As my time in Belize came to an end our Cohort was given two questions by Dr. C to think about and answer. (I believe I was supposed to answer them before I left Belize but my last week there was my busiest one yet so it just didn't happen. Plus...I also wanted to have a little time to sit back for a minute and reflect on my experience in Belize before answering these questions so I waited until I was home to answer them).
The first prompt is: What have you learned from your partnership teacher that will help you be a better teacher in the US?
- One thing I learned while I was in Belize that I would like to incorporate in my classroom in the U.S. is to use some inspiration from the behavior management system that I have seen used in the classrooms at Isla Bonita. In the Standard One Classroom the teacher has what's called a PAWistive Daily Behavior Chart on the board at the front of the classroom that she uses. The Behavior Chart has seven levels that are: "Outstanding!," "Super Choices!," "Good Job!," "Ready To Learn!," "Slow Down!," "Think About It!," and "Parent Contact!" Each student has a clothes pin with their name on it and everyone starts at the ""Ready To Learn!" level each morning. Throughout the day the teacher moves the students' clothes pin on the chart (either up or down) depending on their behavior. I really like this chart because it is easily displayed for the students so that they know exactly where they are at behavior wise at any given point during the day if they have any questions or are unsure about it. I also like it a lot because some behavior management strategies that I have seen in the States are very limited in the sense that the kids have less chances to correct their behavior and I believe this Behavior Chart provides students with multiple opportunities to improve their behavior if they're not behaving as they should as well as it encourages students to continue behaving well so that they can be "Outstanding!" I mean...Who doesn't want to be considered outstanding?? Since I'm a Special Education Major it will depend on the population of students that I have in my classroom on if I can use this particular Behavior Chart or not but it is something that I would like to try to use one day. I probably wouldn't use it as exactly as it is because just like everything else in Special Education...I would have to adapt this Behavior Chart to meet my students' needs as well. With this Behavior Chart I would like to have small rewards with each level above "Ready To Learn" to provide an extra incentive for students to have positive behaviors in the classroom. This type of Behavior Chart will be a really good way to help teach my students the expectations that I have for them in the Classroom. This Behavior Chart may not work exactly as it was used in the Standard One Classroom for my future classroom but with some tweaking here and there depending on the students that I have in my class I am sure that I can use it as a starting point to help guide a Behavior Chart that I can use in my future classroom that I hope will help me to be a better teacher in the US. Classroom Management is one of the most important skills a teacher must have to teach their students and using a Behavior Chart is one component of Classroom Management.
The second prompt is: What is one thing you are going to tell people about your experience in Belize (what is the first thing that comes to mind)?
- I've seen quite a few people since I've been back from Belize and one of the first things they ask me when they see me is: "How was your trip?!" & The first thing do is get a huge grin on my face. I then pause for a minute trying to find the words to say and I finally say: "It was amazing. I had the time of my life there and I miss it so much. I wasn't ready to come back." & It's so true. I then proceed to go into AT LEAST a five-minute ramble (if not more) of how incredible my time in Belize was. In each of these conversations I have had about my time in Belize one of the things that I find myself coming back to and always telling people is that you can visit a country for a weekend or a week, but you don't truly get to know the people there or really experience their culture until you live and work with them for an extended amount of time (like five and a half weeks). I've only been out of the U.S. one previous time in my life before going to the Belize and it was to The Bahamas when I went for Vacation on a cruise with my Grandparents when I was in Midde School. Looking back on my vacation to The Bahamas and comparing it to my International Field Experience in Belize I was simply a tourist in The Bahamas and didn't get a genuine feel for how life in The Bahamas really is. Now while being in Belize...That was a completely different experience. (I'm of course thankful for both though!) I felt like I truly got comfortable living life there and almost fit in with all of the locals in a way. I remember I felt so clueless during my first week in Belize. All I had was American Money on me, it would take me a minute to figure out the correct amount of money to give the cashier (I always wanted to give WAY MORE than what was needed), I didn't know any of the streets or how to get ANYWHERE on the Island, I took pictures of EVERY LITTLE THING that was new to me, and honestly just seemed like a tourist (I was a temporary one anyway). By my fifth week in Belize all I had was Belizean Money on me, I would hate it when cashiers told me the cost of my purchase in US Dollars since I only had Belizean Money on me (I would then ask how much it was in Belize), I knew how to get around San Pedro Town (for the most part) and go to all of my favorite places, I was able to give directions to tourists, and I didn't take as many pictures around town because none of it was new to me anymore and I was actually living there. I remember my trip to Belize City with THE SPED Girls was VERY DIFFERENT during our fifth week in Belize compared to our first week in Belize. During our first week we went to Belize City with Dr. C and I took pictures of everything. During our fifth week in Belize The SPED Girls and I went to Belize City withOUT Dr. C and I almost laughed when I saw a tourist taking pictures while riding on the Water Taxi because I had already been there and done that. It was the moment where it hit me that I wasn't just a visitor to Belize anymore. I felt like I a part of Belize and I guess when you live there for five and a half weeks that kind of happens to you. It was a very humbling moment for me because I don't think I realized when I left to go to Belize how attached I would get to it. I mean...I knew I would fall in love with the country and leave a part of my heart there when I had to leave (since I always do that wherever I travel) but I did not expect to get as connected to the country and the people who lived there as I did and I am so glad I got to experience that. It is something I will always keep with me too because as I travel in the future I want to keep in mind that the Tourist Locations are neat and worth seeing but I want to make sure that I dig around and find some of the Local Places to see too because THAT is when you truly get to know a way of life that is different from your own. As of right now I have to say that is one of the main takeaways that I feel like I have been telling people about my experience in Belize and will continue to tell people about my experience in Belize.
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