Ashley Churchill

Professor Maurer

ED 199

4 October 2020

Elementary School Reflection

In class this week, I had the opportunity to meet with members of the Butler Lab School
55. During the whole group meeting, we talked with Nicole Kent the principal of IPS 55, and
during the small group meeting we met with Sarah McDaniel a kindergarten teacher at IPS 55.
Both ladies talked about many interesting concepts in the education field as well as qualities
needed to be a successful teacher.

During the interview with Nicole Kent, I learned many things about education and
teaching from a principal’s point of view. Nicole stressed the importance of positive attitudes
and good relationships. She even ended the interview by telling us that the biggest things she
looks for in a future teacher is their attitude and dedication. Teaching is hard, so she looks for
teachers who are ready to put in the work and be positive while doing it. IPS 55 has a proactive
disciplinary plan. The teachers and administration see the students as capable, competent, and
responsible so they teach positive soft skills and explicitly teach procedure. She also mentioned
the importance of an asset-based mindset when it comes to parents and families. She believes
that by not making assumptions and by making home visits, relationships between the parents
and school administration/teachers can be a positive one. She stressed the importance of making
a positive connection with the parents before giving any unwelcome news to the families.
Another big point was asking questions that did not have a right answer. The teachers encourage
positive and productive struggle, only stepping in when they feel the struggle is no longer
helping a student learn.

My biggest takeaways from the whole group interview:

 Making positive relationships with both students and families is one of the most
important jobs of a teacher
 Have a positive attitude even when things are changing
 Give students the opportunity to struggle in a healthy way
 Students are capable, competent, and responsible

The interview with Sarah McDaniel was also remarkably interesting. Throughout our
interview with Sarah we learned that she loves to work with children, and she went back to
school to become a teacher after she got a degree in interior design. Sarah mentioned that she
did not enjoy school when she was younger, so she wanted to go into the education field to
put joy into school for children. She, like Nicole, also discussed the Reggio inspired method
of teaching, but she brought in other important ideas too. She explained that they teach in a
workshop style, so each area of study has its own workshop consisting of a mini lesson,
practice time, and individual study time. She transferred from a public school to the Reggio
inspired school a few years ago, so she was able to share with us what that transition was
like. Sarah mentioned that the transition was not too bad because the Reggio inspiration is a
belief that the teachers have. She genuinely thinks that above all else, it is a belief that
children are capable and competent. At IPS 55 she will loop with the students, so this year
she is a kindergarten teacher and next year she will teach first grade to the same class.
Connections are so important, so they follow this loop style to help build a deeper connection
with students. I love this concept! She also stressed the importance of relationships with
families because families should be involved in the struggles that the teacher is feeling with
their children.

A few key takeaways from this interview were:

 Give the students space for big emotions

 Believe in the students
 Listen to the students’ interests
o Keep students engaged by teaching about the things they are interested in
 Do not take work too seriously!
o When mistakes happen, move on, and try to do better next time
 Keep in mind your why
 Make positive relationships
o Learning is a three-way connection between teachers, students, and families
 Every interview so far has focused on “The excitement of teaching, learning, and
mentoring,” and this week was no different. Both the Nicole and Sarah talked about how
important it is to love your job, and you could tell they both chose a career in education because
of their passion. This week, “The appreciation of diversity and similarity” was also clear. The
teachers at IPS 55 value the intelligence of each individual student, so they work to help each
student grow as an individual. The idea that children are competent and creative shows how
much the teachers and administration at IPS 55 value the diversity of the students in their
classroom.

The interviews this week were interesting, and I enjoyed learning about the IPS schools
that are affiliated with Butler. The opportunities after graduation are going to be endless, but
these interviews are helping me start gaining experience around the Indianapolis area.