Week 4 Check-In Reflection

 Now that the first week of practicum is over, I feel as if it was a good start to easing my way into the classroom. I am at Southside Middle School in Mrs. Dyers 6th grade class during 2nd and 3rd period. The first day I was uneasy because I was nervous to meet the students, and while walking to my mentor teachers classroom I got turned around and lost but I was able to find another teacher and ask where the classroom was. The first day of class my mentor teacher began class by greeting students outside the classroom and students were not allowed into the room until she said they could, I noticed this is how it was for every class. Once students were in the room, they knew to begin their bell ringer. While this was happening Mrs. Dyer was setting up the introduction activity I had sent her, and once the 10 minutes were up I introduced myself and did a 'get to know you activity'. The get to know you activity was simple because I did not know how much time I would have, so I had students create a name tag and design it however they wanted and then they could answer 4 of the 8 questions I had created. I had students pair up and share facts and answers ton their questions while I walked around the room. I explain this here because I think doing this introduction activity allowed students to realize who I was and realize that I'm not just some stranger that students would feel uncomfortable around. 

The rest of the week continued on and I began to see students opening up towards me. I have been able to remember most of the students names but there are 2 or 3 in each class that I am still trying to put a face with the name, which is a little difficult because each day there are kids out in ISS ( in school suspension). Beginning Tuesday I was able to walk around the room, students would raise their hands or say my name to get my attention, and they felt comfortable asking questions or if they needed help, they know I am there to help them. I would say that is a high because I am already creating a bond, it may be small so far but it has only been the first week. Students have been telling me what they find interesting about the class's current unit or if they do not enjoy it. One student Wednesday came up to me in the hall and was telling me more about what they looked up when they went home after school because they though the process of landforms, especially volcanoes were cool. Another high occurred on Thursday. Students were working on their autobiographical maps (explained in more detail on my google sites) and one student was getting worked up because the teacher kept telling them they did not have everything they needed on their rough draft to be able to move onto their final draft. I noticed the student going back to their seat and putting their head down. I went over there and asked the student what was up, and they said, "everything I do is wrong, everytime I show Mrs. Dyer my paper its wrong, I don't want to do this". I had the student open their textbook and I looked over their map, I explained to the student showing them past examples and helping the student come up with creative names for their landforms, while also adding several more landforms to meet the required 10. I'm realizing patience is a very strong virtue because if you as an educator disengage with a student when you see they are getting worked up, then the student will begin to feel bad about their work and uninterested. 

Wednesday and Thursday I was met with some 'lows' from a student. This student on Wednesday was not having a good day and I could tell they would rather be anywhere but in the classroom. The student was not doing their work and continued to disrupt class because they wanted to use the restroom. I was asked to talk them to the bathroom and wait for them. While walking there, I chatted, using a calm voice with the student to see what was up. For me, it could have been a high because I was helping a student and seeing what they were feeling today, but for the student it was a low, because they had to be escorted to the restroom. Another instance on Thursday where the student was exhibiting a noncompliance behavior and I was calmly talking to the student while others worked. I think that this particular student will be a student that I work extra hard with to create a bond because I can tell the student may need extra attention and the student other times is not always checked on, which can be hard when there is one teacher and a class full of students. 

Mrs. Dyer adjusts her teaching style between period 2 and 3 due to which students are in her class and their learning abilities. I have noticed that in 3rd period, material is explained more thorough and covered slower. She is also stricter about students talking out in class and talking with their classmates. Students get participation points taken away much quicker in this class. Yet, I think the classroom culture is one that I am able to easily intertwine myself into. I am able to interact with the students each day, whether walking around or helping them. I make connections to student work and their personal interests to help them with their activity. I have learned from my certified teacher to 'pick and choose battles', meaning students who are exhibiting worse behaviors are talked to first and maybe the others will fizzle out for the moment on their own. I have also learned that by having students wait to go into the classroom before they are told they can creates more communication between the teacher and students and it gives students a little more time to be standing and moving around. I have also learned that digital notebooks can be pretty effective for students to take notes in. I did not know those were a thing. If a student does not have a Chromebook then they are given paper and a pencil, but it almost seems that students getting to use their computers to take notes are more engaged because if the teacher gets to use technology then they feel like they have a similarity. 

This is the first time I have been in a classroom working with students, when I was in 150, it was an online course freshman year due to COVID, so I was not able to go into any classrooms. I worked with students at motivate our minds learning center in Muncie, which is an after school place for students of all ages to do homework and other enrichment activities. Being with these 6thg graders is the most consistency I have had working with students, and I rather enjoy it. I am getting to work with the same students instead of working with different students each day which wouldn't allow me to create bonds with them. 

Next week I hope to know each students name because that is one of the most important things in the classroom, as well as pronouncing the students names correctly. I also would like to try and either teach a five minute lesson or be more involved in the students learning. I want to talk more with my mentor teaher and know more about the curriculum she uses, and why she chooses to use the apps or sites that she does with her students. I think this could help me understand the classroom management that is being used, or the structure put in place. Overall, I just want to be as immersed as possible in the classroom.