This semester, I was placed at Noble Elementary in Cleveland Heights. I am observing/participating in a third grade math classroom. My cooperating teacher is accommodating to me and well-informed on what to expose me to as a future educator. So far, I have done tasks such as grade papers, compute students’ test scores (data), aid students in math activities/worksheets, and organize students’ notebooks. There are times when I am able to observe and work with students, and other times where I am assisting the teacher in certain tasks such as the ones mentioned. I find both instances to be beneficial where I am excited to continue my visits for the remainder of the semester.
I am able to observe in the classroom in the mornings until the afternoon. The students usually start off their mornings with bellwork that the teacher writes on the board. After they complete their bellwork, the teacher gathers the students on the rug to have a morning meeting. In this meeting, the teacher will give them a schedule about their day and discuss any events or exams coming up. After the meeting, announcements come on and that is an indicator to start their day. The class breaks off into several groups, going to different classrooms. A few students stay back, working on assignments from the previous day or catching up on work. They stay in these groups for 45 minutes then come back as a whole, where the teacher then starts her lesson for the day. I suppose this is an example of a small group experience, although I did not get to witness how the students who traveled to other classrooms interacted with each other. As for the students who stayed back, the dynamic seemed to be very casual and independent driven. I witnessed some of them bouncing off ideas from each other and asking questions, but they were all working at their own pace. Another instance that I witnessed small group interaction is between the teacher and students. After teaching the lesson, the class will break off into work. During this time, the teacher will call 4 to 5 students to her desk to work on an assignment. Doing this allows for students to learn more comfortably, in a smaller setting and being able to see things more closely. Groups are called up to her desk one at a time, while the rest of the class works on an activity independently.
The different types of technology I have witnessed being used in the classroom are the SmartBoard and laptops. The teacher utilizes the SmartBoard as a whole class, where the laptops are used individually by the students. I have not witnessed any specific programs being used on their laptops. During math, their work is majority done with paper and pencil (worksheets/handouts, notebooks). Although I am only in the classroom two hours out of the whole school day, I have witnessed little technology use among the students during my time there. I asked a handful of students how often they use technology outside of the classroom, and if they have any of their own devices. Many students have their own tablets or use their parents phones for games and movies. Being in third grade is a young age to have social media accounts, although some students did report having them under parental guidance.
Educational Technology -- Mlyssa 