Elementary School Classroom Observation

This semester of observations was very beneficially to me, and made my decision to become a teacher clearer. I observed in a 3rd grade classroom at Meadow View Elementary School, and witnessed the true life of a teacher. I saw some things I agreed with, and some things I did not agree with. My class had 21 students, but Meadow View Elementary School does team teaching, so overall I observed about 40 students. During my 50 hours of observations, I was able to relate experiences in the classroom to content I learned in the ED 401. First of which was “a process of human growth which one gains greater understanding and control over one’s self and one’s world” (Purpose of School PPT, slide 3). I witnessed students learn skills in the classroom that will be carried over into their everyday life, such as respect, honesty, and following the rules. I noticed the difference between schooling and education. From what I saw, schooling is being structured in a specific proximity, while education is growing and learning important information that will help students think abstractly and deeply. I figured out this semester that there needs to be a good, healthy, and fun schooling experience …show more content…
At first I was very timid, and scared to step on anyone’s toes. I think I should still work on that, personally. I did open up and become more comfortable throughout the semester. I also still need to work on not letting the children get away with everything. I was scared to tell them to stop when they were whispering. I learned a lot about what it means to be an educator, and the positive and negative affects teachers have on children. From my experience this semester, I learned a lot about what kind of teacher I want to be, and the kind of teacher I don’t want to be. I still have a lot to learn, though. This semester has benefitted a