Reflections

__ Journal Entry 1. Oct. 28th __ Your job this week was to think. How did you think? What made you think? Did you always think? Did you notice others around you (no names need to be mentioned) not thinking? Did you notice others around you really thinking? Hmmmmmm thinking. Who knew we needed to think so much! - I realized this week that I have to think a lot when placed at Sunningdale School. I had to think about many ideas such as planning, the right approaching method, teaching accurate, and when dealing with disorder. I not only had to plan a lesson about rhyming words, but had to think about the best way to show the kids a rhyming word and have them recognized it for the first time. I have to always think about the problem the child is having weather it’s a spelling word or personal problem with a peer and how to deal with it in a civil and calm environment. I also have to think about the best way to get the kids to listen when they are being distracted and how to get their attention with interest in what we happen to be learning that day such as the alphabet. Not only do I have to think, but everyone around me in the Sunningdale environment has to such as Mrs. Bjorge has to think about the same things I do and more, she needs to think about how and what I am doing today.

- The fear of teaching the kids a new lesson really scared me when I was first asked to plan it. I had to do a lot of planning for something that seemed so simple at first. When I first went up to teach the lesson I realized it wasn't as scary as I thought. I actually had fun and really enjoyed teaching the kids, and I am happy Mrs. Bjorge asked me to teach more lessons. I think the thought of planning the idea out helped me get over the fear, because when I got up there to teach I knew what to say, and what I was doing.My focus on next week is to learn more about the kids and their learning abilities and to help them fulfill the requirements they need to learn.
 * Fear** - What fear did you overcome this week? How did you overcome the fear? Maybe you didn't over come a fear this week.... What was that fear? Why is the fear stopping you? What is our focus next week.

__ Journal Entry 2. Nov. 4th __ What is the main topic of conversation? When you don't understand something who do you go to and how do you ask? When you are asked a question that you don't understand, what do you do? What do you say to your employer? - I communicate well with the staff and students at Sunningdale. I think the first reason is because they were very comforting and it made me feel better about asking questions and even making conversation. I noticed this past week that I have been communicating more with the students, I know every child in my class, and have made a little connection with all of them so they feel comfortable with me being there and that they can come to me for help. This also goes the other way when I don't know the proper routine they help me understand, they really do love their rules and responsibilities. I have also communicated well with my supervisor when I didn't quit know what their strengths were when it came to reading she helped me look for something to teach that would be appropriate for their level of understanding. Other communication I made was with other staff members at the school who made me feel like an adult, I hope I made them feel comfort just as much as they did to me. The communication at Sunningdale is very strong, when I don't understand my task I simply ask what I was meant to do, I usually understand my task so far, but if a situation of me not understanding I would say what I did understand and hopefully they would simplify what I was meant to do on the parts I didn't understand.
 * Communicating** - How is your communicating skills in your workplace? Who are you regularly communicating with at work?


 * Responsibility** - When work gets boring what do you do? Are you sitting doing nothing or are you asking for something to do? How do you ask for something to do? What if you want to see something or do something you haven't done yet? How are you going to ask? How to talk to customers? What do you need to remember?

- When ever I am done a lesson I have responsibilities to do around the class room, such as making sure the students have the right books, organizing the next lesson, helping the students, watching them so they are writing or counting right, and also sight words. If I have absolutely nothing to do I ask my supervisor if there is anything she would like me to help with, I have done things such as watch the doors at recess, and watching over the lunch room at lunch. These were very different experiences compared to the class room, but she explained what to do, and they both went good. If i wanted to teach my own lesson, I would first asked if there was an appropriate subject that I would be capable of teaching, then I would plan a lesson based on the subject she recommended. I don't have customers at my placement, but I do have to talk with very big patents when talking to the children. I have to talk kind and respectful as they are only 6. I always need to remember that they are still learning and that all this is very new to them, and even they have done it before it might take them a few tries to understand it again.

__ Journal Entry 3. Nov. 25th __ What has been the highlight of your first half of work?

- The highlight of my first half of work would be working with children. I enjoy the children at Sunningdale and have no trouble communicating with any of them. They bring me so much joy with there stories or little remarks, they make me smile and laugh all day. The children can turn my day around, they are so innocent and love so easily its hard not to love them back.

What is something that you have learned so far from your journey? - I have learned many ways to communicate with the children when they are in doubt. I have learned to deal with them and the right way to approach a new lesson.

What is a mistake you have made? How have you learned from it? - One mistake I have made is expecting to much from 6 year old. I had to realize that they are still learning just as me, and they need more help then me because they are still getting comfortable with the situation of school. I have now learned what to expect, push and look forward to in the future with their learning abilities.

What would you teach a new employee about being in your workplace? - I would teach them to absorb the kids, and their abilities of learning. I would also teach them how to let the kids do it on their own, not to tell them, but to watch them.

__ Journal Entry 4. Dec. 9th __ Journal today - Your job is to write a thank you letter highlighting your experiences over the last 8 weeks. Make should you include who, what, when, where, why, and how in your letter. What does that mean? It means you include everything that you experienced. What you felt, when it was good, when you learned.

I would like to thank you for allowing me to do my Career and Work Exploration at Sunningdale Elementary School. I really want to thank you for your understanding and compassion when I wasn't able to make it. The happy and joyful environment you created in the class helped me get through the roughest of days. I learned that this is the line of work I would love to proceed in. I enjoyed being in the class room, and loved every minute of it, even when it was tough. Your welcoming personality really made me feel like I belonged there is appreciated. Thank you so much for the experience of working with kids. It was a small group so it was nice to have the one on one with the kids. I learned a lot about their learning abilities, and how to apply the lesson. This experience brought me great joy, as i love to work with kids, and expectantly this age group.

__ Journal Entry 5. Dec. 20th __ - coping things - abc book bages - alphebet book for k - straightening and organizing books - organizing class room - teaching lessons - helping kids understand -one on one in reading - one on one with the white boards - helping with sentences - helping come up with ideas - doors - lunch room supervisor - recess super visor - cutting and glueing for candance