Reflection

As I learn more about different styles and philosophies of teaching, it becomes increasingly apparent that I am not in a classroom that teaches the way I would if it were mine. When I first entered the class, I was enchanted by how adorable the children were, how kind and welcoming the teacher was, and the fact that finally, I was in a classroom, and I got to TEACH. But once the initial excitement wore off, I started to realize that I did not enjoy many of the worksheets the children did, copying the same letter over and over again. And a few weeks ago, my host teacher excitedly told me that they were now writing words instead of letters on these worksheets. I couldn't help thinking: what's the difference? These aren't their own words, or even their own letters. They're copying. I don't mean to say that they're not learning valuable skills - many of us were taught like this and obviously turned out fine. But I wonder if there is a way that they could learn the same things in a more interesting and creative way. Unfortunately, I have to write a lesson plan that goes along with this method. It's not at all what I would like a guided writing lesson to be.

However, I'm struggling with whether or not my own ideal is really possible in a Kindergarten classroom. Most every example we've read about, seen in class, or watched on a video has been from at least first grade. The students can draw independently, and write some letters. But many cannot. In my classroom, there are several students who don't know all their letters and have fairly poor fine motor control. While I know that in my own class, I would give all the students more freedom to write independently, it's possible that I would have issues justifying my method to other teachers and faculty, as well as how it meets up with standards. I can just hear them telling me, "They're just drawing!" As a result, I'm interested to see how an older classroom operates and if it would be easier there to implement a more holistic writing curriculum.

After reading a chapter in Kidwatching: Documenting Children's Literacy Development, by Gretchen Owocki and Yetta Goodman, I got a better idea of the kind of classroom I want to have, and it gave me faith that it's really possible. The authors belief that learning in school should be purposeful and meaningful. This is achieved when "children find the curriculum relevant to their personal and social words; own their learning activities; and make choices about what and how they will learn." (Owocki and Goodman, 22) They believe that instructors should let students questions, interests, and ideas drive the curriculum. I wholeheartedly agree with this idea. In my classroom, I want students to feel like there is a reason for their learning above all things. If they have a reason, they will have motivation to learn.