Reflection #9 March 17-21 This week my students were a bit wild. I think it had to do with the fact that they knew they had a fieldtrip on Friday. It was a little challenging to have them settle down. At this point I have learned that whenever there is a fun and exciting activity coming up, my students are not the best behaved. I guess that’s part of their childhood expectations. Still this week I can say it was a challenging one. Asking them to pay attention, competing with students talking in the back while I’m giving class; I even felt tempted to give yet another disciplinary notice, which seems to be the only thing that makes them screech and shudder in fear. Isn’t funny how a piece of paper can have so much power in it? What was my solution as a teacher to this big problem? I gave my classes with the disciplinary notebook on top of my desk and whenever they got out of hand all I had to do was show them the notebook. I can’t say I used to feel good about taking disciplinary measures with students. But lately, I feel less guilty about it. I think I matured in this area of my professional life. I didn’t let them be disrespectful but now, whenever I stand my ground, I don’t feel bad about it. Each day that passes, I feel more and more like a teacher. Finally, Friday came and the students were even more excited than before, except that when I get to the school I receive a call from my cooperating teacher that she was not going to be able to make it to the fieldtrip because both she and her son woke up sick. Of course I started to panic. All I kept thinking was, you’re leaving me alone? But, once again I shook away the fear of messing everything up and I went up to the fourth grade classroom. Mrs. Iralys had told me where everything was and to take care of everything concerning the group. I looked for the permission slips and before I knew it we were at the “Museo del Niño” at Carolina. This was my first fieldtrip as a teacher. Constant head counts, making sure everyone is together and not running astray. Making sure no one is or got hurt, triple checking the lists and basically taking them from point A to point B successfully. Yes, easier said than done; especially in a place like the “Museo del Niño”. After uniting both third grade groups with my fourth grade group the adventure began. We started with the plane and then the go-karts ride, which I have to say that I rode for free because two of my students were not allowed to go by themselves and they had to be accompanied by an adult and it ended up being me. Sometimes I forget I’m an adult now. After the thrill ride we went inside, except that inside was complete chaos. Kids running around everywhere and all I could think was, just make sure you bring everyone back and that you don’t take another student by mistake. It was really difficult to keep everyone in the same area with our tour guide because they all wanted to visit everything at the same time. One of the third grade teachers and I took charge. We created a type of perimeter and did not allow anyone to go to any other station before the group and the tour guide got there. They needed to understand they have to follow instructions; although to be fair, we had a lot of distracting competition for this lesson. One particular thing I did not like from this trip is that we were suppose to be three teachers and at least 7 parents, and the only ones working hard was one of the third grade teachers and me. Constantly I would ask the other third grade teacher for help and all she did was sit and complain she was tired. I have to add that she around my age so she is supposed to have enough energy to work with adrenaline rushed
students. But, I just saw it as part of my professional development. Sadly, I know that this will happen to me again. Perhaps in a different scenario but it will still happen to me again. Overall, it was a good week. I have to admit I was a little excited as well. I think it is needless to say that by the time I got home all I wanted to do was fall flat in my bed and to wake up on Monday morning but it was an amazing experience. It gave me insight on how some co-worker or even parents will respond to some situations; it helped me develop new strategies for fieldtrips and I felt really proud of the fact the all of my kids came back safe and sound.