Lab Experience- Week Three

Monday was just like any other day. So far, I have helped Ms. Stephens grade some papers as well as copying papers. I was also preparing for my lesson on Thursday by looking through some of her teaching edition books to get some good ideas as to what I wanted to do. I have been enjoying the children because by now they are getting comfortable with me being there every day. When they come into the classroom they greet me with a big smile! Once I see their faces with that smile on their face I know that this process is worth every minute of it. This has to be one of my favorite memories thus far in this experience.

Thursday was a pretty eventful day! I was there the whole day and I also had to prepare for my lesson after lunch time. The whole day I was very apprehensive about teaching this lesson because it was going to be the first time I have taught the third grade group. I was nervous that the children would not adapt to the situation of someone new teaching them especially when I have not had the chance to interact with them since I am only there one full day a week. Since the third grade class comes in after lunch I do not get to see them often, but as I started my lesson the children were very excited and adapted well to me. As soon as I started teaching my lesson, the nerves subsided and I began interacting with them. I was instructed by Ms. Stephens to teach a creative arts lesson on information writing. This lesson was a challenge to find a way to teach with the topic I was given in a creative way. So I started the lesson off with showing them various objects such as a cow, a cat, and a piggy bank and they had to give as much information/facts as possible. Then, I transitioned into further teaching them about informational writing and why it is important to understand the proper way to write it. The children were very attentive and willing to try whatever I had for then to do. Then, after I taught them this I had them made a brochure for their animal that they had chose earlier in the week. As I was walking around I noticed how creative the children were being with their brochure. They really enjoyed this activity and I could tell that they loved being able to interact with each other when they had to explain what they drew and the facts about their animal. Preparing this lesson was a challenge for me, and throughout the whole day I was very nervous. However, all of my fears went away when I saw the children having fun and wanting to do more. I loved teaching third grade and I am looking forward to teaching them more!