Reflection

Artifacts:

Honduras
Field Experience (Shaler Area Elementary School)
Practicum (Elfinwild Christian Education)
Pulaski Elementary School/Lunch Buddy Program

Components:

3a: Communicating with children

3b: Using questioning and discussion techniques
3c: Engaging students in learning

Not one specific experience contributed to my knowledge, but rather

collectively these involvements helped me grow in communicating with students,
my ability to use questioning and discussion, and engaging students in learning. I
have had many opportunities to work with children throughout my life. The four
listed above have given me a great understanding of what it is like to be a teacher.
In order to communicate effectively with students, I must understand each
child. Having the chance to travel abroad to Honduras allowed me to see not only
the different styles of teaching, but how different cultures communicate. Seeing
how the people in San Pedro Sula speak with one another gave me a whole different
view on how I need to approach people (students). Everything said is valued in their
culture. Value is a key component in the study of Blueness and in my future
classroom. Having experiences with a wide range of ages also helps in
understanding communication. From my practicum with preschoolers to the schools
in Honduras, I covered ground. I know how to appropriately crouch down when
talking to a three year old and the personal space of a 16 year old. Knowing the age
range of students gives me an idea of how to approach them.

I have learned how to master the ability to use questioning and discussion
techniques. Again, it helps to know the students. In my observations and
practicum/field experiences, I was able to take the first couple of days to take notes.
I learned what works and what does not work. It also helps that I have observations
in various grade levels, so I know what is appropriate for certain ages. I also have
firsthand experience in questioning/discussion through my field experience. In
creating two lessons, I was able to connect with the students and have direct
conversation with them. I put to use skills learned in my classes; I kept some, while
discarded insufficient ones. I have experience with a large group (field experience)
and a small group (Pulaski). Through both groups, I experimented with different
approaches. I found that is much easier to approach two students as opposed to 25.
I found myself easing into things and doing an adequate job when I was one-on-one
with a child. I learned that I need to work on and discover more techniques for my
group approach.
All of my opportunities deal with engaging students in learning.
Learning/teaching is not a difficult task, if approached correctly. The main thing I
learned through this is that as a teacher, I need to uncover the interests of the
students. Each child has a different taste. In Honduras, something as simple as a
bible story was fascinating to the children, simply because of the language barrier.
The children were curious to exchange meaningful yet completely foreign
utterances. Deciphering English and Spanish was learning in itself. Through the
preschool experience, I learned how to simplify my teaching techniques in order for
the four and five year olds to understand. In my field experience, I used a lesson
plans to test the students knowledge about the United States. I grew in that
opportunity in that I practiced my ability to teach and keep students intrigued. And

at Pulaski, although I was not in a classroom setting, I was able to practice my oneon-one skills. I could engage the students in learning through play. In every
experience, I found that when I was engaging students in learning, they engaged
me. My knowledge improved greatly through these involvements.