Classroom Experience

This semester I have the opportunity to work in three different classrooms and with four different grades. One of my classes I am in the SUU preschool, I volunteer in a first grade classroom, and then I am required to put in some hours at the middle school for another one of my classes. I am glad that I have had experience in many different grade levels to really truly find my passion...even though I'm pretty sure I already know where my love of teaching lies (PRESCHOOL!!!)

The preschoolers

My dream is to run my own preschool (and after I am done working for the state for 5 years I hope I can make that dream a reality), so I am glad that I really enjoy the preschool and all the little munchkins there! I am in the Tuesday morning preschool class and so far I have just helped out in the classroom at table times and keeping them all focused during circle time. As a part of this class I am required to teach 3 full days (2 1/2 hours!!), but I haven't taught yet. I teach for the first time in 2 weeks and then every other week after that. I am nervous, but at the same time excited because this will be my first experience being the head teacher and really being in charge of the class for longer than one short lesson.

All of the kids are so cute and fun at this age. I have really connected with a few of them. There is one little girl that cracks me up. One day she tells me, "Teacher, maybe your glue is just broken", this is in response to an art project that we were using a glue/water mix to glue string onto balloons and some of the students were struggling with getting the string to stay where they wanted it. She always has the cutest things to say! Another student is Emily's (the little girl I mentor) little brother. He struggles on most days, but I'm starting to see where a lot of his behaviors are coming from. He is the youngest of four kids and all 3 of his older sisters have a mentor who comes each week and does something--leaving him out. I can definitely understand where some of his behavior manifests.

The First GradersThis experience has also been a lot of fun. I started this at the beginning of the school year in August and go every Thursday afternoon which is Math time for this class. There are a couple of struggling students and I work with them. They are quite a bit behind the others in the class so I take them to the back of the class and work on things that are more on their level. I want to be a teacher because I want to make an impact on students and just LOVE when the light bulb comes on. At the beginning of the year one little guy couldn't even count to 10. It is often a struggle because he also has behavior issues, but when understands the concept of adding and taking away and can now count to 25 (sometimes 50 with a little help) it makes me want to jump up and down!

The Middle SchoolersFor one of my classes I have to spend 13 hours in a middle school classroom (why the middle school; who knows, I'm an Elementary Major!!), but I am there. I signed up for a Science class and I end up being there for two class periods--one 7th and one 8th grade. I don't really do a whole lot. I have to opportunity to teach if I want to, but don't really know if I will. I know I would struggle with the classroom management especially in the 8th grade class. I have always known that I really don't want to teach anything higher than 3rd grade, but this experience has really proven that this is not the group of kids for me!!! It kinds a special kind of person to work with these hormonal pre-teens going through a lot of changes emotionally and physically and then try to learn on top of that. I will be so very glad when my hours are up on this one!!