As my field experiences came to an end, I was lucky enough to work in the 5th grade classroom focusing on implementing social studies in addition to multiple teaching strategies I have been able to sample. I was in the classroom for about twelve hours every week this semester. My biggest takeaways include 1) learning and trying out classroom management strategies, 2) rediscovering the importance of building and maintaining relationships, 3) how to develop an engaging unit on Native Americans, and 4) how to create an inclusive, caring, and dedicated community of learners. I particularly dedicated time to understanding unmotivated learners and tried different approaches to get through to these hesitant readers, listeners, writers, and risk takers. Each student demonstrated to me their exceptional qualities they were unsure how to bring to the classroom. However, this took practice and time to teach the students how to change their habits into motivations for learning that engaged them. For example, taking charge of their own learning (whether the teacher has an eye on them) during the Wonder read-aloud at the end of the day, being able to push themselves in XtraMath, learning to work  as a team to build a home resembling the Nez Perce tribe, or engaging in inquiry-based learning by developing a machine to remind the class to feed their class pet (chicken)!! This final field experience has been one of the most influential and impactful moments in the classroom. I am so appreciative to have had the experience within the Monroe County Community School Corporation.

Spring 2018, I took the pathway down to kindergarten when I focused on teaching mathematics in the classroom. This course was a more team-based approach where the other pre-service teachers were encouraged to collaborate to build top-notch lesson plans differentiated for students depending on their capabilities. Together, we designed whole-class lessons, mandated stations, and integrated each of the students in such a way they all became engaged. The experience with kindergarteners taught me the importance of step-by-step instruction and differentiating learning to a tee.

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• Create lesson plans for 5th grade classroom (Math & Science).

• Focus on student thought & reasoning when solving mathematical problems.

• Develop open-ended questions & ways to promote inquiry-based learning.

• 30 hours

Fall 2018, I was placed into a 6th grade classroom with a focus on Reading, Writing, and Literacy. During this time frame I had the opportunity to create, facilitate, and implement a variety of reading comprehension checks, writing convention practices, and a multitude of topic areas in between. I spent time dissecting the work of my case student who I grew to understand her struggle with comprehension, but guided her to use her creativity with writing to off-set and motivate her to practice comprehension. The biggest takeaway from this experience was the low comprehension rates of intermediate students and my ability to motivate their participation and want to grow.

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• Focus on case study in 6th grade (Reading & Writing).

• Taught 5 mini lessons, worked with small book groups.

• Conferenced with & focused on a case study student.

• 40 hours

• Collaborate with peers to create a project proposal introducing coding.

• Team’s project proposal was selected out of 12 others to teach.

• Teach project to classroom of 5th grade students.

• Answer questions & resolve glitches in the project.

• Reflect with peers, media, & administration on the project as a whole.

• Oversee new students implement Two Hours of Coding the following year in all classrooms.

• Create unplugged activity to engage students in understanding computer science.

• Teach/present to group of 5th graders how to understand algorithms in everyday context.

• Demonstrate coding principles without technology.

• Answer and clarify questions about complex computer science concepts.

• Reflect with students on what the students learned about coding & algorithms.

• Motivate and encourage students to think outside the box.

During this mock panel, I was challenged to take on the role of an administrator and argue 1:1 iPads in the classroom are unnecessary. However, this was difficult, initially, because I believed so strongly in the inclusion of 1:1 devices in the classroom. I was able to develop a variety of perspectives as our panel questioned and encouraged us to think differently about the arguments we strived to make about the iPad inclusion controversy. 

• Provide assistance to underachieving students on homework in the Indiana's Classroom.

• Working one-on-one with reading, writing, and other homework after school.

• Moderate and discipline students to meet or exceed expectations.