Throughout this semester, I was placed at Brookdale Elementary School in Mrs.

Murrays class, where I had the wonderful opportunity of working with some extraordinary fourth graders. I visited her classroom on most Mondays, Thursdays, and Fridays in the morning from eight oclock to ten oclock. During this time period, her class was participating in math instruction, which is also my cognate. The students became fond of my presence and were excited on the days I came to Brookdale to assist in their classroom. Observing Mrs. Murrays fourth grade class taught me a lot of how managing twenty students alone requires classroom management, a positive attitude, and a strong backbone. There were some tough days in her class when the students were hyperactive, not listening, and focused on everything besides what Mrs. Murray was saying. Even on the unpleasant and tiring days in this fourth grade class, I enjoyed spending time with the students and was reassured that teaching is the profession for me. I have grown professionally as a result of this field experience because I was able to assist with instruction and learn many teaching strategies. My mentor teacher was very helpful, cooperative, and supportive when I had control of the class. She guided me when I seemed stuck, and prepared me for potential situations that might possibly occur while I was in control. The students responded fairly well to me when I had full control and when I was in charge. This group of students did not respond well to instruction at all, so I was grateful for them listening when I gave instruction or when I was teaching. Mrs. Murrays fourth grade class was simply a very talkative group, and it did not matter who was sitting next to whom because every student talked to each other. The talking in the class was excessive ninety percent of the time. Mrs. Murray was constantly trying to get the students quiet, and I would think to myself What would I do if I were the teacher?. In those tough scenarios, I would reflect after leaving the school to figure out a way to reach the students in a positive manner, unlike Mrs. Murray. Some situations that occurred this field experience made me doubt myself in some aspects of teaching. I am not a push over when it comes to students, but I am not the mean Grinch teacher, either. I try to keep a balance of nice and stern. I know I have the potential of becoming a great teacher, but I worry that I am not receiving the right/best coaching or mentoring. Classes can only prepare a teacher candidate so much for the classroom; we need good and quality field work experience. Throughout this field experience at Brookdale Elementary, I consider Mrs. Murray to be an average teacher, but not someone that I aspire to become. I built a great relationship with my mentor teacher, but I saw many personality flaws that showed and reflected in how she treated the students. I believe that the students are the main focus and the most important person in the classroom, but she did not treat them like they were valuable or knowledgeable. In fact, she said some hurtful things to them daily. She did not make them feel like they were smart; she would ask me loudly why they do not know their multiplication facts yet in a rude, demeaning way. I did not like how she spoke to them in

the classroom either. There is a polite and respectful way to speak to children in the classroom, and I did not feel like she exhibited any of those characteristics. She expected respect from the class, but she did not respect them at all. While I spent time in her classroom, I made it my job to stay positive and treat those students with respect because they were not receiving that from their own teacher or other surrounding teachers in the departments. The teachers were not uplifting the students; they were unknowingly pushing those students down. It hurt my heart going to that school and seeing the students being treated with insolence. Mrs. Murray taught me a lot this year, but the main thing she taught me was what not to do when I get my own class. I appreciated her taking the time to be my mentor teacher, but she has a lot to learn about how to treat others and students.