Learning and Serving Once Again
“This semester you will be completing twenty hours of service learning.” my college instructor said. “Twenty more hours?” “What else can I possibly learn that I did not learn last semester?” I murmured to myself. “And, at least fifteen of those hours will be spent in a computer lab,” she continued. I want you to see how schools are using technology with the students. “Hmm…I now thought a computer lab instead of a traditional classroom? That is interesting. Maybe I will learn a few more things than last semester? Yeah, this is going to be great, I cannot wait to get started.
On September 17, 2004 my service learning experience began. The place:
“So, what school are you affiliated with?” the secretary said. “Watch your step.” "I go to Chandler-Gilbert. This school is two stories," I said as we made our decent farther and farther. “Oh yes, we have some classrooms down here and the computer lab. It spreads our campus out a bit. “That is actually pretty cool,” I replied. "Okay, well here you are room 29. Have a good time!" “Thanks, I know I will.”
After the first few awkward moments of meeting my mentor teacher, exchanging information about one another, and getting all of the paper work taken care of, Ms. Marrow asked me a surprising question. She asked me what I wanted to get out of this experience. Caught off guard, I thought about it for a few moments and then told her my answer. I said I wanted to learn how technology is being used in the curriculum, I wanted to see multiple grade levels so I knew which one fit me best, and I wanted to learn more effective classroom management techniques. After stating my objectives, she promised me that I would learn everything I said and then some. "Great, I said. “Let’s get started."
Looking back on my twenty hours, I realized that Ms. Marrow had kept her promise. I did learn everything I wanted to and then some. The first thing I learned was how technology is used in the curriculum. Much to my surprise, this school did a wonderful job on integrating technology into the curriculum. Every class that came into the lab used the computers to compliment something they had been working on in their classrooms. For example, Mr. S’s fourth grade class was learning about insects all week as part of their science unit. In the lab, all 30 students constructed a PowerPoint presentation about insects. It was awesome! The students were so involved and had such a wonderful time making their very own presentations. In addition, Ms. Day’s sixth grade class was working on a writing unit. In the lab, they used Publisher to create fancy, eye catching newsletters for the research they had gathered. As a result, I have realized that when technology is properly integrated into the curriculum, effective teaching and learning take place.
After learning about technology, I also learned what grade levels I work best with. In college, I have been asked multiple times the question, what grade level do you want to teach? After last year’s service learning experience, I was confident that my answer to that question is the fourth grade and the fourth grade only. However; after this year’s experience my answer has changed. Let me explain. While in the lab, I was able to observe kindergarten, third, fourth, and sixth graders. Not only did I observe, but I was also able to help teach each of these grades. Here is what I have found. Although kindergarteners are sweet and innocent, my patience and my personality will not allow me to teach all day, every day in the kindergarten setting. The third graders, less innocent and more capable of carrying a conversation, appealed to me, but still did not entice me to teach them for a whole year. I still love the fourth grade. I love their curriculum, and I like how the students are just now stretching their wings and trying to find independence. However; the sixth grade really caught my attention. I never thought I would want to teach sixth graders, because I have heard so many horror stories about this pre-adolescent age group. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the sixth graders even more than I enjoyed the fourth graders. I was able to teach them and have them understand, my jokes were understood and accepted as humor, and they have real questions that I could answer. They want to learn and have a real love of education. I am grateful that I was able to see multiple grade levels, because it helped me understand where I fit best.
Finally, I have learned more effective classroom management techniques. A third grade teacher, Mr. Flemming, demonstrated the first technique I learned. It is defined in our classroom management textbook as having a signal. When the students would get too noisy in the lab, he simply would clap twice, and then the students would clap twice. That is all it took. Four easy claps and the room fell completely silent. The fourth grade teacher did another technique. When his students would get rowdy, he simply stood in front of the class and stopped talking. Not only did he stop talking, but he also looked around the room, making eye contact with multiple students. The students noticed that he was not talking, and therefore, they stopped talking. In fact, one little girl, turned to her partner, and said, “Mr. S has stopped talking, be quiet.” It amazes me how powerful silence is to students. Lastly, the sixth grade teacher demonstrated classroom management the way our guest speaker, Diane Hale, told us to do. That is, her classroom management style was invisible. I went back after our speaker, and asked Ms. D about her style. She said what I have been told time and time again, the first week of school is when I set up the stage for the rest of the year. By being prepared that first week and deciding together on rules and consequences you do not need any fancy techniques because everything just flows. That was powerful advice to me. I have seen fancy techniques, such as red light green light, and the Popsicle stick method that do not even work. Therefore, I now know that I need to spend less time thinking of creative management techniques and more time preparing for the first week of school. In my opinion, the best way to learn effective classroom management techniques is by observing good experienced teachers who have effective management and follow their lead. Luckily, service learning this semester provided me with just that, good role models to emulate effective classroom management techniques.
Once again, my entire service learning experience was a positive one. I learned so many things that at the beginning I did not think possible. Not only did I learn about technology, grade levels, and classroom management techniques, but I also learned about myself as a future educator. I have found that teaching is exactly the profession for me. Even though I still have a while before I will be a teacher, service learning gave me the determination and excitement to endure college and finish my education.
Images: http://www.ripon.k12.wi.us/barlow/images/pictures/computer%20lab.jpg
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http://www.hondurasbutterfly.com/insects%20hond%209.jpg
http://www.moorpark.cc.ca.us/htdocs/news/cn/cnfall02/snake.jpg
http://www.marcconline.org/magazine/Caregivers/clapping.gif
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