As my time in Fieldwork comes to an end, I realize that I learned significantly more than I had originally anticipated. My time with Ms. Donahue’s Environmental Science class showed me a lot about how students learn with such unique goals. It was interesting to be with a class that went out in to the field, like Brad and I, to not only collect data, but to learn outside of the classroom. I can genuinely say that I have developed as a student because I have seen from a new perspective what it is like for a teacher to try to teach a class that isn’t completely motivated, and it has made me strive to be a better listener in my own classes.

I was initially extremely nervous to step into the high school class, considering I was a high school student not too long ago, and I would have most likely been too ignorant to listen to what a couple college students a few years older than me had to say. This was not the case, however, when I did enter the classroom. The respect the students had for my partner and I granted me a big confidence boost, and I was more eager to do whatever I could to help, even if that meant being persistent to the point of annoyance.

I was truly disappointed when we moved to an online learning environment because Brad and I were really looking forward to the opportunity to give our own lesson. Our plan was to give a lesson on public speaking, then watch them utilize what we had taught in their debate activity. I felt that I had a lot to offer for this lesson, as I have taken two public speaking classes at VMI. My experience with conducting a virtual lesson was certainly interesting, but it was not at all a waste. Technology is rapidly making its way into the high school learning environment, so I think that having the students learn virtually can somewhat be seen as a benefit.

Through the course of our field work experience there has been a clear transition because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. While these events have been both unseen and unfortunate, it has given Ben and I the unique opportunity to teach both inside the classroom and through online distance learning. This situation has forced Ben and I to adapt both as students ourselves and as teachers, ultimately making us better.
Starting our classroom visits with project based learning (PBL) objectives in mind, Ben and I had high hopes for the outcome of this fieldwork partnership. A friendly classroom and a helpful teacher got this process off on the right foot. Initially helping from the backseat, Ben and I would observe classes and offer minimal input into the weekly lesson plans. As the semester progressed, Ben and I slowly took the reigns from Mrs. Diette when teaching. This gave us the chance to not only practice skills and lessons of our own, but to also work/mentor students more closely. In the final stages of our classroom visits, Ben and I led an entire classroom discussion and activity for the students. Involving prior skills like critical thinking, analysis, and writing, Ben and I challenged our classroom to think outside the box as they learned about new cultures and countries. The feeling of leading a class for the first time was satisfying, but not nearly as great as seeing our students learn something new. While Ben and I tried our best in coming weeks through virtual learning, nothing can beat the face to face interactions of the classroom!
The shock and awe of COVID-19 left Ben and I no time to react or plan for the rest of the semester. Quickly learning and researching new online approaches to teaching, Ben and I plunged into online learning both as students ourselves and teachers. While online remote learning offered an entirely different platform for teaching, we were able to continue our fieldwork course through recorded videos and virtual classrooms. This partnership continued to carry over to the middle school as Ben and I made lesson proposals and videos online. As a teacher, the hardest part about this process was judging the feedback and comprehension of our students.
In all, the course of this fieldwork has opened new doors and opportunities for Ben and I both. While challenges were frequent along the way, I personally have found more confidence in myself as a student and teacher. The COVID-19 virus, while difficult, only forced me to adapt and expand my approach to learning and teaching alike. As for the students in Mrs. Diette’s class, I have no doubt that they will be prepared to begin the next chapter of their educational career in high school.

Field Work Reflection (Marchant) HR: Class observation notes. EL education Core principles handout

    As I worked throughout the semester I started to realize the effect that we can have on the community through education. That being said I also realized how important it is to have faculty that are willing to invest tremendous amounts of time into their work. This need comes from the odds truly being stacked against the school systems. Currently, many students are capable of success, however, this success cannot be achieved if work stops after the school day ends. This capacity to work after the school day ends is not an opportunity that all students get. Some kids simply cannot afford spending extra time on school work as home life and home responsibilities get in the way. Moreover, negative influences can take over a student’s life early. While education is the building block to create a better community I believe it is naïve to think that it is the solution to strife in our communities. In reality students do not spend much time in school making the amount of influence that the school and teachers have limited. This is why the school system needs to become incredibly efficient in their delivery of work. Additionally, there is much that communities need to do outside of school to help kids stay on the straight and narrow. That, however, is complex and difficult. My best thought after reflecting on our experience in fieldwork is that if we become efficient and choose a curriculum that is applicable to the development of kids then some of these issues can be helped. The development that I am talking about, specifically, is the development of character and ethical/ philosophical thinking. This type of development has been neglected it seems. Yes, society has a set of rules that ought to be followed but if ethical/ philosophical thought is not taught in a way that is applicable then how can we expect people to be able to follow it. You cannot teach a mechanic all the ways a car should work without showing them how to make it work and why it needs to work like that. If you were just to tell them how a car should work without teaching them application skills then the information is worthless and the mechanic is not a capable one. This concept is the same as members of a community and the rules of said community. These ideas are present in EL education’s core principles they just need to be applied and ethics and philosophy cannot continue to be neglected especially at the lower levels of education.

Coming into fieldwork, I honestly wasn’t quite sure of what to expect. I knew that it was a course about teaching, but teaching was never something that I ever imagined myself doing. Because of this, the first few weeks of class interested me a lot, as I began to learn about the basics of teaching, as well as theories such as project based teaching, something that I had unknowingly experienced throughout some of my time in grade school through high school. While some of these topics proved to be more interesting than I first thought they would (such as Dewey’s principles or the idea of project based learning), it was when we began to choose the teachers that we would be pairing up with that I really became excited about the class. Soon enough, after exchanging a few emails with Ms. Donahue (the teacher we were paired up with), we were ready to experience our first class at Rockbridge County High School. Upon arriving at Rockbridge County High School, I wasn’t sure of what to expect. Not only was the school very different from my own high school, but what were the students like? Was Ms. Donahue a nice person? What was her teaching style like? All of my fears were set aside when we stepped into the classroom and were met by Ms. Donahue, who kindly greeted us, and said that we could sit in the back of the class and observe her teaching. Over the course of that class, we got to see the passion and excitement that Ms. Donahue brings to her classroom each day, as she interacted with students and led them in research design. Over the next few trips to her classroom, Ben and I began to interact with the class more and more, helping students design their presentations on their findings, and chaperoning on a fieldtrip to an environmental summit. Meanwhile, in our own classroom at VMI, we started working on our project design, an in class debate on whether or not single use plastics should be banned. This project challenged us to come up with an idea and plan like we were going to execute it in an actual classroom. This assignment, already challenging, was made even more so by our distance-learning environment, however, through countless phone calls, texts, and even zoom meetings, Ben and I worked our way through, eventually creating the finished product that you are reading now.

Fieldwork has been a fun and interesting course, as we learned about different aspects of teaching and learning, and put them into practice in a real classroom setting. Additionally, it was a once in a lifetime opportunity to visit and help teach in a local high school classroom, an experience that I’ll never forget. I am extremely grateful for this opportunity which was presented to me, and I look forward to taking the knowledge and skills that I have gained in this course, and applying them elsewhere in my life.

How can I be a good teacher?

This is a question that has rang in my ears since starting this class. I had no idea how much work actually went into being a teacher. But still, I wonder about how I could have been better at times. I have always struggled with getting out in front of people. I’m not comfortable in that position, but I forced myself to go.

How can I help these students?

The first time I was at Mrs. Leadbetter’s class I was shook at how the students acted. They were on their phones and seemingly not paying attention. But then she would ask a question and every hand would go up. How were me and my partner to compete with that. I was annoyed enough that they were on their phones and somehow multi-tasking. But it worked for them so I went with it. When we broke into small groups I let them be on their phones and answered any questions they had. They were much more awake and lively that way.

How do I plan a teach in?

Me and my partner had to plan a teach in for the next class. It wasn’t exactly the easiest thing in the world to do but we got it done. We made a slide show and used our own papers from other classes in order to teach them. I believe that doing this would have helped us teach because it would have been nearer and dearer to our hearts. Unfortunately, the corona virus hit and we were unable to actually teach the class.

How did this class help me?

This class helped me understand just how much work teacher put into their jobs. I had no idea what the EL principles were or what PBL teaching was before this class but now I know and I am glad. It provides me with a new found respect for teachers. I think that me and Tahvon came up with some really good stuff that unfortunately won’t be able to be shared with the class… most likely. I am glad I took this class and learned a good deal while being in it though.

I still remember my thoughts as I learned that I would be teaching a 6th grade class. I had been out of high school for three years already. I thought “how am going to do this?” I also knew that I was required to take this course and I could not just drop it an pursue something else. I had to do this. I had to put myself out there and go into it.

Going into my first visit I was nervous, but I reassured myself that I would just be observing. Little did I know that I would be answering questions in front of the class for a half hour. I was not prepared for that. What little I did get to observe in the classroom, surprised me. I found myself seeing students on laptops and doing assignments online. All my assignment in middle school, High school, and most of college had been submitted in person. This was one of the first revelations about the changing learning environments that I saw.

I had never heard of EL or PBL before I started this class. I was not familiar with the educational methods and the different ones that educators can employ. It was interesting how instead of breaking the curriculum into units and teaching it that way, Project Based Learning combines a large or all the curriculum into a project. It also emphasizes letting a student fail and succeed. Thankfully, I did not have much experience with the former in this course.

I think the Lesson that Max and I came up with had a lot of value. We gave them information that many students will not learn/discover until later in their lives. We helped dispel some myths about health that they can apply towards their everyday lives. There is value in that. We might be the reason that they live a healthier life and that impact can follow them for the rest of their lives. I think this alone showed me the value of EL. It shows the impact that can be had by doing project like these.

The ride of 411 Fieldwork has been one worth remembering, and I am grateful for the experience. Growing up with my mother being an educator, I always had a slight curiosity of what it’ll be like to teach one day. Never had I thought that this hidden ambition would be satisfied in my college years. Nonetheless, through expeditionary learning I have discovered new ideas of the education system I haven’t yet had. In a personal view, I appreciate being able to be up close and personal with students in the classroom to see if their experience is the same as mine was. Being able to understand the true thoughts of students and knowing what they’re going through is way more important than just making sure they pass.

In an academic sense, the biggest insight that I’ve taken away from this time is the importance of flexibility and technology. In life there will always be an obstacle a student and teacher will face. During this time, the obstacle of COVID-19 was one that was unforeseen(kinda). Being able to transition from a face-to-face learning environment to strictly online is a major change. That being said, for teachers in Rockbridge County to swiftly make this change is amazing. Those teacher along with thousands of other across the country were flexible enough to not let their obstacle hinder their production. With the numerous technological advances that I didn’t have growing up, its exciting to know the many opportunities for students available. This sudden change of learning is a great reminder for the future that plan A might not always work and a plan B must be in your back pocket.

For a civic view, I think expeditionary learning is vital for producing citizens that will take charge rather than sitting back and watching things happen. The different character traits developed through this type of learning can range from teamwork and initiative to time management and creativity. This is important for developing leaders within our local communities. Without them even knowing, these students are being steadily groomed to stand up and take charge and control their own destiny.

I have never thought of being a teacher.

I dreaded the idea of standing up in front of people and teach them knowledge that I, myself did not think I knew. I knew that I would not be prepared I didn’t think I would be ready for even an observation of a classroom. Even with all the readings and lessons about teaching I felt like I would not be prepared to walk into that middle school and observe them learning and discussing with one another.

I have never thought of being a teacher.

I was nervous just about being around these kids, I was nervous about talking to them, I was nervous that I would make a fool of myself and they would laugh at me. I know that last part seems ridiculous but that was a fear of mine. As for the readings and understanding of principles I develop a deep understanding of project base learning which give me some hope to lessen my nerves. With my new found understanding I felt like I knew how they were learning which gave me an edge.

I have never thought of being a teacher.

Once I entered the room and meet the eight or nine students, I felt comfortable and I felt at ease. Once I began talking with them, I began to understand them, I began to know each one of them. I felt like it was easy to know them and speak with them. Every time they broke apart from the main group to discuss idea, I was able to speak with them and help them formulate solutions and come up with grand ideas on how to improve their learning environment.

I have never thought of being a teacher.

I felt a connection to them. Although I was observing I felt like I was one of them and was able to shape their minds and help them learn through projects and help them understand the three main W’s to the environment, water, waste and wildlife. One thing I knew for sure is that these kids were smart and knew things ever I didn’t know. Once I arrived at nest fest my whole understanding of middle schoolers changed in one in a half hour.

I have never thought of being a teacher.

Nest fest changed my outlook on middle schoolers. It was my job to sit in on their presentation and give them pointers on how to improve their delivery. I was excited because I knew a lot about how to deliver a presentation. I was able to help the students out and they even taught me somethings as well. I believe these students are smart and the idea of teaching them is now a possibility of the future.

I have never thought of being a teacher.

-Matthew Jingle

Reflecting back on the time and effort put into ERH – 411 with my partner Joe this semester, I can recognize growth academically, personally and civically. This class at first was a struggle academically but as I put more effort to better understand the readings and the PBL standards I was able to see how these standards were used not only in our own class through demonstrations but in Mrs. Cosgriff’s fifth grade class. Stepping into Mrs. Cosgriff’s classroom transported me back into time when I was in fifth grade. I forgot how engaging the classrooms are set up to be. Every inch of the classroom was covered with diverse academic material waiting for a student’s curiosity to overtake them. When I was first exploring the options of a potential “Teach Aloud” with Joe, we were speculating about how much leeway to give the fifth graders. Trying to think back to when I was in fifth grade, I didn’t give these students enough credit. Mrs. Cosgriff’s fifth grade class proven to be more engaging and creative than what I first anticipated. This allowed us more creativity with our teach aloud than originally.

As a soon to be 2nd Lt in the Marine Corps, I should be comfortable with speaking in front of others. But when I found myself in front of Mrs. Cosgriff’s classroom for the first time, I was anxious to even introduce myself. As we continued to venture back into the classroom and interact with the students more personally, my initial shyness soon washed away. Sadly, our time with Mrs. Cosgriff’s fifth grade class was cut short because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Completing this semester at home as a senior brought its own challenges. I struggled to stay on top of my schoolwork in this class and others. To find the motivation, especially when I don’t have the fifth graders to keep me accountable was hard.

I am very thankful to be have the opportunity to take this class my senior year at VMI. I fell in love with Rockbridge and found myself searching for ways to connect with the community. For my sophomore and junior year I was able to give back to the community as a firefighter at LFD. But this semester, I was able to learn from these students and have an impact, even a small one, on their educational journey.