I took EDU 270: Learning and the Brain during my first internship placement.

The course focused on methods of creating a naturally engaging learning environment by considering how the brain learns best, and how to keep students actively engaged throughout the day. We discovered the benefits of having engaging lessons in our daily teaching. I completed three observations during my internship for this course, all of which considered the impact of the classroom environment on student learning. The three observation documents demonstrate how my perception and recognition of strategies and the environment changed over a 6 week period. As my first intern experience, my time in Mrs. Greens first grade classroom allowed me to gain a foundational understanding of engagement and lesson delivery. As I became more comfortable with my role as an educator in the classroom, I was able to better understand the reason behind methods, and to take notice of the teachers decisions and actions on the learning environment. In the beginning, all of the management strategies, routines, and lessons were overwhelming. However, as time progressed, I was able to begin dissecting what I observed. The resulting observation documents reflect this shift in my understanding of teaching. When I completed Classroom Observation 1, I was able to recognize several aspects of the daily routines that reinforced positive behavior and mutual respect. I also identified tools that were being used in the classroom, such as the word wall, that could further benefit the students by being implemented more throughout the span of instruction. In Classroom Observation 2, I considered the effect of primacy and recency, and considered how this process affects lesson delivery. I was able to recognize the importance of movement throughout the span of a school day. Lastly, in Classroom Observation 3, I examined the effectiveness of several components of body and brain-friendly elements of the classroom. I was able to conclude that while Mrs. Green implemented many positive practices in the classroom, there were some key issues effecting the overall environment. Mainly among these was the lack of movement sometimes allowed, and teacher comments that were heard by students. As a result of my observations, I was able to identify key elements of my own teaching philosophy. Primarily, I believe that positive student-teacher relationships are indispensable. I find that showing my students respect and having a genuine interest in what matters to them helps students to feel safe, understood, and valued in the classroom. This impacts learning in several ways. Students are more positive, engaged, and willing to share their learning in class. Additionally, I believe in the key importance of a lesson plan structure that uses an engaging introduction, in which students know the specific learning objective, and which includes a summary of learning at the end. I find this to be especially significant when students complete this summary of learning themselves, rather than being told a summary by myself. Lastly, I attempt to ensure that every piece of information that becomes part of our classroom wall space is used in our general learning. For example, my students dissected vocabulary words and presented their details to the class, such as the part of speech, definition, and affixes, prior to it being put on the wall. In the future, I would like to add in time for a mixed review of the words on a weekly basis. Overall, these observations in my initial internship placement created a strong foundation for the learning that has since taken place in mentors classrooms and my own.