FIELD EXPERIENCE

Field Experience

5 hours

-          Observed reading activities in special ed class. Students had been listening to

Charlotte’s Web over a period of time. Students were required to listen for sight words and put them in a “web” using magnets to create the words. They were also asked to answer comprehension questions as the book was read. They drew their favorite character and wrote two sentences about who the character was and why they were their favorite. Also observed reading strategies for these students using readers that other students were also reading in the classroom. Students were highlighting sight words to recognize the same words they study outside of a book are the same as when they see them in a story. Using fingers for each sound to sound out words and blending.

-          Read a nonfiction story about beavers. Students were led in discussion about things they learned about beavers and we constructed a web of facts. Students were then asked to choose three facts that they didn’t know before reading the book or facts they thought were really cool. They were then, to write a short research paper including the three facts.

-          Observed read aloud of Song and Dance Man. Students were asked comprehension questions and discussed story elements after reading the story. Students then, broke up and designed a t-shirt for song and dance man and wrote about why they chose the design.

-          Observed readers theatre with The Little Red Hen. Students had read the book and were responsible for coming up with the roles and acting out the story.

I feel that one standard that was strengthened during this experience was Standard 4: Teacher implements and manages instruction. The lessons were well designed, but I find it particularly interesting to see how each teacher implements and manages those lessons. The structure is different in every classroom and with me being a fairly new teacher. I feel that it is very helpful to observe in more experienced teachers classrooms. A reader’s theatre can be a disaster with a teacher that has no idea how to manage the instruction. The field experience allowed me to see a well structured and managed activity, which will benefit my instruction if I decide to use the activity in my own classroom. The special ed teacher had great strategies for struggling readers that I took back to my classroom and used with other students.

I learned that a teacher may know content and design fabulous lessons, but the implementation and management of that lesson is of equal importance. Back to the reader’s theatre and as I stated previously, it may look good on a lesson plan in a binder, but without proper management it could be complete chaos.