Field Placement, Assessment, and Instruction

     This week I had the opportunity to meet Mr. Carver and his nine students at Highland Elementary School in Ephrata. Little did I know, I was going to meet many more people who are going to be teaching me throughout my experience and for that I am very grateful. There are just about as many adults in the classroom as there are students, which is very new for me. Each adult has a clipboard to take notes to assess the student and his or her behavior throughout the day. Each adult also carries blue tickets that are given to a child if he or she is behaving appropriately. Throughout the morning, I found myself looking around the classroom and trying to understand everything. I felt like there was so little time to interact with the students and get to know them. However, when I was leaving I realized I had learned more than I thought I did. I learned that each of the boys had a different goal every day and it was one that they set for themselves in the morning during circle time. I learned that each of the lessons and activities in the classroom were strictly timed. I learned that the ability levels in the classroom are extremely diverse because the students are from all different grade levels and of different ages. Although I learned so much, I know I still have plenty to learn.
       While reflecting on my placement and class, I began thinking about assessment and instruction in the classroom. I am not sure how the students are assessed in Mr. Carver's classroom. However, I was able to see that each student was assessed individually based on his abilities and goals. There is a variety of information being collected throughout the day by each of the adults in the classroom. I found this to be extremely important, as they are all unique as well and may expertise in certain areas. There seemed to also be a strong line of communication with parents and families of the students. When students entered the classroom, parents and teachers were able to talk to each other for a few minutes and share how the child was behaving at home prior to school that day or how the child has been behaving in the classroom. The adults in the classroom seemed to have a strong line of communication as well. They were sharing assessments with one another and working closely together with the students. They were eager to take advice from one another and were happy to implement that advice into their instruction. This made me very happy to see that they seemed receptive to constructive criticism and worked as a team for the benefit of the students.
       I feel that UDL would be beneficial to implement into Mr. Carver's classroom. Universal Design for Learning would allow him to create a community of learners. It will allow him to make sure that he has all of the supports and resources to accommodate all of the learning styles and abilities of the students in his classroom. It will be beneficial for the students for instruction to be set up this way because they will learn through a variety of ways. Students will want to be engaged in their learning and eager to participate. It will provide options for students to express their thoughts and provide the opportunity to explore.  Universal Design for Learning, along with the "Planning Pyramid", will allow Mr. Carver to design a lesson plan for all students, not individuals, just by adding resources and supports that all students can have access to.
      Overall, I enjoyed learning throughout my first placement and connecting the material I have learned to my experiences. I look forward to my opportunities throughout the semester in Mr. Carver's classroom that will challenge me and teach me about instructing and assessing my students.

American Teacher

           After viewing the documentary, American Teacher, I began to think about the outlook the world has on teachers and what I can do to make a difference. I was extremely angered by the information shared in the video and the negativity towards the teaching profession.  When I think about teaching, the very last thought I have is about money.  Money is the absolute last thing of my concern because teaching is about the lives of students that I am touching every day. 

          Throughout the viewing of the movie, I couldn't help but think of one of favorite poems, "What Teachers Make" by Taylor Mali. Similar to the documentary, this poem talks about how people view the teaching profession stating, “those who can, do; those who can’t, teach”. The poem also speaks of society asking about how much we make and in response the poem closes by stating, “teachers make a difference, now what about you?” I couldn’t agree more with this statement because that is what I feel my future career is all about.  As long as I leave that classroom every day knowing that I have taught my students something about the world, something about themselves, something about one another, than I will be more than happy. My job is to make learning fun, to make kids wonder, question, and explore. My job is to allow my students to be the best they can be and to do what they love. My job is to touch their lives and guide them along the way. My reward is far beyond a paycheck. My reward is seeing the “ah-ha moment”, a smiling face, an eager raised hand, and a unpredictable, bright future. 

          I was extremely disheartened by the lack of respect for teachers. Where would our society be without teachers? Does anyone ever think about that? It is frustrating that so many people have a tunnel vision of the teaching profession. Several people do not realize how many hours a week we are working and how much money from our own paycheck goes into our classroom and to our students. Several people don't realize that we take on several roles throughout the day and make many decisions to better the lives of our students.

          I also felt anger for the males that are aspiring to be educators because the documentary was extremely discouraging to them. A teachers income is not always the second income or the second job in a person's life. As a female, I was frightened to think that I may not have enough money to support myself and my family, let alone, being a male and supporting a family. 

         Overall, I understand that the documentary was just to make us aware of what we may see in our future career.  The viewing of the documentary did anger at reality, however, it also made me feel more proud of my decision to become a teacher. I know that this is what I am meant to do, simply because I absolutely love it and wouldn't imagine doing anything else.