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=This wikispace is presented by Carrie Brooks in fulfillment of the requirements of= =SEED 394 Internship in Secondary Education= The Internship Field Experience is the second of three required field experiences for certification in The School of Education at The University of South Dakota. The Internship is designed to give students a more extensive and participatory experience than the Paraprofessional Field Experience, and students who complete the Internship will be better prepared to enter the Student Teacher Field Experience. In keeping with the School of Education’s theme of //Reflective Decision Making + Leadership//, the Internship is designed to allow students the opportunity to examine their interactions in the school setting and to evaluate the role they play in student learning. According to Donald Graves (2001), “Awareness that grows out of the specifics of your own situation produces energy. For this reason, you need to know the details of your own experience in order to make some judgments about how to set a personal and professional direction for your life.” The activities required during the Internship Field Experience and the associated written assignments will give you the chance to reflect upon your progress toward becoming a teacher. Perhaps more importantly, you will have the opportunity to reassess and, hopefully, reaffirm your commitment to teaching as a career path.

Graves, D. (2001). //The Energy to Teach.// Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann

=Check List - Next Steps=
 * Carrie's Spring 20010 SEED 394 Internship Placement**
 * School: || Dakota Valley High School ||
 * Field-based supervisor: || Vanessa Gascon ||
 * Content area: || Spanish ||
 * FBS e-mail address: || Vanessa.Gascon@k12.sd.us ||
 * FBS phone: || 605-422-3820 ||
 * USD supervisor || Kevin J. Reins, Phone: 605-677-5831, e-mail: kreins@usd.edu ||

Next steps: Please check off the following items by replacing the "o" with an “X” in the left hand column of the table once you have completed the task.
 * x || Upon receiving this information, respond immediately via e-mail to Dr. Kevin Reins indicating that you have received your placement information and that you have no major conflict with the placement. ||
 * x || Contact your field-based supervisor within 48 hours of receiving your placement information either by phone or e-mail. ||
 * x || During this first e-mail or phone call to your field based supervisor, ask to set up the first meeting (at your FBS’s convenience) for you to visit the classroom. ||
 * x || Upon arriving at the school, go directly to the main office, introduce yourself, the reason for your attendance, (make a great impression from the beginning) and ask to be directed to your FBS’s classroom. ||
 * x || During the first visit to the classroom, notify your FBS of the URL to your wikispace and let her/him know that you will be documenting the __requirements__ of the experience in this space. Discuss the requirements. ||
 * x || Deliver the FBS’s packet with the evaluation forms and return envelope to your field based supervisor during the first meeting. ||
 * x || Also during the first meeting, exchange phone numbers in case of emergency (edit your wikispace and put your FBS’s prefered phone number in the informatin table above), confirm your visitation times, and discuss what you will be doing in the class over the course of the 45 required hours in the classroom. ||
 * x || When convenient, introduce yourself to the principal and other faculty throughout your stay at the school. Be kind, courteous and show appreciation for the opportunity to be visiting and working with the students and faculty at the school. Always try to leave a great impression on people. ||
 * x || Within the first two visits, ask for a copy of the school handbook or ask to borrow a handbook for the semester. ||
 * x || Report to Dr. Kevin Reins via e-mail after you have completed your initial visit. Briefly describe the visit and ask any questions or state any concerns you have at this time and through the semester. ||
 * o || IF YOU MISS A SCHEDULED TIME – REPORT IT TO DR. REINS IMMEDIATELY. ALWAYS KEEP HIM INFORMED. RECORD THE DATES THAT YOU MISSED HERE. ||

= =

My goals for the internship:
Write three goals for your internship experience. (1) Learn to write out a lesson plan, using all of the necessary components, including state standards. (2) Be a helper for the classroom teacher, rather than a hinderance. (3) Teach the students Spanish lessons from a new perspective.

A. 45 hours of field-based classroom participation

 * **Date** || **Hours** || **Description of my activities/participation in the classroom....** ||
 * 2/11/10 || 1 hr. || Introduction meeting with field base supervisor. We discussed the basics of when we would like to set up future meetings, and we discussed how I can best contribute to her classroom, which will create a richer educational experience for me. ||
 * 3/5/10 || 3 hrs. || For the first day at Dakota Valley, I spent the morning observing and helping the students with the videos that they are creating. I enjoyed working with the students on their videos, and I was reminded how different it is to teach high school students, rather than the Spanish 101 college students that I am accustomed to teaching. The high school students have a stronger bond with each other, and they often prioritize socializing over learning. ||
 * 3/11/10 || 7 hrs. || I spent most of the day observing and working individually with students. Dakota Valley girls basketball team was in the state tournament today, so many students were missing, and those that attended class were more concerned with the game than with Spanish class. Because of this, the students had individual assignments, and I enjoyed helping students on an individual basis. I saw the Spanish I, II, III, and IV classes today. ||
 * 3/12/10 || 7 hrs. || Today, I interacted with the students more than the days before. First off, Srta. Gascon asked that I do an activity with Spanish I. The activity focused on the verb "estar," which means "to be." I had them get into groups, and describe three photos, which I distributed, using gustar. They seemed to enjoy the activity, and they gained a better understanding of the use of "estar." Other than that, the students were thrilled that their girl's basketball team was in the state tournament, and the whole school watched the game during study hall. ||
 * 3/30/10 || 3.5 hrs. || During study hall, Srta. Gascon and I discussed the lesson plan, which I will implement tomorrow. I am excited for it, and I am comfortable with the material. During the Spanish I class, I observed and helped students, while doing a partner activity. ||
 * 3/31/10 || 3.5 hrs. || Today, I implemented my lesson plan during the Spanish I class. I enjoyed the experience tremendously. The students were cooperative, and they seemed to enjoy the lesson as well. There was one student, who is always disruptive, as I have witnessed in past classes. In order to keep him distracted, I designated him with an extra task, and he acted well-behaved. Also, I did not have any problems with the technology, which was one of my main concerns. Overall, it was a positive experience. ||
 * 4/8/10 || 3 hrs. || The Spanish I students spent their classtime working on their "familia" powerpoint presentations. They become easily confused, as Srta. Gascon and I explained many times that powerpoint does not have accents marks, so you will have to copy and paste from their Word documents. Many of them were frustrated that powerpoint did not accept accent marks because they were not copying and pasting from their Word Document. In the future, I will require that all eyes be on me, while I am giving instructions, plus I will write the instructions on the board as a visual reinforcement. During Spanish II, the kids played a "telephone" game with their vocabulary words. Everybody enjoyed it, and I will use that idea in my future classrooms. ||
 * 4/12/10 || 3.5 hrs. || This afternoon was mostly dedicated to a special assembly. A gentleman came to the school in order to discuss the dangers of drinking and driving. He had lost his son in a drunk driving collision about ten years ago, so he talked about this collision, which killed four students and critically injured two. The presentation was very heavy and emotional, and afterward, all of the students went outside to see the damaged cars, which were placed on a trailor. The students took the presentation seriously, and hopefully it will help them to have a safe prom weekend, which is this coming weekend. ||
 * 4/13/10 || 3.5 hrs. || I implemented my second lesson plan today. Once again, I introduced the Spanish I students to a vocabulary list. They were interested, and they actively partcipated until the end of the lesson, when we played "Around the World." Their lack of enthusiasm was probably due to the fact that it was the end of the last ninety minute class period of the day. ||
 * 4/16/10 || 10 hrs. || My classmates and I went to Joe Foss Alternative School this morning. We did not know what to expect, but we were pleasantly surprised by the warm welcoming that we received by the staff and especially by the principal. The principal gave us a complete introduction to the idea behind the Joe Foss school, then he let us tour the school on our own, and ask the teachers and students questions. It is interesting that the students successfully complete their schoolwork online more readily than in a traditional classroom. It lends well to the fact that students prefer to work at their own pace, rather than being subjected to the pace at which the rest of the class is going. After observing some classes, we returned as a group in order to debrief and reflect. I enjoyed seeing such a different approach to education. ||

B. Work with a group of students
On my first day attending class at Dakota Valley, the students in Spanish III were creating videos for a competition through Wayne State College. The students were supposed to create videos, based on the theme "Magic in Languages." I took two groups of students to the gym in order to work on their videos. One group was dancing to a Latino music video, and they were changing the audio sounds, so that it would "magically" change as they are dancing. The other group was doing various dances and magic tricks, while a Latino pop song played in the background. I was mostly on camera duty. I noticed that they were not particularly interested in any input that I had, as they were not familiar with me, and they had their own ideas for this project. They had a sense of individualism, and they wanted to do the videos how they had it in their heads. I simply kept them on task, so that both of the groups would complete their videos within the class period. I had no discipline problems, and they were very respectful. Since they were not working on Spanish grammar or vocabulary, as much as they were working on dance moves and magic tricks, I did not feel that I got to use my Spanish skills in order to help them as much as I would have liked to. I intend to use my Spanish skills more in the future, especially working with individual students and groups of students.

C. Work with students individually
One of the rowdiest students in Spanish II came into class, and he immediately started complaining about the peeling skin on his back. Then he was disrespectful to his fellow classmates and to Srta. Gascon. He was not listening well, he continually talked out of turn, and he continued to complain. After Srta. Gascon finished teaching the lesson, she asked the students to complete an in-class activity. I stood up, and I offered help to any student, who needed it. This rowdy student immediately responded that he would like help. At first, I thought that he was kind of joking, and that he would not really take my help seriously. Once I sat down with him, he started asking me questions, and he took my advice to heart. We went through the activity together, role playing with the use of the Spanish language, and he finally understood the activity. Once the class went through the activity as a class, he answered the questions correctly, and he felt confident in his responses. Through this, I could see that he simply needed some one-on-one instruction in order to gain an understanding of the material, which would also help his behavioral issues.

D. Participate in redesign of a lesson with technology
After looking at the [|ISTE standards], I realized that they can be incorportated into most any lesson plan, which utilizes technology. Beyond ease of implementation, they are also important to implement, as education is becoming more technologically based. Students need to learn how to use technology in a productive, ethical, and communicative manner, as the standards imply.

The Lesson #1, regarding Family Vocabulary is redesigned with technology, as the information was presented to the students, using technology. Through making a powerpoint presentation about their family, they were also assessed by using technology.

E. Classroom teaching two lessons with lesson plans and documented impact on student learning

 * Lesson #1 - La Familia (Family vocabulary)**


 * Lesson #2 - Title**

After this lesson, the students learned a large variety of descriptive words, plus we reviewed the importance of matching linguistic gender and number, when using adjectives in Spanish. I could see that they were understanding and learning the material, as I was continually assessing their participation in class, plus I looked at their [|guide] sheet after the lesson was complete. Doing the review activity with these guide sheets was the most effective part of the lesson plan because the students could attach the vocabulary words with real-life examples. I believe that they enjoyed the powerpoint activity, and that it was an effective part of the lesson because they had a visual representation of the word, plus I wrote the words on the board, as they said them to me.
 * Analysis of Instructional Planning and Impact on Learning for Lesson #2**

On the other hand, the 'Around the World" game ended up being fairly ineffective and uninteresting to them. By the end of a 90 minute class period, it is difficult to convince them to participate in any activity. That would be a challenge of block scheduling, but next time, I would create an activity, which requires that they entire class participate, and that there is a reward for participating. But for the most part, I enjoyed teaching the lesson, and I believe that the students enjoyed it as well. I would say that building a positive and friendly connection with the students is my biggest strength as a teacher, and Srta. Gascon agrees. In order to improve my instruction, we created the goal of keeping the students engaged through the entire ninety minute class period.

F. Design an assessment tool for evaluation of one of the lessons taught
In order to assess that Spanish I student's comprehension of the Family Vocabulary words, they were to fill out the [|Chart] and create a powerpoint presentation. The students then presented their powerpoint presentations to the class, and they were graded based on the [|rubric] provided. This is an [|example] of what I expected them to present.

G. Share two duties with field-based supervisor
On March 12, Srta. Gascon requested that I create an activity in order to further instill the lesson plan that she would be implementing. The lesson plan covered the verb "estar." I believe that interactive activities are the most beneficial in a language classroom, so I put students into groups of five. As a group, they were to describe three photos, which I printed off the computer, using the verb "estar" and some adjectives that I wrote on the board. After meeting as a group, the designated speaker was to present their descriptions to the class. I enjoyed hearing their descriptions, and they seemed to enjoy the project. Srta. Gascon was well pleased with the activity, and it was nice to share the lesson plan with her. I can now see the benefit of having two teachers in one classroom. Having two teachers lends itself to better classroom control and better time management for the teacher.

Another activity that I we shared involved monitoring the students during study hall. The girls basketball team had made it to state, so some of the students wanted to watch the game during their study hall. Srta. Gascon took those students to a separate room, where there was a TV, while I stayed in her room with a group of students, who wanted to do homework, rather than watch the game.

H. Attend an extra-curricular activity with students
The Dakota Valley track team competed in the Dan Lennon track meet in the Dakota Dome. I sat in the stands in order to support the Dakota Valley team and to observe their interactions. I recognized many of the students, and it was interesting to see them in a different atmosphere. Many of the boys, who are uninterested in class and routinely have their heads down seem to be serious and hard-working for track. The boys were warming up, as a group, they raced hard during their event, and they cheered each other on. The girls acted in a similar manner.

A couple of girls that I recognize from class came in order to watch their boyfriends. These two girls always come to class dressed very nicely, and today was no exception. It is interesting how they dress to impress during high school, and how they flirt with their boyfriends, as their boyfriends are down on the track and the girls are up in the bleachers.

After attending the sporting event, my belief is reconfirmed that some students need athletics and other extra-curriculars in order to maintain motivated. Those boys, who lay their heads down during class, may remain somewhat academically motivated in order to remain eligible for the team. Plus it gives the students a sense of pride in their school, and the activities teach the students teamwork and sportsmanship. Such lessons are important throughout one's entire life.

I. Attend a school board meeting
On March 8, 2010, I attended a meeting of the Dakota Valley Board of Education. Walking into the room, I saw a group of men and women at the front, dressed in professional clothing. I soon discover that four of those folks are board members, and the other six or so are administrators. Using parlimentary proceedure, the Chairperson calls the meeting to order. All of a sudden, I feel as though I am in a more professional version of my high school's student council.

I was happy that they started off the meeting by acknowledging a couple of teachers, who have recently won educational awards. Soon after that, they began discussing administrative tasks, especially concerning the budget. It is easy to see that the budget stands as a big concern for many educators. The board discussed money for the new science center, for driver's ed., for open enrollment, and for special education. They deliberate every monetary move that they make, and it seems that they have the school's best interest at heart. With all of the deliberation, the meeting lasted about two hours. It is a big time commitment for these board members, and I admire that they step up to the plate for the educational benefit of the students.

J. Reflective interview of field-based supervisor around teaching standards
Discussing teaching standards solidified my suspicions. She rarely uses teaching standards, as she relies on her own past experience in order to decide what she should teach. For one year, her school required that she attach the state standards to her lesson plans, and she appreciates that she had to do that for one year. She had a chance to familiarize herself with the standards, but she hardly ever looks at then, since that year.

I had suspicions that she did not rely on them because she seems to follow the textbook more than anything, and she creates activities and assessments based on the text or based on her own ideas. Since my high school Spanish classes never had textbooks, I believe that it is best for the teacher to rely on standards, curriculum maps, and personal beliefs for best instruction. I intend to rely on state and ACTFL (American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages) standards in order to guide my lessons and keep on track with my instruction.