Monday, April 2, 2012
Introduction to Portfolio
This portfolio is meant to explain my Intercultural Practicum experience in Rome. I will talk about my experiences within the classroom and how my preconceived notions change and develop throughout the month I am studying abroad. I have tabs on the side which makes it easy to see the progression of events from week to week. I also hope to be able to use this blog for professional development.
About Me
EDUC 300: Foundations of American Education
ELED 308: Child Development: Birth through Adolescence
ECED 372: Introduction to Early Childhood Education
ELED 310: Diversity in Elementary Education (with service learning practicum)
*For my service learning practicum, I tutored within a 5th grade math class at Thomas Harrison Middle School in Harrisonburg, Virginia.
ELED 311: Practicum with a Focus on Learners and Learning
READ 366: Early Literacy Development & Acquisition
I completed my first practicum experience at John Wayland Elementary School in Rockingham County in Bridgewater, Virginia. I was placed in a 1st grade classroom. I attended the school every Tuesday from 8:00-4:00 for an entire semester. While in my practicum, I have completed a case study of one of the children. I analyzed the child's social/emotional, physical, cognitive, and language development. I have also completed a co-inquiry project where I considered the question, What is the Role of Language on Literacy Development Based on the
Cognitive Perspective? I also have volunteered with Blast Off at Smithland Elementary School in Harrisonburg, Virginia. This is an after school program where the students work on their homework. I helped students in 3rd grade with their homework.
I am also a part of Shenandoah Valley Reading Council and Association for Childhood Education International.
Teaching Philosophy
I have a pretty normal view of education for the 21st century. I see education as a very essential part in every child's life. I
think each student individually has a large role in forming and influencing his
or her education within the constraints of the teacher. It is up to the student
to get how ever much they can out of their education. While the teacher may
teach the information, it is up to the student to actually apply the information.
This can bee seen in simple things such as homework. The teacher will teach the
concepts in class, but it is up to the student to actually apply the things
learned in class to their homework. If students rush through their homework
then they most likely will not get enough out of it. I think the teacher should focus on each individual student's needs and structure each lesson to cater to every child's needs.
I think that the students and the faculty should have a friendly and approachable relationship. I think that the students should feel comfortable enough to approach the teacher if they are confused about something. I also think the students should feel comfortable enough to approach a teacher if they don’t like the teaching practices or if they have a new idea for what to do in the classroom. And when the students approach the teacher, I think they should take their criticism with support and think of it as motivation as to how to better their classroom. I think teachers need to be approachable so the students feel comfortable telling their teachers about problems they are having even outside the classroom.
I also think that both the students, teachers, and administrators should be involved in things together outside the classroom environment because this will generate a sense of community within the entire school, and will allow everyone within the school to know one another. Learning how to deal with people outside of the classroom and learning how to talk with people at different ages is also very important; which is why I think everyone involved in the school should get outside of their everyday environment and work together. An example of this could be a field day, where all the school staff and the students play on teams for kickball or capture the flag. Another way the whole school can generate a sense of community could be getting involved in a community service opportunity such as visiting a nursing home. Some of the students along side an administrative staff could be involved in getting to know individual residences while other staff, teachers, and students could work on the outside manual labor of the nursing home. This is important because it will establish relationships that may not have otherwise been established within the students and the staff, and it creates a sense of unity within the entire school and the community.
Because I plan on teaching in an elementary school I plan on my classroom being very colorful and comfortable. I want the classroom to be colorful because that will be most inviting for the students. In the sense that I want it to be comfortable I want to have a special reading spot for my students. A teacher I know has a canoe in her classroom for her students to sit in and read; this is fun for the students and gets them reading. I also envision my desk being in close proximity to the students so that I will be able to keep a good eye on all the students and be able to hear what they are talking about. I think it is important to be able to hear what they are talking about because if there is any bullying going on, I want to be able to intervene. I also want the student’s desks to be in groups. This is another way that I can balance gender differences; the girls in the group can help the boys focus, and the boys can help the girls in STEM.
As the teacher, your role is to establish a reliable relationship between parents, fellow teachers, principals, and students in order to ensure that each individual in your classroom will leave with a growth of knowledge. As a teacher you should promote values such as respect, leadership, and responsibility to ensure that your students don’t just learn many new things, but become better citizens as well. The teacher must create a trusting relationship with the parents because their children are being put in the hands of the teacher for at least seven hours of the day. The parents need to trust that their child will be well taken care of and looked after. Teachers must also promise to administrators, parents, and students that their students will actually be learning. If teachers are not sharing their wealth of knowledge to their students then they should not be teachers. I also think teachers should work with other teachers in gaining new ideas for the classroom and promoting an enthusiasm for education. Some teachers may have great ideas that other teachers may not know, but through communication with one another these great ideas will be shared and used in many classrooms. Also as a teacher, I really value continuing education. I think it is important that teachers stay up to date with the technology. I think it is necessary to continue learning because this generates new ideas that can be brought into the classroom, so that nothing becomes old or boring.
I think that the students and the faculty should have a friendly and approachable relationship. I think that the students should feel comfortable enough to approach the teacher if they are confused about something. I also think the students should feel comfortable enough to approach a teacher if they don’t like the teaching practices or if they have a new idea for what to do in the classroom. And when the students approach the teacher, I think they should take their criticism with support and think of it as motivation as to how to better their classroom. I think teachers need to be approachable so the students feel comfortable telling their teachers about problems they are having even outside the classroom.
I also think that both the students, teachers, and administrators should be involved in things together outside the classroom environment because this will generate a sense of community within the entire school, and will allow everyone within the school to know one another. Learning how to deal with people outside of the classroom and learning how to talk with people at different ages is also very important; which is why I think everyone involved in the school should get outside of their everyday environment and work together. An example of this could be a field day, where all the school staff and the students play on teams for kickball or capture the flag. Another way the whole school can generate a sense of community could be getting involved in a community service opportunity such as visiting a nursing home. Some of the students along side an administrative staff could be involved in getting to know individual residences while other staff, teachers, and students could work on the outside manual labor of the nursing home. This is important because it will establish relationships that may not have otherwise been established within the students and the staff, and it creates a sense of unity within the entire school and the community.
Because I plan on teaching in an elementary school I plan on my classroom being very colorful and comfortable. I want the classroom to be colorful because that will be most inviting for the students. In the sense that I want it to be comfortable I want to have a special reading spot for my students. A teacher I know has a canoe in her classroom for her students to sit in and read; this is fun for the students and gets them reading. I also envision my desk being in close proximity to the students so that I will be able to keep a good eye on all the students and be able to hear what they are talking about. I think it is important to be able to hear what they are talking about because if there is any bullying going on, I want to be able to intervene. I also want the student’s desks to be in groups. This is another way that I can balance gender differences; the girls in the group can help the boys focus, and the boys can help the girls in STEM.
As the teacher, your role is to establish a reliable relationship between parents, fellow teachers, principals, and students in order to ensure that each individual in your classroom will leave with a growth of knowledge. As a teacher you should promote values such as respect, leadership, and responsibility to ensure that your students don’t just learn many new things, but become better citizens as well. The teacher must create a trusting relationship with the parents because their children are being put in the hands of the teacher for at least seven hours of the day. The parents need to trust that their child will be well taken care of and looked after. Teachers must also promise to administrators, parents, and students that their students will actually be learning. If teachers are not sharing their wealth of knowledge to their students then they should not be teachers. I also think teachers should work with other teachers in gaining new ideas for the classroom and promoting an enthusiasm for education. Some teachers may have great ideas that other teachers may not know, but through communication with one another these great ideas will be shared and used in many classrooms. Also as a teacher, I really value continuing education. I think it is important that teachers stay up to date with the technology. I think it is necessary to continue learning because this generates new ideas that can be brought into the classroom, so that nothing becomes old or boring.
Personal and Professional Goals
Three personal and professional goals I have for this semester includes:
1. Learning how children from another country learn similarly or differently compared to American students.
I have the stereotype in my head that children from another country are more motivated to learn and more dedicated to their studies. I would like to see if this is true or not. If it is true, I would like to get my future students to adopt this attitude somewhat. I will be able to use what I have learned from these students and apply it to students in the United States.
2. Learn how to navigate around a city/country that I really don't know very much about.
I have lived in Richmond, Virginia my whole life, so I am very familiar with how to get to places and I know where everything is. Needless to say, I am very comfortable in Richmond. I also don't speak any Italian, so I think it will be very fun and interesting to determine how to navigate around a country that I don't speak the native language.
3. Discover how different or similar the Italian culture is compared to the United States.
I have never been out of the country, so I have no idea how people act outside of the U.S. I am interested to see what kinds of food they eat, the way they dress, and the way people act in public, and basically any customs that the Italians do that is different from the U.S.
1. Learning how children from another country learn similarly or differently compared to American students.
I have the stereotype in my head that children from another country are more motivated to learn and more dedicated to their studies. I would like to see if this is true or not. If it is true, I would like to get my future students to adopt this attitude somewhat. I will be able to use what I have learned from these students and apply it to students in the United States.
2. Learn how to navigate around a city/country that I really don't know very much about.
I have lived in Richmond, Virginia my whole life, so I am very familiar with how to get to places and I know where everything is. Needless to say, I am very comfortable in Richmond. I also don't speak any Italian, so I think it will be very fun and interesting to determine how to navigate around a country that I don't speak the native language.
3. Discover how different or similar the Italian culture is compared to the United States.
I have never been out of the country, so I have no idea how people act outside of the U.S. I am interested to see what kinds of food they eat, the way they dress, and the way people act in public, and basically any customs that the Italians do that is different from the U.S.
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