Fieldwork Experience

Today, I found myself reflecting back on my fieldwork experience in the beginning of this semester at Bishop Dunn Memorial School in a fourth grade classroom. This fieldwork experience was nothing like I've ever experienced before. In my past education courses I've either observed a class or I've worked one on one with a student but this time I was able to teach a whole class with the help of my group. I was extremely nervous because this was something that I have never done before. I wasn't sure how I felt about it because science isn't one of my strong points. All I could think about is how can I teach students science when that is a subject I've always struggled with but this experience was one of the best things that could have happened to me. It made that all turn around for me! This experience made me look at science with a whole new perspective. Science is now a subject that I have become interested in because of this experience and also because of all the different techniques and strategies that I have learned.

Through this experience I taught a direct instruction and inquiry lesson, which was also very new to me. I learned that direct instruction is important because it teaches students all of the information that they need to know. It is important for students to be given a note packet to take notes in where they will be able to reference back to. Unfortunately my group and I did not provide a note pack for the students so this is something that I've learned not to do in my future as a teacher. I will make sure that my students are given a note packet where they will be able to take notes to help them make sense of what they are being taught. Other thing that I realized is important especially in a classroom is time management. Time management is important in a classroom so that the teacher can cover all material necessary for each specific lesson. If the teacher feels rushed than the students will as well and that is not how a classroom should run. In my future classroom I will make sure that I prioritize my work and time so that my students are given enough time to complete each task.

I’ve also learned how important inquiry is in teaching science. Through inquiry the students were able to engage in evidence-based reasoning and creative problem solving. This lesson was completely different than direct instruction because the students aren’t looking for answers from the teacher they are creating their own observations, collecting their own data and drawing their own conclusions. This is a more hands on approach that I feel makes it a more memorable experience for students. It is engaging as well as educational and that is so important. I have truly learned a lot throughout this experience. I am beyond happy that I had the opportunity to teach a fourth grade class because it has helped me grow so much as a future teacher.

"Children's engagement in science inquiry gives them the opportunity to receive accurate feedback directly from the outcomes of their own inquiry."