3rd Grade at NPMM

Soooo, Friday was my last day at Normal Park. (I've blogged before about some of my experience as a PDS teacher at NPMM.)

My second classroom placement started on February 27. I was in Ms. Emily Lawson's third grade class, and I absolutely loved it! I really enjoyed working with Emily and getting to know her - and, of course, I loved the kids!




Me and Ms. Lawson's 3rd grade class
on my last day at NPMM

One of my favorite things about Emily's teaching was that she always made learning fun and exciting. Her students were always so interested in what she was teaching them. She constantly had students running up to her desk with a huge smile, holding the math problems they finished, a book they started reading, or the story they were writing.



I was able to work with the students one-on-one and in small groups quite a bit while I was in this class. Through that I was able to watch the students as they learned and came to understand new things. It's so exciting to see students finally "get it" - I love how they get so proud of themselves (as they should be!)

The third grade was studying a module on community and government when I started my placement with them. At the end of each module (every 9 weeks), NPMM has an "Exhibit Night" to show off what they've been learning. Parents and people from the community come to walk through the halls, and students from each class are assigned as docents to tell visitors about the exhibits and what they've been learning. It was neat to see everything come together and see each grade's completed exhibits!

After exhibit night, third grade started a module on Australia. We took a Learning Expedition to the Hunter Art Museum for the students to study art and landforms. We also walked from the lower school to the upper school as a LE. The students had to create a map along the way. 

The class wrote poems about an Australian landform while I was with them. When I left last week, they were working on writing their own folktales. I was surprised by how creative some of them are! I'm excited to go back and read their final products!



I also got to see some great classroom and behavior management in her class. There were times when things happened that made me think, "It's a good thing I'm just here to learn right now, because I would not know what to do if I were the teacher.." I was always impressed with the way Emily handled the different situations, though, and I definitely did learn a lot from observing her (and Sara) this semester.





I made bookmarks to give the kids on my last day with them..
and left them a bowl of smarties for TCAP treats this week :)



And they gave me this book, signed by all of the class, on my last day :)
{The Kissing Hand, by Audrey Penn} so sweet!

I'm so thankful that I decided to do PDS! I learned a TON just from being in the school; some things just can't be learned by listening to a professor. I already miss being at Normal Park and seeing the kids --- but I plan to go back to visit and tag along on some more learning expeditions soon.... :) :)



Maybe one day I'll be back for student teaching.. or teaching...? :)