Spring Break!

During spring break, I did not go to a tropical island where it was hot and sunny; I instead went home to South Dakota. While at home, the weather was beautiful for the beginning of March so it was still enjoyable to be outside. On Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday morning over spring break I went to the Estelline Elementary School to shadow the kindergarten teacher for my introduction to education class. I enjoyed spending time in the classroom and getting to help the students with homework or other activities they were doing. I read a book to them every morning to get the day started. While there, I also had to teach a lesson plan. I taught a math lesson it was learning to subtract by two. I was about half way through the lesson when the fire alarm went off. After being outside for a few minutes, it took the students a couple of minutes to calm back down. I finished the lesson and had them complete a worksheet. Some caught on faster than others but by the end they were all starting to understand it.

I think that it is a great idea to have SMSU students get out in the classroom right away their freshman year so that they make sure that they know that teaching is really what they want to do. I enjoyed the time I got to spend with the kindergarteners and I know that I am majoring in the right thing by choosing Elementary Education as my major!

Have a great second half to the spring semester Mustangs!

Shawnalisa Reed
Freshman - Bruce, SD