Mean Girls

Two weeks over already? I can not believe it! I hope everyone is learning and laughing as much as I am. This week was busy Sylvia and I had to finish all of our assignments because yesterday was her last day. She only needs half the hours. So she has been leaving a little earlier each day and now she is done completely. Our field supervisor came and observed us for the last time this week and I am just relieved she is so kind. She is a breath of fresh air compared to last semesters supervisor. I feel like she gives us constructive feedback and has our best interest in mind.
Well, you may have noticed the title of this post is Mean Girls. And I hate to admit it, but I have seen the movie Mean Girls multiple time and I think that it represents to a certain extent the female species quite well. Growing up with lots of little friends I have always known that girls are vicious and mean. However, I forgot that girls start to YOUNG! That's right folks, "mean girls" are alive and well in Orem, Utah!
To explain a little better I will give you a couple of examples. First we have so many girls that cry all the time over anything and everything. Two girls in particular and it is almost funny to watch because they sit on opposite ends of the room and they literally glare at each other, and the are in 1st grade! The second example was a little girl during rug time was asked to come up and help the teacher. Upon her returning to her spot on the back row someone had slid into her spot and it was no longer vacant, however there was seat right next to it.. Literally inches away. This little girl persisted to tell the other little girl to move and she didn't. So then the teacher got involved and a couple comments like, "you are not the boss of me!" were thrown around. Mind you through out this whole little scuffle I was sitting like a foot behind them watching and listening intently. And trying not to laugh. So the little girl got her seat back and then she leaned over to the other little girl and went off about how rude she was. While the other little girl was leaning over the other way doing the same exact thing. It was like the parting of the Red Sea. So just in case your wondering if mean girls exists they are alive and well! :)

Field Week One

I started my field experience on Monday at Suncrest Elementary School in Orem. I have an excellent cooperating teacher that I am really excited about. I also have an awesome partner too, so things are definitely looking up! I am working in a first grade class and I have 22 students when they all come. I say when they all come because we have three students that you never know about. Each for their own reason. The first one has heart problems and whenever the weather is bad/cold you can count on her being absent. Because of this she missed more than half of Kindergarten and is REALLY struggling in 1st grade. She doesn't even know all of her letters and numbers yet. It is a sad case. The second, has a bunch of behavioral problems and his parents were recently divorced. We are guessing that is why he has problems in the class because he is lacking attention at home. And the third, he has missed over 35 days of school THIS year. Like since August. He is REALLY behind as well, and definantly struggles with things that most of our class can breeze through. There is not a definent reason why he misses so much, no extended illness. More or less a lazy parent that likes him to stay home. He will probably end up repeating the 1st grade.
It has only taken me five days in the classroom to get an ear infection, a sore throat, and a cold. You have got to love the MILLIONS of germs that are crawling all over them and their little classroom. Over all I am thinking field is going great. Our personal readers are going well, however I don't feel as though they are an effecting teaching tool for us just to use for three weeks. But, I can definitely see the benefits of having them in my classroom when I have me own.
Till Next Week!

Learning Journal #8

This week was my groups week to facilitate. We read articles about violence in schools. The different kinds of violence there are, and how we can prevent it/deal with it. It kind of bothers me when we talk hypothetically about our future students/classrooms. I hate talking about what we are going to do because I feel as though I will not do half of the things I say I am going to do, I just say it to get the points. Our conversation went really well and went quite smoothly. We got a good message out if nothing out, to be aware of violence in schools. The rest of the week was filled with preparation for field, I am so excited to start working with my little first graders.

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.