Lindsay Kratchwell

9 April 2020

Ms. Mason

Tomorrow’s Teachers

Field Experience Reflection

The field experience was a great opportunity, and I am so upset that it had to end

abruptly. I observed in Ms. Natale’s and Mrs. Chapman’s fourth grade class. I learned a lot

about different techniques and this experience taught me what methods I will use in the future

when I am a teacher.

In the beginning I wish I started jumping in quicker. I feel as though I was a little afraid

to help the students throughout the first couple days, because I did not want to overstep my

boundaries, but soon after I started jumping in more and more, when I felt more comfortable. I

also wish I could have spent more time with some students who have IEP’s or issues with

reading comprehension. Some students that I got to work with throughout the experience were

troubled in reading comprehension, I wish we got more done so that I could have personally

evaluated their reading levels, and how we determine what level these students may be on. For

example while reading with one particular student he was not comprehending the novel,

therefore we moved his level down slightly so the said student would be more at ease while

reading, but on the next book with the lower level he seemed to comprehend the book perfectly

and he received a 100 on the AR test, so I wish I was able to see his results on other books too, to

see if his score might have reflected that he did good on this book because of interest and he did

not perform well on other books because he was not interested. Or was this level the said student

is supposed to be until we can move him up and he will do better. I also wish while I was in the
school that I paid attention while Ms. Natale and Mrs. Chapman were performing one on one

reading evaluation tests, therefore I could see how they graded the students based on fluency,

and the central ideas.

What went well throughout the experience was reading one on one with one of the

students. This was a great experience for me because I learned how to spot where the student

was struggling. I could tell while reading he was lacking in vocabulary. As we read what we

learned helped this student specifically was stopping after a page or two and evaluating what was

going on in the novel. I would have the student write on a sticky note what had happened, and I

would ask him questions based on what he read. If the student was a little confused at any point

we would go back and re-read the two pages we just read. It was a smart technique and I plan on

using the sticky note idea in my future class. It worked as well as getting the said student a 100

on his AR test. This was a big accomplishment for the said student.

I learned a lot about teaching. Especially in the fourth grade, I learned that in fourth

grade students are learning how to be independent and figuring out how to be organized, and

with that comes work from the teacher. The teacher should make sure the students are held

accountable for their actions, and the teacher should stop reminding the students of the

homework all the time. I also learned that fourth grade is still an impressionable year for

students. I learned that if the teacher is excited about a lesson or something new then the

students will be excited too. Which is also why fourth grade is exciting. I also learned

throughout this experience that less rules are better, the more rules you have makes for the more

opportunities that children will break the rules. Especially as kids are older, they know the rules,

they know what is right and wrong and teachers do not need a rule board if they already know.
 I will continue to feel benefitted from this experience, it taught me how I want to be as a

teacher, I want to make my students feel excited for the lessons, and I do not want to be the type

of teacher who sits in front of the board lecturing the students. I want to be the type of teacher

who initiates good discussions between the class, I want to allow the students to talk among

themselves, and think for themselves, just as Ms. Natale, and Mrs. Chapman did for their class. I

also will make sure my class is a team just like Ms. Natale’s is. Ms. Natale and Mrs. Chapman

can foster a community in their classroom, and that is what I want to have as a teacher, a team.

Their students trust Ms. Natale and Mrs. Chapman and that is what creates an awesome

classroom management and just the way the class is run.

Going forward I would love to teach a fourth-grade classroom, just because of this

experience, as I stated these children are becoming more and more independent, while still at the

age of loving school. I also love the idea of making my students feel excited about a lesson, just

because I am showing enthusiasm. I would also like to teach students with disabilities. Working

with students with disabilities during the field experience made me realize that I genuinely enjoy

working with these kids, and evaluating their progress, and I enjoy watching these students

succeed knowing how difficult it may be for these students. Lastly this was a great experience,

and I am deeply saddened that it is over.