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Trinity Christian College Field Experience Form Context for Learning Description of School and Students About the School Where You Are Observing or doing Field Experience School Name and City: Hilda Walker, Frankfort Square, IL Type of School: Intermediate (grades 5-6) Setting: Suburban Write your responses to the three questions below in paragraph form. 1.    List any special features of the school or classroom setting (e.g., themed magnet, classroom aide, bilingual, co-taught with a special education t eacher, pull-out program). I am in a PE setting, and the two special features I have seen are aides in the room during the period's individual needs students are attending, and special programs such as speech pulling students out. 2.    Describe any district, school, or cooperating teacher requirements or expectations that affect the planning or delivery of instruction, such as required curricula, pacing plan, use of specific instr...

Wow! It's amazing how fast these past 6 weeks have flown by! It's also amazing how much I have learned in such a short amount of time. 6 weeks ago I was barely able to use Microsoft Word, and had never even attempted to use Google Chrome. Last night, I was making videos with my boys and having a blast playing on "Quick, Draw!" with them. Beginning this class I was petrified. I have always considered myself "technologically illiterate" so the thought of using a computer for anything other than Facebook and Google searches scared the ba-jee-bus out of me (I'm not sure if I made that term up or not, but you get the idea.) I am so thankful that I did not let the fear hold me back though because I feel so much more confident in myself as a teacher because of this class. Having my two boys in school, I see how important the use of technology is becoming in the school environment, and it is only going to continue to grow as the years' progress. Gaining th...

It's time I come clean! I admit it! I am a Fidget Spinner spinner! When I first saw a fidget spinner while substitute teaching in a classroom, I was confused as to what the thing even was. A piece of plastic with 4 ball bearings found in my son's skateboard, I didn't understand the concept at all, but the kids were obsessed with the things. Of course, they were on my sons' Christmas Wishlists, and for $.99, my wife and I figured, "Why not?!" Upon the kids opening them, I had to find out what the big deal was, so I asked to see one and was instantly hooked. The soothing sound of the ball bearings rotating, the way the weight of the spinner transitions from side to side as you tip it back and forth between the fingertips: everything about the silly little toy is very relaxing to me. As a kid in school, I was always getting in trouble for doing things at my desk while I was supposed to be sitting still. I would glue things to the inside of my desk, color in the...

While scrolling through Facebook this week I came across a video posted by one of my friends, which I later found on YouTube. The name of  the video is Man Vs. Earth, and it was published by Prince Ea. At 5 minutes 42 seconds long, it is fairly lengthy, but worth the watch. Essentially, the video is a breakdown of humans effect on Earth. It takes the lifespan of Earth as we know and breaks it down to a 24 hour time period, then takes the lifespan of humans (homo-sapiens), and fits it into the 24 hour time period to give a perspective on how long humans have been on Earth. The answer (spoiler alert), 3 seconds. It then goes on to explain all the damage humans have created on Earth in those three seconds. Examples of such damage includes pollution, oil spills in the oceans, loss of animal habitats by cutting down trees, subsequently endangering many species on Earth long before humans were ever around, etc. It also goes on to explain what can happen to Earth if humans continue on the...