Contextual Information Narrative

Description of the learning environment
The learning environment was set up in a very safe and orderly manner. The children and teacher worked together as a caring community of learners. They were eager to learn and the teacher was purposeful and enthusiastic in her teaching strategies
Describe the specific learning needs of individual students that require you to change your plans.
There are two special needs children in this classroom and they require more attention then others. There are also students who are ADD and they need tactile experiences to keep them interested. Sometimes they need to be placed in certain places in the room to help them stay focused. There were also many ELL students. I would very clear and concise in my directions and explanations with these students. They may need extra assistance in certain subjects.

ERM Final Reflection

Hayley McNamara

Prof. Huntley

Elementary Reading Methods

November 29, 2010

Final Reflection

            For my Elementary Reading Method’s practicum I was placed at McAuliffe Elementary in a second grade classroom. My cooperating teacher was Jessica Afeld, an Oral Roberts University graduate who is in her third year of teaching. I enjoyed this practicum very much and learned a great deal of information and gained practical knowledge about the teaching profession.

            My interpretation of student learning varied from child to child. Because they were all different, I felt their learning differed in many ways. I saw the students who were naturally curious learners exceeding in so many ways. They were excited to read and over the course of 11 weeks I saw much improvement in the children’s reading skills and fluency. There were several Spanish-speaking students, and I felt they were struggling in the classroom, but toward the end of my practicum, even these children were beginning to ask me to read with them. The class was improving in their academic achievement. Overall there was a positive learning environment. Mrs. Afeld fostered a caring community of learners and did an excellent job of incorporating each child into the learning process. The teacher had some basic learning goals that students would pay attention during class, obey classroom rules, and that they would be inquisitive learners so that they were able to grasp the concepts being taught. Some barriers the teacher faced were different learning levels, different learning styles, and some moments where disciplinary measures had to be used to handle children who did not follow the classroom rules. The teacher used respectful methods to handle individual needs and to keep her classroom well managed and safe so all students felt safe to take risks in learning.

            Mrs. Afeld made her instruction purposeful and prefaced each lesson with why they were doing what they were doing. I feel this type of instructional method strategy motivated the children to learn. They saw a purpose in what they were doing and wanted to learn. The classroom was set up in a way that was comfortable and aesthetically pleasing. The different reading centers with incandescent lights and comfy beanbags/pillows were welcoming to help students feel at home while reading. The children seemed to enjoy being at school and found purpose in their work. They were taught to be respectful, responsible and safe. These rules helped the students monitor their actions, which made the classroom, flow smoothly.

            Mrs. Afeld used formal and informal assessments to monitor/determine student progress. She has the class divided into reading groups and each day she meets with a different group. During this time she is able to listen for phonemic awareness, decoding skills, fluency, and comprehension. Many of her readers are at different levels, and by spending this time with them in small groups allows her to see what areas students are progressing, and in what areas she needs to work with them to improve. She also assesses them informally through meaningful discussions and thought provoking questions. Formally the students are assessed through their written work and tests, which are graded from a key. The formal and informal assessment line up with the classroom goals because they give purpose and meaning to the students lives and the learning process.

            Because this is a public school, evidence of a Christian Worldview in the learning community was not blatantly evident. Mrs. Afeld is a Christian and showed God’s love everyday through her caring actions. She also encourages others to be kind to one another and treat others with love and respect. Her classroom felt like a big family, they were respectful of one another and felt safe to be themselves. They were treated fairly and when they were disciplined it was out of love not anger. They were made aware of why they were in trouble, disciplined, then forgiven and welcomed back into whatever they were doing. It was a healthy and loving correction of wrong, not in a hateful and angry way. I think I would incorporate my Christian worldview in the same way. Showing God’s love and genuinely caring for your students are the best ways to share God with others. Actions speak louder than words.

            I feel that this classroom was pretty successful in fostering the children’s learning. I would try to be more direct in dealing with students who were not doing well on written assessments for future learning opportunity. I graded some math and spelling papers and noticed that some students had extremely low grades. I know that there are ELL and students with disabilities in her classroom, but others I think just may not be getting it. To help with future instruction, I would try and modify and differentiate instruction the best I could to ensure that all students were learning according to their learning styles.

            After being in this classroom, I would like to learn more about student learning styles, transitions between activities, and classroom management. I saw the importance of these areas in the classroom I was in and would like to develop these areas more. Being a part of this classroom helped me develop professionally and caused me to deepen my understanding and strengthen my thinking.

ERM journal question 15.

15. Brief reaction of your practicum experience as a whole, including any professional and spiritual insights that you gained.

             Overall I really enjoyed this practicum experience. I was working with a teacher who loved her job and was really great about bringing us into the learning experience and giving us helpful information about teaching. What I really loved is how comfortable the environment of this classroom was. The teacher was relaxed and so were the children. I was encouraged to see a teacher in her classroom and loving what she was doing. This practicum really got me excited and almost anxious about being a teacher. All the work, tests, and late nights are going to be so worth it!!

            Through this practicum I saw all the opportunities to influence the lives of these children. It is so important as their teacher to be professional, consistent and constant, but I also see the importance in being loving, kind, and forming genuine relationships with each student. We have such a great responsibility with what God places in our hands and classrooms. We must go into this with much prayer, humility, and a willingness to sacrifice our time and energy for the well being of our students. I loved this school and the children and teacher and have had a positive experience throughout the whole practicum.

          I have really been stretched during this practicum. Each time I had to teach a lesson, the planning and thinking that went in to each one really prepared me for when I actually had to do it. I was nervous and excited before each lesson, but it made me more comfortable each time. I had fun and learned a lot while in Mrs. Afeld's class.   

ERM journal question 14.

14. In what ways (formal as well as informal) does the teacher evaluate student progress in reading?

            Each day there is time for reading workshop. Three things happen during this time. There is independent reading, book clubs (a group time with the teacher to read and discuss the same text), and groups who go to a reading specialist. Mrs. Afeld observes students every week at carpet time. During her time with each reading group she can listen for phonemic awareness, decoding skills, fluency, and comprehension. Many of her readers are at different levels, and by spending this time with them in small groups allows her to see what areas students are progressing, and in what areas she needs to work with them to improve.

            Another way to she evaluates student’s reading progress is through daily conversations and observations. By talking about what they have been reading the teacher can see if the children truly comprehend what they are reading. These are the ways that I saw the teacher evaluate her students in reading. She might also have some sort of written assessment as well, but I did not observe this during my time spent in this classroom.
           The children in this class are categorized using letters to distinguish which reading level they are. These are measured by a formal evaluation of some sort perhaps a type of standardized test or taking Accelerated Reading tests. The children are placed in these categories at the beginning of the year, but if the teacher notices improvement the child can be advanced into a higher reading level. The text that each child reads is matched to their reading skill level.

ERM journal question 13.

13. Is it evident in word as well as action that the teacher has a genuine respect for his/her students? Love for the teaching profession?

            Relationship plays a huge part in a teacher’s success. If the child does not feel respected by the teacher then he/she will not see the need to respect the teacher. Relationship is key in helping children be motivated to learn. If they do not have a strong relationship with the teacher then he/she will not feel safe to express themselves. As educators it is our job to be behavioral models for our students. We cannot control what happens at home, in front of the t.v. on the playground and other environments, but we can control what happens in our classrooms. We must insure that all students are treated with respect and love while they are in our care. Children must feel safe and have a trusting relationship with the teacher and their peers for them to be willing to take risks in the classroom.

            Mrs. Afeld’s class respects her because of her respect for them. They know that their classroom is a caring community of learners and they feel safe to take risks. Mrs. Afeld loves all of her children, and genuinely cares about them and their success. She knows what her students are interested in and where they struggle. She knows that they all have different backgrounds and is considerate of each child. She shows them respect in the classroom by letting them express themselves, by giving them choice, and by openly communicating with them.

            One day a student came in to class and told Mrs. Afeld how another child hit him on the bus. She asked him who did it what class he was in etc. She said this really upsets me that this has happened and she reported it. She handled this situation with care and caution, and did not just overlook it as “kids just being kids.” Her kids feel safe talking to her about their problems because they know she will listen and do her best to make the situation better.

            I can tell that Mrs. Afeld has a love for her students and for her job. She is upbeat, positive, and cares for the children in her class. She expects the best from them and does not treat them as babies, but as growing mature individuals. She demands respect from her students and gives them her respect in return. 

ERM journal question 11 and 12.

11. What role does literature play in the daily curriculum?

12. Respond to the presence or absence of the opportunities to develop all aspects of the language arts-- reading, writing, listening, speaking, viewing, and visually representing-- within the meaningful context of the daily curriculum.

            Literature is embedded into the daily curriculum. There are all kinds of opportunities for the children to read, write, listen, speak, view and visually represent within the daily curriculum. I feel like these elements are the main substance of the curriculum. Since I am only in this classroom from 8:30-11:10 I only see the reading and language arts portion. They read to gain understanding, to listen and speak, they view the illustrations and draw pictures in their heads. They write in their journals, or off a topic given by the teacher. They have time for independent reading where they choose which books they want to read. They perform reader’s theaters/ mini plays. I was reading with a small group of children and we read a book about a boy losing his tooth at the fair and after we had read it together the children came up with the idea of turning it into a reader’s theater. They divided the characters and gave each member a part. It was really neat to see the children thinking in this way and really getting excited about the story. They understand that reading, writing, listening, viewing and speaking are not separated into individual subjects, rather they are being taught to unify these areas and that when used together each different area strengthens and enhances the other areas. They read a book, listen for information and pleasure, they discuss the meaning with the teacher and their peers, and they make connections by writing down how it relates to their own lives. They integrate all areas, which supports thinking and learning. A variety of literature is integrated in the classroom, which provides diverse thinking and new perspectives. They perform units on science but they incorporate writing and drawing as well as scientific facts. They use methods such as predicting, making connections, background knowledge, and pictures in their heads to help them with metacognition. This class is rich in literature and the teacher incorporates it into the daily classroom curriculum extremely well. She provides literature-based experiences in almost every aspect of learning.

ERM journal question 10.

10. What types of audiovisual materials are used in the classroom and what is their frequency of use?

            In this classroom there was a smartboard, television, and cd player. They use the smartboard everyday that I was in the classroom observing, they use the cd player for dance party Fridays and the television only on certain occasions. They have two computers in the classroom but only one seems to get used and only the teacher uses it.