Blog #8- What is the most important thing you have learned during fieldwork observation? Why?

     The most important thing I learned during fieldwork is that the life of an elementary teacher is not too unlike a parent, a very good parent. It is a profession that requires the utmost patience, understanding and multi-tasking. The teacher must wear many hats and can't simply be "ok" at some of them but instead must be very good at most of them and great at many of them. I now have a theory that the best parents make the best teachers. If you are able to deal with and ensure the success of 25 students, then dealing with your 2, 3, or 5 at home should not pose such a problem. And likewise, if a mother is successful with only a few children then those same skills are enough to be successful with a large class of kids, assuming they receive the proper formal education and skills (such as class room management). This is why I say that from what I've seen and learned, the classroom management is the most important skill to have; assuming, the teacher already has the tangibles: patience, understanding, caring, concern, multi-tasking...etc.

     My wife and I have three children together. They are 8 months, 4 years and 6 years. They stress her out after a long day of caring for them necessitating her having a long break from them when I arrive home from work. But to me.....they drive me absolutely INSANE, when I spend the same amount of time with them. I fancy myself a very good multi-tasker, thank you very much OCD but I don't have the patience I thought I once had necessary to handle them without getting upset and wanted to leave them alone to fend for themselves! So it's no wonder that most elementary school teachers are females. It makes sense now. These women have the God given ability to deal with stressful, non-stop attention seeking kids in a multi-tasking environment without wanting to jump out ht window after five minutes. Now, when I see a male elementary school teacher I know there is something very special about him. He is a different breed who has dedicated himself to the art of learning how to manage these kids at these earlier ages. And interestingly enough, you know how many male teachers I saw at the school I observed? ZERO. Besides the principal and janitor I didn't see another male teacher. Maybe there is one but i never had interaction. This tells me that 1. Kids in elementary school do need male role-models in the form of male teachers and 2. There is a market for male teachers if there are any brave education students out there really willing to sacrifice their souls!

Blog #7

     Each and every organization has it's own set of rules and/or regulations. And those catering to large numbers of individuals, especially younger aged kids, must be sure these are clearly posted and often reminded. At Westmore Elementary school I have not seen the overall school rules posted in a common area. So I can only figure that the class room rules, which are posted in each classroom, are including the overall school rules. (I have been able to find the student handbook online and I know that each child/parent is directed, or given a copy of this book upon starting school.)

     The one rules that comes to my mind which I've seen posted and having to be resolved when it was broken by a student is that of respecting other students. It's worded something like, 'I will be respectful to others.'  During a homework period where students were able to work in teams or individuals without teacher's guidance I had one of the students come up to me as I was wandering around the class looking for kids to help. The student was crying and when I asked him what was wrong, he told me the kids were making fun of him because he had bad handwriting. Before I could offer any condolences the teacher stepped in and asked to speak with him. Apparently she had witnessed and heard the entire interchange between said student and three other students which involved a blatant show of disrespect and breaking of the respect rule. This crying student did have some bad handwriting and the 4 boy group he was working with told him they couldn't read his handwriting because it was so bad. Taking offense to this critique the boy lashed out at the other 3 boys, calling them "freaking idiot jerks". Obviously this showed a blatant disrespect for others and despite him being pushed to emotional tears he was still made responsible for this disrespect. He had his own side to the story which the teacher determined did not warrant the name calling of the other kids. And so he came out the worse for wear, being emotional pushed to the edge and getting a talking-to by the teacher. In this case the teachers verbal lashing was enough to enforce the rule and discipline of her disapproval was enough to shock all involved to respecting as evidenced by all parties having to issue apologies and explain their actions. 

     I have seen another class rule which states no recess if their homework has not been completed. In this case it's black and white. If their homework did not get turned in on time, their name goes on the board. When bell rings for recess the teacher reads out loud the names of all kids who are not allowed to go to recess. The kids know who they are even before the bell rings. Instead of recess they are required to stay in the classroom and work on their homework. Of course this isn't such a bad punishment if the weather is cold outside. But either way it's a set fast rule and quite easy to enforce and in the end has a great outcome. I imagine some children don't have the home environment (privacy, quiet time, overwhelming family responsibilities) where they can get any work done outside of school. In this case, this rule works to their favor. 

• What are the procedures the teacher uses to make everything run smoothly in the class?

     The most effective procedures I've seen the teachers use to make the classroom run smoothly are 1. Posted rules (clear expectations) 2. Consistent enforcement of those rules 3. Set schedule and routine 4. Utilizing the microphone when speaking to the class as a whole. 

1. When the rules are posted around the room, the children are constantly reminded of what they can or cannot do without consequence. 

2. When those rules are enforced consistently and without favoritism the children understand no one is above the rule of law and work to stay within that framework. 

3. Children are creatures of habit and work best when they memorize and stick to a schedule. Routines, including classroom work and functions/procedures are followed and memorized thereby allowing students to stay "in-line" during the day. 

Finally, the utilization of the microphone has allowed the teachers to create a culture of command presence with their voice, often previously only reserved for large male teachers. The booming microphone projects to teach students. Thus, not only the ones who are hard of hearing can hear and react but those who might otherwise be distracted by other students, can hear and remain guided by the higher volume of the speaker instructions.