Observation 3

Now that I have completed my observation hours I can reflect on my overall experience in PS 48 this semester. I think my time at the school was ultimately positive and I have learned so much from my experience there. I have met many dedicated teachers and staff members who I strive to follow.

As the teachers began to get to know me more, they began giving me more responsibility in the classroom. They still allowed me to sit in on planning sessions as well as interact with the students during their lessons. On one of the days that I was there during math, the student’s objective was to review how to multiply double digit numbers. I liked how the teachers reviewed the steps in the process with the entire class then broke them into groups based on their skill level. Each group had a teacher, student teacher or para to give the students more individualized attention. Mrs. Whalen gave me my own group to work with consisting of three boys and one girl. Their task was to complete a 5 question worksheet and my first task was to make sure they stayed focused and to help them if they had questions. I was a little apprehensive because math was always my weakest subject, but I was confident in my multiplication skills and was able to help walk the students through it. It was challenging to keep the boys on task. They kept talking to each other or to their friends in other groups. I kept reminding them to keep working and eventually their worksheets were completed. Once the sheet was finished by all the students in the group it was my job to review it with them breaking each step down on the small dry erase board. To keep the students focused I asked one student to read the question, another to solve the first step and then another to finish the problem. I called on the students in my group randomly and reminded them not to call out. One suggestion I would have for this lesson was the use of the smart board. I think it would be fun for the students to review the worksheet and write the answers on the smart board instead of the teacher writing down the steps on the small dry erase boards.

In this 4^th grade classroom, the teachers use the smart board to project reading passages. I haven’t really seen the smart board used for any other lesson besides reading and writing. I think it would be nice for the students to use it for science or social studies.

            I really enjoyed my time at PS48 and I was sad to leave. In just a few short weeks you really become attached to the students and teachers. I was very lucky to be in such a warm and safe learning environment and I am looking forward to having my own classroom one day.