Nicolette O. Lake
Westside Junior High and South Live Oak Elementary
Quite an Experience
During the months of September and October this semester I spent time at two different schools in four different classrooms. Being able to observe different classes and teachers at Westside Junior High and South Live Oak Elementary was a very new and exciting experience for me since I can’t say I’ve always wanted to be a teacher. My experiences at these schools gave me a better insight into the differences between schools, classrooms, and teachers. The purpose of this field experience was to get 10 observation or tutoring hours in an elementary or junior high setting. I chose to observe a few different classrooms instead of tutoring students.
When I first entered these schools I was hesitant of how I would fit into the world of education as a teacher. What would the teachers think of me? Could they see me as an up and coming teacher? After my different observations were finished I decided I could be a great teacher. I was able to learn many different things in these classrooms that I hope will be useful to me when I start my teaching career. I saw myself in one of the teachers, and I know the way she constructed her class would be the way I would want to construct my class. I also felt that she exuded the same type of personality as me.
While in the classes I felt extremely comfortable being around the students and answering questions when they asked me. While being a teacher it is crucial to feel at ease in your work environment because if you don’t it will be almost unfeasible to do your job in a successful manner. Being around the students and helping them when need be was a great experience for me. Almost all of the classroom environments I observed were inconsistent mainly because of the ways the students acted. When the students were well behaved and listened to the teacher it was a positive and beneficial