Testing day for the students

On our last visit to the elementary, my class had to take a test that determined their level of skill in the English Language on the computer. Making a class of curious second graders take an online test  along with the mishaps technology brings  proved to have its challenges. First, the computers were being slow and not logging the students into the test. The computers also kept turning off. My teacher, the teacher in charge of administering the test, and I had to go around logging the students back in and hoping the second or third time around technology would work with us. I realized that when working with technology it is very important to maintain patience and clearly tell the students what is asked of them so they don't let their curious side take over. Since starting the test took so long, my teacher asked me to take the class on a restroom break. At first, I was a bit nervous since I did not know if the students saw me as an authoritative figure. However, I was amazed at how well behaved they were and proud that they listened to me and followed directions. I felt like I had control over my class. Once we were able to start the test, my teacher read some sample questions and finally the students were off on their own. I noticed that some students found it easier than others. Tests like these make it clear that at an elementary level there is a prominent gap between the skill level of students within one class. Knowing this allows my teacher to adapt  her teaching style for the better of the whole class. In class we learned about test taking and grades. I was able to see how standardized tests can help determine at what level each student is at. The tests my teacher gives the students also do the same but they test a specific topic they are on. Also, grades are earned and not given. Now that the year is on its way to the end, the students are being tested more often. I'm so excited to get back in the classroom and work with the students on a more one-on-one level, and keep learning from my teacher.

Objectives in the Classroom

Yesterday at the school, my teacher worked on math and social studies with the students. The day began with my teacher passing out a math test. After practicing fraction problems by making a "Fraction Book," my teacher passed out a practice test to evaluate their level of comprehension. The test was meant to show whether or not the students knew the material. She was going to grade them expecting 90% accuracy. This will help the teacher see what she has to change to better the learning experience of the students.  Once the test was done, we moved on to social studies. The objective was to learn about heroes of different time periods in American history. The students created a heroe book and had write down important facts about the person and why they chose them as their favorite heroe. The students also drew pictures reflecting on what they wrote. The teacher was going to grade them by the content written with very high accuracy. Throughout the week, we studied how to write and indentify objectives. Taking with me this knowledge I was able to see my teacher placing her objectives in action. These past nine weeks have been different than last semester. First, I am able to experience all the core subjects being taught. Second, I feel like my teacher allows me to be more involved in the classroom. I can't wait to see what the last nine weeks will bring at the elementary.