Field Experience Reflection

I was assigned to complete my first semester or student teaching at Ridgeline Elementary in Highland. I went into my field experience not knowing exactly what to expect, but I enjoyed my experience more than I expected to. I worked with Mrs. Patti Ratliff in the fourth grade. I had never thought much about teaching fourth grade, but after my experience with the fourth graders, I would definitely not be opposed to the idea.

            Mrs. Ratliff had a good balance of freedom and rigidity in her classroom. When she needed the kids’ attention, she demanded their attention and kept it. But when it came time for the students to work on their own, she was a little more lax, and as long as the noise level wasn’t too loud, she just let them work. The students in the class all respect Mrs. Ratliff and she creates a fun atmosphere for them to learn in. Mrs. Ratliff definitely taught me a lot about the teacher that I hope to become both by her actions and through words.

            One of the many things that I learned from Mrs. Ratliff is that you need to establish expectations early so that you can have fun in the end. Students need to know that they are expected to work so that they can create a strong work ethic at a young age. This way, the students will work hard so that they can have fun, and the fun they have is more rewarding because they worked so hard in order to earn their reward.

            Another thing that I learned from my time in Mrs. Ratliff’s room is that I want to have a well organized classroom. I could tell that Mrs. Ratliff started the year with a well organized room, but as the year has gone on, there are areas of the room that have become quite disorganized. When it came time to find something she needed or even a paper that she had used the day before, it was easily lost. This definitely taught me that I want to have a place for everything and that I need to keep my materials where they belong so that when it comes time to use them, I know exactly where to find them.

            Overall, I had such a wonderful experience with Mrs. Ratliff and her class. I learned so much from Mrs. Ratliff, the other fourth grade teachers, and the darling fourth graders themselves. I am definitely looking forward to my future student teaching experiences and to having a class of my own.