A Desire to Teach

Observation

At the beginning of the semester, I was assigned to a field placement at Head Start. Each Tuesday morning, I would go to the Mount Joy Career and Technology Center to observe a Pre-K classroom. Here, I was able to observe what the children did throughout the day, different classroom management strategies, and different teaching techniques. If you want to see some of my observations, you can check out my first time in the classroom here. It was interesting to see how different teachers have different strengths in the classroom. As someone who will be a teacher one day, it’s important to learn as many different tips and tricks as possible. The children in the classroom were ages four and five. Although I don’t plan on teaching in a Pre- K classroom, it was still good practice to get the experience in the classroom. I got to see many different centers, small groups, large groups, and circle time. Although these children are younger than the students I will be teaching, my students will still have these activities as well.

 

 

Question

After observing for some time in the classroom, it wasn’t hard to think of some questions. My observations led me to question different things. For instance, I observed children playing most of the day. This led me to question how much play time should be in the classroom compared to instruction. My question was, “Is there such thing as too much play in the classroom?”. You can read more about my questions on play in my second R2P post, here. The more time I spent in the field, the more questions I had. After seeing their classroom schedule, I wondered if most Pre-K classrooms schedules were the same? After thinking about it, my third blog post became about my question, “What does effective Pre-K instruction look like?”. If you want to see where my question led me, check out my last R2P post here. It became easier for me to come up with questions I had after I left field. I would think about the day there and see what stuck out to me after I left.

 

 

 

  Research

 Once I was able to think of some questions I had, it was easier for me to start researching. Normally, I’m not going to research something I know too much about. So, since I had some reoccurring questions, I was able to get on the library’s website and search for some answers. I found that using the library’s database gave me more advanced information. A simple google search wouldn’t have given me that great of research. Using research that is from a journal or other peer reviewed articles is more trusted information. In my last R2P post, I found some awesome journal articles that had great information on the classroom. You can check them out here.  I liked researching because I was able to find some solutions and answers to my questions. I was able to see why play is so important in the classroom, what effective instruction should look like for a pre-school student, etc. It’s important to research if you have a question about something. Knowledge is power and you can only benefit from it.

 

 

 

Reflection

 I found that thinking about my experience in the classroom each day after I left, gave me a chance to reflect on the day. This could include what happened during the day, something that happened that was fun/interesting, or a lesson that didn’t go as smoothly as planned. I found that reflecting on the day gives me a chance to improve if needed. There will always be something that you can do better. This is why it’s important to think about what you did in the classroom and how you can change or adapt it, so that it flows more smoothly. I found the reflecting process was a way for me to de-stress. When I talked or thought about what happened in the classroom each week, I felt like I was able to be more prepared for the next week. It never hurts to reflect on an experience. This allows anyone to know if they liked something, if they need to make changes or improvements, and see what they do well at.

 

 

 

 

Technology

 I’ve never been great at using technology. However, learning about the different platforms that I can use to share my voice and opinions on was great. I found that blogging gave me a chance to talk about certain topics that might not be addressed anywhere else. I liked how I could include my own personal touch into what I write. These could include, my message, tone, pictures, hyperlinks, etc. when writing a paper, it’s often times just writing about a topic. You don’t get to voice your opinion or thoughts on the subject matter. I liked that blogging is your own personal platform to share what YOU want. When I first started the blogging process, I was struggling just figuring out how to make one and post. Now, I feel much more comfortable in the process. I can now add in pictures and videos without experiencing any issues. I would feel encouraged to even try other blogging platforms now.

 

 

 

 

 

Final Thoughts 

What are you taking away to your future teaching practice from this R2P project?

After doing the R2P, I feel like I became a better writer. I think a lot of times as students we end up blindly researching, without starting with a question. Through this process, I became better at asking questions that I was curious about. As a teacher, we shouldn’t be afraid to ask questions. In fact, we can learn so much more by asking questions. My writing skills and question asking became stronger through this R2P project.

What advice would you give to the next ERCH496 students about the R2P project? 

I would encourage other students to try out a different platform that they might not be comfortable with. This project is one that allows you to step outside of your comfort zone, not many school projects allow you to do this. I would also tell them not to stress out about the project too much. It’s supposed to be a fun and reflective process, that will only benefit them!

What advice would you give to Tatiana for the next iteration on the R2P project? 

I would suggest that the schedule for when the posts are due, be clearer. On some of the posts, Powers would say they are due a different day then when you post the deadline for. It was just a little confusing to know when to have them done by.

 

Everyone has their own day to day routines that they follow. In the Pre-k classroom at Headstart, they stick to the same routine every day. This makes it easy for the students to know what to do at certain points in the day. There is a schedule posted on the wall with pictures because the children can’t read yet. Each day, it seems that the children spend the majority of the time playing. At 9:15 – 9:40, the students participate in large group and read aloud. Then, from 9:45 – 10:05, the students split into two small groups. At 1:40 – 2:00 the students have another large group and message time. Next, at 2:00 they move into small groups again.

The first couple of days I was in the classroom, it felt like there wasn’t much instruction going on. Since I’m only in the classroom from 8 -12, I am only there to see their first large group and one small group session. These periods don’t last long because the students get very wiggly and distracted easily. Sitting in the classroom with everyone got me thinking what Pre-K instruction should look like? Is this routine that the children are on beneficial to them? Since it seemed like there was a lot of play built into the classroom schedule, I didn’t know if there was enough instruction time included.

After reading an article on effective Pre-K instruction, I realized that the instruction that is provided for the students is exactly what they need for their age. According to the article, it says that children should be able to practice making their own choices (Neuman, 2019, p. 10). In my classroom, during the choice time, the students are able to decide which station they want to play at. These stations include blocks, play-doh, STEM, dramatic play, reading, and art. Another aspect of having effective Pre-K instruction is having the right amount of students in each class. If the students are ages four or five, the adult-child ratio should not be more than one adult for eight to ten children (Neuman, 2019, p. 11). The class size should also not be more than 20. If you want to read more from this article on what makes a Pre-K classroom effective, click here. During my first time in the classroom, I was surprised at how many students were there. There were only about ten children. This really helped each student get a substantial amount of attention from the teacher.

Below is a video of a Headstart training video. This video is very similar to the children’s routine each day at Headstart. The teacher demonstrates great classroom management skills and provides a great example of what a functioning Pre-K classroom looks like.

Head Start Teacher’s Training Video

Description

Although I originally thought that the time frame for instruction seemed strange, I realized that it’s what works best for children their age. They need time to be up and moving a lot. At this age, their attention spans are still limited. Having gross motor movement time and choice time gives them a chance to be up and moving in the classroom. If the students did not have time to walk around and regain their focus, they would be a distraction during large or small group time. According to a research article I read, “Approximately three to four students in an average classroom engage in disruptive behaviors that interfere with normal academic and social development” (Ervin, Wilson, Maynard, & Bramblett, 2018). If you are interested in learning more about behavior in the classroom, check out this article!

Being in multiple different field placements, I’ve seen that effective instruction has lots of movement linked to learning. At my pre-school now, this would be their stations. Their schedule and routines are built to make it a successful learning environment. When I get my first classroom one day, I want to make sure that my learning environment and routines make it an effective place. If you have any tips or recommendations for the classroom environment or classroom routines/schedules, comment down below! I would love to hear your feedback and suggestions!

 

References:

Ervin, T., Wilson, A. N., Maynard, B. R., & Bramblett, T. (2018). Determining the Effectiveness of Behavior Skills Training and Observational Learning on Classroom Behaviors: A Case Study. Allied Health, 106-117.

Neuman, S. B. (2019). First Steps Toward Literacy: What effective Pre-K Instruction Looks Like. American Educator , 9-11.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When I was little, I remember going to preschool. What I don’t remember is how much we played. Looking back, I assumed that we did more structured learning than playing. Maybe we didn’t play as much as kids do now in preschool. The past couple of weeks that I have been in the classroom at Headstart, I’ve noticed just how much playing the children do. On my first day in the classroom, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I had never been in a preschool classroom before other than my own experiences as a child. As the children walked in around 8:15, I helped them write their names on their name tags. Most of them drawing squiggles on the sheet with a couple of shapes that resembled letters. All of the students had the routine of the day memorized already. They buzzed around the room completing their daily tasks before eating breakfast. As I looked around the walls covered in different posters, I noticed their daily schedule. This neatly outlined what was going to happen throughout each day.

Since I haven’t been to multiple preschools before, I began to wonder if all preschools were mostly play based. Are they all like this? Is there such a thing as too much playing in the classroom? I know play has numerous benefits to children especially when they are young, but it felt like these students were playing all day. They played in the toy kitchen, with blocks, books, water tables, play-dough, and lots of other materials. I was used to being put in placements where there is more structured learning. This was definitely an adjustment to say the least. After coming back from my field placement, I began discussing what it has been like with some of my other friends from field. We all agreed that there was a lot of play involved throughout the day. This got me thinking about the question that I had before… Is there such a thing as too much play?

As I researched further into play in the classroom, it was hard to find negative articles about play. Most researchers have found that play is how most young children learn. I watched an interesting video on play. Although the kids in the video were slightly older, it proves that even older children need to be up and interactive when learning. After watching the video, I realized that I had been comparing my childhood learning experiences to children’s learning experiences now. However, the education field is always changing and evolving!! I’m still getting used to thinking about ways to incorporate hands-on learning and play based learning. Most of my childhood in school, I was sitting at a desk doing a worksheet. As an educator, I’m going to try to avoid busy work and other activities that involve sitting at a desk. I highly encourage any person who has kids, babysits, teaches, or other childcare professionals to watch the video below!

The Role of Play in the Overly-Academic Classroom

Register for LEAD Conference at http://www.gesellinstitute.org/events/ Play is being banished from kindergarten classrooms across the U.S. Learn how this is impacting the nation’s youth. Narrated by Marcy Guddemi, Executive Director of the Gesell Institute

There are not just videos on the importance of play. There are many research articles that highlight the endless positive impacts of play. For instance, one of the articles that I found even states how there is little to no disagreement that play in the classroom is a negative thing. One of the most interesting parts of this article that I found was about the cultural aspect. In all cultures, children love to play. Although in some areas, they might not have access to the same or as many toys or materials. The point is, all children love to play! It doesn’t matter where the child is coming from. If all children love to play, then why are kids still sitting at their desks doing worksheets all day long? Us teachers need to step away from this tendency and get kids up and moving while learning! This article gave me a better understanding on play from a worldwide perspective. Check this article out here!

The point is, after my placement, I thought that it was strange that the students played most of the day. I wondered if it was too much playing. After thinking about this for the past couple of weeks, I came to realize it’s actually great! Children need to learn through these hands-on experiences. It keeps them engaged and excited to learn more. Educators need to get rid of the idea that kids should be sitting nicely in their seats all day long! There is so much research out there to support the numerous benefits of play in the classroom. We shouldn’t be doubting it. Now, I’m left with another question… How can I incorporate more play based learning into my lessons? Comment down below your tips and tricks for play-based/hands-on learning in the classroom!

 

Who Are Your Gurus?

Who Reassures and stretches you as an early childhood educator?

 When I think back on my own experiences in elementary school, I mostly have positive experiences. This is because of the teachers that I had. These included Mrs. Green, Mrs. Bass, and Mrs. Prystup, just to name a few. All of the teachers taught in their own ways, but had the same priorities in mind. These were making sure that the children felt safe, cared about, and learned at each individual level. Whenever I am around kids or in the classroom, I aspire to be like the teachers that once taught me. I think back on how they would approach potential problems or situations. I would observe how calm they were if something were not to go as planned. Instead of making a big fuss about it, they would adapt or change their lesson into something that would work better for the good of the class. The teachers always had students’ best interests at heart, not just what was easy or convenient for them to do. These women that I had teaching me, inspire me to teach in a similar way. They were compassionate to each and every child and made learning engaging and fun.

Whose pedagogies are shaping your path?

 When I’m in a classroom, I have learned that hands on learning is very fun and engaging for students. They’re not simply sitting at their desks doing worksheets for hours on end. Instead, they are interacting with different manipulatives and materials that are helping them grasp the content that is being presented to them. They are excited to learn! One educators teaching philosophy in particular, I really relate to. This educator is Maria Montessori. Where I live, there is a Montessori school right down the street. The children are placed in classrooms with others who might not even be the same age. The students are not only able to learn from their teachers, but their older peers that surround them. Instead of the class being teacher centered, the classroom is student centered. The students use materials around the room to help them learn about the different subjects. They are doing hands on activities to promote learning. I love this! After doing a research project about what Maria Montessori had done in education, I started to think about more ways I could make my lessons more hands on and interactive. If you would like to learn more about Maria Montessori and what she accomplished in the education field, click here.

Who is teaching you about the Why and the How in the field of Early Childhood?

 As a senior in college, I can honestly say that my professors have taught me so much about education. Millersville University has an abundance of professors that have had years of experience in the early education field. It’s hard to picture what my education would have been like had I gone somewhere else with an early childhood program. Each professor that I have had has had different experiences in the classroom. They each taught in different schools, different grades, and even had different roles other than just educators. Learning from someone who did not have experiences inside an actual classroom would not have been as relatable. Sure, they could read us the textbook and give us knowledge and tips for inside the classroom. However, they wouldn’t have their own experiences to reflect back and shed light on. My professors have taught me how much the education world has changed and evolved over the years. They have taught me why it’s so important to be a good role model for the students to look up. They’ve taught me why it’s important to build relationships with the students and families. Everything that I learned from my professors will help me become the teacher that the students need.

Who speaks truth to you? Shares new insights with you?

 My mom used to be a special education teacher many years ago. Although it’s been a long time since she’s taught in the classroom, she still gives me insight on what it was like in the classroom. She doesn’t shy away from talking about the challenging times. She lets me know that it is hard work, but it’s the most rewarding job she ever had. My mom’s best friend is still a teacher at Penn Manor. Whenever they get together, she lets me know what new things are going on inside the classroom. She tells me what the latest assessments are, what new curriculum the school implemented, and what some of her updated lessons look like. These aren’t the only two people who share valuable insight on the classroom to me. Whenever we go into the field, I learn a lot from my cooperating teachers. For instance, each one of my cooperating teachers had different classroom management strategies. It was nice to learn about more than just one strategy. It was also interesting to hear what they have tried in the classroom that might not have worked out the way they thought it would. Then, they would tell me what they tried instead, that worked better. Although there are a lot of people that have shared their experiences and new insights with me, I’m sure I will hear and learn from a lot more in the future! I’m looking forward to growing and learning from more experiences in the classroom.