Moreland Hills Elementary #6

Today was my last visit at Moreland Hills Elementary! When I walked in, the students were creating a large map of their classroom with sheets of construction paper in their groups as a fun last activity of the day.  The kids then were told to clean up all the paper and return to their seats.  After this, Mrs. Newman told me I was the "desk inspector" for the classroom and if they student did not clean out the inside of their desks and wipe down the outside, they would not be permitted to use their iPads before Music class.  Each kid quickly cleaned up their stuff and began to play their online games.  Mrs. Newman had to go to a meeting at the end of the day so she asked me to watch over everyone while she was gone.  It felt unusual to be the only adult in the classroom and the only one in charge.  The kids listened to me very well when I told them it was time to stop playing and get in a single file line for their next class.  Mrs. Newman told the students this was my last day here so I received many hugs and goodbyes which made me feel excited that they actually enjoyed my presence in their classroom over the past few months.  Lastly, Mrs. Newman told me that she appreciated my help and encouraged me to come back for more experience whenever I needed it.  I was very grateful to spend my first observation experience at Moreland Hills Elementary and I would be thrilled to go back!  I truly enjoyed and learned from the whole experience.

Moreland Hills Elementary #5

On my second to last field experience, I met Mrs. Newman and her class in the gym for a pep really.  They had Cosi visiting their school that day so after the pep rally, the students were allowed to go throughout the gym and look at 9 stations of different things they learned about at the pep rally.  Some stations were about eating the right food and how it affects the body.  Others were about body parts and how exercise raises your heart rate.  One station displayed the largest man in the world and allowed the students to compare their wingspan, foot size and hand size to his.  I was instructed to walk around and make sure the children were somewhat calm and respectful at each station.  I helped them with picking out the healthiest food they would need for a proper meal and watched as they then made a plate of their own.  The kids found the stations very informative and really enjoyed walking around.  After this event, we all went back upstairs and the kids had to pack up their belongings before they went to Art class.

Moreland Hills Elementary #4

On the day before Thanksgiving break, Mrs. Newman allowed me to come in for longer than usual so I could actually help her with a lesson.  After the children got back from lunch, they had to take their timed test and see if anyone was qualified to move up to a harder test.  Most the children that practiced and knew what they were doing excelled and some children still struggled with answering every question.  Following the test, the children were asked to take out their math packets and I was asked to sit at the front with the students that needed help to assist them.  I taught them how to add and subtract large numbers without actually counting it out.  I felt very excited that Mrs. Newman allowed me to actually teach the kids and I learned how I would go about helping my future students.  Next, the students gathered around the carpet to play a game about pioneers.  I helped the kids read what was on their cards and taught them how to play the game.  I thought this was a fun way to get every child involved and force them to pay attention to what everyone else was saying.  After I assisted each student to get comfortable reading aloud what was on their card, everyone seemed to be having fun.  I learned that not everyone can read at the same rate and some words are more challenging than others so being patient is key.  Lastly, Mrs. Newman read a book to calm everyone down before we helped them to clean out their desks and straighten up the classroom before the school day was over.