Alissa Peterson: Blog II

I believe I have gotten better at lesson planning and incorporating art into the classroom. I have always been able to lesson plan but the more practice you have of course the better you will get so it is very nice to have this extra experience. I think I have also grown to know what children like to do best and what really keeps their attention, more of visual art and not music and movement.

I have really made strong connections with a lot of the children. When I have been in there in the past, I was being graded as a part of my classes so I had to be the teacher and not just observe and teach art, a lot of what I had to do was more structured but now with bring all art activities in, the children really open up and see to enjoy them. I have gotten to know a lot of the children on a more personal level and not just as a teacher which has been nice. It has also been nice to see how the children have grown since I had them last semester for my class.

A lot of the children remembered me from before so that always is nice. Another thing that has really made me happy is how excited the children are when I bring out the art project for the week. They do a lot of other art throughout the week, but my art does not usually relate to their theme, so it is more of a free time art than anything else. Some of the children really enjoy the art projects that I bring in and they open up and have very different conversations about what they are doing.

I would like to create a few harder lesson plans for the end of the semester. It is kind of hard to find something that will be a challenge but not too hard since all the children are at different places, but I am interested to see. I think it will be interesting to see how much they improve in just a semester so I am excited to see that as well by bringing in something challenging.

Leah Corso: Blog II

How have you grown as a teacher from this experience so far (skills, understanding, or knowledge gained) (lesson planning, classroom management, demonstrations, etc…)?

I feel I have grown so much as a teacher. I have learned how hard lesson planning can go and the process of making needed materials. I have also learned that for older children classroom management can be more difficult. However, my experience has given me more confidence that I am in the right major. I really enjoy coming up with new ideas for lessons and seeing the children’s reactions to what they do. I also enjoy interacting with the kids each day.

What new understandings do you have about children/education/your role in the classroom?

I have learned that some children will take more time to get through to and it pays to be persistent. I also am learning how important classroom management can be. Many kids who come to our class in the Boys and Girls Club have been at school and want to go home, so they are not always thrilled to be there. This means that I have to put in extra effort for them to enjoy our lessons. I also learned that some students enjoy messing around and trying to get a rise out of myself and Leona, which again emphasize classroom management.  We are in charge of this placement and we need to have confidence in ourselves. We both understand that we will not always be the teacher every child loves.

For the CFSC I understand that my role is not a lead teacher but an assistant teacher. It gives me great opportunities to see how I want to run my classroom. I can step back and be both an observer and assistant.  I also enjoy interacting with the younger children. They are always happy to see me and always ask me to read to them and play with them. They are learning something with everything they do. I am a role model to them and I feel important to them. I also have become very aware of how the classroom works and the flow of the day.

What has made you happy about teaching this quarter?

I am the happiest when students tell me that they are happy to see me or they had fun with our lesson. I feel like I’m doing my job and I’m making an impact in their lives. I understand that won’t always happen, but my goal is to make kids smile and learn without realizing it.

What is something that you would like to work on improving by the end of the semester?

I would like to work on going out of the box with some of my lessons. I want the students to explore different aspects of the internship descriptions that they may not have explored.

Marissa Pilney: Blog II

How have you grown as a teacher from this experience so far (skills, understanding, or knowledge gained) (lesson planning, classroom management, demonstrations, etc…)?
The most important thing I have learned so far is that your lesson plans can play a large role in behavior management within the classroom. In other words, if your students are truly engaged and interested in your lesson, there will be less behavior issues within the classroom because they are truly interested in what they are doing. Along with that, when the students are interested in what they are doing and care about it, they will learn more from that lesson. This is a concept I have always known, however it has become more apparent to me when teaching this group of children. When we find something that the kids are really fascinated about and think is really cool, they will spend more time on that and less time with behavior problems.

What new understandings do you have about children/education/your role in the classroom?
Through my classes I am taking to become a teacher, I have heard that the role of a teacher can be different, depending on what that teacher’s philosophy is and how they think they can best teach their students. I had not developed my own teaching philosophy yet, but I think this internship experience is helping me develop one. As a teacher, I would like to find ways to include whatever my students are interested in as a part of our lesson. This would get the students more involved in their learning, and I think it is the role of the teacher to make sure their students are as engaged as possible.

What has made you happy about teaching this quarter?

The kids are truly what has made me happy about teaching this semester. I have been able to get to know each and every student, and they are all so special and unique in their own way. Some of the students had more challenging behavior at the beginning of the semester, and I have seen them improve greatly already, which has been really exciting for me to watch. They are great kids and make me want to come back to work every day.

What is something that you would like to work on improving by the end of the semester?

By the end of the semester, I hope that I have found new and exciting lesson plans for the kids that really get them all engaged. Many of them are really hands-on learners and don’t care for the classic painting or drawing art lessons, so I want to challenge myself to find new and different art lessons. By the end of the semester, I hope to show my students that art can go way beyond just drawing or painting.

Vanessa Lee: Blog II

How have you grown as a teacher from this experience so far (skills, understanding, or knowledge gained) (lesson planning, classroom management, demonstrations, etc…)?

I have really grown as a teacher this semester considering how much I have gained in skills and understanding. I know so much more now about how a classroom operates efficiently. I feel like I have gained experience in classroom management just by having consistent experiences with the same groups of kids. I have really grown in my lesson planning skills as I have the chance to learn about the sort of things the children like doing. I love being able to tailor my lesson plans to their interests!

What new understandings do you have about children/education/your role in the classroom?

So far in my internship, I feel like I have a very valuable role in the classroom. The students look forward to me coming in and ask me: "What art project are you doing with us today Miss Vanessa?". I have seen how beneficial it is for these children to have time to create something and express themselves creatively. I think art is a great opportunity for the children to make connections to their world. Plus they really enjoy it!

What has made you happy about teaching this quarter?

It makes me happy seeing that the art projects I come in and do with the children make them happy. I love that the children get to express themselves through art. I also am happy about the great teachers I get to work with. I am happy to have the opportunity to learn from them and their experiences. Overall, I love being considered a valuable part of a great child care center!

What is something that you would like to work on improving by the end of the semester?

I feel like I have improved on a lot of things since I started my internship last semester. If I could choose something to improve on by the end of the semester, it would be my demonstrations. I want to be able to give the students demonstrations without them feeling like they need to make their art look exactly like mine. I try to choose activities that are very open- ended so the students can use their creativity as much as possible. I am lucky to have great students that listen attentively when I do give demonstrations, though. I find that they are always eager to learn new things!

Alyssa Boyer: Blog II

How have you grown as a teacher from this experience so far (skills, understanding, or knowledge gained) (lesson planning, classroom management, demonstrations, etc…)?

This internship has helped me grow as a teacher in many ways. I believe one of the biggest things it has done for me is helped me become more confident as a teacher and in my lessons. I have grown in both teaching lessons and addressing behaviors. Before I was nervous to take action when it came to addressing unwanted behaviors, however, I am now gaining the confidence to do this and take action.

What new understandings do you have about children/education/your role in the classroom?

Through my internship I have been working with another pre-ECE teacher to plan and teach lessons. I have learned the importance of teamwork with teaching. Before I believed that teaching was something that you had to plan by yourself. Now through the internship I am understanding that communication with other teachers can be just as important as the work that you do directly with the children.

What has made you happy about teaching this quarter?

The thing that makes me the happiest about teaching is seeing that the children get excited about the lessons I have planned for them. I love watching their faces light up when they are experiencing a lesson they enjoy doing. In the infant room I can even see that the infants get excited with new experiences that I provide for them.

What is something that you would like to work on improving by the end of the semester?

I would like to work on trying to find more of a variety of art lessons. I enjoy doing crafts with the children but have really only managed to do painting lessons. I have also only done a couple music and movement lessons, so adding some more of those types of lessons to step out of my comfort zone would be a goal of mine.

Vanessa Lee: Blog I

What is your teaching experience so far?

I had a P.A.I.N.T internship last year at the Child and Family Study Center, in the Why Room. This semester, I am back at the CFSC in the Why room and also the Wonder Room! Before P.A.I.N.T, I have had experience in schools in the Dominican Republic and England. I have also worked at a childcare center in Eau Claire and have had practicum/ lab experiences for my ECE classes.

What are you looking forward to about the class you will be teaching?

I am looking forward to being back in the Why Room to help the children build on the skills they learned last semester and also getting experience with a new age group in the Wonder Room! From what I can tell so far, the children are very creative, and I am looking forward to doing some fun projects with them this semester.

What do you hope to learn/gain from this experience?

I hope to learn more about the developmental differences between 3 and 4 year olds through my lesson planning and being able to adapt those lessons accordingly. I think I will learn a lot about myself and my teaching style this semester and I am very excited about that!

Alissa Peterson: Blog I

What is your teaching experience so far?

So far, my teaching experience has just been more of observation in the classroom. This was my first week in the class, so I did not plan a lesson because I wanted to see how the classrooms were run before I brought something in. I have previously worked in the Why room (3-year-old) and I am excited to be back in the classroom.

What are you looking forward to about the class you will be teaching?

I am excited to bring art into their classroom more and plan some fun activities that will incorporate art. I am excited to be in these classrooms because it is the age group I would like to work with at some point, so it is great to get my feet into the water. I am also excited that I can bring music and movement into the classroom and not just visual art. I think both are very important.

What do you hope to learn/gain from this experience?

I hope to gain more knowledge about bringing art into the classroom and the difference between 3 and 4-year old’s when it comes to art. I am also interested in seeing their abilities and fine motor skills that are different between the two classrooms. It will be interesting to see the differences in just a one year span.

Alyssa Boyer: Blog I

What is your teaching experience so far?

I have not started teaching yet. I have only been in the two year old room for a couple hours and I have been assisting with the lead teacher’s lesson and have been playing with the children during free time. Last semester I did the same internship and I taught two lessons. I taught an art lesson and a dramatic play lesson. I taught both lessons to the one year olds and two year olds. Other than that I have not had any teaching experience.

What are you looking forward to about the class you will be teaching?

I am looking forward to gaining some new experiences with working with a new set of children. Working with infants is going to be a challenge this semester but I will have to be creative in my ways of planning and adjusting lessons. Another thing that I am looking forward to is being able to co-teach lessons with another PAINT intern. I think this way the lessons we teach the two year olds will be much stronger.

What do you hope to learn/gain from this experience?

I hope I learn how to be more creative in my lessons. Last semester I feel like I was not very creative in my lesson planning so hopefully gaining even more experience will help with my creativity. I also hope that I will be able to gain better communication skills by planning lessons with the other PAINT intern and working with the lead teachers. Being able to gain some classroom management skills would also be a great thing to gain during this experience.