This reflection paper documents a student teacher's eight-week observation of preschool and kindergarten classrooms in both regular and special education settings. The author examines how firsthand classroom observation challenged and refined previously held assumptions about teaching, student ability, and classroom management. Key themes include cultural diversity instruction, inclusive education practices, differentiated learning, and the flexibility required of effective teachers. The paper concludes that successful teaching depends less on directing students and more on providing engaging, adaptable learning experiences that honor each child's individual development.
The teaching profession is one that many young boys and girls dream about while they are still in school. They conjure up images of putting lessons on a blackboard, helping students learn to read, and playing with their charges on the playground. Those who actually go to college to enter the profession are often excited, nervous, and committed to becoming the best teachers they can be. However, until they step into an actual classroom, they can only imagine what their lives as teachers will truly be like.
One of the most important experiences a student teacher can have is to observe a classroom over a period of time. Classroom observation is probably the most effective tool a student teacher can use to compare and contrast what he or she thought teaching would be like with what it is actually like in an everyday setting. It helps prepare the student teacher for success by eliminating misconceptions and by providing a solid understanding of the realities of teaching before he or she is in charge of a classroom.
When I spent eight weeks observing preschool and kindergarten classes in both a regular education setting and a special education setting, I was given many opportunities to reflect on and evaluate how my preconceived ideas about the classroom and teaching measured up against the reality of the job.
I found that many of my previously held ideas seemed to stem from assumptions I had formed as a child and apparently still carried with me. It was also interesting to discover that some of what I believed was true and could be applied to actual teaching practice (Grieshabaer, 2001).
While observing both the special education and the regular education kindergarten classes, I found that diversity is a much larger part of the school day than I had anticipated. As the world continues to globalize and society becomes increasingly multicultural, I had assumed that children naturally adapted to changing cultural environments. In the classroom, however, I discovered that embracing diversity is something teachers actively work into the curriculum and introduce to students throughout the year.
The regular kindergarten class held diversity and culture days in which each student brought in something representative of his or her cultural background to share at show-and-tell. In addition, Fridays at the school were designated as culture lunch days, during which foods from different parts of the world were introduced to the students.
Before observing, I believed children naturally accepted cultural differences. I now understand that is not the case, and that intentionally introducing cultural differences is something I will need to incorporate into my own classroom activities. Resources such as the National Association for the Education of Young Children emphasize the importance of culturally responsive teaching from the earliest grades.
In the special education kindergarten setting, cultural diversity extended beyond simply sampling foods from different nations. Differences in learning styles were also introduced as an element of diversity. When this was incorporated into the classroom, the children were eager to accept students with disabilities as simply another form of difference. They were easily guided toward accommodating students with special needs in the same way they were guided to assist a non-English-speaking student — a lesson I will carry with me when I have inclusion students in my own classroom.
In the preschool setting, there is an automatic diversity in abilities because children are at different developmental levels based on their age and individual growth. As I observed both the inclusion classroom and the regular education classroom, I was struck by the students' willingness to learn new things. Both settings gave me a useful opportunity to develop lesson plans that I could compare with the teacher's plans, and each time I found that my plans fell short of what the students were actually capable of (Safer, 2003).
As I began to recognize that I was underestimating the students, I realized that some of my preconceived notions about early childhood education were coloring my judgment. One clear example came when a preschool student from the regular education class approached me and handed me a book she wanted to read aloud to me. I was surprised, but I let her open the book and begin reading. The experience reminded me not to make assumptions about any student's level of ability, since each child is an individual who develops at his or her own rate.
Through observation, I also found that classroom challenges can often be addressed by remaining flexible and keeping an open mind (Safer, 2003). A memorable example involved an autistic preschool student in the inclusion setting. "Tommy" did not respond to verbal cues and was not yet a verbal communicator. His teacher created a set of index cards, each featuring a picture illustrating what was expected of him at a given moment. When it was time to eat, she handed him the card showing a student eating, and he would place it beside his lunch. When it was time to go outside, she handed him the card showing children on a playground, and he knew to line up. Before long, other students began using the cards to communicate with Tommy as well. What could have been a potentially awkward situation became a comfortable one for Tommy and for everyone in the classroom.
During my observation period I found many differences between what I thought actual teaching would be like and what it turned out to be. For the first time, I saw that my rigid conception of kindergarten and preschool student abilities and attitudes was mistaken. I was able to adjust my thinking as a direct result of my observations, and I now know I will approach my students with far greater flexibility when it comes to accepting their individual abilities and limitations (Pelletier, 2003).
In addition, I had not been remotely aware of how important diversity instruction is for kindergarten and preschool-age students. Through observation, I discovered not only that it is a vital element of teaching at this level, but that it can be genuinely enjoyable and well-rounded — particularly when students become involved in planning the activities themselves. Inclusive education at the early childhood level, as these classrooms demonstrated, benefits all learners by building empathy and broadening each child's understanding of the world around them.
The observations I took part in had a significant impact on how I now view the teaching profession. I have always known I wanted to be a teacher, but for many years I believed that I would lead the class and the students would simply follow. After observing these classrooms for two months, I have come to understand that teaching is not about force-feeding information to students. Instead, it is about presenting information in a fun and flexible manner and trusting that children will engage deeply with it.
"Lessons learned from inclusion and special needs settings"
Wong, Harry K., & Wong, Rosemary T. (2004). First days of school: How to be an effective teacher. Harry K. Wong Publications.
Pelletier, Carol Marra (2003). Strategies for successful student teaching. Redleaf Press.
Cooter, Robert B. Jr. (Ed.) (2004). Perspectives on rescuing urban literacy education: Spies, saboteurs and saints. [Electronic resource] E-Books; LC5128.P47.
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