For my field placement for my ECS 100 class, I was placed at Judge Bryant elementary school. My cooperating teacher was a Learning Resource Teacher, who provides extra support for the senior students at the school. Throughout my 8 weeks at the school, I had the opportunity to work with almost every grade level in many different subject areas. I had a very positive learning experience at this school during the semester!
Final Reflection
I had a really positive field experience this semester. I am really glad that I was placed with a learning resource teacher, as I had the opportunity to work with a variety of grade levels during the 8 weeks. I really liked the school that I was placed at as well. I feel as if I have learned a lot of new information about what it means to be a teacher, things that I did not necessarily know before. I loved having the opportunity to see the sense of community that is prevalent within the staff at the school. It was definitely a bit daunting at first being in the staff room as a pre-intern, but all of the teachers were really kind and welcoming. This field experience definitely confirmed that I am in the right program. I was on the fence between middle years and early years, and I truly think early years is the right fit for me. I found that I really liked working with grades 3-5, which was definitely not an expected discovery.
I feel that I learned a lot about different ways that teachers present knowledge to their class. I observed that it is so much more than simply standing in front of the class and lecturing. There are so many different tools that they use to ensure that every student has the opportunity to succeed. The use of technology was very prevalent, students often used laptops or tablets to aid them in their learning. I also noticed that group work was integrated into lessons, which seemed to be a great way to encourage a sense of community within the different classrooms. Teachers took the time to work with students individually, making sure they fully understand the concepts being taught.
Overall, this field experience definitely confirmed my love for working with kids, and I feel confident that I am working towards the right degree. I feel that I have gained a lot of new knowledge and experience and I am very excited to continue my learning as I take on more field placements in the future.
Stories from the field blog posts: A sample of my experiences from my ECS 100 field placement…
Week 3…
During the afternoon, I chatted with my coop teacher a little bit about how the staff at this school acquire knowledge and continue their professional development. She told me about how last Friday the staff had a PD day and had the opportunity to listen to some very interesting presenters. She told us that a psychologist did a presentation focusing on ways teachers can have a more holistic approach to education. They learned about why it is important to focus on all of the aspects of a student’s life, such as their living situation and family background and be mindful of this while teaching them. My coop teacher also told us that she attended a presentation on the importance of teachers taking time for self-care. They were encouraged and given ideas of how to take time for themselves while maintaining their mental and physical health. I think both of these topics covered at this PD day are very unique and important! There really is more to education that simply pedagogy. I really enjoyed my third day at the school and am excited for next week!
Week 5…
At the start of the afternoon, I had the opportunity to chat with my coop teacher about our focus questions of the week. She showed my partner and I to a bulletin board that was set up by the Gender and Sexuality Diversity club at the school, or GSD for short. I was amazed when I heard that this club has over 20 members ranging from grades 6-8. My coop teacher also told us that the school community is a very opening and welcoming place to all students, and that they rarely have cases of bullying based on gender or sexual orientation. I was really impressed when I heard this. The bulletin board that was set up displayed lots of rainbows, group photos of the members, and quotes about positivity and acceptance. One poster that really stood out to me was a poster of three penguins with the phrase “all families can be different” I think that normalizing this to students who are in the elementary ages is a positive way to promote inclusivity and acceptance of diversity in gender, sexuality, and family structure. When I think back to my years in elementary school, we did not have a gender and sexuality diversity club. I think the lack of this at my school made me less aware of the fact that there is more to a gender than simply being a “male” or a “female” I think having this club is an awesome opportunity for the students at this school.
Week 6…
In terms of ways of learning, I saw students learning in many different ways this week. I saw students working independently, with a group, and with technology. Some students had some one on one learning time with their teacher or an LRT. I think it is awesome that the school recognizes that there are many different ways to learn, and it’s not a “one size fits all” situation. In the grade 7/8 classroom I was in, the students were spending the time reading a short story and then answering questions and completing comprehension questions on it. My coop teacher explained that the stories all questioned morality, and were very creepy and gory. She said that this really engages the students, and that many of them love the stories that they are reading. I think it is really cool that their teacher found a way to incorporate their interests into the required curriculum.