Field blog 6 and final field post blog

Today is my final observation at Height High. It has been interesting and memorable. When I went into the class room, I saw that Ms. Russell was frantically trying to set up the class room because the key to her room did not work, so she was late. I helped her pass out laptops and markers. Right when we finished the students started coming in for first period. I now know how the class is set up and how Ms. Russell runs the class. She always has a bell work so the students can warm their brains up and review past material. Then she gives them an independent assignment. She allows them to do this for a little bit, and then she goes over the independent work as a class. She does this so that the students can see what they know by themselves, and then she can make sure they are understanding the work. Today the students are working on a final project. They are supposed to create charts about the reaction rates of enzymes. The students use different colored markers to help them distinguish the data. This project is a better assessment of their knowledge than a test because the students have ample amount of time, and they can apply their knowledge on the subject. Both her second and first period classes work on the projects for the entire period.

Coming to Heights High opened my eyes. My entire life, I attended a public suburban high school that was in an affluent area. Heights High introduced me to people of different cultures, ethnicities, and backgrounds. Ms. Russell allowed me to see that teachers must be patient, kind, but accepting of students. She always gave her students respect so they students gave her respect. Ms. Russell is a good teacher because she never gave up on a child. She knew when she had to stop pushing a child that day, but she never stopped supporting a child. She had personal connections with every student and it allowed the students to trust her. The field observations helped me affirm that I want to be a high school biology teacher.