This whole journey began when it was time for me to make the decision to enter into the University of South Florida College of Education. My advisor suggested entering into this program The Teacher Residency Partnership Program (TRPP). I decided to take on the challenge. I applied, and I got in! I didn't know what exactly this program entailed until I started, but it has been an exciting, rough, meaningful, fun, and challenging journey. This is only the beginning of my journey.
Last year in August 2012, I began my first internship in the classroom. My internship was 5 days a week from 7:30-10:30 and 1:30-3:30, Monday through Thursday, and 7:30-3:30 on Fridays. Needless to say, with the little experience I had in the classroom before I began this program, that was about to change rather quickly. In between our time interning at our schools, we took courses that revolved around the practice of being an educator. Our courses included topics on Classroom Management, Child Psychology, English Language Learners, Children with Exceptionalities, Children's Literature, Teaching Literacy, Social Studies in the Elementary School Classroom, Assessment and Measurement, and Integrating Art into the Curriculum. The schools we are interning in are all Title !, Renaissance schools. This means that the most of the students in our schools are on free and reduced lunch. We have learned so much about culture and diversity through the schools we have been interning in. We have worked with students of all different ethnicities, cultures, and various socioeconomic statuses. We also get experience working with students who are learning English as a second language. My first year internship consisted of taking on small management tasks in the classroom at first, to eventually planning and leading lessons by the end of my spring semester.
The first time I walked into the classroom, I didn't know what to expect. I was paired with two mentor teachers who had been co-teaching for many years. The week I entered into their classroom, was the same week that they found out they would be split up, teaching their own Kindergarten class. This is when I found out about the infamous "20 day count." Sadly two Kindergarten teachers had to leave and my mentors had to take over their classes. That week, as I found out about the changes that would be occurring, I decided to move my first week internship experience to the Kindergarten classrooms that I would eventually be working in for the remainder of the year. I got to know the students, and was able to become a source of comfort once their original teachers had to leave. The next week (my second week of interning), my mentors made the switch. Needless to say, things were a little hectic in these classrooms. With two teachers who had not taught Kindergarten since the beginning of their careers, and fifteen five year olds who were going through many adjustments, I quickly learned how important it was to have a developed classroom management plan and philosophy. My time in the Kindergarten classroom alongside my mentor was a new learning experience for both of us. Unfortunately, that learning experience paused for both of us as well.
The following week, I received news that my mentor had fallen leaving school and as a result of the fall had a broken knee. She was to be out of school for at least two weeks for surgery and healing. My first thought was, "If these kids haven't been through enough adjustments already." I quickly noticed how much learning my students were missing out on compared to other Kindergarten classrooms in the school. A long term substitute was able to come to the classroom, but we began to have some philosophical differences about teaching. This again, although not the learning experience I thought I would be gaining, was still a learning experience. Noticing the things that I did not agree with from another individual's teaching practice, just made me more aware of the beliefs that began to build my teaching philosophy. Soon after I realized this, my PRT (Professional Resource Teacher) and I made the decision to move me to another classroom because I was not getting the experience that I needed. I was sad about leaving these students, but I also knew I had to make the move for me as well. I made it a point to visit the Kindergarten class throughout the year.
I began the rest of my first year internship in a first grade classroom with a hilarious and energetic mentor. First grade grew on me quickly. My experience become a more positive one. My mentor was flexible and allowed me to jump right in with the students. I got to know the students very quickly from working so closely with them. Our class had varying personalities and levels, but each of the those personalities and academic levels is what made our class complete. I got to know one student very well in particular. He was an ELL. Right before the start of the new school year, he had moved to the United States from Puerto Rico, with little to no English in his vocabulary. I decided to begin an inquiry project on him. Throughout my first semester, I tried multiple interventions with him to develop his letter name and sound recognition. In the second half of the year I pushed him more with his phonetic awareness and writing. I worked in a small group with him almost everyday, and he grew so much during that time. I have to say, he is the first student who has left a permanent stamp on my heart. I will always remember him. My hope for him is beyond words. I hope he can grow to see how much potential he has.
As my first year of interning came to an end, I realized not only the impact I had on my students, but the impact that each of them had on me. I got to experience field trips, co-teaching, school community events, and even FCAT. The year had its ups and downs, but all of them were great learning experiences. I have learned more about myself as an educator than I thought I ever would in a year. I have been able to begin a development of my own classroom management plan and teaching philosophy.
During the middle of the fall semester, I got the chance to apply for an internship program in Cambridge, England. I was lucky to be accepted and boy was it the trip of a lifetime! I actually got the chance to travel to a primary school in Cambridge everyday for four weeks, and was able to extend my teaching experience there. I share bits of this experience with you in my Cambridge Schools Experience tab under "I Blog." I was sad for the journey to end, but definitely excited to bring back all that I learned and experienced to my classroom here.
The journey has not ended yet. I am now in my senior year of college and have begun my level III internship. This year has already been filled with numerous learning experiences and it is only the second month of school! I have been able to see what preplanning week is all about. From setting up the classroom, to going through trainings to start the school year off right. My experience this year is in a third grade departmentalized classroom. My mentor teaches math and science, and the teacher next door teaches reading and writing. My mentor is flexible and is eager to learn as much as I am. We collaborate well and share ideas with one another often. Furthermore, our year of the TRPP is in its STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) year. We are taking courses on how to teach math and science in the classroom. So far, it has been a great! I have been able to implement and try new things in the classroom, and learn from each experience. I still have a whole year to go before I get to mold my own classroom. This blog will offer my most recent experiences in the classroom. It will give you insight to what I am learning and how I am learning throughout my internship. Even though I graduate in May 2014, I know that date will only mark the end of one chapter and the beginning of another.
Everyday, as I walk into the classroom, my passion for teaching is challenged, but in the end it becomes stronger. So follow me on my journey of teaching and learning.
Last year in August 2012, I began my first internship in the classroom. My internship was 5 days a week from 7:30-10:30 and 1:30-3:30, Monday through Thursday, and 7:30-3:30 on Fridays. Needless to say, with the little experience I had in the classroom before I began this program, that was about to change rather quickly. In between our time interning at our schools, we took courses that revolved around the practice of being an educator. Our courses included topics on Classroom Management, Child Psychology, English Language Learners, Children with Exceptionalities, Children's Literature, Teaching Literacy, Social Studies in the Elementary School Classroom, Assessment and Measurement, and Integrating Art into the Curriculum. The schools we are interning in are all Title !, Renaissance schools. This means that the most of the students in our schools are on free and reduced lunch. We have learned so much about culture and diversity through the schools we have been interning in. We have worked with students of all different ethnicities, cultures, and various socioeconomic statuses. We also get experience working with students who are learning English as a second language. My first year internship consisted of taking on small management tasks in the classroom at first, to eventually planning and leading lessons by the end of my spring semester.
The first time I walked into the classroom, I didn't know what to expect. I was paired with two mentor teachers who had been co-teaching for many years. The week I entered into their classroom, was the same week that they found out they would be split up, teaching their own Kindergarten class. This is when I found out about the infamous "20 day count." Sadly two Kindergarten teachers had to leave and my mentors had to take over their classes. That week, as I found out about the changes that would be occurring, I decided to move my first week internship experience to the Kindergarten classrooms that I would eventually be working in for the remainder of the year. I got to know the students, and was able to become a source of comfort once their original teachers had to leave. The next week (my second week of interning), my mentors made the switch. Needless to say, things were a little hectic in these classrooms. With two teachers who had not taught Kindergarten since the beginning of their careers, and fifteen five year olds who were going through many adjustments, I quickly learned how important it was to have a developed classroom management plan and philosophy. My time in the Kindergarten classroom alongside my mentor was a new learning experience for both of us. Unfortunately, that learning experience paused for both of us as well.
The following week, I received news that my mentor had fallen leaving school and as a result of the fall had a broken knee. She was to be out of school for at least two weeks for surgery and healing. My first thought was, "If these kids haven't been through enough adjustments already." I quickly noticed how much learning my students were missing out on compared to other Kindergarten classrooms in the school. A long term substitute was able to come to the classroom, but we began to have some philosophical differences about teaching. This again, although not the learning experience I thought I would be gaining, was still a learning experience. Noticing the things that I did not agree with from another individual's teaching practice, just made me more aware of the beliefs that began to build my teaching philosophy. Soon after I realized this, my PRT (Professional Resource Teacher) and I made the decision to move me to another classroom because I was not getting the experience that I needed. I was sad about leaving these students, but I also knew I had to make the move for me as well. I made it a point to visit the Kindergarten class throughout the year.
I began the rest of my first year internship in a first grade classroom with a hilarious and energetic mentor. First grade grew on me quickly. My experience become a more positive one. My mentor was flexible and allowed me to jump right in with the students. I got to know the students very quickly from working so closely with them. Our class had varying personalities and levels, but each of the those personalities and academic levels is what made our class complete. I got to know one student very well in particular. He was an ELL. Right before the start of the new school year, he had moved to the United States from Puerto Rico, with little to no English in his vocabulary. I decided to begin an inquiry project on him. Throughout my first semester, I tried multiple interventions with him to develop his letter name and sound recognition. In the second half of the year I pushed him more with his phonetic awareness and writing. I worked in a small group with him almost everyday, and he grew so much during that time. I have to say, he is the first student who has left a permanent stamp on my heart. I will always remember him. My hope for him is beyond words. I hope he can grow to see how much potential he has.
As my first year of interning came to an end, I realized not only the impact I had on my students, but the impact that each of them had on me. I got to experience field trips, co-teaching, school community events, and even FCAT. The year had its ups and downs, but all of them were great learning experiences. I have learned more about myself as an educator than I thought I ever would in a year. I have been able to begin a development of my own classroom management plan and teaching philosophy.
During the middle of the fall semester, I got the chance to apply for an internship program in Cambridge, England. I was lucky to be accepted and boy was it the trip of a lifetime! I actually got the chance to travel to a primary school in Cambridge everyday for four weeks, and was able to extend my teaching experience there. I share bits of this experience with you in my Cambridge Schools Experience tab under "I Blog." I was sad for the journey to end, but definitely excited to bring back all that I learned and experienced to my classroom here.
The journey has not ended yet. I am now in my senior year of college and have begun my level III internship. This year has already been filled with numerous learning experiences and it is only the second month of school! I have been able to see what preplanning week is all about. From setting up the classroom, to going through trainings to start the school year off right. My experience this year is in a third grade departmentalized classroom. My mentor teaches math and science, and the teacher next door teaches reading and writing. My mentor is flexible and is eager to learn as much as I am. We collaborate well and share ideas with one another often. Furthermore, our year of the TRPP is in its STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) year. We are taking courses on how to teach math and science in the classroom. So far, it has been a great! I have been able to implement and try new things in the classroom, and learn from each experience. I still have a whole year to go before I get to mold my own classroom. This blog will offer my most recent experiences in the classroom. It will give you insight to what I am learning and how I am learning throughout my internship. Even though I graduate in May 2014, I know that date will only mark the end of one chapter and the beginning of another.
Everyday, as I walk into the classroom, my passion for teaching is challenged, but in the end it becomes stronger. So follow me on my journey of teaching and learning.