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September 29, 2005
Conner Prairie
Yesterday, we went to Conner Prairie in Fishers. A day off from the students to enjoy ourselves was very welcomed. If you don't know anything about Conner Prairie, it is a historical replica of a town or settlement from different years. There is a section that is from 1816 that is focused on the Lenape Indians, another section is from 1836, and the last section is from 1886. In another section of the park, you can see how you would have fared as a person in the 19th-century.
As we walked around the property, we had a study guide from our practicum class to fill out and kind of guide our questions. I think most of us felt that a couple of the guides were long but without them we wouldn't have thought to ask some of the questions we did. My group started in Prairietown where the year was 1836. We saw the school house, town inn, blacksmith, potter, weaver, carpenter, and the doctor's houses. The school is much different from our multi-roomed, few two storied buildings of the 21st century. It was a one-room, unheated, smaller than a single classroom building.
We then went to the Lenape Indian Camp in 1816. There were fur traders and handmade tools that we could interact with. They had wigwams set up out of different materials that we were able to walk through.
After that, we headed over to Liberty Corner in 1886. The Zimmerman's farm is the highlight in that area. Their house was much different than the 1-2 room houses of 1836. The Zimmerman's house was two stories with a root cellar. There were 2 bedrooms upstairs and at least 3 rooms on the main floor. The rooms were extravagant with carpet and wallpaper or paintings next to the dirt floors and whitewash walls of 1836.
The school in 1886 was a little more in depth than that of 1836. They had windows that opened, a stove in the middle of the room, desk for the students to sit at, and slates for the students to write on. They had a very confusing schedule for the students if you just glanced at the chalkboard. Look a little closer and they have all the grades 1-5 on the board. If you listened to what the teacher was talking about or had a chance to ask her questions, she would tell you that there were students who were higher than 5th grade but they followed the same schedule.
The Pastport is a place where you can see what you would have done as a person in the 19th century. We dipped candles, helped unload the flatboat, played some games, did laundry, and you could help milk a cow. Really, the cow was not real! They also had the tools that they used to build the flatboat on display.
As we finished the day, everyone was tired and ready to go. They have a museum shop and another store where you could buy souvenirs. I picked up a few things for Christmas presents and some candy for myself. If you ever get a chance to visit Conner Prairie with older children, I say GO FOR IT! They will learn a lot if you point them in the right direction.
Posted by Autumn Mundy at 3:06 PM | Comments (0)
September 27, 2005
Second Observation
I just had my second observation. I think that the students are a little more comfortable with visitors in the classroom. They are still talkative and very active. The observation itself went ok. We did a lesson on magnets and the students enjoyed getting hands on to do the experience. There was one item that confused the kids but otherwise they understood the experiment. If they understood the concept I'm not just sure yet. I have to check the observation papers and give those to Mrs. C for a Science grade.
There are a couple of students who have sky high negative attitudes. I don't know what to do with them and they are disruptive in the fact that they won't do any work and balk at the idea of cooperating. I ordered a book last week and I have to get back to Muncie to pick it up. Hopefully, there will be some ideas in there.
Posted by Autumn Mundy at 2:38 PM | Comments (1)
September 23, 2005
Week 5
At the end of this week, it has not been too bad. The weather has been cooler and then warmer, making it hard for the students and teachers to concentrate. Mrs. C has been a 'whiny girl' and not taken the kids out for recess because it has been so warm.
Back to School night went well. We had six families come to visit the classroom. It was very different to see the students in the classroom late in the evening. The parents, aunts and uncles seemed interested in what their child was doing during the day and they asked the children a lot of questions. Mrs. C brought up a couple test scores if the parents asked about them. There was some strategic talk about homework and getting reading scores higher. Other than that, people came in visited and left. That hour passed quickly.
Classes from BSU have been going ok. We have a lot of information that is given to us at class that makes sense because we have been in the classroom experiencing them first hand. I think that helps us understand more about what’s going on in our classes. It’s Friday and that is always a great day of the week!!
Posted by Autumn Mundy at 3:37 PM | Comments (2)
September 16, 2005
Observation
So, I had my first observation today. We did a trial run of the game I was going to play with their vocabulary words from the story we are reading before my professor arrived. I think it helped but some of the students didn't want to play the second time around. I gave her a side note about that. I hope that everything is going to be good. I had a couple of the better students testing me big time. Mrs. C was not happy about that at all.
Since it is Friday, students get free time at the end of the day. I wish that I could say all of them were able to go out and play but those few who didn't bring back their homework had the opportunity to stay in with me. One kid had to clean up the crayon shavings he shaved off his crayon onto the floor. Another wanted to wash all the students' desks after he washed the crayon off his. The spelling test was very interesting. Mrs. C had left the room to do something quickly and by the time she came back, I had taken 5-6 tests from students who were talking. I had a bunch of kids fuming at me today. I gave them plenty of warning and they continued to talk during the test. For some reason, I am really tired today. This week hasn't been too bad but I'm just dead.... I think it's time for a nap!
Posted by Autumn Mundy at 6:48 PM | Comments (0)
September 15, 2005
Room arrangement
We rearranged the classroom into groups. I like this set up much better than the rows because students are given more responsibility to take care of themselves. This morning, Mrs. C told them they have to prove that they can sit in a different setting or we are going to have to move the desks back to the rows. So far, they are not holding up their end of the deal.
Tomorrow I have my first observation. I'm a little nervous but Mrs. C keeps telling me that I'll be fine. I just hope that the students are not as talkative and active as they are today. The projects are starting to come due. We have many lesson plans due all in one week's period. I am trying my best to stay on top of things and not fall behind. Give me a few weeks and the procrastination side of me will take over!
Posted by Autumn Mundy at 3:09 PM | Comments (2)
September 9, 2005
Good Story!
So I have a really funny story! I was setting up the phonics learning center yesterday and I was making sure that all the parts were there. There is an activity where you match the words with the correct blends, examples being fl-, tr-, oo and ou. I was matching the vowel blends when I came across the word punod. I was at a loss for what this word was and where it went! As I got to looking at it a little more, I noticed that it did not go with any of the vowel blends or consonant blends. So I decided that maybe it was a trick word. I turned the word over and low and behold.... it's the word pound! Pound fits into the ou vowel blend! I told Mrs. C about it and was laughing so hard the students noticed my face getting red. I thought it was the funniest thing ever and realized that we need to make sure that word is turned the correct way when the students do that center.
This week has been hot but overall good. Lots of stickers and prizes were handed out today! I bought some books through the Scholastic orders the BSU teachers gave us. I read some of the poems out of one of the books. The students seem to enjoy them. They are very good at finding the rhyming words. They also made connections from the cover of the book to another story we read at the beginning of the year. I love to see them actually focused and learning. IT’S GREAT!
Posted by Autumn Mundy at 3:05 PM | Comments (2)
September 7, 2005
Time?
I am really wondering when teachers get everything done. I know that my classroom teacher has stayed late almost every night. There is so much to do and I try to help out as much as possible, but I think there is so much going on after we leave that we can't help with! I am trying to do some of my lesson plans and I am having a hard time because we don't have all the materials from the book companies. When the teacher guides are in line with the kits they provide, it is hard to teach when you don't have the kits.
The kids haven't been too bad today. Yesterday the whole class hit 5 stickers and everyone got a piece of candy! We moved more desks to get students to cooperate and not talk so much. Soon, we will be putting them in groups and rearranging the classroom more to Mrs. C's liking. Hopefully then, everyone won't be stressed about all the things in the room!
Posted by Autumn Mundy at 2:57 PM | Comments (0)
September 3, 2005
Good Behavior
So, the second week is over. I think that there are a couple of days out of the week that are just short. We have class in the morning, class in the afternoon and lunch in between. So over all we have about two or so hours in the classroom. Those days are hard because you have to go from student mode, to teacher mode, back to student mode. It's going to take some getting used to but I believe we will be ok!
As my fellow peers and I talked this week, we decided that these students have a lot of energy. I know that the grade I am teaching and a few of the others noticed how talkative the students are. We have a student, Bob (name changed), in our classroom who is in the special needs program. He is usually not that rowdy, just doesn't like to listen or do his work. When I walked in from one of my morning classes this week, he was sitting so quietly and paying attention so well! I was excited to see this. Normally he is lying on the floor, eating his glasses, or just looking around. Mrs. C and I started a behavior plan in our classroom where students can earn stickers for good behavior. When they reach so many stickers, they get prizes. Well, Bob didn't have any stickers yet and I was so impressed I told him that he was well on his way to getting a sticker. He sat through the rest of the reading block and participated in the discussion, which earned him a sticker! He looked at me at the end of the lesson and asked me if he got a sticker. Of course, he was excited too that he got a sticker. Bob is also one of our frequent recess students, but he didn't lose recess that day either.
This behavior plan is working for some and others it just doesn’t really matter what incentives you give them. They are going to do what they want, when they want. I am still trying to figure out how we can focus the students who are constantly talking and moving about the classroom. Maybe if I read a little more out of my EDEL book....
Posted by Autumn Mundy at 3:06 PM | Comments (3)