Field Experience Post #4

This week my field experience came to an end.  I truly miss all of the students that were in my class.  Each of them holds a special place in my heart.  After having a few days to reflect on my field experience, I can honestly say that I could see myself as an elementary school teacher someday.  There were a few things about this job that I was not expecting, for example, the large amount of standardized tests, the sad home conditions of some of the children, and the many different learning levels that the students are at. However, that was all outweighed by how precious the students were.  I feel blessed that I had the opportunity to be a part of their lives.  I cannot wait to have more opportunities in the future to positively influence other students' lives as well.
In regards to the technology my cooperating teacher used, I feel that overall she could have found many more ways to integrate technology.  She hardly used her smartboard at all.  I never saw the students use computers while I was there, either.  However, I was impressed by how frequently she integrated songs and videos as well as effectively used the iPads.  One note I would like to add is that she often seemed to have technology glitches.  I am not sure if it was because of her computer or because of the schools' internet.  Regardless, I feel like I learned a lot from my cooperating teacher about how to use technology in a real life classroom situation.