Blog Entry 1

I am doing my field work at a charter school.  I get the opportunity to observe and help in Mrs. Wolf's kindergarten class.  Let me just say that I love it.  The topic that I chose is, what the teacher does all day.  I chose this because being in a kinder classroom can be difficult but also fun. 
The first couple days in the classroom felt like total chaos.  It was the first couple days of school and the children were trying to get used to being at a new school with a new teacher.  I am grateful for the teacher that I am working with.  I felt like she knew what to do and how to help the children calm down.  The first thing that she put into place for these days  is a routine.  The students come in, hand in homework and then they sit on the carpet and read a book. After story time its math time.  So far the lessons have been very hands on.  The students get to play with bear counters and shapes because they will be using them all year and she wanted them to get a feel for them.  She uses music to teach them how to write their numbers. The kids love it and sing along with her.   Its funny because sometimes I get those silly songs stuck in my head. 
After math the routine continues with handwriting.  These Kindergartners are making an ABC book that they get to take home when they are finished with the alphabet.  First, the lesson is a poem about the letter of the day followed by a silly song with words that start with the letter.  Then it is handwriting time and the students have to sit and write the letter as best as they can.  When they are done writing they get to draw, glue or paint something that has to do with that certain letter in their ABC books.  The students love it and I feel like it is incorporating different learning styles into one lesson.  By the time this is over the teacher gets a break and sends the kids out to recess for a little bit. 
Mrs. Wolf is a great teacher.  I feel like she is more than a teacher to these kids.  She is also their friend.  Between the stories that they tell her, to her helping them with their work, even to her tying there shoes, you can tell that she means more to them than just a teacher.  Mrs. Wolf is always in the classroom leading the instructions and helping the students.   You can tell that she  is exhausted by the end of the day but so far I haven't heard her complain.  So far I have learned that being a teacher isn't always going to be easy for me but it will be worth it.