6th grade Week 2

My final week of placement has been great. I am really starting to grow fond of the students even though they are a handful. I believe I have learned a lot about the kind of teacher I want to become and how students respond to various teachers. I think I have realized (one of the teachers is a first year teacher) how important it is to stick to the rules you make at the beginning of the year and have firm and clear expectations of the students.

We have been discussing imperialism and colonialism in sub Saharan Africa the last two weeks. They were also each given a country in sun Saharan Africa that they researched and made a brochure on. We had a trip to the library last week to do research and I think only one class used the research they gathered from that trip. The rest of them forgot or lost it and researched their country during class on Tuesday.

I taught my lesson today on the Rwandan genocide. I had made a presentation on slide rocket and could not access it because Facebook is blocked on school computers and that is how I log on to that program. Because of this, I lost my place several times and felt that my teaching was not what it should have been. I was able to make another presentation during their specials time and after that I felt the lessons went extremely well. I refreshed their memory of the Arab Spring (something they had learned about previously) and asked them about the role technology had played in those events. Then I explained the genocide and we compared and contrasted technology used now vs. 1994 and what might have happened if the same technology had been available during the events taking place in Rwanda. I know they haven't completely grasped how horrific the events were, but I believe it made an impact on them. 

I have been sitting with the teachers in the cafeteria almost everyday, which has been very noisy. The students have not had tutorials this week because the teachers need to prepare for STARR testings. I have missed being able to teach tutorials but I also have been enjoying the hour and a half break. I usually grade papers for my mentor teacher during this time. During their hornet time, or enrichment time, we were able to go outside for a little bit before it started raining. It was so sweet to see the kids who act touch in the hallway transform into kids again when they run around and play outside. 

I have grown a lot during this placement. I feel like I am more prepared to teach and am more tough than I realized. I can handle the students when they get out of control and really, truly do have a teacher voice. I was able to have good, adult conversations with the students that I think made them think. I loved it. I am so grateful I had this opportunity, though I do feel better suited for a lower grade.