Reflection #6

I truly enjoyed my field experience that I just completed. I was initially supposed to go into a 6th grade class but then was switched to 5th grade. I have never had a desire to teach 6th grade, so I am glad I was switched. The school that I requested to go to was the elementary school that I actually work at. I wanted to go there because I thought it would be so much fun to teach the kids there, that I already knew and have them see me in a different perspective, other than the “teacher” that does recess duty. We taught two lessons the first and third week and three the second week. When we were just sitting there the first day, I could not believe how boring I thought it was. Within a few days, I really started noticing little things, that I have never thought about, with becoming a teaching. I never realized how much time goes by when you are doing a lesson and how you need to pace your lesson so you don't leave out anything, or finish too fast. The kids were complete angels while we were there and getting observed. In fact, Dean Rowley asked us how much we had paid the kids to sit there and be quiet. We had to inform him that they really are that quiet and respectful while they are being taught. I had the fear that while we would be up there teaching our lessons, that when we asked them a question, no one would raise their hand. If no one raised their hand, then I was going to have to come up with the answer, and let me tell you, I am no Civil War expert. That was never the case. I also was not too thrilled to be teaching social studies, and especially the Civil War. I do not care much for history, but as we started into the unit, I realized that the kids really like the history stories and activities, which made me start to enjoy it. They really seemed to be interested and liked what we were teaching. After we were finished, I was sad to say good-bye, even though, I see them everyday. It was fun to get to know how they are inside the classroom and not just out on the playground. They were all so sweet and wrote us the cutest cards to give us on our last day.

By taking this class I have come to understand how important and critical it is to have the arts in your classroom. When thinking about being a teacher, until this class, it had never really crossed my mind. It is the little things like that, that never came to my mind when wanting to become a teacher. I can now see why they make us take these classes, because without them, most of us, would probably not bring the arts into our rooms. I plan to incorporate the arts into my lessons that I plan for my job (teaching kids to read just a little better).

Reflection #5

To me, music is anything you can tap your foot too, anything that has a beat or a rhythm. Music should be included in elementary school because it gives kids a chance to express themselves through a different way. Through the process I was engaged in to create our music lesson, is that music really can be fun. You dont have to be a good singer, or be able to carry a tune. You just have to be able to let go and have some fun. From our presentaion I learned that it really was not as hard as I first thought. We found words to work with our song very well and I thought it turned out good! I want to bring in music into my classroom, along with all the other elements of art we have been taught.

With our team presentaion, I made of the chourus of the song and also made up the actions to the song. I have learned that when working with teams, it can become strssful. Sometimes it is so hard to be able to all get together at the same time. We all have families, jobs and some of us have kids, which that in itself, makes it hard to find the time. We made it all work though and I think it turned out great.

Reflection #4

When I saw that we would be learning about dance, it was not the kind of dance that I thought it would be. I am thinking, "okay, we are going to have to come up with a number to music...5,6,7,8....jazz hands!" It was not like that though. It is importnat becuase it give students the opportunity to express their emotions and feelings through movement, not "dance". From my point of view, right now, I think it will be tricky to incorporate dance into the 5th grade class that we will be teaching, especially when we have to teach social studies. Its always good for a challenge though!

With our presentation, we split our group up so that we would all take a section of the book, then come up with a creative dance section for our part. I have learned that when working with groups, sometimes it makes it hard and frustrating. Some people dont pull their weight, some people take too much charge, but in the end, I think our group did an excellent job!

Reflection #3

I have learned that drama really isn't that bad. I actually thought it was kind of fun! I think I will want to use drama in my class room because it is fun and gets kids out of their shell. I think that if my teachers had used it more, maybe I would not have been so shy. The I liked a lot of the activities that were used in the presentations but the ones I would want to use the most would be, depending on the grade,Decision Alley and ones where you would reenact the scene using props.
Children need creative drama because it gets them out and interacting with other students, as well as letting their creative minds get flowing. There are so many different ways kids can incorporate drama into what they do in the classroom.

With our group project, we paired up with another member of our group and took a section of the book, then created an activity for that section. My partner was Leah and we decided she would read our section and I would direct our activity, which was decision alley. From other team presentations, I learned what to do and also what not to do, which I think is important. Our team worked very well together. Every team member did their part and they did it wonderfully. I really thought our presentation went perfect!

Reflection #2

I have learned that visual art is really interesting. I have never been one that is into art but the projects we did in class last week and participating in the activites for the author illistrator assignment were really fun!

What that means for me as a teacher is that I need to cooperate art into my teaching. You can make anything into art and I think kids would really like that! I mean, I am 24 years old and I loved these last two week's project! As for me as a person, I think I am going to like art a little better now that I have a better understanding for it.

This has made the way I look at art differently because I realized that you don't have to be this amazing painter, sculptor or drawer, to be a good artist. This will change the way I teach my future students because now I have a better understanding and I am beginning to enjoy it. And it would be hard for me to teach something that I really do not enjoy.

Reflection #1

My own personal experience with the arts would be in the category of music and dance. I played the viola for 7 years but quit when I started high school because I really didn't like my teacher. It makes me sad to think that I gave up a talent like that tall because of how one person made me feel. I also have dance from the age of 5to when I was 17. I quit my competition team I was on the summer before I started my senior year of high school because I felt it would be way more fun to spend i with my friends.
As with education, I feel like my teachers always Incorporated them into their lessons but i don't ever remember going to any type of class except music and that may have only been for 1 year.
Since I have been out of high school I don't really feel, or may have not notice, the arts as much. I feel like I have lost those talents i once had.
Characteristics of my favorite teacher was that she made me feel like we were friends and she was my friend. She was always so kind and I feel like she spent extra time with me to make feel like I was important, even if she did do it with all the other students. I didn't have alot of friends in elementary school and when i was around her I always felt like I had a friend. The worst teachers i had just stood at the front of the class, where everyone had to be totally silent and couldn't even breathe or you would be in trouble. I hated the classes where we had to stay in our seats and not be able to move a muscle. i don't think that is a good way for teachers to teacher.
When i am a teacher I want to be everything my favorite teachers were and everything my other teachers were not. I want to be the teacher that had my students know I love them and care for them.
In this semester I hope to come out of my shell a little more. Ever since I became a mom i feel like i have been way more outgoing and alot less shy. Growing up it was so bad, i never wanted to even open my mouth because I thought i would say something stupid but now, even if i did, i wouldn't care!
I will prepare to teacher and integrate the arts by example of others and with my own personal ways. Another teacher said that all teachers do, is steal each others ideas. So hopefully one of mine with be good enough someone would want to steal!