Field Experience
Overview:
This field experience, I chose to spend my ten hours observing in two junior classes at DeWitt Clinton High School. Experiencing these hours was very interesting because it was not my first time with these specific students. After about six months of being absent, it was interesting to see the individual and group growth that the students had accomplished. At the same time, it was frustrating to see some students and aspects of the school remain stagnant in progress. Regardless, I gained many insights on educating higher-level grades while maintaining their interest and treating them like adults. Clinton holds a very special place in my heart because it has given me a sense of purpose and contributed to my pedagogy as an educator.
Skills and Insights Gained:
Although my ten hours were spent observing, rather than actively teaching I did gain many insights about teaching two very different groups of students. With the same lesson being taught for each class, but one class being a large inclusion and the other being a small general education class, I learned a lot about differentiation. I spent most of my time taking notes on Ms. Getzel’s direct instruction and then circulated as the students worked independently or in groups. Regardless of if the students were in general or inclusion classes, both groups are majority below grade level. The school also does not have enough funding to provide books that the students can bring home. Both of these common realities in city schools press the teachers, especially English teachers, for time and effectiveness in their lessons. This was a concern of mine after student teaching. However, during my time at Clinton with their junior class, I learned new strategies to approach time management in a limited environment.
A specific example of this time management that served as an, “a-ha” moment was during a reading and interpreting activity for The Great Gatsby. The desired outcomes of the activity were to piece together the plot and student understanding through quotations of specific characters. Getzel used this as an assessment to check for comprehension. I thought it was very creative and a smart use of time by providing the students with a worksheet that asked questions involving the inclusion of evidence as well as specific quotes the students could choose from. Instead of having the students browse through their texts and find a quote that is significant, Ms. Getzel provided them with the quote and asked having the students browse through their texts and find a quote that is significant, Ms. Getzel provided them with the quote and asked why it was significant to the development of the text. This saved the students time and also focused the activity on the real outcomes of the lesson.
Lessons Learned:
This strategy stood out to my so much because of my previous experience at Clinton. It was a challenge to keep an appropriate pace of the unit while still promoting self-efficacy among my students, regardless of their learning levels. It is reassuring to still have questions answered before I enter the work force. This will, without a doubt, be applicable in my future classroom. I have a strong desire to work in an inner city and these are realistic hurtles that I will have to master on my own. Regardless of the setting, all students and all classrooms will require differentiation.
Having the ability to observe a teacher who can add to my skill set is beneficial for all my future teaching moments. Being a high school teacher involves balancing content with relevance to the outside world. Students who do not see themselves succeeding and making applications on their own will most likely shut down and give up. However, it is the teacher’s job to provide the students will enough resources and support to make this success attainable. My time spent in the junior classes, such as my time with the text activity, allowed me to understand simple, yet effective ways to promote all of these aspects in the classroom.
Impact:
Overall, my field experience at DeWitt Clinton High School was effective in learning strategies for time management within different levels of learners. Although I have already student taught in the same setting, it is important to revisit areas and have questions that were left unanswered, answered. Learning time management is a challenging topic to master but building strategies and considering all the students’ needs was beneficial in aiding my insights. The challenge exists because, as a young teacher, you are only exposed to a limited amount of students. When basing strategies off the experiences of your students, the more you observe, the more you can help. These visits proved that each day with the students will bring more and more productive lesson plans.
Overview:
This field experience, I chose to spend my ten hours observing in two junior classes at DeWitt Clinton High School. Experiencing these hours was very interesting because it was not my first time with these specific students. After about six months of being absent, it was interesting to see the individual and group growth that the students had accomplished. At the same time, it was frustrating to see some students and aspects of the school remain stagnant in progress. Regardless, I gained many insights on educating higher-level grades while maintaining their interest and treating them like adults. Clinton holds a very special place in my heart because it has given me a sense of purpose and contributed to my pedagogy as an educator.
Skills and Insights Gained:
Although my ten hours were spent observing, rather than actively teaching I did gain many insights about teaching two very different groups of students. With the same lesson being taught for each class, but one class being a large inclusion and the other being a small general education class, I learned a lot about differentiation. I spent most of my time taking notes on Ms. Getzel’s direct instruction and then circulated as the students worked independently or in groups. Regardless of if the students were in general or inclusion classes, both groups are majority below grade level. The school also does not have enough funding to provide books that the students can bring home. Both of these common realities in city schools press the teachers, especially English teachers, for time and effectiveness in their lessons. This was a concern of mine after student teaching. However, during my time at Clinton with their junior class, I learned new strategies to approach time management in a limited environment.
A specific example of this time management that served as an, “a-ha” moment was during a reading and interpreting activity for The Great Gatsby. The desired outcomes of the activity were to piece together the plot and student understanding through quotations of specific characters. Getzel used this as an assessment to check for comprehension. I thought it was very creative and a smart use of time by providing the students with a worksheet that asked questions involving the inclusion of evidence as well as specific quotes the students could choose from. Instead of having the students browse through their texts and find a quote that is significant, Ms. Getzel provided them with the quote and asked having the students browse through their texts and find a quote that is significant, Ms. Getzel provided them with the quote and asked why it was significant to the development of the text. This saved the students time and also focused the activity on the real outcomes of the lesson.
Lessons Learned:
This strategy stood out to my so much because of my previous experience at Clinton. It was a challenge to keep an appropriate pace of the unit while still promoting self-efficacy among my students, regardless of their learning levels. It is reassuring to still have questions answered before I enter the work force. This will, without a doubt, be applicable in my future classroom. I have a strong desire to work in an inner city and these are realistic hurtles that I will have to master on my own. Regardless of the setting, all students and all classrooms will require differentiation.
Having the ability to observe a teacher who can add to my skill set is beneficial for all my future teaching moments. Being a high school teacher involves balancing content with relevance to the outside world. Students who do not see themselves succeeding and making applications on their own will most likely shut down and give up. However, it is the teacher’s job to provide the students will enough resources and support to make this success attainable. My time spent in the junior classes, such as my time with the text activity, allowed me to understand simple, yet effective ways to promote all of these aspects in the classroom.
Impact:
Overall, my field experience at DeWitt Clinton High School was effective in learning strategies for time management within different levels of learners. Although I have already student taught in the same setting, it is important to revisit areas and have questions that were left unanswered, answered. Learning time management is a challenging topic to master but building strategies and considering all the students’ needs was beneficial in aiding my insights. The challenge exists because, as a young teacher, you are only exposed to a limited amount of students. When basing strategies off the experiences of your students, the more you observe, the more you can help. These visits proved that each day with the students will bring more and more productive lesson plans.