Education Blog

Reflect on your experience this week and share your insights in a blog post.  

Specifically, how has your experience over the last four weeks helped you to understand how to be a “developmentally appropriate” educator?

This week has been a really good week. It’s sad that the four weeks are already up because I feel like my connection with some of the students are finally getting stronger. This past week when playing games with students I have seen more passion. I have also had some more real genuine talks with a couple of students as well. My experience over the last four weeks has opened my eyes to other ways of teaching and how school does not have to be extremely strict with a lot of homework. I have learned how as a teacher in the class room you have to know where the students are at developmentally and meet them there. Just because one student is very developed does not mean the rest will be as well. So having options in the classroom to help the students who are behind the norm or give more challenging work to students ahead of the norm is a good idea. Students may learn better in different ways. My co-op teacher really likes the students to be able to play and be able to explore their interests. Many times this will allow the students to connect with information stronger. So I learned that if you can connect math or whatever subject the students are learning to something they really care about it will help the info stick.

Reflect on your experience this week and share your insights in a blog post.  

Tell a story about “one big developmental idea” that you have found valuable this semester. 

This week I experience the switch from student teacher back to the original teacher, aka my co-op teacher. With in the first day I noticed things he did differently from the student teacher. It wasn’t necessarily better or worse just a different teaching style. My co-op teacher is very big into letting the student choose their path and everything is their choice, nothing is forced. I think for me I prefer a little more structure with the type of work that should be done. I do agree with students having the freedom to explore things they are interested in but there is some things I believe they need to practice more and be assessed on.

One big developmental idea I have found valuable this semester is the difference of interactions between kids now days versus back before covid and before phones was a big thing. The social skills of some students I feel as though are behind developmentally. Many students do not interact well with other students and do not understand right from wrong. Prior to phones become a big part of life at a younger age kids had to actually interact and talk to one another. Now days many kids feel the “real” them is who they are through their phone and who they are in person is more of their “fake” selves. The disrespect that many students have towards their teachers and fellow classmates I believe is a cause from not understanding what is ok and not ok. A lot of these developmental skills are gained during early elementary school and with factors like covid, lack of attendance at school, or home life can affect them.

Speak to what you are seeing in your classroom relative to your capstone project.   In other words, reflect on the developmental indicators you might be able to observe in your students in light of your project goals. 

I have observed lessons the teacher is giving and the reaction of the students while she is teaching. You can tell by the students faces if they are thinking or if they are not paying attention. I can tell if wheels are turning in their heads. Based on the students reactions indicates where they are developmentally in that area. I have watched how the teacher helps the students and guides them to understand, including one-on-one time after she gives the lesson. The hardest part is engaging students who are not at the level that the lesson is at. That is when one-on-one or small group time comes in handy to try to connect the information to them better.

Describe your setting and discuss what behavior you have observed that provides indicators of the developmental levels of your students. 

The classroom I am in has a lot of variety. There is many gadgets and “toys” to play with and learn to use. In some of my cooperative teacher’s classes he likes to let the students decide what they want to learn and explore. This school is very student centered and meeting them where they are at. They work very hard for the students to learn content in the best way for them, typically not your everyday lectures. With the classes I am in being grades 7th – 12th you can see the different stage’s of development for the students. Not only do you see the difference in content they know but you also see the difference in their development socially. Middle schoolers are more likely to be unaware if words they are saying is disrespectful. High schoolers understand boundaries a little more. High schoolers also have more of a drive to do their work so they can graduate, specifically seniors.