Just a Game of Kickball?</i>
“Okay class, take a fifteen minute break, go out and have a good time, and I will see you in fifteen minutes.” Right as the last child exited the classroom, Mr. Smith*, a fourth grade teacher at Blackwater Community School, approached me and asked if I would go out and supervise his students on the playground. I agreed, and instantly I found myself standing in the playground watching fourth graders play kickball, tetherball, jump rope, and other physical activities. All that entered my mind as I stood there was how much I wanted to jump in and play kickball with the students. Suddenly, as if a little boy named Billy* had read my mind, he yelled, “Heidi, come play kickball with us, you can be the pitcher!” My excitement instantly burst out of me, and I ran towards the game and delivered the first pitch.
After that game of kickball, my fears disappeared in regards to service learning, and completing my twenty hours no longer seemed like an assignment, but rather a privilege. I completed my service learning at Blackwater Community School in Coolidge, Arizona, and at this school, I gained great appreciation for Native Americans. Not only did I gain appreciation for this culture, I also obtained insights into their lives that added to my knowledge of this culture. For instance, I realize that most Native Americans live with extended family members rather than just their nuclear family. In addition, Native Americans are generally concerned for others, and want to help others more than helping themselves. While I spent ample time learning and trying to understand the Native American culture, I also learned fundamental keys to successful teaching. Among these keys, I learned that teachers must accumulate classroom management skills, plan creative lessons, and show true concern for their students.
Ricky, stop throwing that! Sarah, sit down! James, do not hit her! Everybody just be quieeeeeeeeett! Classrooms such as these where the teachers are constantly being the “police” instead of the teacher creates a negative atmosphere in the classroom. Classroom management skills are important because the mood of the classroom affects learning, and learning can only take place when order and discipline are provided. At my service-learning site, Mr. Smith used the red light green light system of disciplining his classroom. Every time a student disrupts the class, spoke out of turn, or displayed inappropriate classroom behavior a card with his or her name would flip from green light (good behavior) to yellow light (medium behavior). Now, when the student’s card flipped to the red light students lost a privilege, a privilege such as their fifteen-minute break. I noticed that fourth graders did not respond to this method very well, instead of seeing it as a serious assessment of their behavior, they treated it as a game. Their attitudes showed me that getting a red light did not matter. Mr. Smith discussed with me that this method was not the most effective method for fourth graders, but that it works well in the younger grades, such as kindergarten and first grade. Mr. Smith did inform me that students need to know when teachers say something they mean it, and teachers must always follow through. For example, one day Mr. Smith asked one of the students to stop talking during silent reading. The persistent child did not stop this behavior and Mr. Smith said that next time the child spoke he would send him directly to the principal’s office. Even then, the child did not back down, and because of the child’s behavior Mr. Smith said, “Go to the principal’s office.” Instantly the child apologized and asked Mr. Smith to reconsider his decision. Nonetheless, Smith did not back down, handed the child a pass, and told him to go. Smith told me that if he had backed down, the child never would have taken him seriously ever again, and furthermore, the other students would also not take him seriously. Classroom management needs to be taught to all educators and teachers need to have control in their classrooms.
Just as classroom management helps create a positive mood in the classroom, providing creative lesson plans helps capture and maintain student’s attention throughout the school year. During science, we made paper airplanes that the students decorated and then a paper airplane contest took place to see which plane could fly the farthest. The students stayed absorbed in the lesson, and their scores on that particular science test were one of the highest test scores he had seen all year. Another great lesson performed involved making magnets using supplies provided for them. These hands-on science experiments brought science to life, and helped each child see that science is used in the “real” world. Teachers should also get parents involved in lessons by allowing them to come and assist in lessons, or speak on the subject covered that day. In the novel I read this semester, White Teacher, by Vivian Gussin Paley, Paley allowed parents to come in and speak about different cultures and different topics. For example, Felice Simpson’s mother went and made puppets with Paley’s students, and afterwards they had a puppet show (p. 99). Not only will this allow parents to take an active role in their child’s education, but student’s will stay interested in the lesson and enjoy a variety of speakers once in a while. These few examples are ways teachers can create lesson plans that intrigue and capture student’s attention.
Not only do teachers need to creatively conjure up lesson plans, but teachers also need to show true concern for their students. I will never forget one of the little girls entering the classroom with tear stained eyes, and trembling hands. As the students took their seats and began doing their daily warm-up exercises, Smith very nonchalantly placed a note on her desk with one tissue. I am not sure what the note said, but the little girl used the tissue to wipe her tears, looked at Smith, and mouthed the word okay into the air followed by a smile. To this day, I do not know what the note said, but that small gesture made by Smith consoled her and showed true concern. Patricia McIntyre, a professor at Phoenix College, came and spoke to my Cultural Diversity class about the Native American culture. She also said that teachers must show true concern for students and especially the Native American culture because it takes a long time for Native Americans to trust someone in authority. Native Americans feel that each individual person is special and important, so a teacher must demonstrate true concern for them so that the Native American students can trust teachers. Students will succeed when they know there are those that believe in them. Teachers can be ones who support and help a child realize their full potentials. Showing concern is as easy as the note given to a student in distress. Teachers should display random acts of kindness as often as they can.
Twenty hours has given me great benefits in regards to the teaching profession, and those students and teachers I met will remain in my heart forever. Classroom management, creative lesson plan ideas, and showing concern for students are just three of the many things I learned at Blackwater that I will continue working on mastering before I become a full-time teacher. I really felt that I belonged at this school, and I find the middle word in the school’s title very appropriate: “Community”. I am now better prepared to become a teacher, and feel that this experience strengthened my decision to becoming an educator. And to think, it all started with one game of kickball. Graphics found at the following websithttp://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=www.highlandparks.freeservers.com/images/kickball.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.highlandparks.freeservers.com/photo.html&h=347&w=572&sz=55&tbnid=
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