Where Do I Go From Here?

    I am so excited to become an elementary school teacher. I went into this class thinking that if I absolutely hated it or hated my service learning placement then I would have to change career paths. I shouldn't have even worried about that, because this job is perfect for me. It is the type of job that I always dreamed about having.

      When I came into this class I was pretty set on my decision to become an elementary school teacher, but I was still a little cautious about whether or not I would really like it. I started my service learning and instantly fell even more in love with my career choice. I noticed how the kids eyes lit up when they finally understood something and I realized that I wanted to see that every day that I go to work. I watched how happy the teachers were to teach their kids and I instantly knew that I would be the same way and that I would love my students just as much.

     I have one semester of prerequisites left and then I can apply to the Dixie State University teaching program. It is crazy to think that I could be teaching in just a little over two years. It is exciting and nerve wracking all at the same time. Even with all the nerves coursing through me I know that I am on the right path and that this is what I am supposed to do for my career. This class has prepared me so much, which is crazy since it is just the first class in many more to come. I can't even begin to imagine how much more I will learn. I am glad I took this class, because it really solidified my decision.

I know that I am going to become an elementary school teacher and I am going to love it!

Connecting School with Life

     I think that I have been connecting what I learn in each module to my service learning. I think it is easier to understand the course topics, when I can see them in action and they are no longer just a theory. I completed my Service Learning at the beginning of the semester before I moved. So, I have done some of the modules after I completed my hours. However, it helped me connect and remember my service learning experience a lot better when I completed the assignments in this course.

     I think that blogging has help me become aware of many things in my Service Learning Placement, and a lot of these things I would not have noticed unless I had to blog about them. For example, I don't think I was super aware of diversity in the classroom until I had to come up with examples for my blog post and then I realized there was a lot more diversity than I first noticed. I think that when I first started the blog I was kind of doing it grudgingly, like it was just another assignment for a grade, but I have come to actually kind of enjoy it. I like the fact that it helps me think and helps me see things that I would have normally missed.

Connecting Learning with Life is a big step in the right direction!

Standards and Testing

     I think that the most common place I have seen standards being met is in the science learning at my service learning placement. The kids switch classrooms so that they have a different teacher for science, and then they are taught about rocks, water cycle, etc. What is interesting is I read through the 4th grade science core after I did my service learning and I could see the exact standards that they pulled from to teach the lessons. 

     To me it seemed that maybe math was getting a little less emphasis than science. It didn't seem like they worked on it for as long, and I had a harder time seeing the resemblance to the standards. I noticed some though, like the standard of being able to find factor pairs was addressed really well in the classroom.

     I didn't really ask my teacher what she thought of standardized testing. However, I remember when I had her in the fourth grade and from what I remember a lot of teachers were frustrated with standardized testing. Either that or they were just sick of us complaining about the tests. However, I do remember a lot of teachers feeling like standardized testing was very stressful. The reason for this is because they felt like they had to review the whole year in just a couple of weeks.

Standards in schools provide a way for teachers to plan their lessons!