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May 4, 2020

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Partner Inquiry

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Blog 7 Self Reflection

Final Reflection

May 1st 2020

My time in Maury River Middle school within the realm of Mrs. Dowless 6th grade classroom was short lived. Even though it was short lived, I believe that through the semester I learned a lot of valuable things and it has shaped me into the man I am today. I believe that through the course when I first enrolled, I had a very small conception of Rockbridge schools systems. I believed that the school system was primarily filled with well upstanding students of the upper echelon. But after arriving and finally seeing MRS. Dowless class I was relieved. They had students that resemble the same background as me, Coming from all works of life. I was nervous about how the kids would react to me being from VMI. They gladly welcomed my partner (Tyren) and I with welcome arms. I arrived there at the school to show and observe PBL learning activities displayed by all Virginia schools especially here in Rockbridge County.  I really didn’t think much of the experience but in the short amount of time that I have spent with the students has been very critical. I enjoyed my time in Mrs. Dowless classroom. I never though that I would grow and attach the students that I was accustomed to seeing almost every week. My partner and I were very lucky. We were fortune enough to able to have more in class visits then the rest of the students in my respected class. The students taught me a multitude of things whether they know it or not. The things that they taught me will forever remain with me. I also would like to thank Mrs. Dowless for allowing us to enter her classroom and be apart of this wonderful experience. I would also like to thank MAJ. Hodde for giving me the opportunity for taking the class. The experience that I have had in the class has been memorable.

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April 1, 2020

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Learning Philosophies

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Resource for Student Learning

I recommend the K-12 reading block skills article By EL Education Curriculum. to my partner and our teacher. I believe that it is fundamental and one of the basic needs of all children is to be able to read. Without the appropriate reading skills how will students be able to comprehend and understand assignments and what they are looking for. This article in its second paragraph states the emphasis and importance of what the goal is for the children. “Because of this widely recognized need, EL Education has created the K–2 Reading Foundations Skills Block (Skills Block). The intent is to ensure that, by the end of Grade 2, students acquire the depth of skills they need in the Reading Foundations standards in order to be able to navigate grade-level text independently. The lessons and assessments explicitly address the CCSS Reading Standards: Foundational Skills, as well as some Language standards associated with spelling and letter formation.”(eleducation.org) There is a huge need for EL education and through this we hope we can adequately prepare students for success. Too many times in today’s world we see children fall by the wayside, this is because they are not equipped with the basic tools for survival. If we focus on fully developing the children’s reading and comprehension skills all the other categories will rise. The skill block is a module for the students to use its an eight-week structure with cycles. It is used to pace the levels that the child is learning. Each cycle becomes more difficult; it challenges the student to take charge and prepare oneself. You may ask what if a student isn’t fully understanding it? Well benchmark testing is used to examine how far along the student is. If they are on track then the benchmark will show, if they are not as a teacher we will step in and try to fill the void in the gap and push the student along in the right direction so they will be able to comprehend fully. This is the ultimate goal, so no child is fully left behind. I believe this will help my teacher dearly.

 

Citation: EL Education Curriculum

https://eleducation.org/resources/implementing-the-k-2-reading-foundations-skills-block-1

 

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February 17, 2020

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Classroom Observation

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First Day Visit

Tuesday February 11th, I had the first opportunity of observing the classroom I will be working in during the semester. Mrs. Dowless Class is a 6th grade science class Earth and environmental. From the time my partner and I arrived we were very engaged in the classroom. We started out by introducing ourselves and letting the students get to understand us a little bit. I believe that the students really enjoyed us there. Some kids asked a lot of questions while others wanted to tell us a little about their own life. The first signs of PBL was when the teacher had the students break off in groups to get ready to present their projects in the following week. The students were working in pairs of two and working on a PowerPoint of the bacterial kingdom. The kids were very engaged in their respected works. Most of the children stayed on task although one student was bothering another student. I asked him what was wrong and he kind of ignored me and then proceeded to work. As I walked around the room, I noticed artwork on the walls of the students. This is key in PBL it provides confidence for the students and promotes a positive learning environment for them. I also noticed slogans or motto’s for the kids to think to prompt a positive learning space. With all this being said I am eager to get back to the classroom soon I look forward to seeing the children.

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February 6, 2020

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Expectations and Inspirations

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The Spoils of First Day of Teaching

Leading up to my first classroom visit at Maury River Middle School, I am a little worried and enthusiastic. I know that as soon as me and my partner are put into the classroom that it is go time. It’s almost exhilarating because I will be put into a role I haven’t really been focusing on. Even though me and my partner are supposed to observe the first day, my drive and passion will encourage me to do more and fully engulf myself in the situation. I will embark on a journey of interacting with a range of different kids from all sorts of backgrounds. One thing in my own educational career is the impact that my teacher had on me when I was a student. I want to make a huge impact in these kids’ lives, the same way my teachers helped me.

Elise Sheffield in her presentation gave me the notion that kids are eager to learn and that they need to be stimulated in ways that motivate them. The process of teaching these kids must be interactive and engaging. These kids need to be in situations where there is project-based learning. That puts these kids in the driver seat when it comes to their education. They need to be able to make conclusions for themselves not what someone tells them they should know. I expect the students to be very cautious of me at first but hopefully they will open up to me the longer they are around me. My partner and I have already contacted the teacher of the classroom. We already know we have a presentation to give to the classroom. I am excited that this is my first opportunity where I will have complete control of the classroom. This will be our first real test when it comes to teaching these kids and we will make the most of this opportunity.

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January 23, 2020

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Learning Philosophies

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The Advantages of Learning to Students

 

In my own experience in learning, I believe that one must have some type of social aspect in order to learn. Whether this be from classmates, teachers, or friends. Yes learning is important but in order for a student to comprehend you must have the social aspect of an assignment. Make it something that the kid will be able to understand and interact with. John Dewy the father of our education system hits the nail with the hammer on some of his ideas on education.
In “My Pedagogic Creed” Dewy goes off his idea for a younger person’s way of learning. He considers the idea that the psychological and the social and how important it is for helping a child to learn. He believes that the education consists of these two sides and that neither is bigger than the other but that they go hand in hand with one another. Of the two Dewy states that “the psychological is the basis.” (Dewy 93) What he means by this is the child’s own instincts and powers give way to all education. Dewy believes that the school serves as a social institution.
Dewey’s idea of the psychological and the social aspect goes hand in hand and follows the core practices of education. EL’s education design principle of self-discovery follows Dewey’s method. “People discover their abilities, values, passions, and responsibilities in situations that offer adventure and the unexpected.” (EL 6) That through adventure or discovery a student is able to find his abilities. This could be through the process of talking with peers and collaborating to find something new. The social aspect goes well with the psychological If the student is engaged in his social aspects than it will translate to the classroom. Through innate skills that he will develop overtime and learn. This is interesting because I believe as well that you need these traits in order to learn and be able to understand things. In my own experience I learned at a very early age that you must rely on these social skills or you will not succeed in the classroom. I struggled as a student until I put both aspects together.