[NOBE-L] Questions about teaching and student teaching

[Jackie Larrauri]

Good evening,
My name is Jackie Larrauri and I am finishing up my senior year at
university and will be starting my MAT in the fall. I have not posted
on this list for a long time, but have a few questions to ask. I have
been in two preschool placements and one first grade placement. Most
recently, I was in a third grade placement that was cut short. After
being in these placements, I have more questions about teaching,
especially for those teaching in the general education or inclusive
elementary classroom, though I would love advice from anyone.
I've been having many doubts about teaching as a blind person and
while I can find various tips for first year teachers and student
teachers, these are all from a sighted perspective. While my passion
has always been to teach early elementary in the general education
classroom and not students with visual impairments, I have become more
discouraged as I have been in these placements. I would love to talk
with a blind teacher if at all possible in more detail over the phone,
but I have also written some of my questions and doubts below.
1. How do you organize your printed papers--either those you need to
give out as assignments, those you get from administration, parent
communication, and papers to grade.
2. How do you grade papers from all subject areas? If you teach in
kindergarten or first grade, how do you grade handwriting?
3. How do you teach handwriting? Reading? Math? Do you use a white or
chalk board?
4. How do you incorporate technology into your classroom?
5. How do you manage fire drills or field trips?
6. I've seen a lot of videos on creating lesson plans, classroom
labels, organizing a classroom library, and creating powerpoint or
Google slides lessons. How do you create these materials? I have been
playing around with powerpoint and Google slides, but can't seem to be
able to create pretty labels or slides because the picture is either
not in the shape I want, the rotation or size are wrong, or the text
is too big or small. If you don't create all of your own lessons, how
do you access materials sighted peers make or those off of sites such
as Pinterest or TPT? How do you laminate or cut out your own lessons,
such as when creating math games or centers? How, if at all, do you
incorporate dry-erase activities and know students are not playing on
their boards or messing about?
7. How do you set up your classroom on your own, making sure it is
visually welcoming and inviting, bullitin boards are straight, and
everything is in place? Similarly, how do you create anchor charts or
learning targets/intentions to display?
I appreciate any insights you might have about these subjects. As I
said, I would love to discuss these questions and doubts further with
anyone who is willing.
Best,
Jackie Larrauri