Tyrah Urie

Research Connections #8
Field Experience

My field experience setting for placement two has been one that has taught me a lot about

special education that I was still unfamiliar with from placement one, and gave me additional

experience working with children from all different educational backgrounds. In this field

placement, I was able to be placed into all kindergarten through 4th grade classrooms along with

the opportunity to shadow one of the special educators for a day. The various classroom

experience really narrowed in on my future teaching in that the preschool/kindergarten age group

is for me. However, without the experience of going into the 1st-4th grade grade rooms, this may

not have been made clear. The ability that this experience allowed me to work one on one or in

small group with children of all different cultural and educational backgrounds was amazing.

Observing how different children learn and engage in the classroom helped me form ideas in my

head for my future classroom environment and work space. Shadowing the special educator for

the day gave me the opportunity to see the support one on one and even in small group that

children with special education needs are receiving and ways that the educators are

implementing their support in the classroom.

Observed Collaborative Relationships

After observing several different classrooms at my placement and shadowing a special

educator for the day, one noticeable unchanging factor that I repeatedly was seeing was the

interactive engagement through collaboration. Between the lead teachers of the multiple same

grade levels, the lead teachers and the principal, the lead teachers and the special educators, the

lead teachers and the paras, or any other human support systems for the children at the setting

were all collaborating with one another. The communication and ability for all the educators/staff

in the building to work together to reach the same or differing goals was really important to see
as a future educator. The teacher/teacher meetings that happened during the quick free minute

they had in the hallway, the 30 minutes of free time the teachers had while the children were at

recess or, or even the large group meetings that were held on Friday’s, the importance of having

those relationships with colleagues makes teaching more accessible when working towards a

goal for the classroom, a student, or even as an educator themselves. Keeping everyone on the

same page, sharing ideas, and teaching and learning from each other is key. Walking around the

school as a practicum student and seeing the close relationships between the educators (and

educators/children) it is hopeful as a future teacher. Observing in my setting that it is possible for

everyone to know everyone in the building, everyone gets greeted with a smile, everyone is open

to sharing and receiving ideas on teaching from one another, and that collaboration is happening

throughout the whole entire day, is the school environment I aspire to be in.

Summary of Discussion

Beyond observing the collaboration throughout the field experience, I had the opportunity

to talk with my site mentor about collaboration. “Collaboration can be the most beneficial

component when it comes to teaching” (Mentor M, personal connection, 2018). Relationships

that are formed amongst educators (and families) can be the strongest tool that teachers have.

After asking my mentor what has helped them to collaborate with others, she had said that it

helps keep everyone on the same page and teach and learn from each other. Keeping everyone on

the same page increases the ability for more than one person to help and support a child/teacher.

Mentor M had explained that every teacher has their own unique skills and knowledge and the

ability to share those aspects with others can be extremely powerful. The ability to share what

works and what doesn’t for a child/classroom as a whole with other teachers, as the children

filter beyond the grade level were previously in is extremely helpful as educators. Knowing a
classes strengths and weaknesses ahead of time can be way more beneficial than going into a

new year guessing. All of these things depend on the relationships educators have and the

collaboration between them. “Having each other to lean on is what keeps us sane in this field, I

don’t know what I would do without my colleagues” (Mentor M, personal connection, 2018).

Opinions and Thoughts about Collaboration

The ability to support all children, stems from the collaboration aspect of teaching. The

relationships we form and ideas/concepts/ways we share with others about teaching/children in

our school communities is what will make us the most successful in the school as a whole.

Myself as a collaborator, with my peers and classmates I find to be the most beneficial as a

student at KSC. Looking back throughout my 4 years here, I could not have done it without the

ideas, drive, support, encouragement from my peers and classmates. The classmates that I have

supported through hard and celebratory times have made a difference on them and myself.

However, as a collaborator I need to work on the ability to share my ideas more openly without

the worry of judgment. As a professional, the focus can not be put on the worry of judgment but

the focus of what will be most successful for myself and the children. As a soon to be

professional, from all the experience that I have learned over the years, other colleagues are

going to be looking to me for advice, ideas and support. I need to work on being more confident

with myself and the knowledge I have and share it with others instead of sitting back and

receiving all of the time to become an even better collaborator and team member.