DeliaMartinez

November20,2015
LookingForward,LookingBack:MyStudentTeachingExperience
IhadtheopportunityofcompletingmyinternshipatHorizonElementarySchoollocated
inMadison,Alabama.HorizonElementarySchoolismadeupofapproximately646studentsand
65facultymembers.Ibeganmystudentteachingexperiencebyattending
thesystemwide
InstituteDayatAsburyMethodistChurchinMadison,Alabama.ThenextdayIattended
multipleworkshopshostedbyotherteachersfromaroundthesystematJamesClemensHigh
School.IthenjoinedDr.Barnesinherfirstgradeclassroomandhelpedsetuptheclassroomfor
thearrivalofthefirstgradestudents.SincemyinternshipbeganinlateJuly,Igottoseehowthe
beginningoftheyearwaslaidout.Withthatbeingsaid,IattendedorientationwhereImetmost
ofthestudentsparentsandthestudentsIwouldbespendingmytimewith.Twodaysafter
orientationthefirstdayofschoolarrivedandthestudentscamepouringintotheclassroom.I
wasexcitedtogettoknowthe21studentsandlearnfrommycooperatingteacheraswell.After
eightweeksinmyfirstplacementItransferredtothirdgrade.IstayedatHorizonElementary
SchoolformysecondplacementbutmovedupstairstojoinMrs.Pratersclass.Overthecourse
ofmystudentteachingexperienceIgottoreflectonmyteachingpractices,learnfromthe
students,andgrowasafutureteacher.
DuringmytimewithDr.Barnesclass,Igottocreateandteachascienceuniton
BalanceandMotionandasecondunitonAllAboutFirstGrade.Thescienceunitwasan
AMSTIunitIwasfamiliarwithsincewehaddonemostoftheactivitiesinoursciencemethod
class.TheBalanceandMotionunitwasmadeupoffivelessonsspreadoutbetweentwo

weeks.IusedtheAMSTIbooktoplanmylessons,butmodifiedtheassessmentpiecesand
addedbackgroundknowledgetothebeginningofsomelessons.Ialsospentextratimeonthe
preparationofthematerials(placingeverythingintoindividualbagsforstudents)soIwouldnt
wastetimeonpassingoutmaterials.Withafirstgradeclassroom,Irealizeditwasextremely
importanttoprepthemwithbackgroundknowledgeandareviewsectionbefore/aftereach
lesson.Itookextratimetoincorporatevideosandchartsthatwouldhelpstudentsgraspthe
lessons.BeforestartingtheunitIadministeredapretestonwhatstudentsknewontheconceptof
balance.Sincealotofthestudentscouldntwriteyet,Ihadthepretestbedoneasadrawing.I
usedthepretestdatatoinformmyinstructionthroughoutthesciencelessons.AfterthepretestI
beganteachingthefollowinglessons:CrayfishTrick,TriangleandArch,ThePencilTrick(part
oneandtwo),andMobiles.ThesummativepieceoftheassessmentwasthelessononMobiles.
Duringthistimethestudentsworkedindependentlytocreatetheirownbalancedmobilesby
positioningtheirobjects(counterweights)inthecorrectpositioninorderfortheirmobileto
balance.Thiswasabighitinourclassasstudentscreatedtheirmasterpiecesandthencolored
thembeforewedisplayedthemoutside.IlovedteachingfromtheAMSTIkitssinceallthe
materialswereincluded,thelessonswereeasytoconductandmodify,extensionideaswere
included,andtherewereevenideasfordifferentiation.
ThesecondunitItaughtwastitledAllAboutFirstGrade.Idecidedtodothisunit
sinceitwasatthebeginningoftheyearandwewerestilllearningaboutoneanother.Theunit
includedmath,reading,writing,andsocialstudies.Themathcomponentoftheunitdealtwith
exploringtheirownnamesandcreatingabargraphasawhole.Wecreatedtwobargraphswith
thenumberoflettersinournamesandthenumberofsyllablesournameshave.Weinterpreted

theinformationonthegraphsandansweredsomequestionsfromachartIcreated.Ingroupsof
45studentsweexploredadifferentnamechartinadifferentfirstgradeclassroomand
comparedittoourbargraphinourclass.Myobjectivewasforstudentstonoticewhichnames
infirstgradehavethemostletters,whichnameshavetheleastamountofletters,andwhich
namesinfirstgradehavethemostcommonnumberofletters(6letterswasthemostcommon
namelengthinfirstgrade).Duringourexplorationwelearnedwehadalotofsimilarities
betweenbothcharts.Afterweexplorednameswecontinuedlearningaboutfirstgradeby
exploringourownclassroom.Thiswaspartofoursocialstudiescomponentandourobjectiveon
cardinaldirections.Inordertointroducetheconceptwedidafewreadaloudsonmapsand
direction.WeexploredwhatacompassrosewasandIevenshowedthestudentshowoneworks
byusingthecompassonmyphone.PriortothelessonItapedupsignsaroundtheroomand
explainedtostudentsthefourbasiccardinaldirections.IaskedstudentsinwhichdirectionIwas
movingasIsteppedforward,backward,orsidetoside.Thestudentswouldlookatthesignsto
namethedirectionIaskedfor.Afterwards,thestudentsgottotrymovingtothedirectionson
theirownbydancingtotheCardinalSlide.Thiswasabighitsincetheytheyhadtopractice
thedirectionsbymovingtothesong.Afterthesong,wemetasawholegrouptodiscusssome
importantthingswemightwanttoincludeinamapofourclassroom.Thestudentsgottoshare
theirresponsesasIbuilttheitemstheystatedusingwoodenblocksonthecarpet.Wethenbroke
upintotableteamsandbuiltourclassroommodelbycollaboratingwithourtablepeers.Most
teamsdecidedtheywouldbreakuptheworkandworkononesectionatatime.Othergroups
decidedtomakethesamethingandthendecidewhichpiecetheywoulduseasthemodel.Since
thiswasatwopartlesson,Irevisitedtheconceptwithstudentsagainandfocusedonthedrawing

ofacompassrose.ThistimeIhadstudentscreatetheirownmapsbydrawingoutthelayoutand
includeacompassroseontotheirpictures.Iassessedtheirknowledgebycomingaround
individuallyandaskingstudentsIfIstartedhereatthelibraryandwentthiswaytothedoor,
whichdirectionwouldIbemoving?AsIaskedthequestionInormallypointedtoitemsintheir
pictures.Overallthelessonwentgreat!Theirworkwasfarbeyondmyexpectation.Whatreally
helpedthemgraspthelessoninmyopinionwasallowingthemtovisualizetheroomusingthe
blocksbeforeactuallytryingtodrawouttheroomlayoutontheirown.Thelastcomponentof
theunitwasongettingtoknowthestaffatHorizonthathelpsoutthefirstgradersatschool.This
includedourlunchroomstaff,librarian,officestaff,principal,counselor,artteacher,busdrivers,
andjanitors.Wereadaseriesofbooksbyusingthe
BlackLagoon
seriestocompareandcontrast
ittopeopleatourschool.Wecreatedabigchartwithideasfromthestudentsonhowthe
characterswerethesameanddifferentfromthepeopleatHorizon.Wethencreatedanadditional
chart(KWL)onwhatkindsofquestionstheywantedtoknowaboutourstaff.Thestudentshad
somegreatquestionssowedecidedtosetupinterviewsforstudentstoconduct.Wesentamass
emailasaclasstoourstaffandwaitedforthefacultytorespond.Astheemailpouredinwith
availabletimes,Ipairedstudentsoffandwewenttodoourinterviewsaftertheyperformeda
mockinterviewwithme.Itwasagreatexperienceforstudentstolearnaboutothersandgettheir
questionsanswered.Aftertheinterviewprocesswedidthewritingcomponentofourlesson.We
readthebook
TheImportantBook
byMargaretWiseBrownwhichwasusedasasentencestarter
forourwriting.Thestudentsworkedinpairstowritetheimportantthingstheylearnedaboutthe
peopletheyinterviewed.Ithenmadeafinalizedcopyforthemtowritedown.Asonestudent

wrote,thesecondstudentcreatedtheillustrations.Ithenmadetheirinterviewprocessintoan
iMovieforourfacultymembers.
ThemostsignificantthingIlearnedfromfirstgradewastomodeleverything!Its
importanttomodelforanyclassgrade,butitisespeciallyimportantforayoungeragegroup.
WhilemodelingIalsohadtodecreasetheamountofdirectionsIgave.Ialsousedthistimeto
assignstudentsaroleofspecialreporters(usuallythosewhohadahardtimerememberingthe
directions)totelltheclasswhatwewereabouttodo.AnotherbigthingIlearnedinfirstgrade
wastouselotsofvisualsandmanipulatives.Sincethestudentswerestilllearningtoread,itwas
veryimportantforthemtoseetheinformationthroughtheuseofpicturesand/orvideos.During
myunitlessonsIalsopracticednotgivingintolearnedhelplessness.Withayoungergroupitis
commontohearIcantdothisorThisistoohard.Mygoalwasalwaysforstudentstotry
firstbeforegivingup.AlotoftheAMSTIlessonsforexamplewerehandsonandrequired
studentstotrydifferentmethodsbeforecomingupwithasolution.Iwouldpushstudentswho
expressedlearnedhelplessnessuntiltheycoulddoitontheirown.Tomelearningisnotgiving
ananswertoastudentbutforthemtorealizethattheyhavethepotentialtocreateandproducea
pieceofworkontheirown.ItwasgreattoseetheirfaceslitupastheysaidMs.Martinezlook
atmine!OnebigthingIlearnedfrommycooperatingteacher(CT)wastounderstandthemind
ofa56yearold.MyCTwasbigonlettingthestudentstalk,play,andlearnattheirownpace.
Herclassroomwasanoisyone,butthelearningwasremarkable!Ialsolearnedtolistenmore
andnoticewhenstudentsareengagedandwhentheyrenot.Ilearnedthatthemostengaging
lessonrequiredmoreprepwork,yetitproducedthegreatestamountoflearning.Thetoneofthe
classroomcompletelychangeswhenstudentsareengaged.Itsacompletelydifferentclassroom

whenstudentsareengagedversuswhentheyrenot.Italsosolvedalotofbehavioralissuessince
studentswereengagedinthelearningprocess.WiththesecondunitIcontinuedtoprovide
lessonsthatwouldbeengagingandthatwouldbemorestudentled.Theinterviewsforexample
wereconductedbystudents,thechartsforcomparingandcontrastedwerefromthestudents
input,andthemapdrawingswerecreatedowntheirownafterbuildingavisualmodel.An
importantpartIhadtoconsiderforfirstgradersiswheretheyweredevelopmentally.The67
agegroupcanbeintwodifferentstagesaccordingtoPiaget.Takingthisintoconsideration,I
knewthatsomestudentswouldbeabletounderstandmentaloperations(concreteoperational
stage)whileothersmightstillbeinthepreoperationalstageofdevelopmentwhichextendsto
age7.Withthisbeingsaid,Ihadtofocusonexplicitteachingandrealizetheymightnotbeable
tothinkabstractlyjustyet.SinceIknewthesocialstudiescomponentofdrawingamapontoa
pieceofpaperwasagoingtobeabitabstracttothem(creatinga3Dmodelintoa2Dmodel),I
hadthemvisualizeitwithblocksfirst.Theywereabletobuildamodelbeforetheyhadtoapply
totopaper.Takingallofthesethingsintoconsiderationhelpedmealotwiththefirstgrade
students.
AftereightweeksinmyfirstplacementIheadedupstairstojointhethirdgradeteamat
HorizonElementarySchool.Iwasplacedwithawonderfulcooperatingteacherbythenameof
Mrs.Praterandherclassof20students.ThefirstthingInoticedaboutthirdgradewashow
differentitwasfromfirstgrade.Iwassousedtoguidingstudentswitheverything,yetthe
studentsinthirdgradeworkedwellindependentlyforlongperiodsoftime.Withthatbeingsaid,
IknewthewayItaughtwouldbealittlebitdifferentfromdownstairsinfirstgrade.WhenIfirst
startedteachinginthirdgradeIwasinchargeofwrappingupascienceunitonrocks.Iusedthe

AMSTIkittoteachtwolessonsoncalciteandcreatedonelessonofmyown.Ilikedsomeofthe
AMSTIideas,butreallywantedtoincorporatearockexhibitintomylessons.Iendedup
planningarockexhibitwherewewalkedaroundandobservedeachrockaswellasnoted
characteristicsoftherocks.Thisworkedoutperfectlysincethedayafterwewrappedupthe
lessonwetookafieldtriptoCathedralCavernswherewegottoseerocksupclose.After
wrappinguptherocklessons,IbeganmyunitonAnimalsandEcosystems.Ibeganthisunit
byintroducingstudentstowhatanecosystemwasandwhatecosystemscontain.Afterwards
studentslearnedaboutanimalsadaptationsbycreatingadioramaofadaptationsthatwouldhelp
animalssurviveinthedesert.Afteranintroductionofwhatmakesupanecosystemandanimal
adaptations,webegantofocusontheaquaticecosystem.Wedidtwomainlabsthatconsistedof
afreshwatervs.saltwaterexperimentwithaneggandanoilspilllabwherestudentstried
cleaningupanoilspillduringourimaginarytriptotheocean.Inadditiontothat,duringmath
timeweworkedonmultiplicationwordproblemsthatincludedtheuseofanimalsbeingplaced
intoequalgroupsaswellassolvingmultiplicationpuzzlesthatincorporatedtheuseofthe
animalsaswell.Duringreadingtime,ourtextwasonsavingtheaquaticecosystem.Wefocused
onourstrategyofrereadingthetextduringourunit.Thegrammarsectionfortheunitwason
combiningsentences.DuringcentertimeIgavestudentsaquaticsentencestheyhadtocombine
usingtheword
and
toputthesentencestogether.Duringthesecondweekoffulltimeteaching
thegenreoftheunitswitchedfromexpositorytexttopoetry.Myfocusforpoetrywasfor
studentstolearntocreatealimerick.Studentshadtocreatepoetrybasedontheoilspill.
Studentspracticedwritingtheirlimericksduringcentertimeanddidanexamplewithmeasa
wholegroup.Thestudentsfinallyillustratedtheirpoetryoncoloredpaperanddisplayedit

outsideinthehallway.Ourunitcametoanendbyraisingawarenesstotheaquaticecosystem
duringsocialstudies.Thestudentscreatedawarenessposters,learnedabouttheplasticpollution
inclass,learnedtheimportanceofrecycling,sawananimalspointofviewaboutthePacific
GarbagePatch,andfinallycreatedanoceanprojectoftheirownbytakingtheroleofaninventor
oranartist.ThiswasaunitIwasverypassionateaboutandIthinkthatenergycameoutasI
taught.Ireallyfocusedonpullingextraresourcesforstudentsandevencalledanorganic
supermarkettodonateitemsformylesson.OverallIwouldcalltheunitasuccess.Students
reallygottoseetheenvironmentaleffectsoftheaquaticecosystemandhowanimalswere
affected.Intheendthestudentsreceivedawardsfortheiroceanprojectsandgottodisplaytheir
projectsoutsideourdoor.
WhilebeinginthirdgradeIlearnedlotsofinsightaboutteaching.OnebigthingIlearned
isthirdgradersneedmorefrequentbrakesalso.Asstudentsgetolder,theytendtostayatdesks
versusmovingaroundtothecarpetarea(etc)tolearn.Iwouldseehowantsysomestudents
wouldgetandhowunattentivetheylookedattimesaswereadordidmath.Icantblamethem
sittingforalongperiodoftimeisnotsomethingIwouldliketodo.IrememberonedayasIwas
teachingmathIsawthemajorityofthestudentswiththeirheadsdownaswewatchedthe
CommonCoremathvideo.Iendedupstoppingthevideoandtoldstudentstogetupandgiveme
15jumpingjacks.Ithenhadstudentshopandruninplacebeforesittingbackdown.Thishelped
themgetbackontrackwiththeremainderofthemathlesson.Ialsonoticedhowstudentswere
unattentiveduringthereadinglessonsaswefocusedonrereadingthetextseveraltimes.This
honestlywasnotmuchofanengaginglesson,soIworkedonchangingthelessontomakeit
moreengaging.Idecidedtobringinabeachballandtossitaroundaswehaddiscussionsabout

thetext.ThestudentsalsohadanoptiontothrowitbacktomeandsayComebacktomeif
theyneededmoretimetoreread.Thiscreatedasafeenvironmentforstudentswhereeveryone
gottoparticipateandalsohadtheopportunitytothrowitbacktomeiftheydidnothavethe
answerjustyet.Asstudentsgetolderitisjustasimportanttogivethembreaksandcontinueto
createengaginglessonsinsteadofcontinuouspaperandpencilwork.AnotherbiglessonI
learnedwhilebeinginthirdgradewastheimportanceofreteaching.Nomatterhowgreatyou
thinkyouvetaught,ifthestudentsworkdoesnotdemonstratethatthenyoumustgobackand
retouchthesubjectcontent.OnedayasIwasgradingthestudentsworkonthedistributive
propertyIsawhowstudentsdidnotgettheworkbookactivity,noteventhehighgroup.Instead
ofmovingonIwentbackandretaughtthewholelessonandincorporatedthedistributivelesson
intoeachmathlessonfortheweekaswellasintoeachmathcenter.PerhapsIwentalittle
overboard,butIsawahugeimprovementfromthepreviousweek.Evenmylowgroupscored
mostlyAsandsomeBsduringtheclassworkfortheweek.Ifeltsoproudthattheywerefinally
understandingatrickylesson.IevenreceivedsomepraisefrommyCTabouthowwellItaught
thedistributiveproperty.OverallthirdgradeexposedmetodifferentareasoflearningIhadto
considerandworktoimproveon.
ThroughoutmystudentteachingexperienceIwasabletoidentifymystrengthsand
weaknesses.Ibelievemystrengthsrevolvedaroundcreatinghandsonlessonsand
interdisciplinarylessonplans.SomeofmyfavoritelessonswhereIsawthemostamountof
learningweretheoneswherestudentsweretrulyengagedinthelesson.Forexample,infirst
gradethestudentsenjoyedworkingindependentlycreatingtheAMSTImobilesandpracticing
comingupwithsolutionstothebalanceactivities.Thestudentsalsoexploredmaththroughthe

mysterybagactivitywheretheygottopracticecountingaroundtheroomandshowtheirwork
withanactivitysheet.InthirdgradeIgottoincorporateadramaskitintomathbyactingout
twostepwordproblems.Wealsohadamuseumexhibitwithourrocksandtookanimaginary
triptotheoceanforouroilspilllab.IthinkIhaveastrengthwhenitcomestoputtingtogether
engaginglessonsthatstepoutsidethenormofjustseatworkforstudents.AnotherstrengthI
haveintheclassroomispatienceandpersistence.Itendtostaycalmevenwhenstudentscanbe
disruptive.Iamalsopersistentwithmyexpectations.Iexpectstudentstoacknowledgea
questionwiththeirhandraised,IletstudentsknowwhenImtalkingsoIamnottalkedover,and
expectthemtofollowtheclassrulesevenwhenmyCTisnotaround.Ittakespracticewithalot
ofstudents,butIthinkitsimportantforstudentstounderstandtheresacorrectwayto
acknowledgeeachotherandmyself.OnebigareathatIwouldconsidermyweaknessismytime
management.Itendtogowayovermytimeduringalotofmylessonsinbothfirstandthird
grade.IgetsocaughtupinthelessonthatIdontnoticetimeispassingby.Ithinkithas
definitelyimprovedwhilebeinginthirdgradehowever,itisanareaIstillneedpracticewith.
AnotherareaIthinkIneedworkinisclassroommanagement.Asastudentteacheritwas
sometimeshardtogettostudentsattentionwhentheyknewIwasnttheirmainteacher.Iwas
stillpersistent,butattimesIdidntknowhowtohandlesomecases.ForexampleinfirstgradeI
hadaparticularstudentwhowasverydisruptiveandwouldcrawlunderthingsanddisturbthe
wholelesson,howdoIhandlethat?LuckilyIwasabletopickupalotofstrategiesfrombothof
myCTsonhowtohandleclassroomdisruptionsandarguments.Classroommanagementisabig
areathataffectstheclassenvironmentandakeyareaIllneedmorepracticeon.Another
weaknessIrealizedishowdifficultitcanbetomeeteveryoneslearningneeds.AsmuchasI

triedtomakemylessonsengaging,IfeltthatIdidntreachallthreelearningstylesallthetime.
Isittrulypossibletomakelessonsthatreachallthreelearningstylesallthetime?Another
weaknessIthinkIneedtomasterisdifferentiation.Inoticedthisweaknessprimarilyinthird
grade.InthirdgradeIgottoplancentersandleadsmallgroupinstruction,thiswasanareawe
didnotgettoinfirstgradesinceitwasstillearlySeptemberwhenIfinishedupmyfirst
placement.InthirdgradeIreallyhadtotakeintoconsiderationmyplanningwhenitcameto
smallgroupandthecenteractivities.Foreverygroupmyinstructionwasdifferent.Itwas
challengingtopullthingsformylow,middle,onlevel,andhighgroup.Evenwithineachgroup
Ihadstudentslowerandhigherthanothers.OntopofthatIhadanELLstudentwhocouldnt
speakEnglishyet.IdidfeeloverwhelmedattimesbecauseIfeltIwasntreachingstudentsto
theirfullpotential.Itriedtomeetwithsmallgroupfortworotationseachday,butsometimesdid
notgetto.IalsoknewtheELLstudentneededlotsofpracticeandIdidntgettomeetwithhim
duringsmallgroupattimes.IdidagoodjobdifferentiatingcenterssinceIwouldpullup
differentactivitiesformyhighgroupbystilldesigningthecenterstolookthesame.Weheara
lotinourmethodcoursesabouttheimportanceofdifferentiation,yetitisawholenewlevel
applyingitintheclassroomforeachchild.UAHhasaprogramondifferentiationforamasters
degreeandIthinkafterstudentteachingitissomethingIamconsideringasmynextdegree.
Overall,studentteachingtaughtmealotaboutmyselfandtheroleofateacher.Thereis
muchmorethanjustholdingatitleofateacherthanIrealized.Beingateachermeanssometimes
steppinginasacounselorandalwaysleadingbybeingapositiverolemodelforstudents.I
learnedhowtobeabetterlistener,howtotakeintoconsiderationachildshomelife,andto
acknowledgewhatthestudentsvalueasimportanttothem.Thereismuchmoretoastudentthan

justagradeandmostofmylearningaboutmyselfcamefromthestudentsthemselves.My
internshipasastudentteacherreallyallowedmetoseewhattheareasIneedtoworkonaswell
astheareasIthinkIamstrongat.Studentteachingtrulyservedtosolidifymychoiceofbeinga
futureeducator.