My name is Hilary Beck and I am currently attending Southern Utah University in Cedar City, Utah. I am majoring in Elementary Education with an emphasis on early childhood. I have a strong desire to be an educator because I want to make a difference in our future, and I believe strongly that our future begins in the classroom.
This last school year I spent 45 hours volunteering at Iron Springs Elementary for my EDGE Project. My EDGE project has given me much opportunity to assist in the community as well as giving me experience in the classroom. I am grateful for the time I have had to work in Mrs. Almond's and Mrs. Greenfield's classrooms because I know that many of the tools I have learned while working with these wonderful teachers I will be able to take with me and use in my own classroom one day.
I feel that teachers have a high demand placed on them with very little support and funding. I also believe that if more parents and grandparents and volunteers from the community would give of their time and energy to assist in the classrooms that we could all help in the cause to better our education system and the ultimate future of our nation.
Our future will only be as good as our classroom.
Tuesday, July 16, 2013
Thursday, April 18, 2013
21st day in the classroom
Last Thursday April 11th was my last day in the classroom. I got to Mrs. Almond's class at 1:30 and helped her get ready for all the 4th graders to come into her classroom for a big movie party. The party was only for students who either had 80% overall grade, or have turned in all of their assignments. All the other students had to go to another 4th grade classroom and work on assignments. It was really hard for Mrs. Almond to watch the students who didn't get to go. She sent home a letter to the parents of the students who didn't qualify telling them basically what was happening and that this is how things are in life sometimes. She said it was a good learning experience for the students, but that it broke her heart that they couldn't all come to the party. It was really sad.
I went to the classroom with the students who didn't get to go to the movie and I walked around helping them with their assignments that they didn't understand.
I went to Mrs. Greenfield's class at 2:30 and their class was having a party also. They were watching movies in the background while playing lots of fun games and puzzles around the room. Apparently it was a student achievement recognition day for the whole school district. In Mrs. G's class I sat with the students and played games with them until it was time to go at 3:30.
I went to the classroom with the students who didn't get to go to the movie and I walked around helping them with their assignments that they didn't understand.
I went to Mrs. Greenfield's class at 2:30 and their class was having a party also. They were watching movies in the background while playing lots of fun games and puzzles around the room. Apparently it was a student achievement recognition day for the whole school district. In Mrs. G's class I sat with the students and played games with them until it was time to go at 3:30.
Friday, April 5, 2013
Christmas party 2012
On Friday Dec. 21, 2012 Mrs. Almond had her classroom Christmas party and I was in charge of it. Before the party, Mrs. Almond gave me some phone numbers of parents in her classroom and I called them and asked them if they would help with the Christmas party. Mrs. Almond wanted to have four centers that the students could rotate through. She let me take charge of planning what would be in each center. I asked the parent volunteers to take charge of different centers.
One group of volunteers made some cute Christmas trees with upside down ice cream cones. They frosted the cones with green frosting so it looked like a Christmas tree and then added topping to look like ornaments. The students loved it.
Another parent was in charge of reading the Polar Express for her group. She brought some yummy snacks to share and gave each student a little bell on a string to put around their neck.
The third played a math game at her center with the students, which they loved.
And then I had some parents help me at my table where we made Christmas ornaments. I cut strips of colorful papers before hand and taught the students how to make an origami ornament. They turned out great.
The party went from 1:30-2:30 and there was festive music and lots of fun.
One group of volunteers made some cute Christmas trees with upside down ice cream cones. They frosted the cones with green frosting so it looked like a Christmas tree and then added topping to look like ornaments. The students loved it.
Another parent was in charge of reading the Polar Express for her group. She brought some yummy snacks to share and gave each student a little bell on a string to put around their neck.
The third played a math game at her center with the students, which they loved.
And then I had some parents help me at my table where we made Christmas ornaments. I cut strips of colorful papers before hand and taught the students how to make an origami ornament. They turned out great.
The party went from 1:30-2:30 and there was festive music and lots of fun.
20th day in the classroom
As usual I went to Mrs. Almonds class from 1:30 to 2:30 yesterday, Thursday April 4th. When I got there the students were finishing up their character connection and learning about being brave and standing up for what is right. I took them out to recess at 2:00 to 2:15. When we came in, it was time for science. Professor Scatterbrain showed up as usual and the students picked the county they were going to research.
I headed to Mrs. Greenfields class at 2:30 and the second graders were finishing up their moon test. After that, we passed out all the students parts for their class presentation that they will perform for their parents at the end of the school year. They are on their bug unit right now, so their class performance will be based on a cute skit about bugs. They will sing a song about being invited to a picnic and then each student will have parts where they are a bug. All the boys will wear camouflage clothes and the girls will all wear black and red for ladybugs. It will be a cute performance.
After they finished working on their skit, all the students cleaned up and got ready to go home. Then they sat at the rug and Mrs. G read to them until it was time to go home at 3:30.
I headed to Mrs. Greenfields class at 2:30 and the second graders were finishing up their moon test. After that, we passed out all the students parts for their class presentation that they will perform for their parents at the end of the school year. They are on their bug unit right now, so their class performance will be based on a cute skit about bugs. They will sing a song about being invited to a picnic and then each student will have parts where they are a bug. All the boys will wear camouflage clothes and the girls will all wear black and red for ladybugs. It will be a cute performance.
After they finished working on their skit, all the students cleaned up and got ready to go home. Then they sat at the rug and Mrs. G read to them until it was time to go home at 3:30.
Saturday, March 23, 2013
19th day in the classroom
On Thursday in Mrs. Almonds classroom, she had me take individual pictures of three of her students who were the students of the week. Each student had filled out a piece of paper all about themselves, so she had me take that paper for each one of the students and then put the information in paragraph form and then post it on her blog for the class and their families to see. After that I went outside with the students to recess. When we came in, they had a science test, so I headed over to Mrs. Greenfields class.
When I got to Mrs. Greenfields class they were learning about the moon. They each had their moon journal out, and They were discussing things that they know about the moon and then writing it down in their moon journal under "Things I already know". She then showed them some moon books that she had in her library and told them that during centers the next day she wanted them to learn things about the moon and write under "Things I learned".
After that they had their "Mad Minute" which is where they try to answer 30 math problems in 1 minute. It is very competitive. If they do it, then they get to dance with the teacher on the rug to music while the rest of the students finish their problems. She always does mad minute on Thursdays, but this time she challenged the advanced students by giving them a sheet with 40 problems instead of 30 to see if they could do it in 1 minute. They were very excited.
After mad minute, they worked on their scholastic readers and then she read to them on the rug until it was time to go.
When I got to Mrs. Greenfields class they were learning about the moon. They each had their moon journal out, and They were discussing things that they know about the moon and then writing it down in their moon journal under "Things I already know". She then showed them some moon books that she had in her library and told them that during centers the next day she wanted them to learn things about the moon and write under "Things I learned".
After that they had their "Mad Minute" which is where they try to answer 30 math problems in 1 minute. It is very competitive. If they do it, then they get to dance with the teacher on the rug to music while the rest of the students finish their problems. She always does mad minute on Thursdays, but this time she challenged the advanced students by giving them a sheet with 40 problems instead of 30 to see if they could do it in 1 minute. They were very excited.
After mad minute, they worked on their scholastic readers and then she read to them on the rug until it was time to go.
Sunday, March 17, 2013
18th day in the classroom
Thursday I went to Mrs. Almonds class and the students were working on their art project. After art I took them out to recess. During recess Mrs. Almond called her "math teacher" to ask her a question about why a fractions problem didn't work that one of her students tried. It was interesting to see her use her resources to figure out how to help her students in math. Then she discussed what she learned with the students. It was a great teaching moment. She called it her "favorite wrong answer of the day" because the students learned so much from it.
In Mrs. Greenfields class the students were working on the smart board answering some questions and learning about plant life and writing up a scientific experiment. For their science experiment in class they are going to discover if they can grow a plant without a seed. They wrote their question, their hypothesis, and what they are going to do. Then they all got to plant a plant from a leaf clipping of another plant. They were very excited to grow their own plant. After that they sat at the rug and Mrs. G. read to them until it was time to go hime.
In Mrs. Greenfields class the students were working on the smart board answering some questions and learning about plant life and writing up a scientific experiment. For their science experiment in class they are going to discover if they can grow a plant without a seed. They wrote their question, their hypothesis, and what they are going to do. Then they all got to plant a plant from a leaf clipping of another plant. They were very excited to grow their own plant. After that they sat at the rug and Mrs. G. read to them until it was time to go hime.
Friday, March 8, 2013
17th day in the classroom
Yesterday in Mrs. Almond's classroom the students were learning about different kinds of rocks in science. They made an "igneous rock" in the form of fudge. All the different ingredients represented different minerals, and then when they boiled the "minerals" that represented the extreme heat it takes under the earth to form the rocks. The kids loved it and then they got to eat their "igneous rocks".
In Mrs. Greenfield's class the students were having their weekly math competition with the other 2nd grade classes. Mrs. Greenfield's class won the competition again. They have never lost a competition this year. Each class lines up and then one student from each class is given a math question. The first student to answer it correctly gets back in line, the other student sits down. The last class standing wins. After that, the students went outside for recess. When the students came back inside, they worked in their March riddle books, which have riddles that the students have try to figure out about spring and gardening. Each student took turns reading the different riddles and then answering them. After working in their riddle book, the students went to the rug and Mrs. Greenfield read to them until it was time to go home.
In Mrs. Greenfield's class the students were having their weekly math competition with the other 2nd grade classes. Mrs. Greenfield's class won the competition again. They have never lost a competition this year. Each class lines up and then one student from each class is given a math question. The first student to answer it correctly gets back in line, the other student sits down. The last class standing wins. After that, the students went outside for recess. When the students came back inside, they worked in their March riddle books, which have riddles that the students have try to figure out about spring and gardening. Each student took turns reading the different riddles and then answering them. After working in their riddle book, the students went to the rug and Mrs. Greenfield read to them until it was time to go home.
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