Blog #2

1. Describe what you observed in your classroom.

Though I have worked with students, I've done a lot of observing over the last two weeks in my internship classroom.  I've tried to take in my surroundings to understand the teaching styles, discipline styles and classroom management styles of my supervising teacher and her neighboring teacher that she switches classes with.  I have had the opportunity to sit in on two lesson planning meetings now.  Until this point I knew that teams of teachers plan lessons but before this I've never seen the process.  I got to see how the team of third grade teachers took the many books provided to them (and required) to use and made lesson plans and homework plans for three different levels of math students. I have observed how this is used in the classroom as well.  I got to see how my teacher provided the core curriculum to all students, provided enrichment activities to the students who were ahead and also "reteaching" activities to children who needed extra help (she allowed me to teach these students in small group.)  I really enjoyed being able to see how planning was used in the classroom and how easy it was to differentiate for the different levels.

2. How does the teaching style compare to yours?

 My two teachers, (my supervising teacher and the one in the next classroom) seem find an appropriate balance between teacher lead instruction and group/individual work, though their approach leans more towards the teacher-lead end of the spectrum.  They normally have teacher lead instruction then an activity (sometimes group work, sometimes individual.) I tend to lean more towards student centered learning and classroom management.  Where my teachers have ready made rules and directions for the students to follow I would rather have my students create the classroom rules with me and discover their own learning.  Each individual teacher has their preference and knows what works for them.

3. What elements of your supervisor’s teaching style will you incorporate
into your style?  Why?

I really enjoy how personally involved my teacher gets with the students.  For example, two students kept coming into school with out a uniform. She took time out of her schedule to go to the nurses office (while I was there) to rummage through their extra uniforms and find perfect fits for these two kids.  Neither of them have come to school since without a uniform.  Also, I like how my teacher takes kids aside to talk about their behavior on a personal level. She will take a student that she thinks needs help and discuss their behavior one on one, while trying to fix the situation.  That is just another example of how she takes her students lives personally.  I would really love to incorporate this caring aspect of her teaching style into my own future classroom; I think having your students know that you care about them is an important part of maintaining their trust so learning can occur.

4. What instructional/curriculum elements were new to you?

I've never before hear of the 20-day system that Hillsborough has in place. It is where the first 20 days of instruction are like an introduction,  preparatory instruction to the rest of the year.  One of the days they did "accountable talk."  This is where you practice repeating and rephrasing what a partner says.  Hillsborough's reason for having this in the 20 day curriculum is to prepare students to work in cooperative groups for the rest of the school year.  I've never seen this before.  Some aspects of it seem very appropriate and helpful for getting the students prepared for the curriculum of the school year.


5. What was familiar and comfortable for you?  Why?

The content that I was teaching was familiar and comfortable to me.  The math that I was reviewing was what I ended last semester teaching my 2nd graders.  So I was very comfortable with the material and effective strategies to get the content through to my students.  Other than that, most of the things I have observed over the last few weeks have been very new to me.  I have never been in a departmentalized setting where classes switch for math/science and language arts. I'm looking forward to getting the experience.

6. What do you plan to do next in your professional development?

My two goals were to graduate with my bachelors and get a job next fall. To help me achieve the goal of getting a job: I plan on continuing to absorb everything I see to use in my future career.  I also plan on strengthening my relationship with the teachers I am working with so they can be resources of help for me.  To continue on the path of getting my bachelors degree I will continue to do my very best in my internship and my classes.

“If a child can't learn the way we teach, maybe we should teach the way they learn.”

-Ignacio Estrada