Activities with the Children

So I have been volunteering, well mentoring with a 1st grade teacher. The kids are so cute. I however, do most of the activities with the children; I act as a TA. I do laminate posters and pages, print out worksheets, print and make copies of activities worksheets. During major holidays we spend a part of the day doing the holiday theme. For Halloween the kids will probably be coloring in a pumpkin and cutting out- I will need to help them with using the scissors. The kids will also probably get little goody bags when it is Halloween. Like the kids I have my own little clip that shows how I've been doing- and I'm on the best there is. However I don't get the "gum ball", the little rubber ball (as all the other children do) from the candy machine. It is very fun and helpful for me that I volunteer with my mentor and she answers all or any questions I have. As I do my Individual Component 1 , I will start to post up images of what I do in the classroom. 

Blog #6

 Questions to ask:

1. Who is your mentor and where do they work?
2. Why did you choose to become a elementary school teacher?
3. What college/ university did you receive your teaching credentials? Why did you choose that college/university?
4. Why did you choose to teach children in elementary school?
5. I have read through my research on teaching that many learn how to be a good teacher or did learn from others because of past experience. Did you learn how to be a good teacher through working as a student teacher in a classroom or did you just know the tricks too being a god teacher?
6. Have you learned certain "tricks" to teaching from experience or have you been taught them?
7. What are some that you know and use on a daily basis with your kids (1st graders)?
8. How effectively do they work?
9. What would you say is the best way to teach children the materials they need in order to advance to 2nd grade?
10. How do you maintain the children's attention while giving them the necessary information?
11. How to you tailor your teaching to your students?
12. Do you tailor your teaching to every class specifically?

Blog #5 : Project Reflection & Working EQ

1.The most positive thing that has happened so far is being able to work with my mentor and the children and being able to add that to my experience where I can take away from it something important, valuable to me.

2. I pick my interview. My interview with my mentor has helped understand why my mentor has become a teacher and in a sense has helped me narrow down my topic so I can search in my research very specific things.  I understand where and what I want to do with my topic and it has also helped me understand my topic and has helped me improve my research. My mentor in the interview answered many questions regarding the "mentally" of the children that I read in my research.

3. The biggest thing that has worked so far for me is having the mentor and being able to ask her questions regarding teaching and children. She has been instrumental and she has explained and given her opinions to me that have helped me better understand and grasp my senior topic.

4. My research, I try to be as specific as possible and even general when searching for my research articles. However, all of the articles are very similar or say and repeat the same things. It is hdd for me to find different or new information sometimes. 

5. A potential question I would like to study is : What is the best way to teach children in a learning environment for them (the children)  to understand / be ready in time for the next year?

6. For the mentorship, since I am already volunteering I plan to understand how and why the teacher does certain things to capture the children's attention and to understand how the teacher knows what to do with wanting the children to do something or wanting their attention.