SIFTIn Class An Overview of SIFT In Class activities

    Students participate in hands-on activities centered around a variety of teaching and learning strategies. Students create and present lesson plans to their instructors and peers. Instructors evaluate student presentations using an adapted Connecticut Competence Instrument. Lesson plan presentations are video teped and evaluated by instructors. Students also learn to use the internet as a learning and teaching resource. Reflections are also a significant part of class time. Reflective journal entries centered on teaching and learning, field trips, and field experiences are shared each day. Collectively, these activities result in a well rounded learning experience toward the preparation of pursuing teaching as a profession.

    Assigments are given to the SIFT students in a college like- syllabus format.  Due dates are provided, and every week a new sheet of paper with the specific requirements of that assignment are handed out.  A list of a few assignments is provided below:

• "Model of a Positive Learning Environment":  Students must create a positive learning environment, taking into account everything from physical layout of the classroom, to rules and regulations.  Students present the finished projects to their fellow SIFT students in class, explaining their reasoning as to why they did what they did.
• "Structured Observation and Critical Reflection Essay":  Students must observe both children, teachers, and classroom set-up in their field-experience site and write a reflective essay that addresses the issues they learned about setting up a positive and safe classroom and learning environment.
• "Daily Reflection Journals":  Students reflect daily on what they learned from the class that day.  Reflections vary depending on what the students choose to reflect on.  Reflections are generally about a page long and cover the students thoughts on college life, daily learning field experiences, and field trips.  Reflections are periodically written on assigned topics which are handed out in class day-to-day.

    Field experiences are visits to summer school sites in Willimantic and Windham in which the students have a chance to work hands-on with students from the Pre-K to Middle School students and their teachers.  The field trips are designed to show students how to use non-classroomfield trips to further the classroom education that they recieve in everyday school environments.