Reflection #11: Field Experience 2

WHAT?: This week in class we got to help out a lot more with the children; however, we have not yet taught our lesson plans. This will be next week. This week we started going to the classroom in the afternoon. I seen a little bit more of technology integrated lesson plans, but I still think there should be a little bit more. The teacher used a PowerPoint to show the children some science things that they were learning about Isaac Newton, and they also got to watch Bill Nye.

SO WHAT?: I think that the PowerPoint was very nice for the children to actually see what their teacher was talking about instead of just lecturing. The PowerPoint consisted of pictures and text so it was a little bit of a mix for the children. I think that the PowerPoint may have consisted of a little bit too much text because you could hear when the teacher would switch slides the children would groan and moan about all the things they had to write. I think personally it would have been better to summarize the slides so that the children knew exactly what they needed out of them instead of trying to write the whole slide and missing so much information because the slide was changed before they could write it all. I think that as a teacher and even as a student when I make a PowerPoint I need to really make sure to summarize the slides just because too much text is hard for the audience to read or take notes on. Plus you find the children get really bored with a lot text. You could tell the children really did enjoy the PowerPoint, however. Which was a really good thing! The next technology integrated thing was the students got to watch a Bill Nye science video on Motion/Gravity. The students have to fill out a paper according to the video. I really like this assignment, and I feel like the children did to because it was something different for them.

NOW WHAT?: I think that as a teacher I still want to use more technology integrated assignments for my students. I think that realizing what needs to be changed in a classroom or even what should be kept the same will help me become a better teacher, because then I can incorporate these things into my classroom and make the changes necessary for my students. I think that the children really enjoy when they get to use technology or even see technology be used for that matter. I am excited to do our lesson plans next week. We incorporated quite a lot of technology for the children. My partner and I felt that this was important for the students in the classroom so that way they got to experience a new style of learning. I am really excited to show the digital story in our architecture lesson plan. I think that the children are really going to have a blast. Another thing I can't wait for is showing our cooperating teacher how to create a digital story. I feel that in a way she might not use technology in her class because she doesn't feel comfortable with it. I think that when we show her how to create a digital story it might open some doors for her! :) Especially if from our lesson she sees that the children really enjoy it. Next week we will let you know how our lesson plans turned out, and if there is anything we should change!