second field blog

Our lessons i found were better with each try. Toward the end we got the hang of using primary sources and transforming the lesson material to become interesting for the students. It was also really nice to see different management skills played through out our observation. That really helps especially when teaching lessons and the teachers needs to have control of the class. I found that our teacher had a very well behaved class and in a way it can set our expectations for us to think that all classes will be just as well behaved. I felt that i connected with all of the students by the end of our field. They caught glimpses of our personalities and wanted to talk and get to know us. I really tried to show them that i cared and i thing that was a big part of them connecting with me. I look forward to next semesters field.

field experience 1

Having been out in field for a week and a half now i absolutly love the classroom. There's an excitement and energy within these kids that you don't find anywhere else. Learning and explorieng is not a chore they want to impress their teacher and are eager to recieve postive attention.
My field partner and i have taught 2 lessons so far and let me just tell you, the teacher makes it look easier than it is! I find it is very easy to loose the class. I have to be on my toes and find different management techniques that will work for these kids. They don't respond to every technique and i find that fasinating. Some kids will behave with a pull a card or warnign system and others work better with a count down technique. The most important thing, i found, was to know their names and use them. Being able to call a child by name helped my field partner and I to manage the class better. Not perfect but were not expected to be perfect in our first time. I love the classroom environment. This makes me that much more anxious to finish school to accomplish my career goals.

Visual Arts

I have always had a passion for visual art. Although I have other priorities now I remember exploring my artistic ability and having fun with being creative. I loved relearning about the elements and principles of art, and watching how many of these elements are combined to create a masterpiece. It amazes me to see artists that have mastered these techniques and enter into a world of unseen talent. I believe that true artists have the ability to move and shape your feelings and emotions through their work. In my mind i never would have thought that tear art is a form of creativity. After seeing our author/illustrator i thought, "how perfect for the younger children to look and explore with". I believe there are no limits to art except feeling and oh yes the basic knowledge of the priciple and elemements of visual art.

Music in the Classroom

I can remember being in 4th 5th and 6th grade and having the same music teacher all three years because of the schedule at that time. I loved my music teacher, she was entergetic, spunky, and new how to make all students feel good. She had a way of making music into a game and making it fun.
I feel that using music in the classroom is definately a plus, academicly as well as emotional and management wise. There are just ways to connect and help students to learn that wouldn't work as well.
In my class I love the idea of the warm up and get the students mind envigorated and ready to learn. I would love to have certain lessons that help the students to listen and release stress they may have.

#3 Entitled Dance.

When I try to think of me dancing in Elementary school my mind is blank because there was no dancing for me. I was a hip rip pure tom boy. Man how things have changed a bit. I do however remember a end of the year school dance we would have to perform for our parents kind of like a field day or something like that. I remeber feeling really silly then because it wasn't something i did.
I feel focusing on the creative aspect of dance allows the students not only to have fun but to realize and learn that there are many ways of expressing yourself through voice or movement etc.
I might use dance in my classroom by have cooperative learning groups where they can be creative and come up with skits, have (brain boosters) to stimulate their mind and get wiggles out. There's so much I could do.

I have since high school been the goofy type who like to do wild and crazy things to make people laugh. I have found that a lot of those things tend to be linked toward drama in the creative arts. I feel that I am learning more about using my voice especially when it comes to telling stories or using poetry in the classroom. I am definately one of those who likes to be silly when reading a crazy story so it is good to know that there is a way i can get away with it and have it be integrating creative arts in the classroom.

Learning so far......

I have been surprised by what Ihave learned so far in this class. I didn't realize how easy some activities can be to integrate into basic curriculum. Becoming a storyteller.... I tend to do that all the time when I read I had no idea it actually is tool used to create characters and catch children's attention and learn. I have to be honest the arts isn't my strongest suit but, as I am learning more I am realizing that just with my personality it is actually somewhat easy for me to do. (I knew there was a good trait that could come from being bubbley).