Class on October 1 was anything but conventional. It was fun to get out of the classroom for the Gorge Hike, even though it was very early in the morning. We took pictures on the hike and eventually we will have to write a story, linking all of our photos together. The picture in this blog entry is one I took on the hike. We also would take breaks and talked about the chapter we would later be taking a test on. This was also a good opportunity to talk to new and different people in the ckass. It is important to develop connections with a variety of people. This can start at an early age. Children with IDD might have a difficult time with social skills at a young age. "Social skills are a critical component of the primary school or preschool cirriculum for children who have IDD, but instruction at this level should be informal" (Kirk et. al., pg 167). A hike like this would probably not be appropriate for preschool children, however it was an example of an informal, social, and educational setting. I think we all had a good time, especially looking forward to muffins and juice that awaited us. Thanks Shelley! That was so nice!
My second day of Learn and Serve was more like the first day because I met my classroom teacher for the first time. From what I have seen, she seems like a good teacher and I like the classroom I am in. The students read silently and then Mrs. Burkett read aloud. They are preparing for a state test. They used the smart board to answer comprehension questions and to make their own examples of similes and metaphors. Mrs. Burkett has a son in the 7th grade and he is in one of her English classes. I asked her what it was like to have one of her own children in class and she said that it was fun. She says she treats him just like everyone else, which must be hard to do. I also talked to a NU student who is doing his TA in Mrs. Burkett's classroom. I found out a lot of experiences that will be in my future and he was very helpful to talk to.
My second day of Learn and Serve was more like the first day because I met my classroom teacher for the first time. From what I have seen, she seems like a good teacher and I like the classroom I am in. The students read silently and then Mrs. Burkett read aloud. They are preparing for a state test. They used the smart board to answer comprehension questions and to make their own examples of similes and metaphors. Mrs. Burkett has a son in the 7th grade and he is in one of her English classes. I asked her what it was like to have one of her own children in class and she said that it was fun. She says she treats him just like everyone else, which must be hard to do. I also talked to a NU student who is doing his TA in Mrs. Burkett's classroom. I found out a lot of experiences that will be in my future and he was very helpful to talk to.
Hi Jess!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you liked class, and I'm also glad I didn't fall in.
Your placement sounds interesting. What did you notice when the teacher read aloud? Is this common to 7th grade? What does research say about the power of read alouds at any age?
Most students were following along when she read aloud. However there were students day dreaming or sittin at their desks with their head down. Mrs. Burkett told me that it is required by New York State to have "ratata" which stands for: read aloud, think aloud, talk aloud. A read aloud can help students that are not strong readers because they may learn new words by hearing the instructor read. From my experience in school, my teachers never stopped reading aloud. It is nice even in older grades to get a break, follow along, and listen.
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