Education and Advocacy Spring 2011

Not much new has happened over the past two weeks. Last week I was on spring break and this week the students at my site are on spring break. I did get a chance to come back to saint paul and visit the students on tuesday however, over my break. I felt pretty good about that visit because the students were writing, they always work on writing from 1-2 when I'm there, and they were getting used to me. So many of them flagged me down with spelling questions, I got to help Jeremy catch up with the class because he understand what the teacher was saying during group instructions (and she yelled alot, again), and I asked them about the fiction stories they were writing for fun. I was hoping that by asking them to share what their stories they would be excitied to talk to me and I could plant th idea that I was really interested in what they were doing and was impressed by it. I felt as thought that started to work, they would talk quickly and show me pictures, watch as I listened to their neighbors story to see if I would stop by them next. I felt as if I was finally building a relationship.

There is little guidance form Ms. Schwartz as to what I should be doing for the students during my time there. She made a comment about wishing I was there more often and I doubted my decision to split my weeks between two classrooms. I'd made that choice because the volunteer coordinator at the school told me both of the teachers I help were looking for extra afternoon volunteers so I thought it was a good thing. It's too late to back out now but maybe I am stunting my progress as a teacher's aid and student helper by only coming in once a week for two hours in both classrooms. Maybe I should have picked one.

Ms. Dahl is very great about answering my questions, explaining her procedures and tests, and even talking about how she deals with parents. She's much more open but there is time in the afternoon for just us two to talk after her student go to their daily elective (technology, gym, science, or music I believe). I feel a good deal of support for how I should help and which students I should pay attention to in Ms. Dahl's classroom, and I'm just following instinct in the Ms. Schwartz's. However, in Ms. Schwartz's classroom and para or perhaps teacher I'm not sure, comes in the same afternoons I do for an hour to help individual students with writing. I've taken to keeping an eye and ear on her table as she works while I walk around the classroom to see how she handles the students who struggle. She is much more patient and kind, offers more praise. And the students never seem reluctant to join her at the table in the back for individual help. They must like her. I try to pay attention to how often she offers help and how often she waits for students to ask her questions. How many leading questions does she ask? Does she spell out words completely or sound them out with students? I think I might ask if she minds me sitting at that table with her sometime and watching her work with students. She rarely takes disciplinary action so I wouldn't be distracted by what I find to be poor classroom management at times on Ms. Schwartz's part. I think I could learn a good deal about how best to help the students by watching her.

I have found that my role is mainly to answer simply questions, spell things, try to keep students following directions, and help kids read. Also, I do office assistant like things. I correct tests, do classroom cleanup things, I'm like an assistant. So I'm at the bottom rung but seeing a great deal.