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The Big Five

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The Big Five is a taxonomy that is used to group personality traits and allows scientists and doctors to study different specific spheres of personality traits that are related to each other rather than studying each specific characteristic individually. The five categories that make up the big five are extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, emotional stability, and openness. Extraversion refers to the extent to which a person actively engages with the world and how much they avoid social activity or engagement. You can think of extraversion as a scale where on one end you have extreme extraverts who thrive off of social interaction, and on the other end you have an introvert who is usually quiet and keeps to himself most of the time. A more recent term, ambivert, describes someone who falls in the middle of the scale. Extroverts tend to interact well with others and perform well in social scenarios. Agreeableness refers to how warm and compassionate a person is or how helpf...
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February Mentor Meeting Reflection

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This month my mentor and I talked about different procedures that she uses in her classroom. Daily questions and having students create an interactive notebook where they take notes in a creative way are some of the strategies Mrs. Milligan uses in her classroom. She teaches these procedures to students by modeling them and walking them through it during the first week of school. She explained that classroom procedures are very important because they help students keep up with the class work and helps set the tone for the classroom. She has basic rules that she expects students to follow like showing respect for everyone, not acting out, and not being on phones. It's important to communicate rules to students and parents to make sure they are aware of the expectations. She usually explains the basic rules in a syllabus and has it signed by students and parents. Then, if she needs to deal with individual students she will either call or email parents. Sometimes student behavior  c...
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January Mentor Meeting Reflection

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On January 10th, my mentor and I met for the fifth time this year. This time we talked about getting to know your students and parents. My mentor uses strategies like playing games on the first day of school, discussing grades with students one on on throughout the school year, and greeting kids at the door all of which help her to better connect with students. To communicate with parents she emails, calls, participates in parent teacher conferences, or sends letters home. Depending on the situation she might use different methods but does make sure to inform parents of what's going on. My mentor believes that it is vitality important to keep in touch with parents because it usually helps behavior in class, and as a teacher you would want the parents on your side by letting them know what is happening. This is all great advice, even though I may not have to do this until I start teaching it is good information to know going forward.
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December Mentor Meeting Reflection

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On December 4th, my mentor and I met for the fourth time this year. This month we discussed interviewing for jobs. My mentor has had experience with two interviews, one where there were a group of people went around and asked questions and the second were it was one on one. She advised me to do lots of research on the school before hand that way it shows that you are interested in the job. She also said that learning about the school culture is important. For example, when she was applying at central she mentioned the diversity that central is known for in some of her responses. She also suggested reviewing common questions asked in interviews, that way it's easier to respond to the types of questions they ask, even though they might not be the exact same. There are obvious things like dressing professional, being on time, and staying positive that we also discussed. Learning how to present myself in an interview has helped me to be better prepared for the real ones i will...
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Field Experience Reflection

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This year I observed a first, third, and seventh grade class at Gibbs Elementary School and Pulaski Heights Middle School. The teachers all applied various different methods, theories and philosophies of teaching in their classrooms, some of which we have learned in my Excel class. The teachers’ classes I observed focused on classroom culture, learner’s engagement and the different types of learners in their classes.  On October 8, 2019 I observed Mrs. Lacy’s 3rd grade class at Gibbs Elementary School. Though I’m sure I do not want to work with elementary aged kids in my future career, it was a great opportunity to learn different strategies and skills that enhance student learning in the classroom. When I walked into her classroom for the first time, I immediately took note of the seating arrangement. I knew that the seating charts were an important part of the teacher’s classroom. Mrs. Lacy’s desks were grouped into tables of four and moved the kids around a lot, this way t...
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November Mentor Meeting Reflection

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On November 5th, my mentor and I met for the third time this year. This month’s topic was building a resume and the role it plays in a teacher’s career. To improve a resume my mentor suggested adding different volunteer work and work experience you have that will make you seem like a more well rounded person. By adding places you have volunteered/ worked in different environments, it makes you seem more qualified for a teaching position and puts you one step ahead of others applying for that same job. She also suggested adding your GPA to your resume if it's above a “B” average because it shows that excelling in classes was a priority of yours and proves you more likely to use that same work ethic in your job. When applying for most teaching positions, schools don't interview you if your resume is weak or not well put together.  Learning about the importance of a strong resume will prepare me for the expectations that I need to meet when I go to apply for a job in any field, ...
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October Mentor Metting Reflection

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On Monday, October the 14th my mentor, Mrs. Milligan and I meet for the second time this year. This month’s topic is about learning about what a teaching license is and the process you would need to go through to obtain it. My mentor is licensed to teach social studies and english as a foreign language (but still needs to take to Praxis exam). She had to take three different tests and had to go through an education program which covered how to teach an AP class and offered 24 credit hours along with other classes such as behavioral science. To renew a teaching license in Arkansas you have to go through the state every five years. We also talked about professional development. Most school districts offer opportunities for professional development and there are also programs such as APSI offered over summer, all of which my mentor attends. Learning about professional development and teaching licenses have helped build my knowledge about the teaching field. I learned that these are b...
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