Moreland Hills Elementary School Visit #3

Upon walking in to Mrs. Newman's second grade classroom, every student was quiet and attentive at their seats.  They were working on a math packet and answering questions together as a class.  Hanging from the ceiling, there were many decorations from Halloween and now for Thanksgiving.  When I sat down, I was asked to grade the student's math time tables.  Some children were working on their addition, some subtraction and some multiplication.  Mrs. Newman explained that if they received higher than an 85% on their test, they could move up a level to the harder questions.  After checking each paper, I then had to enter their grades into the grade system.  After the math lesson, the students were asked to take out their packets about the US.  They had to cut out each map they filled out and then glue them to colorful pieces of paper.  Some students needed assistance cutting and putting the paper in the right spot so it was my job to walk around and help them.  Today it seemed as though everyone, including Mrs. Newman, was tired and not in the best mood so the students weren't very focused towards the end of the day.  After the students finished pasting, they were asked to clean up every piece of paper and glue stick and return to their seats.  Mrs. Newman began counting down to alert the students their desks needed to be spotless and they needed to be seated.  I feel like this tactic always works because the children never want to know what happens after 0.  That is something I will definitely do when I am in charge of my own classroom.  Lastly, the students then packed up their belonging and I walked with them down to their special of the day, which was art.