Observations and reflections about your field experiences can contribute greatly to your learning to teach. Each week you will reflect about something that you observed and learned during your field experience and email it to me. You will be asked to reflect both personally and professionally. You will focus on specific topics (listed below) as well as reflect on other more personal classroom issues. Reflection means more than merely describing what happened. Reflection involves analysis about what you observed. For example, analyzing why something was productive or not; being able to unpack the planning and thinking behind an action; thinking about how and why you would modify the activity. NOTE: The topics listed below should be covered in your reflections at some point.

At the end of your block, I would like for you to write a reflective essay about your experiences that includes reflections about block courses, field experiences and relationships between course work and field experiences. This is an important piece to write. The essay provides an opportunity for you to reflect about and synthesize your overall block experience. It should include your impressions, reflection on interactions, questions, and insights related to teaching and learning. Specific examples are helpful to illustrate various points. This final reflection will include a symbol and explanation to represent your learning and experiences this semester.  We will share these on our last class meeting. This is due April 29.

To receive the full points you need to:

• Submit your weekly email reflection by 10:00 pm each Wednesday
• Please title the subject for each email CI 4000 Reflective Journal
• Write reflective emails not merely descriptive ones
• For each entry you will receive up to 5 points based on content, effort and promptness in submitting your entry
• Write a thoughtful, reflective final essay that synthesizes your block experience (up to 15 points)

January 26

February 2, 9, 16, 23

March 2, 16, 23

April 15 

Topics:

• First impressions about Hardin Park and Mabel!
• Observation and analysis of a classroom: conducive to learning, resources and student learning, print-rich environment
• Observation and analysis of management practices: discipline plan, procedures, emotional tone or atmosphere, problem solving-Interview your teacher on her philosophy
• Equity and diversity in the classroom: meeting the needs of diverse learners, teacher's greatest challenge, teacher's responses to students, types of support from the school system
• Observation of a specialist (reading, ESL, Exceptional Children, etc.)-Include interview, instructional strategies used, classroom tone
• Observation and analysis of reading engagement, fluency and comprehension for a student; balanced literacy instruction?
• Assessment models: alignment with the NCSCOS, kinds of assessment (formal/informal), grading, immediate feedback
• Observation of social studies and science curriculum that is taught; if not taught, Why?????
• As part of at least 3 reflections, you should include your observation of a diverse learner. Follow this diverse learner for several weeks. Include the following in your reflections:
  • student responses across the week
  • teacher responses to student
  • teacher modifications or lack of modifications
  • social interactions special services