Honesty

If I were being completely honest, I would have to say that at the beginning of this semester, I wasn’t entirely convinced that this was the right field for me. I did not believe that entering into the world of teaching was exactly what I needed to do with my life. If I were being completely honest, I would tell you that I’m still not sure it is. However, after this past semester, I can now confidently tell you that I can do this and that, even if I don’t do this for the rest of my life, I have a passion for teaching and a genuine concern for the students I encounter and I will do my very best to be a successful teacher.

The lessons I have learned this past semester have done a great deal to shape the beliefs I have when it comes to teaching and pedagogy. One of the most reoccurring themes in all of my bloc classes has been the need to educate and create twenty-first century learners. We, as teachers, need to put the focus of our teaching on students. We need to educate these students in a way that will make them global citizens, able to work together and be successful in the world they live in today. I plan to employ many of the skills I have learned and the concepts discussed in our classes in my own classroom.

Learning About Assessment

Like most secondary schools today, the school district I am observing in relies heavily on assessment. During my first week of visitations, the students were taking 4Sight tests. An entire half a day is taken out of learning to dedicate to these tests, not to mention the hours teachers must take out of their planning and teaching time to grade them. Since this school made AYP last year, the overall environment isn't' changed too much with regards to high stakes testing. Once a month the math classes are in the computer able working on Study Island and they school has created a second English-type classed called Academic Literacy. This class is designed to teach students how to properly read and analyze the types of non fiction writing they will encounter on the PSSAs.

My cooperating teacher does not focus too much of her teaching on assessment. As a middle school teacher, she must use it somewhat though, if only as a motivating tool. She gives regular quizzes and nightly graded homework. The school is run on an LEQ model, where teachers are given a district approved list of Essential Questions they must answer throughout the course of their unit. It is around these questions that my co-op builds her lessons. Everyday she strives to answer another question. As far as types of assessment goes, she uses a variety of methods. In the two weeks I've been there I've seen a usual sit down, multiple choice type test, a group project that will be graded as a test, multi-media presentations and spelling tests. The constant assessment my co-op uses acts as a motivator for students. They always know they are going to be graded on something so they pay more attention and try to successfully complete their work.

I could not have imagined a better placement. While I tend to be positive minded, I have to honestly say that regardless of needing something to “work out” or not, my cooperating teacher was perfect. She was a tiny woman, a little firecracker who reached even the most struggling students, academic or emotional. The same students who worked hard, reached their potential, participated, and followed classroom procedures in her class were the students who, without guidance in other classrooms, fell short of academic proficiency, and required constant disciplinary action. Mrs. Haines, my coop, was fast acting. Not a student, a word, or an issue passed her by. She truly guided her students into discovering their own potential: she crafted her questions so that they felt empowered and responded with thoughtful remarks. She was fierce and stern and demanded their respect, but in turn gave them hers. She was emotionally supportive and academically creative so that her students were always engaged, on topic, and working with her and each other in order to find success in themselves. It amazed me to see one woman reach so many students as strongly as she did, especially the students who were known to be “troublesome.” By watching her, I was able to step up my classroom management skills. Timid at first, I became more confident and saw instruction not as discipline, but as refocusing a student to better engage them. As I taught lessons each day, or worked with groups of students, I began to feel them respect and respond to me the more I not only helped and cared for them, but also managed them. My rise in confidence and realizing my own abilities was a surprise to me. For the first time, I saw myself creating a nurturing classroom environment not by being passive but by having high expectations for my students. I realized how much they need and want me to have these high expectations.

Field Placement Wrap-Up

I was lucky enough to teach several times during my time at Lancaster Catholic. Though I liked high school in general more than I suspected I would, I definitely preferred teaching the freshmen. I liked their energy and their general weirdness---there was something kind of fresh and exciting about their rowdiness and eagerness to participate. They still hadn't quite learned to "do school" yet and were quick to answer questions.

I also learned about myself that I'm at my best when I'm being myself. Though I'm certainly no expert teacher now, I know that I connect the best to my students when I'm just Maggie up in front of the classroom: talking with my hands, moving around the room as I speak, using modern-day references. I tried to teach with the more stern style of my co-op, but it wasn't for me.

Though my teacher definitely had a more traditional teaching style than I did, I also learned a lot from her in terms of classroom management. She was so learning focused, it was amazing. She didn't waste a minute of class time! She gave me great tips on how to get a classroom quiet and how to always keep your class moving.

Like many of the other posters, I'm sad I'm not still at my field placement. I had a great time and I can't wait to start teaching on a more regular basis!

Field Placement Wrap Up

I have been lucky enough to work with a great co-operating teacher who let me get very involved in her classroom. She operated at a million miles per hour, but somehow managed to connect with students and engage them in schoolwork. During my lessons, I realized that I did not have the SAME success as her due to my lack of rapport with the students. This clearly is not a fault of my own, I simply have not been around the students long enough to build relationships throughout the school year like my co-operating teacher. She captivated students through making her lesson plans accessible. Her audience consists of freshman and sophomore students who are still trying to figure themselves out in the crazy world of high school. She gets it. She is rigid when she needs to be, and she is flexible when a student needs it. The idea of rapport hits home. We talk about this in our classes all of the time. Getting to know our students is key! It makes sense on paper and in class discussion, but I was able to see it happening in front of me....and I loved it.

I enjoyed being in a Catholic school and I realize this is a school where we can implement a ton of our subversive ideas. The field placement has equipped me with another experience under my belt, and I am glad to have expanded my teaching horizons!

What am I doing?

This morning I awoke in a panic. It was 8:30 am. I thought, "oh. crap." Usually I'm awake at 5:30, on the road by 6 to make it to school by 7. There's NO WAY I'm going to make it into school today and not be in trouble. I've already missed like 4 periods.

Then I realize it's Dec. 6th and field placement is over. Once I have stopped myself from having a heart attack, I revert back to my before-class routine. I eat breakfast, pack my backpack. I check my facebook first, then my marauder (to find out I STILL don't have a student teaching placement) before walking out the door at 9:05 to make it to my 9:30 class in Stayer.

And as I sit in class, I think, well this is pointless. I know that my peers are going over their projects from field and I should care. And I do to a point. But then I'm thinking well if it's 9:30 I should be in third period. Those are "my" Cs. They're writing business letters today. I wonder what companies they've picked and which products they are writing about. I'm curious as to how the second period PLC went and if they've finally agreed on grammar content across grades. I doubt it. Brindle and Smith are pretty gung-ho about this grammar stuff. The others are not so much into it.

Back to my own class with my own peers, I can't turn my teacher brain off. In a short period of time, I've made a transition I didn't think I could make. When I went to Linden Hall, my student brain was on. I wanted to take notes about class and answer questions. After my time at Kennard-Dale, I have no desire to research and write a paper on the sociological effects of the Northridge Earthquake of 1994. I just want to teach. I want to be in a classroom; I want all eyes on me and I want students to be in my, what I believe to be, capable hands.

Teacher Communication

I greatly commend the communication between the teachers at Pequea Valley HS. In my first few days I was stunned to see how much teachers talk to one another. On the day I observed one student throughout his daily routine, I was amazed to return to my cooperating teacher and hear that she already knew where I went because her fellow teachers were communicating with her through e-mail all day. It was a bit weird to know how "watched" I was, but then I realized that these teachers are committed to providing the best care for their students possible.

It greatly helps that every teacher is equipped with a personal laptop, which allows them to easily access another teacher across the school. With the laptops, teachers also have the ability to meet in local areas (ie. faculty lounge) and collaborate on preparing lessons or sharing ideas. I noticed that the majority of the teachers at PVHS were pretty young, which could also aid in their helpfulness towards one another, knowing they are all in the same boat. If I were to ever teach in PVHS, I would not have any worries about having the support and open communication of my coworkers.