Final Field Experience
June 10th
Final
Summary of Field Experience
My
spring quarter field experience was full of learning experiences,
opportunities, and pleasant surprises. I was fortunate enough to have a great
cooperating teacher who gave me the tools and freedom to better myself as a
teacher. Mr. Holbert had a very relaxed teaching style, but he was very clear
in his expectations from his students. His teaching style definitely rubbed off
on me and made me feel comfortable and relaxed with the students. I was nervous
the first time I met with my cooperating teacher at the High School. He told me
that he had a very special group of students who were often off task and
disruptive at times. I think my cooperating teacher just wanted to make sure
that I was up to the challenge ahead of me.
I
have learned how to be direct, clear, patient, and understanding with high
school students. It was important to set clear expectations with lessons for
students without being too constrictive. I learned that giving students a
little le-way often leads to student creativity in learning. It was highly
important that I made rubrics for all lessons taught to hold students
accountable for learning. I quickly noticed that not all 150 students turned
their work in on time, in fact 25% were often late turning in school
assignments or projects. I was fine with students turning in late work as long
as they did the work by the end of the semester. I learned to have a lot of
patience and understanding with students in the classroom. There’s no telling
what is going on with each individual student at any particular time in high
school. Sometimes, students have behavior issues or cause class disruptions
depending on what’s going on in their personal lives. I learned to stay patient
during class disruptions or behavior distractions. I felt it was important to
make sure that I breathe and speak with a good flow so students can follow my
lectures and directions. I also felt that as long as I maintained a great
lesson plan, there were little disruptions in class. I always stayed prepared
with lessons that offered students an opportunity for input and discussion. My
goal was to make learning fun and exciting for students. Sometimes, I was more
excited about my lessons than the students. I have learned that teachers put in
a lot of time and preparation into their lessons and teachings. I also learned
that “You’re only as good as your lesson plan.” It is important to be prepared
and knowledgeable on your curriculum topics. Teachers go through many
transitions every day, each of which include many choices and split second
decisions to benefit student learning. Each teacher has a different opinion or
view on student learning, but each teacher cares for students and wants them to
succeed. I learned about different classroom management procedures. High school
management looks very different from elementary management. I had to allow
myself to let students talk at various parts of the class period in order for
them to be successful in learning. Cell phone usage by students was perhaps my
biggest challenge with classroom management. Students find a way to conceal
their phones and texting during class. I tried to pick and choose my battles
with cell phone management. There were times when I let students use them for
research, but overall I tried to keep an eye for inappropriate use of cell
phones. I would have a no phone policy in my future classroom to eliminate a
variety of management issues.
I
have learned that I am one teacher amongst many other teachers trying to make a
positive impact in student’s lives. It might be History or English lessons that
a student learns from. Or, maybe a life lesson that I teach them and they will
remember for the rest of their lives. I learned that it is up to me to make a
difference as a teacher every day. I am a role model that students look up to
during the school year and perhaps longer. Evidence of this was clear one day
when I was walking down the school hallway and students started to remember my
name. I heard “Mr. Carlson!” from one student that I didn’t even know. That
made me feel like I was being noticed and well received. I have learned that
schools have an environment of learning and fun that makes teaching enjoyable.
Teaching has a rigorous schedule, but very fulfilling with changing activities,
assemblies, half-days, modified schedules, holiday breaks, and other changing
scenarios. Schools have protocols that keep students knowing there are consequences
for their actions or choices. That was very clear to me when I was teaching one
day. A administrator walked into the classroom when I was teaching a lesson and
emergency expelled a student for prior drug use. It takes a full body of
administration, staff, faculty, custodians, volunteers, and other employees for
a school to be successful and safe. Student learning can be achieved with
everyone’s effort and attention to detail.
The
one lesson that I would want another ED 341 student to know or realize would be…”to
roll with the flow.” You are a student teacher learning another teacher’s
system. Allow yourself to make mistakes, but correct your mistakes by the next
lesson. It is difficult to change the dynamics of a classroom, especially,
being that you don’t know the students well enough to change classroom
management from your cooperating teacher. Student’s aren’t used to you as a
teacher in their classroom yet, so remind yourself that it takes trust and
mutual respect to earn your place in their classroom as a guest teacher. You
should try different teaching methods and lesson planning. Always adjust your
schedule to your cooperating teacher’s schedule…after all; it is his/her
classroom and not yours. Have a positive attitude and dress for success for all
school days, even casual Friday! Stay consistent with teaching and don’t be
afraid to take constructive advice from cooperating teacher. Be yourself and
use what you have learned in education classes to apply to teaching as a real
job scenario.
I
must tell myself that I will make a difference in teaching everyday. I must be
myself and have a positive attitude towards students and learning. I must take
all of my education and experience to apply it for everyday use as a teacher.
Most importantly, I must remain true to myself and be able to handle adversity
when it arises among administration, faculty, students, or parents. It will be
important to think out decisions clearly before I act upon them.
My
education 341 experience was rewarding and fun. I actually spent a couple of
days as a paid substitute for my cooperating teacher at Mt. Spokane. I was
fully in charge of all class periods lessons and plans for the entire week of
school. I believe that students really enjoyed having me as a substitute
teacher because they were used to me being in the classroom already. It is
important to remember that education is constantly evolving. You have to be
ready for changes and adapt as soon as possible to keep up with the new methods
and curriculum.
