environment there will be respect between the students and the teacher.  Respecting one another creates positve relationships and trust.

I can take these ideas and apply them to my personal life.  I have been making a positive environment for my children for the past 14 months.  It is amazing to see the difference in attitude and willingness from my children.  I can see the respect they give each other and me as their mother.  I cannot wait from my journey to unravel and see where it takes me.  I especially cannot wait to start teaching my future students.

Positive Community

To encourage a positive community, she has a 'helper' student who helps with turning on and off the lights, picking songs and activities at 'Get your wiggles out" time.  Everyone gets a turn during the year.  One time she was teaching the students about Nouns and letting the students circle a picture of a noun on a giant book.  There was not enough time for all the students to get a turn.  She had a few students get upset because they did not have a turn.  She told her students that everyone will get a turn sometime during the year. 

Before recess the students worked on a worksheet.  The teacher went around helping the students and making sure they were understanding what they were doing.  She took time to help the ones who needed help and encouraged them to do their best work.  There is a boy in the class who does not have steady fine motor skills.  She suggested that I make a dotted line for him to trace.  I did and he traced it wonderfully.    She is aware of each of her students needs, challenges, successes, and accomplishments.  She encourages them to do their best.

There is a routine in her classroom.  She has it posted on the board.  Each student understands and knows the routine.  There is minimal transition time and more time for engaged learning.  This makes the students feel safe and secure.  From my children I know that they like routines and the routine is not close to the same they are lost for a while.  I am learning so much and enjoying every moment I get to learn and experience something new.

Ali

5 needs in the classroom.

Service Learning

In my service-learning placement my first day was yesterday, but due to a stomach bug that knocked me flat in bed, I was unable to attend.  I did not want to share this bug with the class or her.  This made me sad for I was looking forward to start learning from watching her.  I have contacted the teacher and made arrangements for Friday to attend.

From what I have observed from her peeking in while setting up the service-learning she is engaging with songs.  She repeats what she is teaching in different ways.  For example she visually places the letter on the board, then Audibly teaches the children about the letter, finally she has them practice writing the letter using three different colored crayons.

I will observed her more in Friday to see how she addresses the developmental levels and the individual learning preferences of her students.  I will update when I have observed her.