Journal #4 Teaching and Instruction

Students in the classroom work in groups each day. During their different rotations they can work by themselves, work with another student, work in small groups, or work together as a whole class. They would work by themselves if they are reading to self, working on their journal writings, or working on a computer. The students work in pairs when they read to someone. They take turns reading their books to their reading partner. They work in small groups of three or four students for their reading groups. In these groups, each student will get the chance to read out loud to the teacher. They also work in small groups when they work on word work.

The teacher presents the material to the students in several different ways. She presents it verbally and visually. She is very expressive when verbally presenting information, and often uses visual charts for her visual learners. She also teaches her students her lessons by giving them hands on experience. For Spelling, they chomp out syllables of words on their arms. In Chapter six of the text book it talks about how teachers should allow their students to interact with the material. When they experience things for themselves, they send more input to their brain.

When assessing and evaluating her students' progress, she uses formal and informal techniques. The formal techniques would be guided questions, and having her students read to her to show their level of fluency. Also from Chapter six in the text book, it talks about how it is the teacher's job to push their students' thinking by asking probing questions, giving them alternative explanations, and challenging them to describe their ideas. Informal techniques are as simple as a thumbs up, thumbs to the side, or thumbs down to check their understanding on a particular topic.

I do see technology being used in the classroom. The students use the two computers in the classroom daily. They use them to play educational games and also for working on writing. I was so impressed that they were able to create power point presentations at such an early age. The teacher told me that her class was getting a smart board in their classroom. I wish I had the opportunity to observe how her teaching style would be transformed with technology.

When the students are asked what activity they want to do, they usually pick computers or word work. Working on the computers is very fun for them. They love working on their power point presentations about themselves and adding cool pictures of things they like. Word work is a popular rotation, because the students usually work in groups of three or four and they have fun playing word games. To no surprise, the students all love lunch and recess. I have heard students ask the teacher, "Is is almost lunch time?" Recess is of course a favorite time where the students can take a break from learning and be wild and crazy.

I have learned a lot about second graders. They are like little sponges that take in anything you give them. I can see many different types of learners within the class. There are some students that read novels, some that read chapter books, some that read picture books, and one student that is still learning their ABC's. I have also learned that second graders can be very independent. You can build up a trust with your students to allow them to successful work on subjects independently. Yes, they still need guidance and scaffolding, but they can also be very productive on their own. I see that this is a critical time in their lives to teach them values. They are not only learning basic subjects, but also life skills. They are learning what is appropriate, when it is the appropriate time for things, how they should act, how to work with others, and how to respect other people. I have learned a lot about these second graders and gained much knowledge from their teacher. Overall, it was a great experience, and I loved building bonds with many of the students.