During art period, I read to the class. How this works is that my SA will first demonstrate and explain to the class the art project. Once she is done, I will go around the classroom for at least good 10 minutes to clarify and help my students if they need any reassurance. After that, I will read a novel called, The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau. The kids absolutely love this and they don’t want me to put the book down. I think doing a read aloud during art period helps students calm down and concentrate on their work. More importantly, they’re really engaged and almost all the time, they stop what they’re doing and just listen to the story. Thus, projecting my voice and allowing my students to actually imagine what is going on in the story is amazing. I feel like they connect to the story and have an exceptional understanding of what is going on. This also helps the students to increase their language development and individual growth. I enjoy reading to them and it helps me to connect with them.

My practicum visit this Thursday was pleasant and delightful. The students were really excited to see me and I felt like this was where I am suppose to be. When I observed my SA teach her class, she was calm and used great transitions to help her function the class efficiently. My classroom is a split of grade 5’s and 6’s; therefore, for certain subjects must be taught separately. During math, my SA will start with the grade 5s while the grade 6’s are getting ready for math. It was really simple, because she told them to work in their textbook for reviewing the mid-point of patterns. This allows the students to work independently without having her attention. She then switches her focus to the grade 6s teaching them a new lesson on variables and expressions. Students are actively listening and engaged when she goes over the lesson thoroughly. She will also ask students to raise their hands if they need more assistance. When the lesson is over, she will tell the whole class to quietly put their stuff away and get ready for lunch or whatever she is teaching next. If the students are getting too talkative, she will do a countdown or make them start all over again.