EDUC 2010 Psychology of Human Development for Teachers

Service Learning

NAME Claudia Jaynes

Date November 11, 2016
 VISION FOR MY FUTURE

Here is what I want to accomplish this year:

Education: This year I would like to finish all my classes that I need to have for graduation for
the spring. After I finish my education courses, I will be more educated on how to become the
best teacher I can be. Once I do so, I will be a step closer fulfilling my dream of becoming an
educator for young children.

Career: I have always loved young children, so I thought it would be interesting to learn how to
teach them. This semester, I have done my service learning in a kindergarten class at a local
elementary school in my area. I know the principal well and would like to be able to teach at this
school one I have my licensure.

Family and Friends: I have a very large family and multiple friends. My 1st cousin and I are
both going into the education field. I am an early childhood major and she has a special
education major. We have had some of the same classes over this past year. She is a year ahead of
me so now that I am taking the classes she has, she can fill me in on the information she has
learn as well.

Involvement and Service to My Community: There is always something that can be done
around the community. Just the smallest thing as picking up trash along the road or racking
leaves for a neighbor is always very helpful.

Personal Growth: I want to make sure I will be the best I can be for my upcoming classes that I
will teach in the future. I am absorbing all the information I can learn from all areas from the
education courses I am enrolled in. Nobody is perfect, we all learn as we go through life.
Service Learning Project

Name: Claudia Jaynes

Course Title: EDUC 2010
Date: November 11, 2016
Agency Name: Mosheim Elementary School

Agencys Mission Statement/ Grades Served/ Community Needs:

Mosheim Elementary/Middle school is a Greene County school serving pre-kindergarten

through eighth grade with a total of around 1,000 students. The staff of this school is around 100
members that ranger from principal and vice principals, teachers for general, gifted and special
education, bus drivers, cafeteria workers, teacher assistants and secretaries for the elementary
and middle school offices. Mosheims enrollment continues to increase year after year. The
website for the school includes the following Mission Statement: Learning today for a better
tomorrow.

Prologue: What do you expect to get from your service learning experience (i.e., how will this
experience help YOU develop)? How will it impact your learning and link to class materials?
How do you think the students and staff will perceive you? What goals do you have for the
semesters Service Learning experience? What fears do you have (if any) about service
learning?

This was my first experience of service learning. I was both excited and nervous at the
same time. I didnt know how the classroom would function on a day to day basis. I expected to
just observe the class. I feel like once you see a situation that happens in a classroom that relates
to the material that you are learning, then it will help you remember that information for the
future. The students were aware that I was coming into their classroom to help for a few weeks.
They were excited to meet someone new and to have them in their classroom. I hope the teachers
would inform me on any information that would help me to become a better teacher in the future.
I hope to build my confidence with working with a large group.

First Agency Visit: (Overview of Events)

 I met with the principal of Mosheim Elementary School, Tim Shelton, in his office, to
discuss my service learning project for one of my education classes. We completed all required
paperwork.

Mr. Shelton took me to the classroom to show me where I would be working, then I met
my supervising teacher, Mrs. Shaver that was my 3rd grade teacher years ago, to discuss the days
and times I would be coming to complete my 18 hours of service learning. She was very excited
that I was working with her. I was excited myself because of the connection I have had with her
in the past.

ABCs of Reflections

Affect: How did the experience feel?

I felt like I belonged in that classroom with that age group. I felt that this is the area that I
would enjoy to work in. This grade level very entertaining. I love young children, so it is
very exciting for me to be able to learn how to teach them for the years to come. Day
after day, I looked forward to going to my classroom, even though I only had a few visits
with them. My time with my class was coming to an end. I was saddened to leave on my
last day in the kindergarten classroom. I look forward to follow up with my supervising
teacher so I can complete more service learning hours in her class.

What did it remind you of?

It reminded me of being back in my own kindergarten classroom again. Learning the days
of the week, number letters etc. As a child in kindergarten myself, I would love to come
to school and see my teacher. I knew each day we would learn something new and
exciting. Being back in the classroom again reminded me of how I loved school in the
early years. It also reminded me how I would like to set up my classroom in the future.

How did your apprehension change or your confidence grow?

The children thought of me very highly. With everyone wanting my help made me feel
needed and wanted for something that I was very much capable of. The children looked
forward to my return. They followed my directions. They wanted me to read a book to the
whole class, but I was not quite ready to do so. My confidence continued to grow day
after day. I am usually shy in a new environment, but once I was comfortable in this
classroom I loved being with the kids and working with them and watching them grow
each week. After my 18 hours in the classroom, I felt like I could teach this class.

Did you feel successful, effective, and knowledgeable?

I feel successful, effective and knowledgeable. Everyone wanted my help. This made me
feel like I can handle these children. Children were ready to learn once assigned to my
group and would listen to my directions for the worksheet for that day. Being in a
classroom with the age group I want to work with makes me want to work harder and
become the best I can be.

Behavior: What did you (student) do, observe, read, and hear?
During my first visit, I observed the class on the classroom rug during the early morning.
All students were excited to start the day. One student was not very happy to be at school.
She did not want to participate in any part of the classroom activities during that first
morning. My second visit I observed, during a bathroom break, I had the same child that
had misbehaved before in the classroom to misbehave in the hallway after her bathroom
break. After each child washed their hands, they would receive a small paper towel. I
handed her one after I asked her to return to the bathroom to wash her hands because she
did not do so before. She came out grabbed her towel from me and threw it away without
drying her hands. I seen during my third visit, that there was one little boy that was not
paying attention during the class was all on the rug listening to the teachers instruction.

Who was involved, what was said?

For the first visitation, the whole class was involved during this time. The teacher asked
the class to show their happy faces and Madalyn frowned. The teacher asked her to smile
and she replied, This is how I come to school every day. The teacher just ignored her
because this is a reoccurring thing for this child to act up during class activities. For a 5
year old, she has very much attitude to go around for all of us. Myself and the
misbehaving child, Madalyn, was involved in this situation at the bathroom. After she
grabbed the napkin out of my hand and just tossed it in the trash, I asked her Why did
you throw that away since you needed that to dry your hands?. She just shrugged her
shoulders and got into line. I asked her politely not to act in this manner. During the last
incident, the whole class was involved. After the teacher constantly called upon Dennis to
turn around and to pay attention, he would sit back down and watch her for a few seconds
then move once again. After about the third time, she moved him next to me at my table.

What happened as a result of your work?

During this time, I just observed the class since it was my first day. I observed how the
teacher handled the situation so in the future I will be aware how to handle instances like
these. Some students just want attention because they may not be receiving that at home
so they misbehave at school to receive some sort of attention. During the bathroom
incident, she did not acknowledge my authority and did not act like it bothered her that
she acted this way towards someone who was helping her. After Dennis was placed
beside me at the table, he still did not want to listen. I asked him to pay attention to his
teacher, he then turned around and faced her to listen to instruction.
Cognition/Content: What did the experience make you think?
A loop and a line make the number 9. This is what the kids were repeating to each other
during our math class. They were using the information processing theory to help them
remember how to make a 9. The teacher made this statement to the class at the beginning
of the lesson and once we were all in groups they knew what to do. That statement got
their attention moved from sensory memory to working memory and eventually to long
term memory. The students kept quiet in the hallways when moving from class to the
bathroom, lunch or another classroom.

How did it change your thinking about(learning theory, learning strategy,

social/moral development)?
These children at this age think differently. It takes time for them to process information
and to make sense of that as well. Social and moral development was also observed
during my time. Initiative vs. Guilt in Eriksons theory. Children make their own
decisions. If they make poor decisions, they will have a punishment for their actions.

What did you learn?

Once you grab their attention with something catchy that they will remember, they will
keep using that study tactic without even thinking about it. Different learning tactics
work for this age group. Some learn the information just being talked about during rug
time, when others need more hands-on learning.

What worked?
Having a catchy phrase for these children to learn helps them remember for the future
assignments. Peace and quiet in the hallway worked for behavior in the hallways.
Students are to place one finger over their tiny mouths to keep quiet and with their other
hand two fingers in the air for peace.

Decisional:
What, if any, shifts have you had in knowledge, awareness, or understanding that
affects how you see things and, ultimately, how you will act.
Through this experience, I have learned what grade level I would like to teach. With this
young group, you must show each child the same amount of attention. Each child is there
to learn day by day. Some need more help than others. You must also keep them
entertained, but also show authority. The students always want to make you happy. You
must encourage each child to succeed on their own.

What will you do differently next time?

For next time, I need to show more authority. I would like for myself to go around the
classroom and help every child that needs help instead of working with just a small
group. I must be understanding with the children and make sure I have their attention.
Not all can be fun in the classroom. there is a time and place for fun activities and for a
time to sit and listen to learn for the day.

What decisions or opinions have you formed?

I like how in her classroom that she had her own library so the children could read a book
of their choice during their leisure time. Also, that the classroom used technology for the
children, students had a certain time when they could play on the iPads. When I say play,
they worked on the alphabet with child games.

How will the experience affect your career path, your personal life choices or your
use of new information, skills or technology?
With this experience, I can see how to take care of my own children in the classroom in
the future. With having two classes that require service learning, I have been in two
different classrooms. For this one, I have worked with the kindergartener and 4th grade on
my other service learning project. Between the two, I have could see what grade level I
belong in, kindergarten.

Epilogue:
Reflect on your semesters service learning experience.
I was able to work hands on with the children. The class was amazing! They all looked forward
to my return. I enjoyed feeling like I was appreciated for the work I was doing. I really enjoyed
working with this age group.

Revisit the prologue. Have your expectations been met?

For my first day, I was hesitant with working with the children. I did not know if they would like
to work with since I was a stranger in the classroom. comes to find out, kindergartners love new
people. As soon as I walked in the door a student said, I want Miss. Jaynes to read me a book.
That day I did not read to them, but on my third visit I had a group of about 5 students that sat on
the rug and listened to me read them a book. I also worked one on one with children and in
groups. This gave me an idea on how I would explain to the class how to do something.

How have you been surprised, delighted, or dismayed by the experience? Give specific
examples.
I was very delighted to work with this class. I was grateful to have the opportunity to learn in this
classroom environment. The children are so upbringing. Even if you are having a bad morning,
you can go into their classroom and instantly have a better day than expected. The children are
constantly happy to learn and play. One student, Collin, wanted me to help him constantly. He
was such an upbringing for me to be able to come in the class and wanting my assistance. That
little smile and sweet voices have me hooked.

How could this experience be improved?

I enjoyed being in the classroom for my 18 hours of service learning. If I had the time, I would
have spent more time with the class.

VISION FOR MY FUTURE

Here is what I want to accomplish in the next five years:

Education: Within the next 5 years I would like to have my Associate of Science in Early
Childhood Education and continue to ETSU to graduate with a Bachelors of Early Childhood
Education to teach children in PreK-3.

Career: I hope to have started my student teaching at Mosheim Elementary, where I completed
my service learning. With completing student teaching at this school, I hope to get my foot in the
door to later have a job opportunity to teach at this school.
 Family and Friends: In the next five years, I see myself with a house and married. I am not
sure to whom that will be. Friendships with continue to grow in college with my classmates, as a
further my education in my Early Childhood major.

Involvement and Service to My Community: I would like to contribute more to my

community. Take food to the elderly, pick up trach around my neighborhood and helping
neighbors with odd jobs that they may need help completing.

Personal Growth: I would like to help those in need a lot more than I do now. Some people on
the streets need money and food just to survive. Just because you dont know their story doesnt
give you the right to judge them. Helping one who is in need will make me feel better about
myself for helping them.

Here are the Knowledge and Skills that I have acquired as a direct result of taking part in this
Service Learning project:
The curriculum is always changing. Through this experience, I have acquired the knowledge of
how an everyday classroom works and what material is gone over through the week. By the time
I have my teaching licensure, the curriculum may have changed again.

Here is how this Service Learning project ties in with my EDUC 2010 Psychology of Human
Development for Teachers class:
This service earning project connects to my EDUC 2010 class. I observed Piagets cognitive
development theory of constructivism. Students construct instead of absorbing knowledge from
experience. Students were learning how to count to 10, 20, 30 and on to 100. With knowing how
to count to 10, they can then count by tens to reach 100.

My Contribution to the Community

I have devoted 18 hours to my Service Learning project. Here are four lasting experiences that
are an outcome of my Service Learning project:
1. To be aware of your students learning capabilities.
2. I will always have students that will misbehave in the classroom. I have to learn discipline
strategies on how to handle these situations.
3. Always look to the bright side. You will aquire more knowledge about teaching as you teach
different students in your different years of teaching.
4. Keep parents informed of their childs progress weekly.