Running Head: FINAL REFLECTION

Final Reflection Josh Borders Ivy Tech Community College Central Indiana

Running Head: FINAL REFLECTION My Service Learning experience at Perry Meridian Sixth Grade Academy (PMA) has provided a great opportunity for me to observe and interact with the type of student I will someday teach. Mrs. Jennifer Pleak was an amazing mentor teacher, who showed me what it takes to manage a classroom and keep students focused and intrigued. There are many things that I have learned during this time and that will certainly benefit my future classroom as well. With the knowledge I have gained from Service Learning, I feel that I have a better understanding about the qualities an effective teacher must obtain in order to help their students be most successful. One of the first things that I noticed when entering PMA was the cleanliness of the building and all of the different ways the students work was displayed along the walls of the hallways. Displaying a students efforts for all to see assists with motivating them to do their best work and providing a clean, well-organized building will help them to take pride, and feel comfortable, in their school. Once I entered the classroom, I found many inspiring posters and

helpful charts displayed throughout the classroom. These posters gave the room a very inviting and upbeat feel, which the students really seemed to appreciate. The classroom was arranged in a way that took full advantage of the space provided. Desks were arranged in clusters of four and all of them were placed in a position where they could view the teacher and the board with ease. Also, grouping the students together allows them to work together and help one another learn, rather than relying solely on the teachers guidance. I feel that this is important for students, because a person can learn so much more about a familiar concept if they are given a chance to explain it to someone else. Not only are they helping a fellow classmate, but they are also solidifying their prior knowledge. Finally, this

Running Head: FINAL REFLECTION arrangement provides the teacher with the ability to address multiple concerns at one time. If she is explaining an idea to one student, then in actuality, 3 more students are also receiving this information. The usage of space and the classroom environment reflects a social cognitive learning theory, because learning is as much social as it is individual. (Koch, 2011) I have found that the environment and usage of space is a very important aspect of classroom management and effectiveness. Another integral proponent of an efficient classroom is the routines that are employed for students throughout the day and subsequent year. In this particular class, interaction is is

the focal point for daily routines. While the teacher is adamant about students being respectful and diligent, she also gives them the freedom to work at their own pace much of the time. Considering the fact that they are permitted to engage one another during lessons, it is no wonder why the daily routines maintain the students attention much more than listening to a teacher drone on about a lesson. A teacher is always most effective when they can acquire the attention of their students, while at the same time keeping them intrigued. Finally, it is important to remain consistent with the daily routines and expectations of a classroom; otherwise students may lose interest or fall off track from the main objectives. In essence, a students psychological safety is at risk if their teacher cannot implement and maintain a steadfast routine. Mrs. Pleak has applied many instructional strategies to her class and they have all seemed to work quite effectively. One of the strategies is her use of rotations, where the students split into three groups and move from station to station for 30 minutes at a time. In each station, a different concept or subject is introduced and they are given time to work with

Running Head: FINAL REFLECTION the teacher or on their own (at the teachers discretion), to complete the activity for that segment of the rotation. Another strategy she utilizes is the critical thinking exercises, in which the students are asked to think outside of the box about an idea. Rather than reading something out of the book and scribing it onto paper, these activities require students to use decisive reasoning to answer questions and formulate opinions about a certain topic. Finally, the most important strategy implemented is technology. Technology is critical for this generation of students. Their whole life is based around technology, so how appropriate that we, as teachers, capitalize on this concept. Students are so comfortable with technology and it helps them to keep from getting bored, because the monotonous droning on by a teacher can quickly lose a childs attention. These strategies would reflect a combination of cognitive and social cognitive learning theories because the learning is active, while at the same time introspective. When I envision my future classroom, I will employ many of the things I have learned

from my Service Learning experience with Mrs. Pleak. One of the concepts I will take away from her is the consistency and interactive approach to the daily classroom routines. I feel that students should be able to engage with, and learn from, one another. Also, students deserve fair and consistent instruction on a daily basis, because this will help them grow accustomed to the day-to-day operations of the class. Also, I will occasionally utilize her use of space to get the most out of my students. However, I think that every once in a while it is important to rearranged the room and give the students a different perspective on their classroom environment. Finally, I hope to have access to the vast array of technology when I acquire my own class. Technology can make learning un for the students, but it also allows the teacher to

Running Head: FINAL REFLECTION explore a whole new realm of educating students. I am truly excited for what the future may

hold and hope that I can keep in mind the different things I have observed while completing my Service Learning. This has been a great experience and I am grateful for having this opportunity to learn from an experienced educator and class of eager learners.