Student Teaching Experience Settings

Munhall Elementary
St. Charles Community School District 303
St. Charles, Illinois
4^th Grade

Munhall Elementary

Munhall Elementary was everything I could have hoped for in terms of a student teaching placement. I witnessed a community that strived to achieve success and would do anything to provide the best learning environment for every student. Immediately I observed that the educators prided themselves on instilling a passion for learning and held themselves to an incredibly high standard of quality education. This was demonstrated through a myriad of means, be it the numerous collaborative meetings, the creativity behind every lesson, or the outstanding level of communication to the parents. Munhall's mission is to provide an education that will enhance the students' abilities to "Catch the Spirit of lifelong learning, think critically and creatively, respect themselves, others, and their environment, to meet life's demands with confidence, and model productive citizenship." I feel that each member of the Munhall community demonstrates their adherence to this mission without fail. Because of this experience, I have witnessed strong and effective teaching strategies that I will emulate throughout my career.

My classroom consisted of 27 4^th grade students with an immense amount of diversity. This included ELL students, students with emotional, behavioral, physical, and learning disabilities, and various ethnicities and socioeconomic backgrounds. This class is lead by my Cooperating Teacher, who is in her tenth year of teaching. She has been a wonderful model for me and has been recognized for her outstanding teaching, most notably through her win of the "Teacher of the Year" award through Wal-Mart. There was also an aide in the classroom and a high-school helper.

The learning process is enhanced through the collaboration of the students working together. Because the desks are placed in groups of four (and divided by region, which they will later study this year in Social Studies), the students are able to foster ideas and enhance their understanding through the explanation and help of others. They are able to demonstrate their ability to work cooperatively and willingly accept one another's ideas. Classroom community and trust is built along with kindness and patience. Students, in this type of setting, become aware of not only their own strengths, but also the strengths of others. Their appreciation of one another grows and thus provides an optimal learning environment. I feel that because I played a role in establishing the seating arrangement, I am better prepared to create a classroom setting that will provide an atmosphere that fosters learning.

My Classroom