Friday Field Trip

Teaching kindergartners about economics at a basic level was very fun. We had a bag filled with activities and stories to encourage the students to think about economics. Each bag included five different sessions which took thirty minutes each. Each session had a story along with worksheets which made the lesson interactive. It helped keep the students stay entertained and focused. When we first arrived, I was really nervous. The teacher was really excited to have us there, and the students seemed ready to listen and participate.We started with the first session. The kids payed close attention to the story. At first it was a little nerve racking, but the more we got into the story the smoother it went. After the story, they had to go to health fitness, lunch and finally recess. During recess, we got to play with the kids. Once in the classroom, we began with the sessions once again. The stories revolved around economics at a level which the students could understand. The activities that followed the stories allowed therm to take what they had learned and apply it. For example, one of the stories discussed money and its value. The activity that followed involved identifying the coins and their value. Whenever the kids got too rowdy, the teacher helped us keep the class focused. This JA opportunity was effective because it helped put economics in a perspective in which small children could understand. At a young age, they are being introduced to the value of money and the importance of saving it.

Technology in the classroom

In today's society, technology plays a big role in daily routines. Exposing kids to technology at an early age will allow them to develop the kills they will need as they mature into the world. If I were to be teaching a second grade class, I would incorporate the use of netbooks and use educational websites in my lesson plans. For example, I would dedicate one day to working on their reading skills by using the website meegenius.com. This is a great interactive website in which they show a picture book and you switch pages by clicking on the arrows. What is great about this website is that reads to the student the story, so they are able to listen to the words and connect them with how they are written. I would have them listen to the story first and then have them read the story and answer comprehension questions. Another day, I would focus on their math skills. The website I would use is mathplayground.com. This website has interactive games all requiring the use of math skills to accomplish them. I feel that by making math fun the kids will have an easier time making connections and enjoy learning about it. Once they become familiar with math concepts such as addition and subtraction, I would give them worksheets  to apply what they've learned. Finally, incorporate different skills such as reading, math, and history, I would have them use tes.iboard.co.uk. This website has a variety of activities with different levels. The games are fun while still teaching kids different skills and abilities. By using this kind of technology, the learning is more hands-on and the kids are more apt to receiving the information given to them.

A teacher's impact

The middle age stage in childhood is a time that unravels great growth within a child. Children spend much of their time in a classroom, which is why a teacher will have a significant impact in the child's physical, emotional/social, and cognitive development. Teachers provide the children with resources and information that they use in order to learn new concepts. They fuel a child's brain to absorb what is being taught. They develop different techniques in order to accommodate every child and allow them equal opportunities to learn. At this stage, teachers prepare the students to begin thinking on their own and making connections between what they are learning. They prepare lesson plans in which they help students really learn by having hands on activities that promotes the students to think. A teachers main goal is to get the students to begin thinking and exploring the information they are receiving and applying it as well. teachers also impact a child's social and emotional development. They allow for kids to interact with each other and the activities they are presented require this kind of interaction. In a classroom, children must learn to get along with one another and work together to accomplish a task. They also impact a child's self esteem. Teachers can improve a child's self esteem by encouraging and praising them. They can also impact it in a negative way by punishing them for not understanding a concept. Also,  a teacher's expectations impact the student. If she expects high of a student, the student will respond to that expectations likewise if she expected low of the student. A teacher also impacts a child physical development. They encourage the use of gross motor skills when they are out in the playground. Children begin to learn to run, climb and play fight. Inside the classroom children learn to use their fine motor skills for more intricate use of their muscles. With the vast amount of time spent in the classroom, it is no wonder that teachers impact this growing stage in a child's life.