Blog Post 2 ( Days 4 and 5)

 Continuing on my observations at the middle school, I have gained even more knowledge of how to become a better teacher. Along with the skills that you need to teach in the middles school. Meaning, that younger kids have shorter attention spans as well as the teacher has to have more patience with the kids. I have observed the same teacher 2 more times and gathered many methods and tips.

To start, I have really enjoyed the journal activity that she has the kids do everyday. For example, the other day she asked the kids to write about an animal and give clues about what the animal is without saying it. The kids loved it and after they wrote their stories the students got to share their stories while the other students guessed what the animal was. I like this activity because the students were having fun while also learning how to write sentences correctly.

Another whole class method that I really liked was the bellwork the students did. As soon as the student got in the classroom they began to do their bellwork. Bellwork consist of writing three complete sentences about prior topics or whatever topic the teacher decides. Then at the end of the week all the student pass their paper down to the end of the table and turn them in. I like this because the students once again are learning how to write, and are refreshing their minds about what they have learned.

I also like how Mrs Hall, the teacher I am observing, gets ahold of her students. She never really has a problem keeping the students in line, but when the students start talking she will say things such as "clap once if you can hear me, clap twice if you can hear me..." This get ahold of the students and silences them.

Lastly, the students have to read a certain amount of books per month and take a test on them to get a sticker. Once they get their sticker they put it on a chart by their name that way the teacher and students can keep up with how many books they have read.The students have to show the teacher that they passed the test on the book before getting a sticker as well. I really like this method because it helps keep a organized set of data for the teacher and encourages the students to read.

Overall I have really enjoyed Mrs. Halls class, and got many valuable methods and tips. Like I said before I never really thought that I would want to teach a younger age but I have really enjoyed being around the students and could definitely see myself as a middle school teacher.