T. A. P.

Log
Name: Deborah Givens
School: Salford Hills Elementary
Grade Level: Second Grade
Dates: September 29; October 3, 13, 20; 27; November 3, 10, 17;
December 1, 10
St. Malachys School: October 27, 2010 (Sophomores and Juniors
ONLY)

Fall 2010

Classroom Environment
Describe effective classroom routines and procedures.
Morning Routine: The students enter the classroom and hang their coats.
Lunches go on a shelf above the coats and backpacks are hung on hooks.
The students empty their book bags and transfer their items to a prearranged
numbered cubby. Each student has a number that is given to them at the
beginning of the school year and that specific number is used on their desks
and for other various purposes. Papers or notes from home are to be placed
in a blue basket on the teachers desk. Students are to choose a book to be
used for their reading homework and to sign the book into their homework
log. This task is verified and stamped by either the teacher or the aid.
Students are then asked to put the book in their cubby and to take their daily
journals out of their desks to begin their morning meeting.
All of this information has been printed on small cards and attached to the
desks of children who need extra assistance with these tasks.
Lunch and Recess: Students are asked to gather their coats and to line up in
single file at the door. Two students are chosen to carry a large tub of
lunches to the cafeteria. Students walk quietly in single file in the hallways.
The teacher and/or aid will take students to the cafeteria and will distribute
student lunch cards if they are purchasing lunch. Cafeteria aids dismiss
students to recess and the teacher meets them at the door.
End of Day: Students record their homework assignments for the day and
the aid checks their work. If all the students have completed the work, they
obtain a marble for their jar, if not they loose a marble. Students are
dismissed by table groups and requested to pack up their book bags, get their
lunch bags, and coats. They are to wait at their desks until their bus or pick
up announcement is called. Once called, they place their chairs on top of
their desk and they are dismissed from the classroom.

How does the teacher set standards for conduct and

behavior management?
Mrs. Finlayson has been teaching for many years and she has established set
routines. Students understand her rules and they seldom challenge them.
Students are forewarned of transitions and advised to be flexible.
One method used to gain the attention of the students is a chant while
clapping, One, two, threeeyes on me. Students reply, One, two, eyes
on you! This pattern clapping is used in various situations and seems to be
a favorite way of gaining the attention and focus of the students.
Another time she pointed out one particular students behavior, as he was
ready to begin class. She asked the students to model his behavior and used
him as a reference. Boys and Girls, we need to get back in our seats, like
<students name>, as it is time to get started.
Students are constantly reminded to raise their hands for questions or
attention, be respectful of others, listen and wait, and to be fair to one
another.
The children have a basic daily schedule, however, they are taught to be
flexible, as there are many interruptions and changes throughout the daily
routine. One example was when Mrs. Finlayson advised the children to be
patient with the flickering lights, as the custodian was to fix them soon.
The teacher has developed the Character-Counts Program for the Souderton
School District and she reinforces these concepts on a daily basis.
One student became frustrated while looking in their desk for an assignment.
Mrs. Finlayson asked the student to Please stop. Look at me. What do you
do first? After the paper was found, she asked, Did you need to get all
worked up about this? What should you have done?
Students are taught to match their behavior to their peers if they need help
with behavioral issues.

How does the teacher establish expectations for student

achievement?
Mrs. Finlayson has established routines, so the children know what to
expect. She constantly reminds them to be flexible, as the schedule
fluctuates daily. This is difficult for some of the children with IEPs and
behavioral issues.
Once students read twenty books they are allowed to choose a prize from
a treasure chest.
During parent teacher conferences, Mrs. Finlayson asks the students to
attend the meetings with their parents. This allows the students to take
ownership of their work and reduces any communication issues. The
students are praised; however, any issues to be addressed are also
covered. The information is not passed to the child second hand, but
allows the student to participate in their education.
Students are reminded to be persistent, as she expects them to focus and
work hard. Cant means you dont trytry to do itwhen you try you
CAN do it!
After a short review for Writing Workshop, Mrs. Finlayson encourages
students, lets get to work and see who was listening! She expects their
attention and if they did not focus, and have questions about the topic
discussed, they are to ask a peer for help.
Students were expected to refer to the Capitalization Rules chart during
Writing Workshop, as she announced, I will be looking for capital
letters at the beginning of each sentence. They are expected to know
and understand concepts such as these and to apply them to their daily
work.

Describe the physical layout of the classroom.

The classroom is bright and cheerful with a wall of windows that
looks out to the playground area. Entering the room, the cubbies are
immediately on your right side with the teachers desk directly behind them.
There is a bathroom directly behind her desk with two storage closets. Two
file cabinets are on the wall and a coat rack with shelving is next to the
bathroom. A large bulletin board area is decorated with hopes and dreams
created by each student from the beginning of the school year. An additional
back room allows extra storage space, as well as a place for students to work
on plays. A corner designated for a Rest Stop area where We learn from
our mistakes allows a quiet area for reflection if necessary.
A table and chair is provided for visitors or aids with various papers and/or
projects.
This wall connects to the wall of windows, where a word wall has
been created, taped to the window shades. Below the windows are heaters
and built in bookshelves where there is storage for manipulatives,
whiteboards, games and toys. Many boxes of books are out for students
use, categorized by reading level letters, dictionaries, and popular series such
as Junie B Jones and Bearnstein Bears. A large bookstand displays holiday
books for special attention. Beneath this area is a large colorful alphabet rug
and a rocking chair where Mrs. Finlayson joins her class for story time and
circle time. A large white double-sided magnetic easel with storage for
books and markers is used for the daily message as well as other teaching
purposes. One side is lined and the other is plain, allowing for ease of use.
A bookcase juts out into the room at the end of the carpet area where
brightly colored tubs contain other reading materials for special classes by
student number.
Desks are arranged in the center of the room in-groups of five and they face
the opposite of the windows.
The front of the classroom (found to the left of the entrance door) is a
long wall with one centered white board, a projection screen for overhead
projector use and two bulletin boards on either side. A long number line is
found at ceiling height on two walls from 35 to 180. A chart with numbers
is found above the entrance door and a bus schedule is listed for each child.
Eleven yellow school bus cards are printed, each with a bus number and a
list of children who ride that bus. A separate system for exception children
has been created where students are listed by name and where they are to go.
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This information is written on cut out apples for September, pumpkins for
Oct./Nov. and other various seasonal related card types. A fire escape plan is
above the light switches and a hand cleaner machine completes the area.
A stand with unifix cubes is used to illustrate the number of days
spent in school. A thermometer is on the wall with color ranges: 140-100
degrees is illustrated in red, 100-80 degrees, in orange, 80-60 degrees in
yellow, 60-40 degrees in green, 40-20 in blue, and 20-0 in purple. A bar
graph for different types of weather is next to the thermometer. A monthly
calendar area noting yesterday/today/tomorrow offers the current date
information. Colored, laminated, magnetic words: Who, What, Where,
When, and Why are used for discussion and teaching purposes. Various
check lists offer rules for classroom behavior, reading and writing
workshops, and helpful hints such as Fix and Fancy and capitalization
rules. Bulletin boards are colorful and one is illustrated with Dressing our
Turkeys showing turkeys dressed by students. A clothesline hangs in a
rectangle around the room, allowing space for posters and artwork.
The wall to the right has a built in closet for storage, a row of high
cabinets with a long counter area below. A fish tank and two lap top
computers are in this area. Mrs. Finlayson took an old card catalog file and
uses it for storing tiny supplies for the children, such as erasers, paper clips
and the like. A drinking fountain is in the corner with a sink and this
completes the area.

How does the teacher establish the classroom as a safe,

risk-taking environment?
Mrs. Finlayson constantly encourages students to try again and she waits
patiently for them to think and process before offering helpful hints. If
students struggle with their response, she will prompt them with suggestions
to trigger their memories. If they still cannot remember or do not know the
answer to a question she may ask other students to help them, Who can
help? as she rarely gives the answer.
One example I found was during their McCracken spelling class when the
students were practicing their spelling words. A student is chosen to write
their spelling of the chosen word on the white board in front of the class. If
the student has a problem with the word, Mrs. Finlayson asks the other
students to help them sound out and fix the word. She encourages them to
think the process through, and she does not rush them. They are reminded
Always look at what you have right, as you have more right than wrong.
Students are encouraged to ask questions and she is patient when answering
them. She ensures they understand not only what is asked of them, but also
taking time to listen to any question they may have. She often will ask
questions of them, but will wait, allowing them time to process. If further
help is necessary, she often will allow another student to help or may offer
hints or suggestions to trigger their memories. Never will she belittle or
treat them poorly if they are unsure or just simply do not know the
information. She encourages classroom participation by her demeanor and
relaxed style of teaching.
Students are asked to share at circle time. They may bring something
from home or they may just share a story that is important to them. This
process allows students to learn more about one another and encourages
students to risk, knowing they are in a safe environment where their teacher
and peers know and accept them.

Planning and Preparation

Briefly describe the students in the class, including those
with special needs. How are the needs of all students met?
The classroom contains twenty-one students, ten girls and eleven boys. Two
students have IEPs.
Students with special needs have yellow cards laminated to their desks to
remind them to Think with your eyes, your body, and make yourself
match. One student uses a wedge pillow to help with his seating needs.
The needs of all students are met by staggering Science classes with Social
Studies to allow the teaching of both subjects in a limited time. Math class
contains explorations in money, shapes and temperature. Various subjects are
covered to allow inclusion of all topics.
Mrs. Finlayson works with each student and their families. Students are
encouraged to participate during any Parent/Teacher conferences. This
ensures the students hear things first hand and all topics are addressed.
Students are encouraged to take responsibility for their academic progress.
Parents are very involved in her classroom, and she keeps in touch with
them throughout the school year.

What are the teachers expectations for the lesson? What

does he/she want the students to learn and be able to do
with the knowledge?
The lesson I chose to review is Christmas Sensations. Mrs. Finlayson uses
the five senses to describe and illustrate the holiday of Christmas. Students
are to stretch their sentences by learning to use adjectives to incorporate
details in their work. Students will use their senses to illustrate their core
sentences and the teacher will offer suggestions and questions to stimulate
their ideas. This project should teach them how to write descriptive
sentences by using their senses.
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Why are these expectations suitable for this group of

students?
This is a seasonal piece of writing that concentrates on the use of adjectives.
The students have been learning adjectives and about the holiday of
Christmas.

How do these expectations support the schools curriculum,

state standards, and content standards?
I believe the following would apply:
PA Academic Standards for Reading, Writing, Speaking & Listening
Standard 1.5: Quality of Writing
Standard 1.5 states students should write clear and coherent
sentences and paragraphs that develop a central idea.
PA Academic Standards for Approaches to Learning
Standard AL2: Demonstrate Engagement and Persistence
Standard AL2.1 states students should demonstrate ability to
complete a variety of tasks, activities, projects and
experiences.
Standard AL2.3 Students should demonstrate ability to
maintain focus on a task, question, and set of directions or
interactions, despite distractions and interruptions.

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Instruction
How does the teacher motivate the students?
She offers praise, Do you know what your did that was wonderful? You
reread the sentence! That was great!
She critiques students while they read, I liked how you stopped at the
marks of punctuation! Good job!
Clear, precise instructions are given with illustrated examples and help is
offered if needed, Lets read this together. Time is taken for explanations
of how things work and processes are specifically described in detail.
A behavioral reward system is in place using a large cylinder and marbles.
Students earn marbles for various reasons, such as good behavior in specials,
walking in hallways, and for homework. They may also loose marbles if
they do not behave or do not complete their work. Once the cylinder is full,
they earn a reward, such as a movie/popcorn treat, a party or lunch with the
teacher.
Once students read a prescribed number of books at home, they may receive
a toy from the treasure chest.
Students also receive good behavioral slips from the teachers for good
deeds. They turn them into the office and once a month a name is picked
from each grade. These children earn free character counts books and they
are awarded at the monthly school meeting in the gym.
A daily message is listed on the easel area where students are greeted,
advised of specials for the day, and a question is asked where they answer by
making tally marks. The question may be who ate breakfast today? or
who watched the Flyers last night? Mrs. Finlayson always signs her name
to the message. This information is reviewed during their morning meeting
and they learn to read and add the tally marks.

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How does he/she activate prior knowledge?

Mrs. Finlayson is always asking questions. She is constantly asking
students, Who remembers and Who can tell me and Why do you
think? Often she will remind the children of previous lessons, such as,
Remember the children who talked about the sun in the play last month?
Also she offers questions such as, If we do this, then what happens? and
What if I put the letter B in front of the letters earit spells bear! Be
careful, as we discussed, bear and bare are both homophones!
Previous knowledge is always used during their McCracken Spelling class
where the teacher reviews the concept for the week, consonants that control
vowels, prefixes, suffixes and syllables.
During Writing Workshop students are advised, Yesterday we reviewed
writing tools and we didnt have a lot of time to write. Does anyone
remember what we did yesterday? Questions and gentle suggestions
trigger memories.
Students are given clear instructions with gentle reminders, such as,
Remember, really think firstremember what we talked aboutstop,
think, visualize. This allows students to remember prior knowledge and to
take time to focus.

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How are the students engaged in the content? What does

the teacher do? What will the students do?
The students help one another with the ideas for their lesson. They use prior
knowledge and memories to create ideas as they brainstorm. Students ask for
assistance with spelling and the teacher reminds them to use their tools, such
as the word wall, list of frequently used words and the dictionaries.
She also gives specific examples and clear instruction for assignments. She
circulates the room, offering suggestions and asking questions to stimulate
their thoughts.
One example is found where students enter data to a daily calendar book.
Each day students are chosen to participate by informing the class of
information such as the current date, the day of the week, the previous day
and so forth. The days they have attended school are expressed using unifix
cubes. The outside weather is observed and graphed, then a calculated guess
to the temperature is made. Mrs. Finlayson searches the computer for the
current temperature and two students with long yardsticks narrow down the
temperature on the large number chart above the room. The current
temperature is found on their colored thermometer chart and transferred to
their books. Milestones such as birthdays and lost teeth are also noted so at
year-end the journal books offer a glimpse of their lives during their time in
second grade.

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Describe the use of questioning and discussion strategies

that encourage students to participate in class.
Questions are used to teach children to think critically about their reading
during school and at home. One example, the Book Talk list of questions
was used during the day for instructional time and a copy was sent home
with the children. The students were to practice the first three questions at
home after reading with their parents.
Book Talk
Did you like this story?
Why did (or didnt) you like this story?
How did it make you feel? Why?
Why did you choose this book?
Did the title give you clues about the story?
Is the book fiction or non-fiction?
Would you read this book again? Why?
Would you recommend this book? Why?
Mrs. Finlayson quizzes students by asking, Table two we havent heard
from youwhat have you learned in Reading? This type of question does
not single out any particular student, but allows for a group to think and
answer. This encourages children to participate, by allowing them time to
think, process and answer.

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What difficulties do the students typically experience and

how does the teacher adapt to meet their needs?
In math, students are taught to chunk it. A few examples are given a
interventional teacher works with students one on one if the need arises.
Children partner with one another to give aid and assistance, quiz each other
and to practice together.
Guided reading program is offered, Leveled Literacy, as other groups are
weak in phonics. Mrs. Finlayson keeps a running record, a DRA (direct
reading assessment) to assess students work. She works with students and
may obtain extra help for them if needed.
Students are advised how to practice their spelling lists, to take their time
and really check their words. The teacher advises, This is for you, not for
me, so you will know what to study tonight. She reminds them, Dont
write in large letters as you will need roomthe letter u cannot look like
an a!

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What informal and formal assessments are used to monitor

student learning?
District assessments are given to students in the fall and in the spring where
they are graded on their writing abilities. They are graded on focus, content,
style, organization, conventions, and mechanics.
During my visit on November 17th, students completed two formal
assessments for reading and writing. The teacher brainstormed with the
children listing topics they learned since September. The list was quite
lengthily for both classes and the students were very proud of their
accomplishments.
The Christmas Sensation writing project is used as a formal assessment to
evaluate spelling and to evaluate how adjectives are used. This type of
assessment is fun for the children and ties in nicely to the holiday season.
They do not see it as an assessment, but a fun project that they can later
share with their families.
Mrs. Finlayson is always circulating the room during math and spelling,
checking workbooks and white boards. She is informally assessing at all
times, noting reading issues, as she works with small groups.

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Reflections
Write a weekly reflection about your T.A.P. experience.
Incorporate some of the areas covered in the T.A.P. Log and add
your own personal feelings and experiences. There must be one
reflective entry for each day of T.A.P. in a school.
Date: September 29, 2010
Today was my first day of TAP at Salford Hills and it was good to see
everyone. My daughter attended this school for six years and moved to the
middle school last year. I am familiar with the schools procedures,
classroom structure and layout, which makes this process much easier. I
have spent observation time at Lower Salford (where I did not know
anyone), so working in a home environment helped me feel more
comfortable and confident.
We started our day with ACES, which is an activity where the entire student
body meets in the gym for a brief group exercise time. It was quite the start
to our morning, as the air conditioning was not working in the gym and we
were all sweating by the time we got to our classroom! Later in the day our
classroom also had their physical education special period, so I must say we
were all a bit tired by the end of the day! I was able to visit with the new
gym teacher, Mr. Kelly. We discussed the use of equalization, expansion,
progressive and interactive challenges for the game he was playing with the
children. One game I liked in particular was a game where the children were
squirrels who were in a protective bubble.
They would forage for food while music played, once the music ended,
they had to run for the trees or hula-hoops. The teacher played the first
round as the fox that would try to break their protective bubble. Once the
fox tagged someone, they became the new fox and the game began
continued until they tagged the next fox. The game ended when the
teacher stopped the music and announced another game.
I volunteered to assist our reading specialist, Mrs. Pritchard, when due to her
cold she was unable to finish reading the story to our class during the library
time. It was a long story and I did get a bit tired reading sideways and was
relieved when the story finally ended! I have read to students before, but

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never such a long story! I have spent volunteer hours in the library in the
past, so it was nice to assist the children with their book selections again.
Date: October 8, 2010
My favorite part of my visit today was when a group of five students
performed a play. They were very good at performing and enjoyable to
watch.
Reading workshop was interesting, as the students reviewed their Before
Reading lesson. The students have learned to make predictions about the
story they are about to read based on the cover illustration and title. They
think about what they already know about the subject and they search for
words they may not know or understand. This activity relates to me, as one
of my main interests in learning to teach is working with children with
reading disorders. I enjoyed talking with some of the students and learning
their thoughts about the lesson. If I were teaching the lesson, if time
allowed, I would ask the students to share their thoughts with the entire class
about their predictions, not just in pairs, as was done in class.
There are constant schedule changes and interruptions and I admire how
Mrs. Finlayson goes with the flow and is ready and prepared to adapt to any
situation.
Date: October 13, 2010
I enjoy the morning meeting and Mrs. Finlayson never fails to find a
new greeting for the children each time I am visiting. Today was very cute,
where they chanted the Hickety Pickety Bumblebee greeting and the
students enjoyed the activity.
Also, Mrs. Finlayson has a Question of the Day on her white board,
such as, Did you eat your breakfast today? The students answer with tally
marks and they count them together for a quick math item. One student is
chosen each day to read the question and answers to the class, then she uses
the topic for further instructional purposes. I definitely think this is a great
idea and would absolutely use this in any classroom.
Salford Hills has always been my home away from home. The staff
has always been friendly, kind and helpful. The students bring joy and are
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very educational! Each visit makes me aware of how difficult teaching

really can be however the rewards are amazing.
Date: October 20, 2010
This week the students are focusing on Character Counts at Salford
Hills. Today they are to wear the color yellow, which is a reminder of the
Golden Rule. Mrs. Finlayson told me she worked on developing the
program for the school district and I am amazed she had the time! She is
very busy before and after school, as she is a very dedicated teacher.
Teaching takes time and preparation, perseverance and dedication are
essential.
Today one of the specials was Music with Mrs. Landis. We are well
aquatinted, as my daughter was her student for six years! She is amazingly
talented and a well seasoned educator. One of the activities was to tell a
Halloween story where she chose specific students to play specific
instruments. If I was teaching and there were enough instruments, I would
have every student participate.
As always, I love my time at the school and am sorry when it is over.
The energy and excitement of the students is wonderful to see, as they are
looking forward to Halloween.
Date: November 3, 2010
Spelling class was quite fun today, where the students played Hang
Man with their spelling list. This game offered an Interactive Challenge,
where classmates learned from observing one another. Also they could
participate at their own pace and had time to think of possible letters needed
for each word. This game appealed to me, as no one was singled out as not
knowing how to spell a word.
The special today was Library and the topic was teaching about
legends and stories. The teacher presented two stores that were similar and
interesting about the game of lacrosse. The problem was the students lost
focus, and began to fidget, twirl hair, playing with hands, shoes and clothing.
One student was even lying on the floor and the teacher did not notice. If I
were in that situation, I would stop immediately and reassess. The students
needed to be included in the lesson by giving specific things to search for
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while actively listening. The teacher gave further closure after the students
had selected their books and were standing in line waiting to go back to the
classroom. They were not listening, but examining their new books. Dr.
Hylinski has forcefully explained this is never to be done, as once the child
is distracted, you do not have their attention. The lesson was quite good
overall, yet, due to small changes, the students would have learned a great
deal more.
Date: November 12, 2010
The students have a program for spelling called, McCracken. The
process for review used in the classroom involves students writing their
spelling words on a white board at each desk when the teacher gives them
the word. One student is chosen to write their spelling on the board in front
of the other students. If they have a problem spelling the word other
students are to assist. This puts a bit of strain on those who are having
difficulty with spelling, yet encourages them to try harder (as not to
embarrass themselves in front of the class). Most students seem fine with
the process, but one girl seemed quite uncomfortable. Im not sure if I
would use this process with my students, although most seemed to enjoy
this.
My favorite part of this visit was when Mrs. Finlayson summarized
her teaching for the day on an erasable poster by asking, What did we learn
today? She then listed four summary items; we used adjectives today, we
learned about our different talents, it took two months for the Mayflower to
land, and we learned a new greeting. Also she further noted, Now you have
something to tell Mom and Dad tonight! I would definitely include this if I
were teaching, as parents should and need to be included in their childs
education. This allows for further reinforcement of the curriculum at home.
The visit to the library brought a visit with another temporary teacher.
This teacher was very forceful and made comments such as I expect you to
know my name, but Im sorry, I wont know yours. Further she told
students, Keep your hands down if you have heard this story before.
These students were now excluded from the lesson and basically told to just
sit there. I would not do this. Even if the students knew of the story
previously, would they remember? Why should they listen if they cannot
participate? I found myself frustrated and a bit annoyed, as these students
seemed to be sad and bored.

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Date: November 17, 2010

Today we worked on the five senses, introducing larger words, such as
schema and visualize. Mrs. Finlayson is a very talented storyteller and her
story about a visit to the beach was well done. She used this topic during the
morning story time and during reading class. Later in the day she further
reviewed their prior knowledge by using questions. She asked the students,
What did we learn at the rocker this morning? Stop, think and visualize.
This is a lesson that I would hope to incorporate at any level of teaching and
I think it is a good learning tool for the students.
Today was a busy day where two assessment forms were to be
completed. Students were asked questions about their learning styles for
reading and writing. This assessment will offer guidance for the needs of the
students and will shed light into their perceptions of both subjects. I would
use this in my classroom.
I enjoy my visits and am getting to know many of the students. I am
amazed that they look for me and seem to enjoy my visits as well. It is
interesting getting to know a bit about each of them, their family history,
their likes and dislikes and personalities. I will miss them very much when
this is over.
Date: December 1, 2010
Mrs. Finlayson asked the students why they were writing the number
twelve in the date, (12-1-10), and this made me stop and think! She stressed
the connection between the month of December and the number twelve in
the month position of the date. I assumed the children fully understood the
concept, however, perhaps not! Something to think about!
Today was the first day of Hanukkah and during the day it came to
light that this holiday has two spellings! Hanukkah and Chanukah are two
ways of spelling this holiday and no one knows why! Mrs. Finlayson told
the children she would research it and get back to them. I probably would
have taken at least a minute or two to jump on the Internet to see if there was
a quick explanation, but they seemed fine with this. One thing I have always
loved with Salford Hills is they cover all the holidays and are not afraid to
sing religious songs. No specific religion is promoted, only explored to
allow students to develop tolerance and understanding for others. This is a
critical piece of becoming a responsible citizen and it is nice that they take

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the time and trouble to tie this with their Character Counts program. I think
I would try to do the same if give the opportunity.
Writing Workshop focused on a piece, Christmas Sensations where
students further explored the use of their senses to stretch their sentences.
They were to explore their imaginations to find creative adjectives to use to
enhance their sentences. It was fun and interesting to listen and aid students
with their project.
Date: December 14, 2010
This was to be my final TAP visit to Salford Hills. Due to my
daughters untimely illness, this visit was cancelled. I contacted Mrs.
Finlayson in hopes of completing my time on December 17th, however, this
was not possible due to her very busy schedule. I appreciate her flexibility,
patience and support during this entire process. She gave me much to think
about, offering suggestions, comments and support. Her friendship has been
a constant, as I have worked with some of her students in past years for
reading fluency. Teachers such as Mrs. Finlayson, Mrs. Brand and Mr.
Sinkinson have each taught me much about teaching, as have all the teachers
at Salford Hills. I spent six years at the school in a volunteer capacity,
working with many of them and this greatly has influenced my choice to
return to college.
I am very sad my time has ended with these students, as I enjoyed
meeting and getting to know each of them. I will be interested to see how
they progress in school in the future, as they are quite a talented bunch.
Teaching is rewarding and a bit sad, as each group moves on one is left to
wonder, Did we do enough for them? What did we miss? How could we
change our processes and daily schedules to better serve their needs? I am
left with so many questions and so little time. I have a much deeper
appreciation for all teachers have done for my child and wonder how can I
learn to best help others? Can one ever be the best at this craft, as it is
always evolving and changingit has a life of its own! I think the best one
can do is just to simply carecare enough to make a difference. Be open to
learning and teach by example. Teachers who listen can make a difference
and if given the chance, I hope to be able to best develop this skill.

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