#8 Making Connections

I am making connections between course topics and Service Learning. These blog posts have helped me realize all of the things I am learning. I like how I can go observe and notice different things we've talked about in class. It has helped me further understand what successfully teaching a class requires. 

I have been able to articulate my own learning and understanding. Many of the assignments we have done have given me this opportunity. I have also been able to use my own learning and understanding inside the classroom during my Service Learning. It has been a great experience.

The process of blogging has helped me to think about and notice things in my Service Learning. Each blog post requires me to answer certain questions and because of this I have been able to pinpoint certain things I have learned. I have to actually think about how I have benefited from observing classrooms. It has given me a sense of direction throughout this course.  

I have noticed that it has become easier for me to write these blog posts the more I do them. The first blog post was the hardest because I wasn't exactly sure what to include and I had a hard time thinking about how the course topics and Service Learning were related to each other. Simply put, I didn't know exactly what to look for at first when I did Service Learning. Now that I have done it a few times, I have become accustomed to it and know what is expected.

#7 Standards

There are several different standards that I have noticed inside of the first grade classroom. The most important standard that the teachers address is reading. At the beginning of the year they did bench marking to determine what the students already knew coming into first grade. With that information they were better able to teach the class what they need to know and they also occasionally take students out one at a time to help them. They have focused on learning the names of letters, the sounds letters make, sounding out words, etc. 

I have not seen any science or history being addressed in the classroom. I have seen a smidgen of math and art but that's really it. They mostly focus on reading so that they can get their sight words down. I think the teachers choose to do little or no science and history because they feel that it is more critical for the students to learn how to read. 

My cooperating teachers seem to think that the standards and standardized testing is beneficial in schools. Reading is such a critical skill to have so it makes sense why the students are held to a certain standard of learning. Having standards will help prepare them for second grade in the future. 

#6 Diversity

Inside the classroom I have noticed that each of the kids is unique and diverse in their own way. The kids are different races, many speak differently, wear different clothing, etc. The teacher has made sure to treat every student as an equal. I have never heard her ever make a prejudice comment toward a student. And when a student demonstrates that he/she needs extra help, she offers help without making the student feel embarrassed.

One specific example I have noticed is that one particular little boy seems to have social issues and so the teacher is always extra kind to him. She never makes him do things in front of the class that would make him feel uncomfortable. She makes the classroom a safe learning environment to be in. He also struggles in reading and she always exhibits patience when she gives him extra help. This is just one example of how a teacher can help a student without making him or her feel embarrassed, disadvantaged, or awkward about the circumstances.

#5 Historical Events and Important Laws

One law of major importance was the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Section 504 of it is all about making accommodations for children with disabilities. This act is important because everyone child deserves to learn and every child can learn if the circumstances are right for them. The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 is also a historical event of great importance. While it does have some flaws, it is beneficial because it holds schools accountable for teaching all of their students and bringing every student up to a certain level of intelligence.

While doing Service Learning hours I have not seen any examples of English learners getting support but I have seen my cooperative teacher deal with one challenging student multiple times. He has an extremely short attention span, loves to talk, doesn't listen well, and has a difficult time concentrating on his work. In order to help him, the teacher has separated his desk from other students. He isn't so far that he feels ostracized from his peers, but he is far enough that he is better able to concentrate on his work. And when he still gets distracted from time to time he is gently reminded to work on his homework. This may not seem like a big deal, but it is still a good example of a teacher making sure that no child is left behind. It is important that teachers are able to notice and understand when their students need a little bit of extra attention or help in order to be successful.

It's also important to note how much of a difference IDEA has made for students in schools. According to the linked article Twenty-Five Years of Progress in Educating Children with Disabilities Through IDEA, "Before IDEA, many children...were denied access to education and opportunities to learn. For example, in 1970, U.S. schools educated only one in five children with disabilities, and many states had laws excluding certain students, including children who were deaf, blind, emotionally disturbed, or mentally retarded." That is concerning and so it is good to know that times have changed and effort has been put forth in order to teach children with disabilities. Sometimes children with disabilities are the most important to teach so that they can be successful and benefit today's society. Every child deserves attention, love, and a good education.