3.3 it Elementary Observation

As a aspiring teacher I was grateful for the opportunity to go and observe at Southside Elementary for a full day. This allowed me to not only observe the curriculum but also the full day of a teacher. I was able to observe 4 different teachers from grades Kindergarten to 3rd grade. This was very mind opening as to which grade I would prefer in the future.

When I arrived to the elementary school I was sent to a kindergarten classroom where I observed from  8-9:30 am. I was there when the class was practicing reading words by sounding out each letter. The teacher had all her students on the carpet and engaged she would demonstrate the first few then let her students do it independently. One thing I really liked that she did was back writing she had two lines of her students sitting in a row one student would write the letters on there partners back this helped with both writing and spelling. Then the students did independent work at their tables. The teacher put quite critters on the table if the students where to loud they got there critters taken away this help her manage her classroom. Overall this teacher had a very well managed classroom and did great handling and teaching her students.

The next classroom I observed was another kindergarten class. When I entered the classroom her students where sitting on the carpet working on there letters and the sounds they make. This teacher played a game where she laid down letter combos two letter sounds and hides stickers to make it fun and engaging. She also had them use whiteboards where they practiced writing letters correctly. One tactic to get the attention of her students,she would close her eyes and count to get students ready. The other subject they talked about is cause and effect they talked about how weather and the effect it can make. The teacher did a amazing job at keeping her students engaged in every subject.

Then I went to a 3rd grade math class. This was a huge difference from kindergarten to third grade. This class was going over rounding to the nearest 100th place by using a numberline. They went over as a class the front of the worksheet then they did the back independently. When they were doing independent work they put up privacy screens so they teacher would know it was there work and not anyone else's. They also got a price if they made 100% on there assignment. I really loved the way this teacher engaged with her students and  managed her class.

The last classroom I was in was a 2nd grade. When I got in the classroom they had just got back form lunch and recess. The class was very energetic and defiantly needed time to cool down before getting ready to do school work. They slowly moved into practicing math and word problems.They sat at the carpet and the teacher told me she did that so she could look at individual work better. The teacher had the worksheet on the board and had students come to the front and work the problem out. This teacher did an amazing job at calming her class down after recess and getting prepared for there lesson. 

This experience was very helpful by allowing me to get a better idea at what my future would look like. After that day it made me more confident that I do want to become a elementary teacher. 

3.2 i Preschool Observation

    The first day of Preschool observations I was not able to be their due to a Student Council fundraiser. As the president of student council I had to be at the fundraiser to help make sure things were moving in the correct way. I plan on doing my second observation later this week to observe and do my puppet show

    Last thursday I had the opportunity to observe in a Preschool classroom. One thing I observed from my time there was how well managed the classroom was. All the students did very well at listening to their teachers and playing independently. As a aspiring teacher I really appreciated the teachers and their cooperation with me and the students as I observed. The classroom was set up for successes giving each student something to do to keep them busy, also each toy and every activity had meaning behind it with educational value to it. This allowed students to gain knowledge through every activity through the day.

    I was not able to do my puppet show last week due to confusion and misunderstanding. This was definitely a set back but will also allow me to have more time to perfect my puppet show for the students. I am excited to present my story through a puppet show that shows my personal story of my childhood. I hope my puppet show will help other students learn from my experience. 

    As I look back and reflect on my observation time at the preschool and compare it to the other campus I loved the environment of the preschool and it seemed very interesting. This experience has definitely taught me that I would prefer to work with younger students than older. That is a big reason to why I love my education class this is helping my understand what I do and don't want for my future classroom.

3.2 it 100th Day of School

When I was younger I remember the 100th day of school would always be a very exciting day in the elementary school. I remember having to make a T-shirts with 100 things on them and being proud of what I had created. It was just a simple day full of excitement and an event that all the kids looked forward to. As we got older the 100th day usually comes without much attention. I believe that in high school we should bring back celebrating the 100th day of school.

The 100th day in elementary school was focused on celebrating a milestone and getting the school involved. All of the students would participate, either in counting snacks, crafting things, or putting on themed shirts. These activities ensured that the school day was special and gave the students something to be excited for. Although high school is not the same, the feeling of that excitement can still be celebrated. Its a action that requires some rethinking in order to accommodate high school students.

My idea of how we should celebrate the 100th day of high school is to hide 100 tiny things around the school. Students that find one of the items will win a prize, it will be a scavenger hunt around the school all day long. This would be a easy way to get the students excited about the 100th day while still keeping a order to our day. Activities such as this would help make the school feel a part of something bigger and exciting.

The 100th school day should not just come to an end in high school but we should continue to cary on the tradition of the 100th day of school. The 100th day celebration would create a exciting atmosphere that we used to have in elementary school.

3.1 it My One Word

My teacher in the Intro to Education and EdTech class gave us a task at the beginning of 2026 to select one word to represent the year.A word that would make a memorable impact on our year. Initially I believed that it would be easy but as I continued thinking of the assignment the more it demanded me to really look at the previous year and what I wanted to become of the next. Taking a reflection on last year and the year to come and in 2026, one word popped in my mind Embrace. The year 2026 will be full of a whole new chapter of life that I have never had to face and not worrying about the stress I want to take charge and enjoy the life fully where I am.

When I enter 2026 one of the biggest changes I will be faced with is the fact that this is the year I graduate high school.That alone makes this season of life so much heavier. The fact that the people and the school that have been the constant over the last 12 years will be a past memory in a few months.This word: Embrace makes me remember that I have to to slow down and absorb these last moments before they become memories.

My first year college will start in August and having the Embrace will help me to take a step into the change and not be afraid or anxious about it. This season will be filled with new habits, new people, and new demands and welcoming it will allow me to remain in the present instead of being overwhelmed with the activities happening around me. I want to embrace every challenge and hurdle that will be coming my way in 2026.

This class assignment has helped me look back at my past and also make goals for my next year. The decision to make embrace my 2026 word is my reminder to be present and open to this new season of life. I cannot control everything but I will be able to control my reaction and response through making the choice to trust and embrace this new season.

2.1 i Mini-teach Highlight

In my Introduction to Education class, I recently taught a mini-lesson to my classmates. I chose to teach a first-grade lesson about Veterans Day and how to write letters to honor veterans.

I started my lesson by explaining that Veterans Day is a day to honor people who have served in the military and helped protect our country. To help first graders understand this, I read a short poem with simple words that summed up the meaning of Veterans Day perfectly.
After the poem, I moved into the writing part of the lesson. I reminded students that a sentence needs a capital letter, spaces between words, and punctuation at the end. I shared an example sentence like:
“Thank you for your service.”
For the activity, students wrote short letters to veterans. I gave them sentence starters such as “Dear Veteran,” “Thank you for…,” and “You are brave because…” to help guide their writing. I also explained how these letters can help veterans feel appreciated for what they have done.

Teaching this mini-lesson was a meaningful experience for me. It made me even more excited about becoming a future teacher.