CADETTEACHERINTERNSNAME:NickPeninger

SCHOOLDISTRICT:Mattawan
MyfirstweekasateacherIhadtheopportunitytowatchovertwoverydifferentkindsof
classroomsandtwoverydifferentkindsofteachers.FromSeptember8throughSeptember10,
IjobshadowedMelindaHinueber,aseventhgradelanguageartsteacheratMattawanMiddle
School.Isatinonhersecondandthirdhourclassesoneeachofthesedays.OnSeptember
11,IjobshadowedKareyEngels,andherfifthgradeclassatMattawanLaterElementary,and
visitedduringtheirtwohourmathsession.
InMs.Hinuebersclass,myjobshadowconsistedofmainlyobservation.She
beganeachclassperiodcheerfullyandwastednotimegettingstraighttothesubjectof
languagearts.Aftergivingadetailedtourofherclassroom,(whichincludedTerrencetheTrash
Can,aboxusedforprivatemessagestotheteacherlocatedonherdesk,somethingIthought
wasaninterestingandusefulconcept,)shewentstraightintotheexpectationsofreading
throughouttheirquarter.Aftergoingthroughtheircontract,thestudentswereaskedtofillouta
shortsurveytypepaperthataskedabouttheirfavoritebooks,genres,etc.Atthestartofthelast
fewminutesofclass,MsHinueberpresentedanallaboutmeslideshow,andthenmentioned
agameinwhichstudentsusedtheirphonestoplayunderausernameundertheirchoice,and
answeredquestionsfromtheteacherpresentedonthePrometheanBoard.Ihadneverheardof
thisgame,buteverysingle7thgraderimmediatelyexpressedtheirexcitementandtookout
theirdevices.Everyoneparticipatedandenjoyedthemselves.Onthenextcoupledaysofclass,
studentscraftedtheirreadinggoalsforthequarter,andtheclasstookatriptothelibraryto
checkouttheirbookstohelpthemdoso,andIgottohelpwiththat.Itwasrefreshingtowatch
inonMsHinuebersfriendlyapproachanddowntothestudentslevelteaching,asitmadeit
veryevidentstudentsrespondwelltothis.

IwasadmittedlynervoustoservemyjobshadowinMrs.Engelsfifthgrade
class,astheyoungerdemographicofstudentsisntwhatIwouldnormallysayIwanttoteach.I
cametoclasswithmyAllAboutMeposter,andpresentedittotheclass,wholistenedvery
attentively.Afterwards,Ileadagametohelpmegettoknowalloftheirnames,anditmayhave
takenawhileduetothelargeclass,anditwasveryevidentsomeofthekidshavelarger
attentionspansthanothers.However,theactivitywasveryhelpfulinlearningeveryonesname.
Movingforward,itwastimetobeginthemathpartoftheirday.Mrs.Engelsinstructedmeto
walkaroundtheroomandtomakesureeverystudentwasstayingontaskwithherlesson.
Whenshebegantoteach,everystudentimmediatelybeganwritingintheirnotebooksas
instructed,labelingthecorrectlessonandfollowingalongattentively.AfterwardsMrs.Engels
assignedthemafewproblemsontheboard,andthestudentspairedofftoworkonthem.
DuringthistimeMrs.Engelsmadeherwayaroundtheroomtohelpthosewithquestions,and
encouragedmetodothesame.Afterdoingso,itfeltgoodtobeabletohelpthekidswiththeir
problems.
Mrs.EngelstookamorestrictapproachtoteachingherclassthanMissHinueber
did,butIthinkseeingthecontrastofthetwoteachingstyleswashelpful.Oneofthesejob
shadowswasveryinmycomfortzone,asitwastheagegroupImmorefamiliarwith,anda
subjectIexcelin,whereastheotherwastheopposite.However,withthehelpofbothofmy
mentorteachers,bothoftheseexperienceswereveryenlighteningandIalreadyfeelrightat
homeinbothofmyclasses,andthestudentsseemtothinksoaswell.

DATEOFJOBSHADOWING:September9,10,11,2015
TIME:9:5510:50AM
GRADELEVELS:5thGradeand7thGrade
SCHOOLBUILDINGS:MattawanMiddleSchoolandMattawanLaterElementary