Rodriguez Campos 1

Lizbeth Rodriguez Campos

Professor Evita Medina

EDUC 1301 42408

13 May 2021

Field Experience Report III

I did my classroom observations online, I observed a total of 25 classrooms, all different

teachers, schools, and subjects, for this assignment I will be focusing on Math.

In the math lessons that I observed, I noticed that students learned best with hands-on

activities, also known as kinesthetic learning. Primary teachers used base ten blocks and color

tiles to accompany their lessons. In one class, students were given a word problem, the teacher

made a student read the word problem out loud, then repeated the question to make sure all the

students understood. Once the students knew what they were looking for, they used small blocks

to find their answer, some drew circles and placed blocks in them, others divided blocks into

rows. Thus, the use of manipulatives is effective in helping students understand concepts better. I

noticed that when a student was having trouble answering an equation, they used manipulatives

to get their answer. Students also used base ten blocks to help explain the way they solved the

problem, some students used mental math to get their solution, but it is important to be able to

explain how one got to the answer, so they used manipulatives to explain their reasoning to the

teacher and students. The manipulatives used by teachers were extremely effective in helping

students learn as they gave students a visual image, helpful to those who are visual learners.

A sixth-grade class I observed was centered around a mostly experimental lesson, the

students figured out what to do along the way. The teacher used the knowledge of the students to

build on the days’ lesson, students used toothpicks to do their measurements and asked the
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teacher for help when needed. Most of the day involved group work, something that is essential

for every classroom. However it did seem like some students struggled more than others, and

sometimes the teacher was not clear in her instruction, that is something that could be improved

to enhance the students learning.

All the classrooms I observed had good academic engaged time, the students often made

a statement that was not related to the lesson, but teachers were able to prevent the conversation

to be stirred elsewhere while still giving students a chance to speak. That is something that I

believe to be very important, students should not be ignored, they should always be given the

chance to speak as long as they are not interrupting anyone. Students who are given the chance to

speak if they raise their hand are less likely to be discouraged to speak up in class, than those

who are seen by the teachers but ignored.

Another thing I noticed during my observations was that the classrooms were arranged in

a way that promotes group work. None of the math classrooms I observed were arranged in a

way where students were alone in a place, all classrooms had the desk in groups, and all teachers

made use of that. Students were encouraged to ask their partners and table mates for assistance

when troubled by an assignment. They were encouraged to work together rather than

independently, building up group work skills in students. Moreover, the relationships between

students and teachers were positive, both seemed comfortable talking to each other, and students

were never hesitant about asking questions or for assistance. I also saw that students listened to

the teacher immediately when they were breaking the rules. Elementary school students were not

angsty like one would expect them to be, instead, they listened attentively to the lesson and did

their work as instructed. It is safe to assume that when students are not distracted and attentively

pay attention to the lesson, the teacher practices effective classroom management.
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Watching all these experienced teachers made it seem like teaching was an easy task, that

is a vulnerability of mine. I easily deceive myself by thinking that because other teachers make it

seem easy to teach, it will also be easy for me, but I know very well that is not true. I have been

in school enough years to know that teaching will not be easy and that it may take some time to

be able to effectively manage students and teach them in a way that will capture their attention

and not bore them. To prevent myself from falling into the predictable traps of new teachers, I

will go into the classroom making sure to maintain a professional but friendly relationship with

my students. Although I want my students to feel comfortable with me, I will be sure to not

present myself in a way that they will see a sibling. I know that teaching will not be an easy job,

but I am determined to make learning fun and something to look forward to.