Video Reflection

            Wow. Sheila Owen’s classroom is really a model classroom with a model teacher. The classroom is well run, the students are learning, the teacher is calm, and the children are happy.

                  The class is run with four main categories: read aloud, shared reading, guided reading, and independent reading. These categories are conducive to a kindergarten classroom, as they cover different levels of reading. In the read aloud category, the books that are being read are way above the students reading level, yet they are interesting as the students are interested in these stories. Owen asks questions before reading the book to get the students thinking. ‘What do you think he is going to do with the pumpkin?’ The teacher leaves them wondering with questions like this one, and the students are excited to listen to the story to find out the answers. It is important that students feel that reading is exciting, so that they will want to learn to read. It is tough work learning to read, yet if one is motivated, it is much easier. In read aloud, the students gain excitement for reading, and skills on how to read a book beyond the actual words of the book.

                  I like the independent reading category as well. Although the books are rather boring, the students feel so accomplished reading a whole book by themselves! This motivates them to want to read even more. Additionally, all around the classroom are different words that are common in their classroom. The students use large pointers to point to the words and read them. It is an interesting way for them to read, as it is not in sit-down reading time.

                  One of the things that amazed me most was the way Owen was able to include every student. Sometimes she used a couple of Spanish words to make the ELL’s feel comfortable. The fact that she focused on two students a day, and then based her lessons on them the next day also ensures that class is geared for everyone. Everyone was called on; everyone got a chance. One student got to answer the question. The next was able to write the word down for the class to see. A different student was able to sit in the author’s chair to read to the class what they wrote.

                  All in all, I enjoyed watching this video and gained tremendously. Owen is a great teacher, incorporates amazing techniques and strategies in the classroom, and leads a classroom of happy and learning children. I aspire to teach like her.