An Open Letter to Parents from a College Student Observer.
Dear Parents,
Before I dive into my thoughts on the center, I want to provide some quick background and help bring light to my initial frustration with my observation time. When I first arrived at the learning center I found myself becoming very skeptical as to if I’d actually learn anything about teaching. At the time I was scheduled to observe, the kids had already finished their lessons on core curriculum. This means I observed only snack time, music, reading, fun stations, and a solid hour on the playground. My hope is to eventually become an elementary school teacher and then later an administrator. Without observing the important lessons on core subjects, how was I supposed to witness the children learning? At least that’s what I used to ask myself. That was before I really got to witness the environment at the center.
I observed the Green classroom to the left of the little brick building on Tuesdays from 3:00-5:30. My supervising teacher was Mrs. Deby and she had a classroom of around 18 children. I learned more than I could have ever imagined from what was considered to be the fun part of the children’s day. The children obviously succeed academically with the learning center’s readiness score sitting at 92-100%. However, the lessons that the kids learn at the center far exceed the core curriculum requirements. With the caring and strong relationship Mrs. Deby builds with her students, the kids have a huge amount of respect for her; as do I. This demanded respect made it seemingly easy for students to learn how to share, communicate, respect, and care for one another; amongst so many other necessary lessons. So many people in this standardized test achieving society forget that students go to school to learn much more than just reading, writing, and arithmetic. I observed how to efficiently manage a classroom. I can now say I know where to begin at finding the balance between being a friend and a teacher to my future students. Through all of the fun and love, Mrs. Deby was still a professional. She is a model teacher and the FSU’s Children’s Learning Center is a model school. I feel very grateful to have witnessed such a special community,
Sincerely,
An enlightened aspiring teacher.
