#8: Self Reflection

I made a lot of connections between my service learning and course material. I liked being able to see the concepts from the course material in the real world. It also helped me explain what I was seeing. Reflecting on experiences in the classroom has helped me notice things I wouldn't have if I didn't have to write about it. 
I saw improvements in understanding of what it means to be a teacher. I probably would've seen more improvements if I had spread my service learning out over the whole semester so that I had new experiences every week to write about. 

All in all, the service learning I did helped me see what it would be like to be a teacher. It helped me see what I'll want to use in my future classroom and what I don't want to do in my future classroom. It helped give the course material real-life context, and it engaged my mind more than the lessons and work online would've. 

#7: Standards

In my first service learning classroom (5th grade), the mornings when I was there were devoted almost entirely to math. This could be a reflection of the requirement by the state of Utah to have students be tested on math from 3rd to 8th grade. I also saw the difference between standards in WHAT to teach and a teacher's choice of HOW to teach things. Instead of teaching traditionally, the teacher had them watching instructional YouTube videos about the math concept for homework, and doing some supplemental work and a small quiz in class.

In my second service learning classroom (2nd grade), I saw more emphasis on English Language Arts. They did grammar worksheets, read with a volunteer parent in the halls, and worked on fixing faulty sentences. They also worked on some math in the mornings as a starter. Both math and Language Arts are core subjects with standards on where the students need to be by the end of the year.