Blog #5 - Loved the Hike!!

HIKE IN THE GORGE
I really enjoyed going for the hike in the gorge last week!!! Not only was it nice to get outside, but physical activity early in the morning, as much as I hate to admit it, makes me feel amazing!! I WISH I had the ability to go to the gym before class each day, my life would be much better if that were the case. Providing students with different surroundings is often one of the best things an educator can do to help their students to learn better. Taking that into account though, one must realize that this is not ALWAYS the situation. Different surroundings may sometimes be distracting for certain individuals which could cause them to focus less on the educator and more on what is going on around them, however, sometimes learning from their surroundings is the best kind of education there can be.
______________________________________________________________________

LEARN & SERVE
I am really enjoying my learn and serve placement this semester! I'm getting to know the kids much better and beginning to understand them much more. The first couple weeks are tough because there are so many students, all with different interests and different methods of learning as well as different personalities. Until you begin to understand each student for who they are as an individual, it is hard to see how they react and add to the classroom as a whole. I hope that by next week I will be able to identify most students individually so that I can get a feel of how they add to the classroom atmosphere.
I don't know if I mentioned in my earlier posts, but this semester I am shadowing MY 5th grade teacher. It's so interesting to be shadowing this teacher because I can remember being in his class. I remember the overheads that he goes over and the packets the students have. I even remember the book they are reading right now. While I watch him teach, I recall the days I sat at their desks and so easily, I remember everything I thought and everything I did. Certain students I can connect with very easily because they remind me of myself, whereas some students I can't quite understand, just like I had confusion when I was in 5th grade, and trying to understand why some students act out and others sit quiet. From a teachers perspective, I can begin to realize why students act the way they do, and upon taking this class, I can begin to use some of the things we learn in class to help identify these students. Until I get to know these students better, it is difficult to do, but I imagine that within the next few weeks this will become easier and easier to do.

** Above is a picture of me when I was in 5th grade. The picture is taken at my Aunt Debbie's house before Thanksgiving dinner! I am on the left, my sister Lisa is on the right.