Week 9

This week in my mentor class I delivered two muffins to my mentor for a service project and appreciation as well. That day I graded math tests. I was surprised to learn how many students struggle in math opposed to other subjects, probably because of how precise one has to be when doing math. I learned that one little mistake can alter the whole problem, thereby making wrong. I also learned how there are trends when the problems were preformed incorrectly. For example, if a problem was missed for one reason, many other students missed the same problem for the same reason. As a teacher, I feel it would be important to clear some of the mistakes up so it can be prevented next to and learning can be done through mistakes. Surprisingly, I like grading papers. It gives me a chance to look over the curriculum for fourth graders and observe the class at the same time. The worst part of the experience was when I came in, the student's thought they were getting muffins so I had to give them the sad truth. Overall it was a good experience and I look forward to later experiences.

Week 8

Last week when I went to my mentor sight I was able to accomplish a lot. I made a brochure for a story the students were learning about. I presented it to them too which was fun. This provided a model for what the students needed to accomplish. They were able to use my example for the criteria. Also on that day, I watched my teacher teach a math lesson for her students. I noticed how she walked around the room to check for understanding. This was a pre lesson for what they were going to learn the following day. The next day I was there I graded 'Arizona' tests. The student's did really well on these tests. They appeared to have learned a lot about the history of Arizona. I also took notice of the setup for the test. The first part was multiple choice, the second was a reading test, and the last part was a crossword. This was a good setup because it allowed the students to apply their knowledge in other ways than just one. The only downside to my experience was that I was unable to see the entire math lesson. I would have liked to see how she concluded it. Anyway, this week I will be bringing my mentor breakfast to show appreciation for all she has done for the FEA as well as myself.

Week 7

Last week I only attended Thursday again because of Veterans Day. Mainly I observed my mentor teacher's math lesson and afterward I helped grade papers. I was very surprised at how well the students did on their tests. My mentor teacher was unfortunately sick that day as well. She still held a strong voice when teaching which I thought showed dedication to her work. I still continue to watch the students participate and I am still looking at my mentor teacher's example of keeping the student's on task. She keeps giving reminders and is very specific in her directions. I learned that the students sometimes have to remind the teacher of their needs as well because she was going just a little too fast. I can see how it would be hard to go slower when one has gone over the same material so much. I also saw how she broke up a big problem and split it up between rows of students to make it easier. This was effective because it made the problem faster and allowed the students to work individually to ensure understanding. I feel each time I am in the classroom, I am learning more about the classroom.

Week 6

Last week I was only able to go to my mentor site thursday due to their class field trip. When I came inside the class, the students were doing a math test so I helped sort papers for my mentor teacher. It was interesting to see how she liked to sort things. I can tell that she likes to get ahead which is good because it helps be prepared. The students wanted to read the play they were working on with me when they were done with their test. Unfortunately I did not have enough time. They were disappointed, but I'll be seeing them a lot this year so there is still plenty of time left. I'm am very surprised at how accepting the student's are of me. They get really excited when I come in. Last year, in the first grade class, there was not nearly as much excitement from the students. I think this may be because I am more involved this year than I was last year, at least in terms to the first semester.

Week 5

This week was October 20 and 21. On the first day I created a bulletin board composed of the student's work with the theme of being thankful on thanksgiving. It was a fun assignment because I had the chance to create something. I learned that my mentor teacher wanted her example to be in the middle which is a good idea because it is a model for the rest of the student's work. On the second day I helped the kids with a guided practice. The only downfall is when I can't remember a student's name. I know it, but it doesn't come to me right away. It was exciting to see the student's participate in the assignment. I also got the opportunity to learn about some websites that can help a teacher with lesson plans and learned a little more about the fourth grade curriculum. Their curriculum seems more advanced than first grade. It seems they need to cover a little bit more.

Week 4

The week of October 4th was very exciting. I taught the class again but this time it was over techniques to use in multiplication. The kids were very excited and participated very well in the lesson. The only downfall is that I end up going slower to ensure that I am going over all that I need to teach the students. My mentor teacher occasionally helps explain things in a different way so that the students understand the material even better. I need to remember how important it is to demonstrate the lesson in different ways so that it can click with the students. Another problem is that I am still learning the structure of the students worksheets. I made an error when filling it out, but corrected it and made sure the students understood the mistake. Overall it went well, and I learned that nothing can always be perfect and that it is okay to make mistakes because we are all human afterall. Additionally, it is very important to keep the time in mind and when it is okay to move on in the lesson. I am ready to complete my bulletein board project next time that I go into the classroom.

Week 2

My second mentor experience was wonderful! The teacher quizzed me on all of the student's names and I got all of them. The students were so excited when I got their name right. I worked consistently on my classroom observation drawing and was not surprised to see anything that was presented in the classroom environment. There was also a substitute on the second day. He had me pass out a lot of papers but I still had time to outline my drawing. The worst part was when one of the students had tattled on one of their classmates over something silly. It is a common occurance with this grade level though. It is important to remind the students that they are not always doing justice in that way. I learned a lot about the way my mentor teacher likes to set up the room. I like how she keeps necesities in the back like tissues. Another thing I learned was that it is important to lead students to the answers to questions rather than to just give them the answers. One last thing I learned was that it is important to be open minded when responding to students because everything you say and do they take in. I'm a little curious about how the bulletein project will work. I could only find one bulletein board in her room and I can't recall finding one outside of her room.

Week 3

The mentor experience for September 29 and 30 was an amazing experience. The best part of the experience was when my mentor teacher allowed me to present a lesson plan. I went through the objective with the students and began with simple example problems on a model clock to help me understand what knowledge the students already had about telling time on analog clocks. The only downfall was that I was unprepared so when I was teaching I ended up moving at a slower pace to allow myself some time to understand what I, as the teacher, needed to get across to the students. Overall, the students appeared to understand when I checked for understanding with a worksheet, that the class and I worked through together on the overhead. I made sure I allowed wait time and called on non-volunteers. I also learned a little more about the feel of the classroom and what is expected of the teacher and the students. The following day, once the demographics was completed, I read with the students and did some paperwork. Each time I go I learn just a little more about the classroom and how to apply myself in the classroom setting. I am very excited about having more interaction with the students.