Learning Journal #7

One week left til our field experience, then only two and half weeks left of class after we get back. Do I hear an AMEN from anyone else? This week has opened my eyes to the idea of motivating students for the benefit of them as a learner and myself as a teacher. I have often observed different teachers and it always seems like there is that "one" student that gets brushed under the carpet. Whether it be for behavior problems, or lack of motivation, it is a very big problem happening in our elementary schools. For instance today I was in a 4th grade classroom and a child had written an about me story. It has one line, "I have no life." I had to walk away blinking back the tears. Our students are having less and less support from home and by us talking about the importance of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation and being aware of the problem is a big step in helping in our future classrooms. I feel as though this week was very informational in the fact that I will probably remember and use the information we have learned this week. I am starting to believe in myself as a future teacher and get excited to be able to make a difference some day.

Learning Journal #6

WOW, what a week! From case studies, to creating lesson plans/ideas for field I feel like my head is spinning in a thousand different directions! In our bi-lingual class I presented this week along with Alayne and Angie. I think that we presented a strong message fairly well. I think it is hard to find a certain amount of balance between all of our classes. It is never equal throughout the week on which one I spend more time on. It depends on the week and what is due in each class, oh well so goes it since the beginning of my college experience.I found a good article to write my case study on, and still need to look for one for the Research Journal assignment.
Lately I feel as though our cohort has taken on a new sense of helping each other out. With questions we may have as well as issues that arise. Overall this week was great cause it was short!

Learning Journal #5

This week in review summed up into one word, WOW. I definantly feel like the pressure is beginning to accumulate from all of our classes as field is coming much faster then I thought it would. I also feel like the most useful/practical knowledge that we learned in our classes this week was when we has two guest speakers in foundations. I felt like they informed us with good information to be aware of. Although we are over a year out from actually being teachers ourselves it is nice to know what is out there and available when we do start to teach. I find it a bit overwhelming all of the different things our professors are asking us to do, however there is one new idea that we got today from Dr. P. She asked us to write down a list wherever we wanted about ideas that we could use in our class. I feel as though that this will be an effective way to remember simple things that otherwise I would have forgotten. It has been interesting to note the team attitude that three of our teachers have begun to develop collaborating ideas for assignments for field. Watching them has been a good example to me to take into consideration that you do not always get to work with people you especially enjoy, but you still need to try and work your hardest. I think that will prove to be very handy in the future.

Learing Journal #4

Now that I have a better understanding of what this reflection should be in its entirety I feel like this will be a better resource to look back on in the future. This last week I feel as if school is just continuing to drudge on, in some classes I am really enjoying myself while in others I feel as if I will never be a competant teacher in those areas because of the lack of knowledge we are getting from professors. Mainly this is just one class and I know many other students feel the same way. It scares me to think that we will soon be in the classroom actually teaching. For instance in our Literacy Methods class, I know how to technically do running records, but have never practiced using them in the classroom or how I actually use them with each student. I feel overwhelmed with the ideas that there is so much to do in every class we take that I will soon forget what we learned. Learning just for the sake of taking a test and then forgetting the information. I know in the past I have done and used this method, proved inaffective none the less but still used. I need to do better in remembering things from specifics classes and recording them on my blog.