In January of 2019 I began my student teaching field experience through the College of Education at the University of New Mexico. I began this journey in a Pre-K classroom at Enos Garcia Elementary School with Mrs. Leilani Mantano. I chose pre-K because, at the time, I was working in early childhood education. And between my education and my experience in both elementary and early childhood education, I wanted to take a deeper look into the correspondence, the transition, and the gap between the two. Student teaching in Pre-K was, above all else, fun! It is so natural. There is something so simple, yet so complex about observing young children learn through play and experience.
We played a lot in Pre-K. We explored, talked, and learned freely. The days had a sense of structure and routine, but a large portion of that routine was "developmental play". This, for me, was fascinating to observe, but difficult to participate in. My elementary-ed mind needed a little more structure. So developmental play really pushed me out of my comfort zone. I feel confident, though, that I grew from this minor challenge. It became easier and more natural the more I did it. As I reflect on that, I realize that this will likely be the case regularly, as I enter the field as a new educator. There will always be challenges that push me, but that is how I will learn what works and what does not, what risks I can take, and what the outcomes will be.Ultimately, the idea that there is always something more for me to learn is what feeds my ambition to be a great educator.
Throughout my time in the Pre-K classroom, I made note of how much science was explored. The majority of the minimal guided-instruction time was focused on natural science. Learning about different animals, their characteristics, habitats, diet, offspring, etc. These topics stemmed from the students' interests and was guided by their curiosity and wonder. Through these activities, the students were also learning self-control, positive social interactions, conversation and negotiation skills, concepts of mathematics and writing, and so much more. Such learning targets are reflected in the New Mexico Early Learning Guidelines (NMELG's) which are the developmental benchmarks and standards for children birth through Kindergarten. I was familiar with these standards from my work in early childhood. For my formal observations in Pre-K, I was conflicted about whether I should follow the NMELG's or the NMCCSS-Kindergarten. I asked my clinical supervisor, who encouraged me to use the standards that are most appropriate for the students and their development—as long as there was reason and purpose to differentiate the lesson to accommodate for all students' needs. After discussing this with my cooperating teacher, I chose to follow NMCCSS-Kindergarten since the students were developmentally ready for a challenge at this level, in the second semester of the school year. Overall, student teaching in a Pre-K classroom was a fun, challenging learning experience, which I am grateful to have gotten to explore.
My second and third semesters of student teaching took place in the Kindergarten classroom at Taos Charter School, with Mrs. Ale Collignon. I asked to participate in this class so that I could directly observe the transition from Pre-K to Kindergarten and to make note of the role Pre-K has on school-readiness in the Kindergarten classroom. I was also very thrilled that I would get to spend the entire school year with these students and have the opportunity to track their progress from start to finish. Right off the bat, I asked my cooperating teacher how many of her students had attended Pre-K. She exclaimed, "all, but one". With careful observation, throughout the school year, it was evident which child had not attended Pre-K. Throughout the year, this student progressed immensely, but could not keep up with her peers socially or academically. An IEP was created for this student, and with support from the school staff and her parents, she will be repeating Kindergarten next year.
Many deep conversations with my cooperating teacher revealed that there will always be reason for differentiation, but that Kindergarteners are expected to have a certain degree of exposure and skill, such as the ability to write their first and last name (even if not accurately), hold a pencil with an appropriate pincer grasp, interact appropriately with peers (with some support), among other social-emotional and academic traits upon entry. If children entering Kindergarten do not yet poses these traits, it takes up instructional time having to teach these foundational skills from the ground up. Pre-K has become both a popular and an essential step in education, offering a sense of school-readiness by priming students' social-emotional and academic skills. This, I have learned, is the reason Kindergarten standards and expectations have risen. Children in Pre-K are now learning what children in Kindergarten used to learn, and children in Kindergarten, are now learning what children in first-grade used to learn. This makes for a great revolution in modern education. But it also means that Kindergarten is no longer the foundation of the schooling experience. This is the gap between early childhood and elementary education. And, although Pre-K is a popular, essential start, it is not yet a mandatory step in the schooling ladder. Meaning there is an observable distinction between children who do and do not attend Pre-K before Kindergarten, influencing the pace of the Kindergarten learning environment. And until Pre-K is deemed the primary year of schooling, and acknowledged as part of the elementary education sequence, this gap will remain.
Ultimately, my time teaching in the Kindergarten classroom was an experience of growth and wonder. I established intentional rapport with each individual student from the very beginning. I maintained these relationships, creating a learning environment of trust, safety, and exploration. There was an understanding of mutual learning and respect for one another. I quickly became part of the routine and accepted my responsibility as an authoritative figure in the classroom. Aside from my formal observations, I lead a daily literacy group, applying my education to the field. This built my confidence as an educator and allowed me the opportunity to take appropriate risks and try different teaching techniques and approaches. I did not get the chance to complete my three-week classroom takeover due to the COVID-19 outbreak that lead to state-wide school closures. This was disappointing, as I was looking forward to a glimpse of leading a classroom independently. Throughout my education I was prepped for challenges of (almost) every sort. But, COVID-19 posed a challenge unlike anything ever expected. It is ironic that I be entering the field, as a first-year educator under these circumstances. Nowhere in my methods courses was I taught to prepare for, or how to go about transitioning from face-to-face to digital-based learning. However, I continued to correspond with my cooperating teacher, accompanying her on the journey of the transition to online learning for Kindergarten. This was not thought to be an ideal method, until it was the only option. Now, after this forced leap of faith, I see that even the most uncertain, unprecedented circumstances, though stressful and uncomfortable, are conquerable, leading to opportunities of growth and experience. I have gratitude for this unfortunate situation, for pushing my limits and testing my boundaries while under the wing of my mentor teacher before I begin my career independently.