This week in the field was quite different for me. I actually did not spend any time in my assigned classroom. I instead was working with third graders at both Cornerstone and Kean Elementary Schools for my I.S.
I am looking at the effects of technology in the early childhood mathematics classroom, especially the use of interactive whiteboards. For my study, I have split the third graders into three experimental groups in order to teach them a lesson on angle measurement. The first group is taught following the typical Everyday Math model, the second is taught solely using the SMART interactive whiteboard, and the third group is taught using a combination approach, incorporating the previous two methods. I am giving the students pre- and post-tests to measure their improvements.
The lessons went fairly well this week. Setting up the technology piece at Cornerstone was quite a task, I must admit. The SMART boards currently in place at both of these schools are somewhat small front projection boards. This means that you need a projector set up in order to have the image show up on the screen. This does not take away from the interactive nature of the board, but it does create a few more cords, all of which the students have to step over.
All in all, the week was a success, and I am glad to have this huge piece of my I.S. completed. Now, I need to finish analyzing the test scores in order to draw necessary conclusions.
I’m excited for what the future holds as far as technology in the classroom is concerned. Although these particular boards are not ideal, a lot can be done with them. I spoke with several of the Kean third graders informally about their use of the SMART board in their classroom, and they really do enjoy using it. They told me they use it for their morning work, math, science, editing, and various other activities. They also told me, with excitement, that “you can make the board talk!”
I think that with more and more teacher experience with these boards (and other forms of technology), they will have a greater role in the classroom environment, and produce great educational results.
Field Hours: 0
Support Hours: 1
My time in the field this second week was very limited. I actually had snow days Monday through Wednesday, so Thursday was my only time with the children. On Thursday however, more than half of the class was absent, so I was able to spend time with only four children in which we watched part of a video.
I thought that adding a link with information regarding my school and their program might be beneficial since I do not have much to talk about for this week:
Ida Sue Preschool
I am looking forward to the coming weeks in the field because Miss Amy has told me of several topics we are going to cover. Since the children missed their valentine parties and such, they will be doing more with that and also starting to learn about the food pyramid. In preparation for my teaching of a lesson, I will be able to observe Miss Amy teach something to her class. I am excited for this opportunity which will be different from my experience in her room so far.
Field Hours: 2
Support Hours: 1
This semester I am placed in Miss Amy’s Ida Sue preschool at the Gault Family Learning Center. When I arrive at my placement daily, the children are midway through their nap time. This nap period lasts for the first forty-five minutes that I am there. The next forty-five minutes, following nap time, is an opportunity for the children to engage in free-play. On Monday and Wednesday when I am there for an addition half hour, I help the children get their coats on and we make our way to one of the lobbys in order to wait for the busses.
While I am not able to observe much in the form of formal instruction during this time, I am being given the opportunity to work with a diverse group of children. I have not had much experience with disabilities outside of Wooster’s Teaching Children with Special Needs class, so I do see this experience being a beneficial one. This class also has several typically developing children in it, so I am also able to see the children’s interactions with eachother.
The children that I have met and interacted with so far have been so wonderful. They are already forming strong connections with me, wanting my help with a game or puzzle, or wanting me to help them with their coats. There is one girl who specifically wanted to sit on my lap when we had a visitor come to read a story.
I did not have the opportunity to do very much this week, outside of helping the children with the tasks I have mentioned above, but I do have an artifact from the field to share. This artifact is the number boards and pegs that I showed in class on Friday. I believe that there are many examples of how this artifact could be used in an instructional basis. Some suggestions for topics that could utilize this artifact are: counting, sorting, addition, subtraction, multiplication, and word problems.
Field Hours: 7
Support Hours: 1
