Shalinn Weaver

Dr. Tamburrino

SED 325 01: Learning to Read

November 3, 2022

Field Experience Journal

Field Experience Reflection Journal #5

To fulfill the field experience requirements for this class, we were required to teach a lesson to

the preschoolers at the Child Development Center on campus. I was in a group with two other

college students and our theme was football. Brianna read Fall Ball written by Peter McCarty to

the students on the rug. While she was reading them the story, Garrity and I set up the three

tables for the writing and art activity. I had two students in my group. Each student got two

pieces of paper with the letters B, D, E and P. Students were to spin the spinner that each of the

letters on it. Whichevel letter it landed on, they had to write in the appropriate box. My students

wanted to spin the spinner, however, they kept spinning and spinning. I had to tell them a few

times that whatever the spinner lands on, they have to write that letter. I did not want to take the

spinner away from them, but I also wanted them to write what it landed on. My group was

unable to finish because of the interruptions and the continuous spinning of the spinner. I felt as

if I had no classroom management skills in that situation. I probably should have taken the

spinner back for myself for a few rounds and then let them try to spin again. They were also

very talkative, but very often off topic. I had to keep reining them in to the activity. After the

writing activity, we decided that the two students I had would join the other tables so that they

could work with their peers. Each student got a football. I premade the footballs to save time

since we did not have enough time for the students to make it themselves. I cut out construction

paper in the shape of a football, hole punched around the entire shape, threaded yarn through

to put the two papers together, and stuffed them in shredded paper to puff them up. The
students enjoyed painting the footballs. I also bought stickers for them to put on their footballs.

However, due to the remaining time we had, their footballs were not dry enough to put the

stickers on. I left all of the stickers with one of the teachers so that they could put them on once

their footballs dried. Overall, we could have done a better job planning everything and possibly

putting time limits on the activities so the students could have more time with the art activity. I

also have to work on my teacher voice and the “teacher look” for students to take me more

seriously so that I don’t feel like I do not have any control over activities and situations like this.

Pictures of some of the footballs the students painted are below.