Live it!

Throughout my field experience, I have had many opportunities to live out my faith.  I really like how "Engaging God's World" says that scripture invites us to find creative ways of applying its principals in the contemporary world.  I think that is great to think about; that we cannot just read the Bible but we need to apply it to our real lives.  Even if we cannot speak directly about our faith to our students in public schools, we can certainly find creative ways to show it. This is what I am looking forward to most about being a teacher; being able to share Christ's love through my actions. 

 So far this year I have had some great discussions with my cooperating teacher.  We have a lot of time to talk while the students are in gym class, lunch, or recess, so she asks about my life and what I do on the weekends.  She was surprised to hear that I didn't party or drink.  I think that even little things like that show people that you are different and it can lead them to ask questions about your faith.  Also, I am currently in a general education classroom, but I am majoring in special education as well and I would love to work special education classroom.  I told my teacher this, and she said that she thinks I will probably change my mind and that she could never work with students with special needs.  In response I said that I loved working with kids with special needs and I won't change my mind.  She said she admires me for that, and I think that is definitely a Biblical principle that we can live out; loving and caring for each student the same.

Finally, I have been able to live out my faith in front of the students and be a good example of honesty, respect, and reliability. I always come every Friday when they expect me, and I think it is important to be able to be counted on.  I have had a few conversations with some students about their lives, and I think it is great to listen and show that you truly care. In all, I love being able to live out what the Bible teaches!

Positive Learning in my Field Experience

For the most part, I have enjoyed my teacher aiding experiences so far.  I have learned a lot and feel that I will take a lot of my teacher's strategies and techniques with me. 

First of all, my cooperating teacher can be very strict. At first I thought that she was rather mean to her students for being so harsh.  However, I soon realized that the students were rambunctious and that they needed this to stay under control.  I feel my cooperating teacher does a great job of gaining their respect.  They like her and respect her despite the fact that she can be tough.  In the future, I too want to gain the respect of my students and have them disciplined as well.  I have learned that this isn't easy, but it is important for teachers to realize that not every student is going to love you.  Our job as teachers is to equip them with what they need to know in the future and support and encourage them. If a particular student doesn't like my cooperating teacher, she doesn't get bent out of shape.

Also, my cooperating teacher understands that the students need to move around.  If they have been sitting still for a while, she announces that the whole class can have a bathroom/water break.  She also has a table on the side of the room with a puzzle on it.  When students are finished working on a paper or project, they can go to that table and work with other students.  I think I would like to do this in my future classrooms.  Puzzles are great for kids to be able to work together with other students.  I love that she understands that it is hard to sit for long periods of time!

Finally, my cooperating teacher loves to read.  She encourages the students to read quietly when they are finished with their work, and they do a lot of book reports.  She has a large classroom library, and she has a shelf in the back with all new books that she bought. One student a week gets to choose a free book from the back to keep. She has read every book in her classroom, and she says that she always reads during quiet reading time with them to set a good example.  I love that she encourages the students to read and makes it fun, and I would like to do this as a teacher as well!