Field Experience Reflection

           I have thoroughly enjoyed my field experience not only for this class, but in all my classes. It is amazing how much I have learned about myself as a teacher and my students through field experience. I found it very helpful to observe a coworker teaching and the strategies she used with the same students I teach daily.

            I feel it is easiest to realize your own strengths and weaknesses through observation of another teacher, and in my case, a more experienced teacher. I feel like this teacher did a great job in using higher order questioning, which is a very important strategy. Although observing some of the more experienced teachers are very helpful, I also noticed some of my strengths: creativity, organization, classroom management, etc.

            It was also interesting to see how my students behaved and interacted in a classroom other than mine. Some of my students seemed smarter than maybe I had previously seen them based on my subject matter of math. However, some didn't do as well as what they do in my class. Not only could I evaluate my students based on academics, but also their behavior. One student was very disruptive in the class I was observing, but is always well behaved in my room. This suggests to me that I have good classroom management and organization, allowing fewer opportunities from disruptive behavior.

            Through my observation in an English/Language Arts classroom, I was able to learn more about the students I would be working with to teach my lesson for this class. Since I teach math, I tend overlook my student’s reading and writing abilities. So, through this observation, I was able to determine the areas my students need additional help. Overall, my field experience has been very helpful and been a great learning experience as I grow as a teacher and strive to better my teaching methods and strategies.