Job shadow reflection

On September 12, 2014 I job shadowed Maricela Gonzales (Ms. Gonzales), a fifth grade
teacher at Jefferson Elementary school who has thought for ten years and was my teacher in her
first year. I arrived at 7:30 which was 30 minutes before the appointment time (8:00) and joined
her outside where she had yard duty. Many of her students and former students would greet her
and talk to her during this time which showed how much they admire her. After the bell rang the
students lined up and began to walk in to the class, taking their seats, and greeting each other.
During her homeroom period and English period I noticed some children bringing huge
amounts of bottles of water of all sizes but I didnt know why they were doing this. Until Ms.
Gonzales explained to me how some children in the school have been getting their water from a
well in their homes but because of the drought those wells became empty. So her class began to
organize ways in how not only the school can help these people but also the community. Some of
their ideas were clubs, events, flyers, posters, and other schools help. After this the class began to
work on their assignments and I would help some of those students that were stuck or confused
as well as help the teacher grade papers or labels in the computer. During P.E I and a few
students would play tag along with Ms. Gonzales and got along better for a little while then we
headed back to class. For lunch I went with Maricela and a group of teachers to El Mocajete
and got to know each other better since they some new teachers and other that were part of other
schools.
The thing that I like about this experience was that I got to see my old second grade
teacher and I got to know how a teacher interacts with the students of younger age. I also like
how the fifth graders care about their classmates by helping them during this drought and how
they come up with ways to help/involve the community of Lindsay. Also I like how the students

and teachers are kind to each other and respectful by raising their hands when they want to
speak. What I dislike about the experience was witnessing some children cry about the water
issue because it reminds me of when I was a little girl and our family had economic issues. These
two issues are the same because they both make the family feel like theirs no hope and affect the
childrens studies. This experience taught me how a teacher has to cooperate and work with the
students even through tough times and how to help them in many ways. Teaching also is hard
work and time consuming every day since a teacher must grade papers, come up with new
assignments, and place grades for many students in different classes.
In my opinion I am a little interested in this job since I do love to teach and help others
when they need help but I would not want to make this my main career goal. However when I
help others with anything it makes me feel good about myself and gives me the idea that I know
what I had been taught. But my interest seem to lean more on medicine especially when it comes
to dealing with the human mind and the way I want to help others is not by teaching them but by
finding solution to their medical problems.