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A. Landry

There are so many things about the real world that we will never be taught in class. We
learn about the different subjects that we will be teaching. We even learn the psychology behind
learning. But no one ever really tells us this is how you teach. Which is why, in my opinion,
field experiences such as this are so important, not only showing us what real elementary
classrooms will be like. But providing a situation, where we, as a future professional, can learn
and grow in our ability. And tutoring at Brusly Elementary School for the past three months
taught me so much.
Stucture. Structure. Structure. How many times have you (Ms. Rice) made us repeat that
mantra in class? Having a plan and being prepared for the lesson you are teaching is so
important, not only for effective communication, but for the overall educational success of the
child. I actually attended a meeting recently, where there was a panel of three young women an
elementary school teacher, an upper middle/high-school teacher, and a special education teacher
all in their first or second year of teaching. And when asked what they thought was the most
important thing to do on the first day of school, they all immediately answered the same thing:
establish the procedures you want for your classroom. I saw this need evident with my own kids
during our weekly tutoring sessions. Even from the beginning, when I really had no idea
whatsoever what I was supposed to be doing with them:

Do I just drill flashcards? Or maybe we should use the whiteboards? These colored dinosaurs
look fun! Maybe theyll want to play a card game? Forty-five minutes is a really long time,
maybe Ill just bring everything to the table

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A. Landry

Bad idea. It didnt take me long to figure out that the more stuff I had on the table
distracting them, the harder is was to keep their focus on one task at a time, rather than
wondering what we were going to do or play next. As the weeks went on I began to have less
items on the table for us to focus on, and even began implementing more structural elements
such as creating a schedule for the afternoon, and letting the kids know what the goal of the day
was.
Subtraction. All four of my kids hated subtraction. But, just a little bit each week, we
would work together slowly building their ability to create, comprehend, and manipulate a
subtraction sentence. One really great technique that worked well with my kids was to model the
subtraction sentence with manipulatives (i.e. fruit, dinosaurs, colored blocks), allowing them to
physically take away or remove the pieces from the center of the table as we worked through the
problem together. I found that a technique such as this, not only allowed them to play with
something they liked, but added a level of kinesthetic learning to a worksheet dominated
curriculum.
Both of my classroom observations were conducted at the same school I tutored at
Brusly Elementary School. And both professionals I observed, I believe were great examples of
what it means to be an intentional teacher. In the inclusive classroom, the general education
teacher Mrs. Rills used various techniques which we discussed in class as being essential
elements of a universally designed classroom. Such techniques included engaging the class both
verbally and visually, presenting various types of materials, allowing for different levels of
students response and reinforcement, and maintaining excitement and motivation throughout the
lesson. In the self-contained classroom, the special education teacher Ms. LeJeune made sure
to provide certain accommodations and educational approaches necessary for the success of the

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A. Landry

children in her classroom. She made use of available assistive technology, made sure to reinforce
positive behavior when appropriate, and even used the set up of her classroom to create a safe
and less distracting environment (e.g., dimmed lights, orientation towards board, less clutter and
clear rules and instructions).
I don't really know how much my kids learned from this semester. But what I do know,
because I saw it slowly appearing in our afternoons together, is that these sweet young kids grew
in their confidence and ability to approach a problem and even though it might scare or confuse
them understand that they are capable of figuring out the answer on their own. Part of what
really made this semester such an educational experience for me personally, was participating in
your (Ms. Rice) pilot study. Not only was I able to learn new ways to demonstrate and explain
problems, but I also learned the importance of correcting a child when they are wrong, and
effective techniques of how to go about doing so. Knowing also that I was filming myself, and
wanting to grow in my own way, there was also an added level of accountability. And for that I
am grateful.

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