Final Blog Reflection

Bon Voyage 

Well, social studies methods is coming to a close and I can honestly say that I have produced the most work for this class than any other methods course. The heavy work load was both a positive and a negative. At times I grew exhausted, stressed, and anxious about all the work that had to be done in the course. Yet as I looked over my edTPA portfolio and was able to see all of my work from the course put together I knew that this course made me very prepared to be a future teacher of social studies. 

I walked out of this class a different person than when I started the course. In the beginning of the course I had the mindset of a student, but after the course was over I developed the mindset of a teacher. I adapted new skills and knowledge that I would not have gained if it weren't for this course. Learning about the different forms of assessment as well as practicing delivering direct, inquiry, and cooperative lesson plans have all contributed to what I am able to take away from this course.  I was unaware of the three different types of lessons before taking this course, and as it went on I was still a little confused. However, after delivering each lesson and reflecting on them, I could say that I grew confident in my knowledge and ability to teach these lessons. 

Collaboration was also a big part of this course. As teachers, we encouraged the students to collaborate with each other and work cooperatively in groups. As students, we ourselves had to also work cooperatively in groups in order to complete projects and deliver lessons. This course taught me so much about working with others as it called for the most group projects I have had to complete in any college course thus far. However, in the professional world I will be collaborating with my peers throughout my career and therefore it was important to learn this skill. I also learned how to collaborate when it came to relying on my peers for support. If one of us had a question on an assignment, chances were that others were confused too. This allowed for us to bounce ideas off each other and overall help each other with this process. 

Ultimately, I am grateful for what this class has taught me and all that I am able to take away from it. Though it was a bit of an uphill battle, I know that I will be constantly referring to the course material when I am one day teaching in my own classroom. 

Mock Job Interview

Role Play: Job Interview

I found this mock job interview very helpful in practicing for a real job interview after I leave college. The four administrators (Jen, Matt, Taylor, and Nicole) came prepared with very thought-provoking questions. One of my favorite questions was Nicole's which was "If you could go back and witness any event in history which would you go to see and why." I thought this was a very intriguing question which I was able to answer with "the Boston Tea Party."

I thought that the administrators and my peers took this mock job interview very seriously which helped prepare us for the real world as it even made me nervous at times. I thought the administrators were dressed very professionally and asked important questions for prospective employees. 

When the roles were reversed and we were to ask the administrators questions as if they were the interviewee, I was pleased with the responses. When Matt was asked why he chose to become a teacher I was impressed with his response that teachers are the most influential when it comes to shaping society. 

In the end the administrators picked a student from each group to "hire." Being hired for group three was a good validation that I was perhaps not as nervous as I thought I was. 

Current Events

Current Events Presentation 

My partner Jennifer and I were the second group to present the current events project and I believe we did it successfully. We chose the NewsELA article "Saving pieces of history, one bullet or belt buckle at a time”  which was about a man finding artifacts on an old Civil War battleground. My partner and I found this article to be very interesting and decided to accompany it with a "5 W's" chart. As a form of diagnostic assessment before the article was discussed, we reviewed the 5 W's with the class. The majority of the class knew what all 5 W's were. Then, as part of the lesson, each fieldwork group was to read the article individually and then come up with one Who What Where When Why. They were to then fill this information out on a chart on the PowerPoint. I believe this step was a good way to make the presentation interactive. Overall I think this project was an interesting activity in order to study what is going on in the world today. This activity can be used in a variety of grade levels as currents events are a topic that should always be implemented. 

Choose To Be Grateful

Choosing to be Grateful 

The New York Times article brings up the topic of gratitude and giving thanks. Around this time of year, with Thanksgiving and Christmas and New Years soon to follow, people become more aware of the blessings that surround them. They become more grateful for family, friends, and food on their table. However, the article also talked about how it is hard to be grateful sometimes in a world full of deprivation and depression. With the recent tragedies that have effected our world, it is only cause to reflect more on what we are thankful for. The article's main point is that even if you are nit grateful, even if you think you can find nothing to be grateful for, if you act the part you will eventually grow grateful. Simply by choosing to be more grateful, we will raise our happiness. 

My favorite was towards the end of the article when the author quotes Epictetus with "He is a man of sense who does not grieve for what he has not, but rejoices in what he has." It is true that in order to live a more fulfilling life it is important to appreciate the beauty around you and all the good within your life rather than focusing on what goes wrong or what you do not possess.  It is also important to appreciate the little things as Brooks says, on top of the usual family, friends, food, and a job. It is simple things such as good coffee and laughing with friends that I am grateful for. Specifically around this time of year I am grateful for Christmas lights, Christmas cookies, and giving presents to family and friends. 

Professionally, the article is applicable to the classroom and having a job as a teacher. Often times there may be stress placed on a teacher, but it is important to be grateful for all that the students did achieve rather than pinpointing what was not accomplished or work that needs to get done. As a teacher it is important to simply be grateful that all the students stay healthy and safe. Also in relation to the article, a simple "thank you" to those who appear more tense can always be effective so they feel appreciated. It is important to tell students "thank you" and praise them when they do something correctly rather than focusing on what they do wrong. 

Economics in the Classroom

Learning about Economics in School

In my experience during elementary school there was not too much focus on economics, unfortunately. There were a few projects with money, especially when applicable to math class. We also learned about trade as a part of history between colonists and Native Americans. In high school, economics was much more prevalent when we learned about government spending and taxes. In college I learned about school districts and budgets and trying to cut costs within a school system given a strict budget. 

Learning about Economics from this Project and Peers 

This project helped me realize that there are many different approaches to teaching economics. This website was very informative when it came to suggesting different lessons to teach students ranging from K-5 the various concepts of economics. I had not known before this project the many concepts of economics such as trade, budget, personal finance, exporting, income, and supply and demand. I also did not know the difference between microeconomics and macroeconomics. Thanks to my peers I now understand the many facets of economics and how they can be teachable and broken down for elementary students. 

Here is the link to my slide "Introducing Economics to 5th Graders" 

Artifact Bag Activity with Colleagues

Artifact Bag Activity with Colleagues

     I found everyone in my group's artifact bags to be very creative and interesting. Each group member had a variety of artifacts as well as a variety of people and places the artifacts were about. I liked Dorian's use of a spoon in order to show the silverware the colonists used. I was impressed with Nicole's use of paint with her artifacts, especially with the log cabin which showed the types of houses the New England settlers lived in.  I also liked Emily's old map of North Carolina as a primary source. 

     Overall I thought this was a very fun activity in order to find out more about certain people and places of the past. I was impressed with my colleagues and their creativity with their artifacts. This activity will flourish in the classroom as students will have fun making the bag and finding artifacts. The students can also learn more about history based on their peers different artifact bags. 

Dr. Smirnova's Artifact Bag

Artifact Bag Activity 

November 17, 2015 

     The artifact bag activity was very enjoyable and interesting. The project allowed for collaborative learning and allowed for the group members to work together in order to figure out what each artifact meant. The project allowed for us as a class to learn more about Dr. Smirnova as well as her home country of Russia. The activity was intriguing for the college class and would go over even better among elementary school students. This would work in a lesson in order for the students to get used to working with primary sources and feeling as if they are a part of history.  As a model, the teacher can make artifact bags based on himself/herself in order for the students to practice and also get to know the teacher better.