Today was my fourth day in my first rotation classroom and as the days go on, I am enjoying them a little more. When I walk in Monday mornings, I have to remember to breathe and take this experience as a learning experience. The teacher may do A LOT of things different then I would in my own classroom; however, I have to remind myself that it is HIS classroom. I feel as if my time in the classroom is often wasted when I could be learning a lot more from a class that is academic, but I have already fallen for these kids and don't want to leave them. I spend my mornings observing more than anything and helping one little guy focus on his work sheets and make sure he also doesn't get close to the glue (he thinks it's a yummy snack!) Today, I was asked to work one on one with the little guy I fell for on the first time I went to meet the class. Mr H told me he was really impressed with my skills to make L concentrate on his assignment and finish so quickly compared to other days when he doesn't focus on anything. I just kept reminding him he needs to put his "blinders" on and focus on what we are doing. He picked up my term quickly and during music therapy whenever he would start to wonder off I would tell him "L, blinders" and he would quickly raise his hands to his face and point at the music teacher.
Later, when I got back from lunch, my main mentor teacher came into check on me and of course she comes in when my students are having snack and I am just talking to the teacher. Where was she in the morning when I was engaged with the students!! Ugh, the life of a teacher :) The principal always walks in when you sit down at your desk for a quick minute. During the afternoon computer and play time, I played "Angry Birds" with B and build towers for the other kids to knock down. Mr H is impressed because B doesn't let anyone touch his blocks or his legos but he always takes my hand to build with him and I am the only person able to put his toys in his backpack at the end of the day. Once B was done building we cleaned up and he had his turn of afternoon teach town on the computer. During this time Mr H gave me my note that the teachers are required to give to their "student teachers" ; however, he is the ONLY teacher giving the notes :) But today he shared with me that he has nothing negative to say about me and how I work with the students and that I am a natural with them!!! He wrote that I should engaged the children in play and of course before he gave me the note that is EXACTLY what I was doing with B, M, and L!!! This totally made my day and if not my week!!
Next week:
I have my first instructional activity with this class and I am going to do a one on one money work sheet with R. Mr H and I felt this was the best way to do this first activity because we aren't sure how J and RE would react to having me teach them during group time instead of him. But we know that R is accepting of me and that she will be glad to help :)
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