Maria Tercero completed her service learning hours at Shenandoah Elementary School, a public school serving over 1,000 students in grades PK-5. The school has a 99% Hispanic student population from the surrounding Little Havana neighborhood, making language a barrier for many. Over the course of a month, Maria helped in a third grade classroom with 36 students, observing teaching strategies, giving students raffle tickets, assisting with reading fluency assessments, grading tests, helping students use reading software, and facilitating parent-teacher communication. She reflected that the experience was amazing and felt proud to help motivate and support the students' academic success.

1. M y S e r v i c e
L e a r n i n g J o u r n a l
By Maria Tercero

2. S c h o o l
C o m p o s i t i o n a n d
C l a s s
I n f o r m a t i o n●My service learning hours were done at Shenandoah Elementary School is a public
school serving 1,040 students grades PK-5. The school is located in the Little Havana
area, of which 99% of the students are Hispanic. The school is in a Hispanic
community area, making language barrier difficult for student to learn. The school
grade for 2013 is a D, which the school is constantly monitored. My service learning
hours were target to help a third grade class during the month of February. There
were 36 students in the classroom, of which 25 were girls and 11 boys and two
teachers. The classroom is consider an EFL class with Mrs. Correa and Mr. Rosete.
The classroom was setup in three vertical rows with the desk in pairs of two. The
classroom was smartly decorated because it displayed all the projects that students
have worked on such as culturally and arithmetically.

3. D a i l y J o u r n a l
● On February 18, 2014 was my first day
doing my service learning hours. On
this day I was introduced to the class.
The teachers explain to the students
that I want it to be a teacher and
came to help the class. On this day I
observed the way both teachers
conducted the class. I felt privileged
learning from two different teacher
and also how they teaches 36 students
at the same time. From day one I saw
how the teachers uses Florida
Educator Accomplished Practices.
● On February 19, 2014, my first
activity during the day was giving
each student two raffle tickets for the
day. This helps the students for raffle
day in which they could win different
prizes. Giving the tickets to students
helped with class management and
got the students motivated
throughout the day. These strategies
help students behave individually, as
a class, and respect each other. The
teacher always expected the students
to turn in assignments on time, if
assignment wasn’t turned in on time
a ticket will be taken away. The
FEAPs use is in Learning
Environment helps through
individual/class behavior, sets high
expectations for students to keep
their raffle tickets, organize and
manage time.

4. D a i l y J o u r n a l
● Also on February 19, 2014 the most
interested activity I was involved in
was doing reading fluency to the
students. This activity helps the
teachers recognize how fluent the
students are in reading. Students that
had a low reading fluency meet more
often with the teachers, than the ones
that had a higher reading fluency.
The FEAPs used reading fluency as
Instructional Delivery and
Facilitation, Assessment, and
Continuous Improvement. The
reading fluency scores establishes an
assessment of the students learning
needs, an assessment to match
learning objectives, use of technology
like Reading Plus, set goals and
creating a support system at home
and school.
● On February 20, 2014 the best
activity, I was involved in was
grading various tests. The test results
are important because it helps the
teachers recognize how well the
students are learning the material
taught in class and which students
need more help. The FEAPs use in
grading test is Quality of Instruction,
Instructional Delivery and
Facilitation, Assessment and
Continuous Improvement. Test
scores helps monitor what students
are learning. For example it helps
monitor students progress,
achievement, and learning gain. It
also creates better lesson plans,
recognize individual learning and
design goals based on student’s needs.

5. D a i l y J o u r n a l
● . Also on February 20, 2014 I was also
involved in helping students with
technology in class. For example, few
students did not know how to log in
to Reading Plus Program, so I taught
them how to login in. This program
helps the children improve their
reading skills. Using technology in
class uses the FEAPs as Continuous
Improvement. Using technology at
home for learning programs that are
found on the student portal like
Reading Plus gives students the extra
push to help them improve and be
successful. For example, if the
student is reading below the grade
using the Reading Plus Program will
help student tremendously.
● Last on February 21, 2014 the most
important activity I was involved in
was keeping the parents and teacher
communicated. I would help the
teachers by making notes of the
parents that they needed to call. I also
helped by writing notes on students
agendas to keep the parents alert.
This essential activity helps with
continuous improvement at home.
Having parents involved is also from
the FEAPs Assessment and
Continuous Improvement. The
teacher should always share with the
parent the student’s grades and how
the student is improving. Sharing
vital information with the parent is
important such as the importance of
reading for 30 minutes every day.
Having great communication with
the teacher and parent will help
create continuous improvement .

6. R e f l e c t i o n
● My experience during these activities was amazing. The teachers cares for the
students learning. The teachers motivated the students to keep their tickets for raffle
day. At the same time the students are behaving and being responsible in turning their
assignments on time, if not the tickets will be taken away. I felt excited on how the
teachers helped the students that needed help in reading fluency. The teachers were
genius and created different groups based on their reading level. The group that needed
the most help meet with the teachers more often. At the time of grading tests, I was a
little nervous so I took my time in grading each individual test. I was careful and
accurate at the time of grading because I wanted to make sure that I was doing it
correctly. The teachers will plan their lesson based on the test score. Also, provide
extra homework for those students that score low on the tests. I also felt motivated
that the teachers are always encouraging students to use Reading Plus. My last activity
was great because I helped the teachers keep the parents informed on the students’
performance. This was a great benefit for the students to improve academically at
home and at school. I felt proud about the teachers techniques because they were
making sure the students were going succeed during the school year. I truly enjoyed
doing my service hours at Shenandoah Elementary. I felt proud of myself because I’m
helping these children have a brighter future.

7. T h e E n d !