Name: Victoria Williams

EDUC 250 Final Journal Reflection Form

Reflection # 8
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Part I
Date: 11/10/2014
Time: 1:55-4:00
School: Clear Creek Elementary
Cooperating Teacher: Becky Dixon
Grade: Kindergarten
Number of Students Present: 15
List of Activities (from Daily Log)
Rets time, meeting/demonstration of activities for stations, stations, choice time/community
helpers project books
Part II: Critical Incident Analysis
1. Account of the incident

What happened, where and when; who was involved?

What was your role/involvement in the incident?

What was the context of this incident (what led to the incident)?

What was your intent and focus at this point?

After rest time, the students were putting away their mats and getting out books before
meeting. Two of the students were having a conversation about the book one of them was
holding. One student, A, commented how he read the book and thought it was very good.
During this time, a third student, B, approached and started trying to tell A about something
unrelated. A looked at him and calmly said Excuse me, Im trying to talk to [other student] right
now. B got visibly upset and came to tell me what A said. I had to calm him down and talk him

through what happened until he concluded that A was trying to be nice to both other students and
was trying to avoid being rude or mean to either one.

2. Initial responses to the incident

What were your thoughts and feelings at the time of the incident?

What were the responses of other key individuals to this incident? If not
known, what do you think these might have been?

I was initially very pleased at how polite student A was being to student B. But when
student B grew upset, I was very confused. It was easy to see that student A felt bad that B was
upset, but he knew he hadnt done anything wrong.

3. Issues and dilemmas highlighted by this incident

What dilemmas were related to this incident?

Outline any values and/or ethical issues which are highlighted by this incident.

What took you by surprise or happened in a way you didnt expect?

At first, I was surprised that A responded to the interruption so maturely and politely.
Then I was startled at how upset B was. It was very unexpected to see him so distraught over
what A had said, especially when it seemed so very polite to me. I feel that this highlights
how children look at the world in a very different perspective than adults.

4. Outcome

What were the outcomes of this incident for the various participants?

Are there ways in which this incident has led to (or might lead to) changes in
how you think, feel or act in particular situations?

What are your thoughts and feelings now about this incident?

After having student B talk me through the incident from his point of view and guiding
him to realize that student A meant no harm, he felt much better and went on to meeting without
a problem. Student A was still very confused about why student B got upset, so I explained that
at first student B just thought that A didnt want to talk to him. This incident has definitely
changed how I look at interactions between students. Even though it may seem to me as an adult
that students are having a polite conversation, it may not seem that way to other students.
Depending on their language skills and vocabularies, what seems nice to me, may seem terrible
to a young student.

5. Learning

What have you learned (about yourself, how you relate to others, how you
learn)?

What future learning needs have you identified as a result of this incident
(Scottish Social Services, 2009)?

I have learned that when observing young children together, you have to change your
perspective. If you continue to look at their interactions through the eyes of a seasoned adult,
you will not understand what they look like to other students. For a teacher, or other
observer, to help children learn from their social interactions with peers, the observer must

understand what the children experience, and help them understand what the other meant by
it.

6. INTASC Standard(s) (located in Resources on Blackboard)

Review the INTASC Standards. Which standard is most closely related to this
classroom incident? (list the Standard number and the standard, as well as
explaining the connection).

I believe this incident is most closely related to Standard #1: Learner Development: The
teacher understands how learners grow and develop, recognizing that patterns of learning and
development vary individually within and across the cognitive, linguistic, social, emotional,
and physical areas, and designs and implements developmentally appropriate and challenging
learning experiences.
I believe the incident is most closely related to this standard because this incident made it
clearly visible for me that childrens linguistic, social, and emotional development varies
widely. To teach children will require a deeper understanding of how much each child is
developed in each area. Once you understand that, you can help each one learn more and
grow where they need it the most.

Reflection
This is a journal reflection written in response to a misunderstanding between two
students. After observing these two students in a classroom context and directly interacting
with them at the time of the incident I felt the need to further reflect on the incident. I was an
interaction that stood out clearly from the rest of the days occurrences. Upon reflection of
the incident, I came to see that though I had not realized it at the time, I learned something
very important from the incident.
When confronted with one student being upset that another had said that he was speaking
to a different student, I knew that I first had to calm the upset student before explaining the
situation to him. After successfully calming the student I realized how easy it had become to
help students through emotional troubles. It also allowed me to show that I had gained
confidence in how to speak with students to make them understand what I meant without
taking down to them or making them feel belittled. This is one of my strengths as a future
educator, knowing how to communicate with students on a level that they understand and are
comfortable with.
This artifact meets InTASC standard #1 because the incident described within it allowed
me to see how students develop at different levels in more than just academics. Social and
emotional development varies across the student population as well. By seeing an example of
this, I came to understand the standard better and see that school is not just about academic
learning. Teachers must also help students develop socially and emotionally to be truly
effective in their work.
This artifact makes it clear that in the future I will need to work towards a greater
understanding of the social and emotional development of my students. To achieve this

understanding, I can have my students complete short emotional and behavioral assessments.
I can also spend time with each student to better understand their individual situation and
how best to handle situations when working on their social and emotional growth.