I cannot believe that we have already made it through 4 weeks of the semester. It feels like it just started while at the same time it also feels like it has been 4 months instead of 4 weeks.
So far this semester the most focus has been in my clinical while my assignments for most of my classes have been focused on edTPA. We have done a lot with edTPA these 4 weeks, breaking it down and really analyzing it. In the new 251 seminar, the first thing we did was come up with a plan for learning the vocabulary associated with edTPA. In 435 for week 2, we went through all of the commentary questions and rubrics and highlighted all of the keywords and made connections between the two. We also looked at an example commentary from tasks 1, 2, and 3 and scored them with the rubrics, I felt like I got a lot out of this assignment being able to see an actual completed set of commentaries and going through and looking for the things that an actual scorer would. Finally, in Math Methods we looked at task 4 in class and went through each part highlighting and discussing important things from the task. Besides edTPA, I have spent a great amount of time in my clinical and I am loving it. I am learning so much from being in an actual classroom consistently week in and week out. I am enjoying getting to know the students and learning how a 5th grade teacher runs her classroom. One of the first assignments for 435 was observing the classroom and asking the teacher about her classroom management. There are so many moving parts to the classroom and to keeping students engaged and behaving. I saw some things that I would love to take into my own future classroom as well as somethings that I thought were neat but maybe not for me. One of the things that she does that I would like to use is how she does positive reinforcement individually as well as whole class. I have never seen a teacher have both before and I feel like it is a great thing to do. You have what keeps each individual in check but also when the whole class is doing well or poorly you can take care of them all at once. This also helps with your students who never seem to get an award because they continually lose it, because with the whole class award they can share in the prize and see how nice it is to get to be involved in the award. After this project, I got to put what I learned to use in the next project where I created my own management plan that I might use. I created this plan as if I had the class I am in because I needed something to focus on so a future class might not work quite the same, still, there are many things that I would take with me.
One other assignment that we did in Math Methods was choosing a domain from the math standards and scaffolding the standards under this domain all the way from kindergarten through 8th grade. This assignment allowed us to see how the standards built upon themselves as they went up through the grades. It was an informative project that helped opened my eyes a little more of how one standard starts very basically in kindergarten but 8th grade has the same standard basis with more built on. With this project, we found instructional supports for each grade that would help teach the standard in each grade.
I mentioned a Facebook group in my last blog that I have joined. It is such a great group to be in. I get to see the questions different teachers post and how other teachers respond to them and help them out. It is a community of teachers being supportive of each other and doing what they can to help each other. I have even been able to give ideas and suggestions to people and I am sure if I had a question for them I would get plenty of response. The group is very large and made up of people from all over. It is mostly for pre-k through 2nd grade but it is great for other grades as well. If anyone would like to join the group it is called Kinder/Firstie Curriculum with Tara West (Prek-2). It is a closed group and you have to be approved by an admin of the group but I wanted to include it here just in case.
The last thing I wanted to talk about today is my after school group. For those of you who do not know. I am a group leader in the after-school program at my local elementary and have been for going on 4 years now (not including the time I volunteered there during high school). This year I am mostly working with 3rd grade. I help them with their homework and tutor them every day, and after homework, we do planned activities with pre-k through 5th grade. I have been struggling with my group of kids and getting homework completed within the short time we have. I usually have between 10 to 14 kids (which is soon going to be 18 if they all get approved), at least 8 of them have ADHD, some on medication other not, but even so by the time they get to after school, their medication has worn off. It is a huge struggle keeping them corralled and focused on their work because almost all of them need one-on-one help and they continue to distract each other as well as themselves. I have been trying different plans trying to find something that works for them so that we can get homework done in our allotted time. I have created a routine that they are expected to follow which helps them know what is coming and know what is expected. I am also having them run a few laps in the gym before we start homework and play a goNoodle song to help get some energy out. I have also assigned each student a partner and a specific table. The two students are assigned by how well I think they can work together and also with one student who I know understands the material who can help the other student if needed. This way if a student has a simple question their partner can help while I can help students who are struggling more. Even though it is a huge struggle I am so happy I have the opportunity to work with these students and I am learning so much from them.
I found a lot of standards that connected to the things I did this month. First, while working our classroom management project we learned a lot about standard 1a which talks about leading in a classroom as well as standard 2 which is all about establishing a good environment for students. Classroom management is a huge part of both of these standards, you have to have good management to make a good environment for students. Scaffolding standards in math connected to standard 3a, because we are working to learn more about the standard course of study so that we can better align our instruction. With my work at after school, trying to fix things to where students are working together in the best groups for them I met some of standard 2c and 4f by using what I knew about individual students to group them and putting them into groups allows them to help each other and build the skills they need to work together.
I found a lot of standards that connected to the things I did this month. First, while working our classroom management project we learned a lot about standard 1a which talks about leading in a classroom as well as standard 2 which is all about establishing a good environment for students. Classroom management is a huge part of both of these standards, you have to have good management to make a good environment for students. Scaffolding standards in math connected to standard 3a, because we are working to learn more about the standard course of study so that we can better align our instruction. With my work at after school, trying to fix things to where students are working together in the best groups for them I met some of standard 2c and 4f by using what I knew about individual students to group them and putting them into groups allows them to help each other and build the skills they need to work together.
Someone shared this poem and I thought I would include it here.
Take my hand and come with me,
I want to teach you about ADHD.
I need you to know, I want to explain,
I have a very different brain.
Sights, sounds, and thoughts collide.
What to do first? I can't decide.
Please understand I'm not to blame,
I just can't process things the same.
Take my hand and walk with me,
Let me show you about ADHD.
I try to behave, I want to be good,
But I sometimes forget to do as I should.
Walk with me and wear my shoes,
You'll see its not the way I'd choose.
I do know what I'm supposed to do,
But my brain is slow getting the message through.
Take my hand and talk with me,
I want to tell you about ADHD.
I rarely think before I talk,
I often run when I should walk.
It's hard to get my school work done,
My thoughts are outside having fun.
I never know just where to start,
I think with my feelings and see with my heart.
Take my hand and stand by me,
I need you to know about ADHD.
It's hard to explain but I want you to know,
I can't help letting my feelings show.
Sometimes I'm angry, jealous, or sad.
I feel overwhelmed, frustrated, and mad.
I can't concentrate and I lose all my stuff.
I try really hard but it's never enough.
Take my hand and learn with me,
We need to know more about ADHD.
I worry a lot about getting things wrong,
Everything I do takes twice as long.
Everyday is exhausting for me...
Looking through the fog of ADHD.
I'm often so misunderstood,
I would change in a heartbeat if I could.
Take my hand and listen to me,
I want to share a secret about ADHD.
I want you to know there is more to me.
I'm not defined by it, you see.
I'm sensitive, kind and lots of fun.
I'm blamed for things I haven't done.
I'm the loyalist friend you'll ever know,
I just need a chance to let it show.
Take my hand and look at me,
Just forget about the ADHD.
I have real feelings just like you.
The love in my heart is just as true.
I may have a brain that can never rest,
But please understand I'm trying my best.
I want you to know, I need you to see,
I'm more than the label, I am still me!!!!
~Author Unknown
