Running Head: REFLECTION PAPER 1

Reflection Paper

Jerry North

EDUC 1301

December 1st, 2019

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Reflection Paper

I did my observation at Quinlan ISD at Thompson Middle School in Quinlan, Texas. I

observed grade levels 6-8th in Mrs. Vestal’s Functional Living Classroom. What I learned from

doing my observations is classroom management and organization are some of the biggest

factors in having a successful classroom. You can have the best most thought out lesson plans

but if you have poor classroom management and organization skills you will have a hard time in

the classroom. I also learned that standardized tests measure how well the students have been

taught the TEKS and that they are important in regards to ratings but the education of the

WHOLE child is more important.

What I liked about it was that I really got to see how a class is run and learn how real

teachers are teaching real students. It was a very good experience and it only further makes me

want to complete my degree and get my teaching certificate. As I was observing a Functional

Living class it was not your typical classroom setting and atmosphere. There were a bunch of

hands on and one on one work that the teacher and students did. I saw both positive and negative

interactions due to the nature of the conversations and subjects discussed. They were discussing

behaviors and emotions and learning how to deal with them in ways that are not detrimental to

society.

In my time observing the class I saw all 3 learning styles displayed several times. Like I

said, there were a lot of hands on activities and several times they would throw a ball around the

room or use a hula hoop in the lessons which is the Kinesthetic/Tactile learning style. She also

showed videos and had discussions about them which is the Visual learning style. The students
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had to open up about their lives and discuss what they have gone through which is apart of the

Auditory learning style.

Because it was a Functional Living class, it was also very much student centered. The

point of the class is to build the students' abilities to function in the real world emotionally and

behaviorally. It really showed off each of the philosophies Progressivism, Social

Reconstructionism, and Existentialism. She would, through the course of the lesson, discuss with

the students their behaviors and figure out where the problems lie. Have them define why it is

inappropriate or wrong, discuss how to solve it and also the different consequences of their

actions. She would often ask them why they behave the way they do and what they want to get

out of their behaviors. A lot of the time she would offer alternate perspectives to their issues as

they analyse their problems. As for Existentialism really that was the whole point of the class to

help them find meaning and direction in their lives and have them discover their own truth and

purpose.

Finally, in my own classroom, I will work with the students to help them on their path of

enlightenment and try to understand their needs and meet them there and teach them the skills

they need to be successful in their lives. I will try to make my lessons engaging and use multiple

learning styles as not every student learns the same way. In doing so, I believe that I will be

successful in my future classroom and beyond.