Field Site Visit Infancy/Pre-K - St.

Mary’s

The site I visited was the St. Mary’s Early Childhood Center on M.L.K. street. The group

of kids in each class had various ages from three to five years old. They have a Reggio style of

teaching so they have a lot of fun activities including an art studio with very tiny chairs! I didn’t

get to see many of the opportunities they had as I arrived at an awkward time, right when they

were waking up from their nap, eating their afternoon snack, and enjoying themselves either by

drawing, reading, or whatever their little hearts desire. A Reggio-esc approach I did notice

though is that they don’t force kids to wake up when naptime is over, it’s very laid back and they

let the kids wake up on their own. I also noticed they had a lot of teachers/helpers in easy class

working with the children. Knowing this, I expected that I’d just be a weirdo in the corner not

saying anything and just observing but so many kids came up to me and kept asking me to read

books, played with my hair and necklace, complimented me and made fun of me, and climbed all

over me. A kid even asked me to go home with him, I told him I would love to but sadly I was

busy. In summary, it was so fun! Very chaotic, I was definitely a push over but it was fun to
interact with them all. It’s interesting to see how outgoing some of the kids are, they treated me

like I was just another teacher even though I was just a visitor, they’re so curious! They are also

very outspoken, for example one of the girls said she liked my nose piercing but another one said

she didn’t like it, so silly! I don’t think people realize how much kids can socialize at this age,

sure they sometimes make no sense but they really are smarter than people may assume. They

also seem to be at a stage where they are still learning new words and while they might not

always know what I’m saying or are in their own little worlds they are still processing it in their

heads and can figure it out by context.

While I was distracted by all the social kids coming up to me wanting me to read and

mess with my belongings, I didn’t really get to see much of what the other kids were doing. I’m

sure there were other less outgoing kids who stayed doing their own thing or avoided talking to

strangers, aka me. I noticed that a group of kids were huddled around one of the teachers who

was reading a book, not really interested in me and just sticking to what they are already

comfortable with. Basically I got a load of the outgoing folks and not as much of an analysis of

the quieter kids. Additionally, Diane who helped me out on visiting mentioned that for some of

the kids they really don’t like to leave because their life at home isn’t as comfortable or even

safe. While it’s easy to assume school is boring and kids might dread it, it’s also where they get

to socialize and have fun. And for some kids, this place is more of their home than their actual

home. St. Mary’s also specializes in helping children who live in poverty so it’s possible most of

the kids have more opportunities at school than they do at their own house, like lots of books and

access to proper meals.

A theorist that somewhat reminds me of the way that St. Mary’s style of teaching,

especially the way they structure their afternoons, is Montessori. Her philosophy emphasizes
self-motivated growth and allowing children the freedom to choose, and I see this both within

letting the kids nap as long as they wish and picking how they want to spend the last hour before

heading back home or to after school care. Also respecting the uniqueness of every child is

another point within Montessori’s philosophy which I feel they definitely do just how I saw them

interact with all the children and their Reggio inspired curriculum. I also felt like they really

respected all the kids, I never heard them yell at any of them and if they had to tell them to

apologize for something they didn’t make them feel dumb for what they did and talked to them

in a very genuine and helpful manner. It felt like they were equals and not lesser than anyone

else. Additionally, they seemed to have a good amount of independence for their age, of course

they weren’t walking around the building aimlessly but they could choose what they did with

their time. Lastly, Montessori is also known for their multi-age classrooms which is one of the

unique features to St. Mary’s.

I’ve definitely come from a more privileged background compared to the kids attending

St. Mary’s so coming into it I thought it would have been more of a shock than it was but not as

much as I thought. I enjoyed school as a kid but I had a comfortable life as a preschooler both at

school and at home so I sometimes felt that I would rather stay home but visiting other schools

like this proves that not every kid has the same opportunity as others, that’s sad to think about

that some children don’t feel safe at home. However, these kids are still getting a great education

and environment to thrive and learn in despite not having as many funds. It also shows that

school doesn’t just have to be all about learning, it’s fun too and can be a place for kids to feel

most comfortable in. It’s really important to see the places that are considered “lower class” and

have not as high of ratings online compared to other schools because it’s so much different in

person than anything you picture when you hear “non-profit.” It’s so nice in person, the teachers
seem passionate about their jobs, and they have a lot to work with. It’s a lot more real and

genuine when you see the real thing and interact with the staff and students.
Field site Visits - Early Childhood

The site I chose to visit to explore the early childhood level was the MLK Center. They

are known for their afterschool programs, often ones that get waitlisted, to help students with

their education, especially literacy skills. It’s located in an area where there’s a very diverse

group of financial wellness, from one extreme to the other. They partner with The Indy Learning

Team and IPS James Whitcomb Riley School #43 which are typically with families on the lower

poverty level. The MLK center doesn’t just stop there with programs. They have a Teen Tech

Center allowing teenagers to learn about various skills like graphic design, filmmaking, and

music production but it’s more of a freeform, do whatever you want space. The MLK center also

acts as a place where elderly people can meet up and create a community. Additionally, they

have services for emergency assistance for neighbors like helping with rent, pairing those people

with wellness coaches to help them with dreams like finding a proper job, low cost counseling

services, a transient system for necessities, subletting housing for those who have been evicted,
etc. All of this falls under their mission to build a beloved community inspired by Dr. King’s

dream. One without racism, poverty, and violence. A place where they grow, laugh, play, and

experience peace.

In terms of early childhood, the MLK center after school program exists to help kids

improve their literacy skills as the programs present in the schools they are currently attending is

not enough. Since a lot of the students are from lower income families, it may be the only place

they can get a proper meal and have access to fun games and activities. They are also picked up

and dropped off by faculty at the MLK center so driving or walking isn’t required by guardians.

Additionally, they may not be able to obtain proper educational help from their families so this

acts as a substitute for that. It’s also a very social area for these children, making them be able to

make more friends and learn more about themselves through this programming. They’re at an

age where telling stories and holding conversations starts to grow, which the MLK Center is a

great environment to do so. They also don’t just learn reading skills, they play fun games and

practice mindfulness, all very important for their mental health. While the MLK center has great

programming and is meant to be affordable it’s often waitlisted as there’s a lot of demand for

their services but not enough space. This means some children will not have access to the MLK

center’s services when they may be eligible for it.

The MLK Center’s after school program focusing on literacy reminds me of Bruner’s

developmental theory. This is because they are building off what is being taught at the schools

the students attend and trying to improve their skills through their services. The MLK center sees

their students as individuals and understands that hard work takes time as well as encouraging

them when they are on the right track. This relates to Bruner because his scaffolding theory

builds upon already known concepts and then introduces new ones like how the MLK center
goes from teaching how to read words to learning how to understand storytelling. They also

incorporate multiple learning strategies, like enactive, iconic, and symbolic by playing board

games, using whiteboards and diagrams, reading books, and various other activities. Their

morals of treating kids as individuals also shows how they care about every person’s

achievements and using positive reinforcement as emphasized in Bruner’s theory. Additionally,

they understand that it takes time to teach kids how to read which goes with Bruner’s concept of

repeating the learning process until the student finally understands the material before moving on

to the next concept.

When hearing “after school programs” it’s easy to assume that it would be things

unrelated to the usual course curriculum like with the arts, theater, music, sports, etc. but the

MLK center specializes in teaching reading to elementary school aged children. To some this

may sound like an extended school day but in reality they find ways to make it enjoyable as it’s

also a necessity since they aren’t receiving a proper education at their own schools. When I was

younger I was privileged enough to go to a school that gave me the right education and tools to

properly learn how to read and write so I got to go to art or sport programs after the school day

as I already had the learning time spent in class. This made me realize that some children don’t

have the same opportunities and need extra help not because of their own fault but because of the

school so don’t have time to explore activities in the proper environment and experienced

instructors unrelated to school. It also shows while reading and writing are necessary skills for

life, not everyone is being properly educated. That’s what the MLK center’s mission is so

important, because it’s holding up literacy and other key developmental skills as human rights.
Field site Visits - Middle Childhood

The place I visited to observe middle school aged students was Butler Lab 60,

specifically I attended a seventh grade art class for this assignment. I noticed that this is where a

lot of independence and personality starts to grow. Everyone was working on the same type of

project, plaster food items, but everyone got to choose what they wanted to make and worked for

the most part independently. There was also a difference in skill levels, art came easy to some

kids while it was more difficult for others. I also noticed that some kids worked while talking to

their friends while others sat quietly working on their projects. This shows a difference in ways

people work. It was fun to eavesdrop but it also revealed interesting developmental progress in

their ways to conversate with others. For one, they can reference things like from movies and

music as well as stories they have of their own experiences or from other people they interacted

with. They can also make jokes based on popular media or even form their own jokes. They also

start to use slang terms and ways of talking which shows how they are being more influenced by
the world around them. I also noticed that they are starting to form their own opinions on

subjects, even if it’s just complaining about the feeling of the plaster. All of this shows an

increased social development compared to previous age groups we have observed. It also shows

how personality is starting to form and shape during this time in life. Another important detail is

that the teacher told me a difference between working with elementary and middle schoolers

with art projects is that you can have more deep and meaningful projects while elementary is

usually more fun and basic. This shows an increased level of creativity.

For me art is something that I find to be one of my biggest passions but I also have to

acknowledge that it isn’t for everyone so some students in this art class may be struggling or

have a different perspective on art than I do. So while I may see it as a way to decompress and

express myself, others may see it as a stressful task in addition to the work they already have to

do. And while I may try to embrace imperfection, some may be overwhelmed by mistakes.

Additionally, I take art seriously while some kids may find this as a time to “slack off.” Also a lot

of the kids had different levels of outgoingness. Some kids talked loudly to each other, even to

people across the room, one person even came up to me and complimented my sweater while

others stayed quiet to themselves. I also noticed some kids who reminded me exactly of what me

and my friends were like in middle school. Nerdy, odd humor, overall their personality is very

much based on the media they have consumed but they still were outgoing despite maybe being

labeled as the “weird kid.” I can just remember how I was in middle school so much and can

relate to these kids on a personal level and also understand they too may look back on these days

and think “man, I was insufferable!” But that is all a part of growing up!

One theory that I was reminded of with this site visit was Fitts and Posner. That’s because

art is a skill that is developed through time and practice. While others may be more skilled than
their peers, there is for most part a development with how the skill improves over time. It does

not seem anyone has mastered this skill but they are likely in the cognitive and associative stage.

Some have to pay closer attention to their project while others can freely talk while working.

However, this may not reveal a more skilled way of working, it could just mean they are chatty.

Additionally, the way art classes are taught are with constant repetition and practice to hone in

those skills which is how students can go from cognitive to associative. Aside from art, students

may vary in efficiency in different skills based on their own interests. Especially with middle

school where students start to find their own taste in hobbies and media which can influence

what they put their time to. It can also be impacted by their environment such as their parents

pressuring them to go into a certain sport or excel in certain school subjects. Basically this is

where a lot of skills for these kids start to develop and in turn influence their personality and who

they are in the future.

Middle school was a weird time for me, for everyone really so I feel like I had a great

deal of sympathy going into this visit as I know exactly what it was like to be a middle schooler.

You’re so awkward and weird and you’re in such an odd stage of puberty that your emotions and

looks are at their craziest. It’s funny because I felt like I was pretty mature and old back then but

seeing these kids makes you realize wow I was so young! Having this background I feel like I

can relate to these students more compared to previous age groups. However, this lens of having

a sense of relatability may also hinder my view of each student. It could make me ignore the

other experiences of kids that I do not have previous exposure to if I only apply my own middle

school experience. That’s why it’s important to be sympathetic to everyone even if I don't relate

to them all. In general it’s also important to acknowledge that everyone is going through a lot of

changes and they are very young but they also should be treated with respect as they are gaining
more knowledge and understanding to form their own opinions and can carry on real

conversations.