Field Experience

My field experience was amazing. This past week in field my partner and I taught our five social studies lessons. We spent many hours putting the lessons together using all the things we have learned so far this year in all of our classes. One day we used direct instruction and showed the students how to make a Navajo rug. We also used the cooperative learning insert using the jigsaw method. Finally we used the effect the pioneers had on the Utah Native Americans. We used technology a couple times. We got to use a cool tool called the Elmo. It is a high tech version of the overhead projector. We also used a video from youtube which showed the students how important the land is to Native Americans.

We were ready and excited to teach. We weren't sure how it was going to go because the teacher in the class gives the students seat work and worksheet packets. We wondered if the kids would be receptive to group work. The first day we taught a song. We put the students in groups of five. THe instructions were to make up actions to their part of the song. Just as we thought the students had a hard time working together. Some of them wouldn't participate because they were just too far out of their comfort zone. We had a hard time with class management because the students aren't used to group work. The next day the students made navajo rugs in their seats. The lesson went very well. The next day we were really expecting another crazy lesson because we were playing a trading game in groups. This time we were pleasantly surprised. We were expecting the worst but the kids really got into the game and it went a lot better than expected.

From this experience I learned that when kids aren't used to doing things a certain way it can make them unsettled. I think this is where I can use what I have learned from classroom management. In my future class at the beginning of the year I will go over the expectations with my students and remind them throughout the year. The first time we do group work we will do it over and over and over if we have to until the students can do it without all the noise. I think it is worth the effort to work in groups. Many students have expressed their sadness that we aren't teaching any more lessons. This reaction leads us to believe that the students enjoyed our activities. I am even more excited to have my own classroom

Visual arts

It was fun learning about the visual arts. I wasn't excited about this topic because I stink at art. To my surprise I found it to be interesting and doable. There are so many different art forms you don't have to be good at drawing to be a good artist. I am so glad to know this so my students won't feel the same way I have about making art. Learning about the different elements and principles in the pictures was a great learning activity. I want to go to an art museum now and look for the elements and principles because before I only spent a few seconds looking and didn't appreciate it like I will now. I love learning about the artist and their relationship to their art.

The activity we did today was a fun way to learn about the different illustrators. It is amazing how different artists are so unique. Marcus Pfister used water colors and foil stamps for his books. It was interesting learning about the illustrators like Gerald McDermott who uses geometric shapes and Eve Carle who brought out dimension with a collage of paper. Also, Dr. Suess who used the primary colors to sketch. I loved this hands on activity and learning about these author/illustrators. What I thought would be a painful unit ended up being one of my favorites.

Music is the Bomb

Music has been a part of my life since I can remember. I don't remember a lot from elementary school but I do remember the music. Even to this day music brightens my mood. I think integrating music is important because it has a huge effect on students. As I watched the different groups present their music/dance presentation I could remember those topics better because of the music involved. I was so excited when I met my cooperating teacher and he told us we would be teaching about Native Americans. I instantly thought of Ellie's group and how perfectly that presentation would fit in a lesson. I was so excited to see the exact song her group used in a hand out the teacher gave us for reference. It is so cool to see how we can implement what we have learned in the classroom.

I think music in the classroom should be used as much as possible. There will be times when it isn't appropriate, like during a test, but if music lifts my spirit just think about what it does to 30+ children. I will use the classical music when students are doing thinking like math, but during art I think it would be fun to play disney or more upbeat music and if someone wants to start singing while working all the better. Music is also a great way to learn things. For instance the times tables each have a nursery rhyme to help learn them. There is a song for just about everything and if there isn't I could make one up. In my future classroom music will be one of the highlights of our day.

Dance Blog

Learning about dance in class was energizing. Dance has never been one of my talents. I always wished I was more coordinated. I always thought it was embarrassing to even try to move because I am not graceful. In class as I saw everyone moving no matter what level they were I got out of my comfort zone and tried the activities. When we did the activities with the book, it made the book come alive. I enjoyed playing the parts and pretending to be on the boat. This activiy would be fun to do in my future class room.

The activity we did when we moved to the different movements with the drum was a little uncomfortable for me at first but then I noticed others were just doing whatever and so I didn't worry so much about it. Dance is how you interpret something, so there is no wrong or right way to do it. I thought about how a student might feel the same way. Realizing you can express yourself in your own way would make my students feel good about themselves. I think a shy person that could express themselves with dance would be great. Their class mates would get to know them on a different level.

I really enjoyed the activities in the gym. Maybe by that time all my inhabitions were gone. I loved learning the dance. This kind of dance would be really fun to teach my students when we talk about different cultures. Dance is a definate part of culture. Dancing seems to bring laughs, fun, and togetherness. I wondered why schools bother to have dance festivals. I now know that dance is a great way to learn in many ways.

Blog #2

Using drama in my future classroom will be a great tool I can use to help my students succeed and to prevent behavior problems. Activity is a very important aspect of a successful classroom. I now have the knowledge to help my students succeed in this aspect. Before this class I thought drama was only used by the theater teacher once a year. Now I know it should be used as often as possible along with the other arts with regular curriculum. I forgot that there were a few other times drama was used in my kids classroom. One wonderful third grade teacher had her students put on a wax museum. My kids loved this and looked forward to it when they reached the third grade.

I want to use drama in my classroom because I want a family type environment. Drama builds cooperation and other social skills. Drama is fun. Drama helps my students have empathy for others. These are just a few of the reasons drama will help my students have a united, caring attitude toward each other.

When I start teaching I think I will use many energizers and warm-ups. The book has great ideas like Greetings, Playball. I really like the activity we did in class when we had to continue one sentence of a story using the first letter of our name. Scavenger hunt sounds really fun. I am really excited to use these. I think it would be fun to put all of the ideas in a cute, colorful jar. When we need an energizer one of my students could pick one out of the jar. Also I will encorporate drama with other subjects like social studies to make the subject more interesting. I like pantomimes and freeze frame because they are easy and don't take a lot of preparation. I think it would be really fun to do something for Thanksgiving like the presentation given in class. I want to try everything, this is going to make teaching so much fun!

Reflection #1

This class has been a dream come true as I have learned how much the arts affect students learning. I have always loved the arts. To know I can use it in my classroom and it will do wonders for my students is an amazing concept. I really enjoyed learning the different types of learners in the classroom. I was surprised to find out that the general population is 10% blue and 40% orange. It was very interesting to find out that most teachers are nurturing or organized while most classrooms will be filled with personalities that are not like your own.

I have also enjoyed the games we play in class. In Elementary schools I observed there isn't very much action other than recess. I love now knowing that activities are important for the students to succeed and do their best. The games we have learned and will continue to learn will help my students pay attention, give them a little break. I know it is hard for me to sit very long. I can imagine how hard it is for Elementary students to sit still. I also think the games are great because they have more than one objective. The games get the kids moving but also build friendship, leadership, eye hand coordination, etc.

I am so glad the facts support the use of integrating arts in the classroom. I plan on using the arts in any way possible. I was intruiged by Chapter 8 and 9 because of the reasons based on research for integrating drama in the classroom. It is incredible how many different reasons are listed. Some of my favorites were enhances psychological well being. I picture the struggling student because of issues at home. I imagine an arts based curriculum helping him to thrive. I love how drama helps the student develop empathy. Empathy is beyond sympathy, which gives the students a better relationship with each other. Drama is fun so the students will enjoy school. Those are just a few of my favorites because I already know that I want a classroom that is like a big family and cares for each other. I also want to have fun because boring is boredom and I don't like being bored so I don't expect my students to like being bored either.