https://padlet.com/mrlfla1/5nee9bgeeqob Made with magic and hard work en-us 2018-04-14 20:42:40 UTC 2023-05-30 06:59:03 UTC hello@padlet.com mrlfla1 https://padlet.com/mrlfla1/5nee9bgeeqob/wish/251823622 I worked four 5 hour days with Ms. Camp.
The days where I worked 8:00 to 2:00 I left for 1 hour for lunch, which explains why it's still 5 hours. ]]> 2018-04-14 20:47:44 UTC https://padlet.com/mrlfla1/5nee9bgeeqob/wish/251823622 mrlfla1 https://padlet.com/mrlfla1/5nee9bgeeqob/wish/251824180 My time spent in the classroom was eye-opening and deepened my want to become a teacher. Before I started volunteering with my teacher we discussed some needs and goals she had for her students and how I could help. Her two main goals were to increase critical thinking skills and to encourage students to take more initiative for their work.

The teachers style of teaching was to often have students work in groups on worksheets and other assignments. She encouraged students to help each other when needed, but she also taught that during tests you only have yourself to rely on. She was great at getting students to think for themselves. She engaged students to work together as a team by assigning worksheets due at the end of class with open book/open notes. Her students sat at tables in groups and she assigned seating so students that didn't normally interact where forced to work with new people. She explained this to me one day after class and I thought it was a great idea. She watches for social cliques and then mixes them up! 

The teacher and I created a project for the class. The project was based on U.S. history during the Great Depression. She assigned groups and graded the final project based on one group grade rather than individual grades to encourage students to work together and take initiative for a high group grade. When they are relying on others to create a passing score it really kicks them into high gear. 

The teacher also showed me other small things that will help me in the future as a teacher. She showed me how to create an organized lesson plan, what kinds of assignments are best for learning and memorization, and how to treat students equally but still attend to their different needs. She was a great teacher!

The classroom and school environment was a healthy one. It seemed a lot of teachers I talked to truly cared about their students success. Many expressed a strong dislike over the pressure to pass standardized tests. These tests have created a more stressful environment for teachers and students alike. But the school was well taken care of, had lots of support programs for students needing extra help, and was filled was wonderful people. 

]]> 2018-04-14 20:58:20 UTC https://padlet.com/mrlfla1/5nee9bgeeqob/wish/251824180 mrlfla1 https://padlet.com/mrlfla1/5nee9bgeeqob/wish/251824863 I wasn't personally challenged by this service learning project, but I saw the challenges that teachers face that I was unaware of before.
The teacher spent an extra 3-4 hours a day "off the clock" working on grading assignments, meeting with students, cleaning the classroom, and doing other club-related activities. There is no way a teacher can fit all their work into the allotted time. They work overtime, unpaid. The teacher had me helping out with simple tasks sometimes like creating 150 paper booklets or organizing the piles of paper in the cabinets. These small things are tedious but still necessary. A truly amazing teacher puts in a lot of extra hours to run a great classroom. ]]> 2018-04-14 21:11:59 UTC https://padlet.com/mrlfla1/5nee9bgeeqob/wish/251824863 mrlfla1 https://padlet.com/mrlfla1/5nee9bgeeqob/wish/251825062 I thoroughly enjoyed being in the classroom. I loved watching the teacher give lessons and help out students with tough questions. I enjoying learning how lesson plans are made and how student data is collected, and I was happy to watch students gain understanding. I can truly see myself being a teacher. I think that a person who doesn't love their subject and doesn't care about kids has no place in the classroom. A teacher must have extreme patience and kindness, as well as a strong authority and leadership. Many teachers don't enjoy the classroom and they don't work those extra hours, leaving students with a less than satisfying experience. I've seen great teachers and horrible teachers and I know exactly which one I'm going to be. I felt that this experience was very valuable and I'm grateful for it! 

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