Reflection from field experience on April 22

My last day in the classroom!

Wednesday was my last time in kindergarten at Springfield. I am definitely going to miss them! I have enjoyed working with my cooperating teacher and with the students. I think I have learned a lot from my cooperating teacher, about things I want to do in the classroom and things I will try to avoid. I have had so much fun working with her students, and I think they really were sad to see us go this week. They always hug Lauren and I before we leave, asking us why we aren't having lunch with them and where we are going. It's really cute. This week they made us cards during one of the centers.

During class today, the students were being assessed through a test in centers. My cooperating teacher took about 8 students out of the classroom into a nearby room and gave them a test. She asked questions like "Circle the word that starts with the 'duh' sound" and students would look at their page and the 3 or so choices they had, and circle the dog. I observed the lowest ability level group doing the assessment, and everyone seemed to be doing very well! During another center, I said with one girl and played Play-Doh. I think I am learning a lot from her, but I wish I would have been able to get to know her better and observe her more. Her name is Alexa, and she is one of the special needs students in the class. She joined the class in the beginning of March. Alexa might be autistic but hasn't been diagnosed with anything yet. She is a really sweet girl, and I am afraid she is falling behind since because her parents can't get her to school on time. She sometimes comes into class an hour late, and as children (and especially autistic children) want to rely on routines, she tries to stand for the pledge and she doesn't understand why she can't eat breakfast in the cafeteria. When I was playing Play-Doh with Alexa, she made a circle and cut it in half, and said to me "What breaks your heart?" I had no idea what she meant, but I was really saddened by that. I said "I don't know what you mean. What breaks your heart?" and she said "When people are mean." I agreed with her and said yes that hurts my feelings too. She responded with "Do you know what can put it back together? Sharing." I told her I agreed with her and Yes, sharing and playing with my friends can make me feel a lot better, and I told her I loved playing with her. I was so taken aback by this conversation. She has high social-emotional skills, this makes me wonder if she could be autistic or not. I wonder why she asked me what broke my heart, my mind immediately jumped to what terrible things could have happened to her. She is such a sweet girl and I hope she gets the attention she needs. I am definitely going to miss working with Alexa, all the students and my cooperating teacher. This semester I learned a lot about kindergarten and special needs students, and I had lots of fun teaching!