2-23-09

Today I stayed the whole school day at my classroom. Mrs. Bartholomay rearranged the classroom and seating arrangements. When I first walked in I was a bit confused, just because I kept finding myself going to the old assigned seats of the students. I actually learned a lot today about what to do with a student who starts to get out of control. I believe Mrs. Bartholomay handled the troubled student she had very well. Even though the student was making a very big scence, she kept her cool and continued to do what she was doing(reading a story aloud to the other students). She also taught me how to give a math assessment, how you must read slowly, give students time to answer the question, but still work at a fast enough pace. I also learned about how students will react when they do not get what they want. For instance, all of the students participated in a quiz(not for a grade) to see which two students(a boy and a girl) will compete in a school-wide competition about George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. Just by knowing the students, she already knew of the boys who would win and go on to represent the boys. The girls was a different story because so many were close to winning. There are a brother and sister in the class, which the brother is the one that won of the boys, so his sister feels that she has to be just as good as him, but she did not win the competition and was just devastated. The other girl that did win was having a bad day so it really brought her spirits up. It is just part of life, losing and winning, and being jealous I suppose.

2-17-09

I stayed for a longer time today. I worked for a while on my bulletin board. The students were very curious what it was and why I was doing it. I graded many papers, organized the bookshelf, and helped students find books that will help them on their research papers about animals. They were pretty distracted during their research due to the book fair being in the library. As a librarian I would have set books that might be use to the students in a different area. There were many students who threw tantrums today, and I felt Mrs. Bartholomay handled them very well. During the time she was reading, there were a few students who were being very disrespectful and walking around the classroom. For some reason today, the students were a bit wound up today. They were talking a lot, not listening to the teacher, or just bothering/tattling on each other.

2-13-09

Today is the day the students will get their Valentine's Day party. Many are full of energy and are impatiently waiting for the party. Moms are coming in and out bringing things early, which is a major disruption to the classroom. Especially when the teacher is in the middle of teaching, the students have to say hi to the mother and talk about what she is bringing. As a teacher I would not allow parents until possibly 15-30 prior to the party. The stuff will just clutter up the classroom and be distracting to the students. The students are also concerned what is in their bags they made. They really aren't focused on their work, just the festivities that are going to take place. I had to leave early to substitute up in the special education classroom, so I wasn't able to see how the party went or how the children acted during the party.

2-9-09

Today I stayed a bit longer, and got the opportunity to give the class a spelling test without the help of Mrs. Bartholomay. She told me I did well at it because no students had trouble keeping up. I then graded the spelling tests shortly after so the students would be able to study for the final test on friday. They get to have a morning recess that I think really helps the students let out some of their energy so they can focus better. Now, myself and other adults have to supervise the boys on their trips to the restroom. The students are great at being quiet in an instant. They get many compliments on their behavior in the hallways. Because it is getting close to Valentine's Day, a few mom's are kind of being a bother to the teacher about the party that will take place in the classroom. I would go insane as the teacher, and get tired of the phone calls or notes that the moms send with their children.

2-4-09

I only stayed a few hours again, but Mrs. Bartholomay was here today. She was trying to recooperate from being gone and getting her classroom back in order. I pretty much graded papers for a long time. I am now also helping the teacher check planners in the morning and pick up homework from the day before. Now I know all of the students pretty well, but as little girls are, they can be very clingy. They always want to hug on me. I learned that it takes a lot of patience to get all of the students attention at once. Mrs. Bartholomay was giving reading assessments, which she showed me how to give them and evaluate them. It was pretty boring but it is all part of the job. It targets not only the speech aspect of reading, but the comprehension as well. After I observed her giving a few of the tests, I went back to help in the classroom. The person sitting in for Mrs. Bartholomay was very impatient with the students. Mrs. Bartholomay gives fake coins out for positive reinforcement, and has students pull cards for negative. She also has a positive reinforcement for the whole class with a jar of marshmellows. If they fill up the second jar they get to have a special day. Also, after so many coins, they can trade them in to get a prize out of her prize box, use the leap frog learning book, or listen to an iPod. I like how she has both negative and positive reinforcement.

2-2-09

I only stayed for a few hours today, mainly because there was a substitute, which I was unaware of until I arrived. The sub had no clue what she was doing, and was not very nice to the students. I know how it is to be a sub, and one thing is not to treat people disrespectfully. If she wants their respect, they have to have her respect. I did get to tag along while they went to the local nursing home and read to the residents. I will definitely have my students do this, it was so amazing how much it touched the residents when they were read to. If the students needed help with a word, the residents could help them. For there being a substitute, I thought the students were quite well behaved, but I guess they ended up getting a bad note.

1-28-09

This time I stayed longer, and got to observe most of the day. I learned how to introduce students to a new subject or technique, and then let them loose to try it themselves. She gives students the opportunity to come up to the board in front of their classmates and work it, and if they get it wrong someone can come up and help them. I get to work with students one-on-one out in the hall, particularly those with learning disabilities or behavior problems. It takes a little bit to get the student to cooperate. Mrs. Bartholomay reads Little House on the Prarie to the students. They actually sit down, listen, and react to the questions she asks them while and after she reads. When the students go to music or P.E. it is kind of a peaceful time for Mrs. Bartholomay. I wouldn't say, though, that she gets to relax because she usually sorts and/or grades papers. She also plans ahead of what she wants to do exactly when they return. Things seem more structured now.

1-22-09

I came during the morning this time, when the children had some time to settle into the day. It seemed much more organized and the students were getting used to me. I think their behavior and how well the listened to the teacher improved as well. Now the students have become comfortable with asking me for help, and I've started helping Mrs. Bartholomay out also. I am still having the same feelings about the para professionals. Mrs. Bartholomay has explained to me how she sets up the classroom, by students ability levels. I helped her grade some papers and learned that as a teacher I need to keep up with my grading so it doesn't get piled up. I like the way Mrs. Bartholomay lets students who miss 4 or more on their worksheets a chance to correct their work. She has an area with the students numbers on it where she puts the work they can correct. The closet is a terrible mess. The teacher has assigned hooks for students to put their jackets and backpacks on, put the students just throw their stuff on the floor & walk off. Due to this, the closet is never closed, and it sort of takes up extra space with its double doors wide open.

First Day 1-20-09

Today was my first day of my practicum. When I first walked in, I noticed how small the classroom was & how it was a bit messy. Throughout the time I was there, I felt as if the classroom was a little disorganized. The children were also adapting to a new face in their territory. They wanted to know who I was and what I was doing there. I observed the para professionals in the classroom as well. I found them to be a little bit more pushy or irritated by the children they were working with. Really, I felt bad for those children whether they were misbehaving or not. Children don't want to be yelled at, they need someone to nicely tell them what to do or to behave.