Independent Component 1

Here is my log of hours on a calender.  Is from November 30, 2011- December 6, 2011 [This is for the first Calender]:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AufLznWoxxvGdDFjQkNEVnBGVEczM0ZZNnU2QlUzdHc

Here is the 2012 calender.  Is from January 10, 2012- January 31, 2012:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AufLznWoxxvGdGpBQ0E2M2VrX2dDTkx4Q2Yzc1NTTnc

Evidence

I don’t have any pictures available at the moment.  However, I will post a picture of me working on my independent component by next week.

Here are a few of the notes that I have taken on my observations of the class:

LIA:

Literal:

a)  I, Diana Gutierrez, affirm that I have completed the independent component, which represents 30 hours of work.  

b)  I go to a kindergarten class (also two other first grade classrooms) for my independent component.  I observe the class and at times, assist the students with homework or in any other area they need help wih.  When I observe the class I take notes on the student’s behavior, the classroom’s environment, the teaching methods, the teacher’s behavior, the types of activities the students do, and so forth.  When the teacher is working with a small group of students or testing each individually, I help the other students with their homework or what they are working on.  

Interpretive:

I went about once a week for only an hour or so (still go, but not to complete my Ind. Comp. 1; it's a great learning experience).  I've gained a lot of knowledge and experience.  I do not only get to observe the class and see how both the teacher and students work together and individually, but also, I get to work with the students and experience the difference of working with kindergarten students to working with first grade students (which I do for my service learning).  Having a few teaching methods in mind already, it’s important for me to make the connections and see how they are put to work with the students.  The teacher that teaches the class I work with for my Independent Component, gave me examples of how she uses certain  methods in her class, helping me get a clearer idea of the teaching methods I’m researching.  As I help the students, I learn what catches their attention and keeps them enganged, what qualities a teacher or anyone must have to teach a child.  

Applied:

My independent component did not exactly give me exact teaching methods, it was Ms.  Underwood who did in my third interview.  However, my independent has helped me see how the teaching methods (the teaching methods I know of at the moment) work.  For example, I was able to see Ms.  Underwood use TPR (Total Physical Response) with the kindergarten students one time I went.  She did a sort of activity that required physical movement from the kids and quick thinking.  TPR is a language teaching method built around the coordination of speech and action; it attempts to teach language through physical (motor) ac- tivity (Widodo, Handoyo Puji, 2005).  As I mentioned before, Ms Underwood did an activity in order to teach the students adding.  She created two lines.  The two students at the front were against each other, and the one who answered the right answer first got to go to the back of the line while the others stay, until they win.  She had them stand up once they got to the front of the line and knew the right answer.  Once they stood up, they knew they had to answer quick and think clearly.  This is just an example of what I observe and take notes of.  In all, my independent component helped me and is helping me give detail and examples to the answers of my essential question.