Week of February 22

Week of Reflection February 22

  

I am going to rate my week as a 3. There were some good days and some bad. The highlight of my week was my social studies lesson Wednesday it was really awesome and I was so proud of the kids. The bad part of the week has just been the added stress of the edTPA deadline approaching and continuing to get my weekly things done. Then on top of all of that trying to balance my personal life with this. I have been spending all of my time at the school and all of the weekends in my room working on things that I have barely spent any time with my own family and it is taking its toll. 

Observe: 

Wednesday we finally got to do the civil war debate that the students were working on last week. At first I was worried about how it would work out especially as they were doing their research. But it all came together so well in the final activity. The kids learned so much. 

Reflect:

The lesson above made me really see how much my students are capable of

Focus: 

I’m still trying to find was to involve more global awareness. I am in little ways but I’m having a hard time finding things for my final portfolio

Be productive:

I honestly need to be spending less time on school work and more time on myself but I can barely get what I need to done.

Have courage:

I had a cool moment in computer lab as well on Wednesday. The AIG students came back from their class and were telling me about what they had been doing. They were explaining how their teacher couldn’t figure out how to model dividing fractions. I showed them how and they ran back to their class and brought her in so I could explain to her. I was proud that I could help. 

Begin anew: 

Finish all of edTPA this week. 

Data: 

We got our check-ins back and a lot of our students got 100s on the ELA part. I haven’t looked at the math yet. 

Advice: We’re about halfway there!

Week of February 15th

Week of Reflection February 15th

This week was a week of some crazy kids. I am assuming that most of this was due to Valentines being this week and that they will be back to normal next week. This week was also a huge catch-up week. Last week was mostly a wash with so much testing going on a field trip and we got behind in a lot of our lessons. This week we were catching up on what we did not get to last week. And most of the lessons I had planned to teach this week has been pushed to next week. Even with all of this, it was still a very good week. I would probably rate it as a high 4 due to behavioral issues, but for the most part, it was good. I did get a surprise from the students which made my week. My birthday was Tuesday and the students had planned a surprise party for me. I had no clue and after lunch, my CE tricked me into the extra empty classroom that we have and they surprised me. They had all of my favorite things and as I reflected on the past two weeks I realized all of the little things that they had done and questions they had asked me that I thought nothing of at the time were all building up to this. It was all really sweet.

Observe:

I feel like I picked up a lot of little things and skills from my lessons this week that I am not going to list out but it made me feel good and proud of myself.

Reflect: 

We have been focused on the Civil War in my social studies class last week and was supposed to finish it up at the beginning of this week. Well Wednesday, which was supposed to be our last day with it, the students were all arguing about the two sides of the Civil War and who was right or wrong. Right then and there I threw out my whole lesson plan and I divided the class in half with one side devoted to the Confederate side and the other to the Union. I made sure as I split them up to put those who had been arguing for one side on the opposite side. What I then had them do is research their side and all of their reasons behind the conflict. I explained how each side had their own reasons just like any argument and there was not really a right or wrong side to it. The students are then going to have a debate between the two sides. This really helped me see how flexible a teacher has to be. It also gave me a lot of confidence to see how fast I could completely flip a lesson and come up with what the students need in that instance.

Focus:

Still working on weekly lesson plans and trying to get this edTPA done.

Be Productive:

I spent a lot of time focused on my science and social studies for next week until ELA and math were just pushed to the side. I also need to spend more time on my edTPA

Have Courage:

At the moment I am thinking about how I want to finish up our next social studies unit and I am kind of apprehensive about my idea and what my CE will think about it. But I really want to try it.

Begin Anew:

Get my math reengagement lesson taught.

Data:

It was quick formative data that I just saw in my students’ discussion/argument but it made me decide to completely change my social studies lesson from what I saw from the students.

Advice: 

Don’t worry so much about all of the nitpicky things and focus on what the kids need. 

NC Teacher Candidate Standards

1c. Teachers lead the teaching profession. 

I am getting more chances to talk with the other teachers at this school and building relationships with them. I have also been a lot more active in some of the Facebook groups that I have joined. Asking them questions and even answering some of theirs. 

2a. Teachers provide an environment in which each child has a positive, nurturing relationship with caring adults. 

My relationship with these students just keeps improving. 

3c. Teachers recognize the interconnectedness of content areas/disciplines. 

I used Venn diagrams in my math lessons this week when working with GCF to help students see how these work. 

4c. Teachers use a variety of instructional methods. 

Every week I am looking for new methods and materials that I can use in lessons to meet all of the students’ needs. 

5c. Teachers function effectively in a complex, dynamic environment. 

I used a bunch of graphic organizers to go with text structures to help students with these as we went through different texts. 

Other:

Got a good bit of videos for my portfolio video this week. 

Week of February 8th

Week of Reflection February 8th

This week was kind of a boring week, not really that I was bored just that it was a basic week and there wasn’t much exciting happening class wise. Monday and Friday were our only two full normal days. Tuesday and Thursday the students had their check-in tests and Wednesday we had an on-school-grounds field trip, on top of this one of my CE’s was out and about half of the students were absent. It was hard trying to get any kind of lessons going and it wound up being more of a catch-up week for students to work on things they had missing or incomplete. It was a pretty relaxing week but not a lot of fun. Even so, there was not really anything negative this week so I would rate it as a 5.

Observe:

Something that really got to me this week was at the beginning of the week when I gave the students their test on the unit they have been studying in Social Studies. The test was given to me by my CE for that class since she was the one that taught the majority of the unit and I only taught the last two lessons out of it. She was the one that was out this week. The problem was the test was out of a different textbook instead of the one they were using. The kids were freaking out and a few breaking down in tears because they could not find these questions in the book. I had calm them down and then figure out why they were having such trouble. It was definitely a learning moment.

Reflect:

I was really focused on observing my kids work in groups this week. I have them work in groups a lot and so did my CE before I took over. But this week, especially today I just saw them doing so well in their groups. They are working in more long term groups at the moment to build K’nex cars instead of the normal random groups we do pretty often. I just enjoyed watching them work so hard at making sure everyone was involved and everyone’s ideas were taken into account. They are doing such a great job.

Focus:

I am still working on my weekly plans and working my way through my 10 weeks.

Be Productive:

I had a lot going on outside of school this week and even though I still kept up with the normal workload of lesson plans, and grading and such, and even worked on edTPA some, I really need to be working more on my portfolio. Especially the global awareness piece. 

Have Courage:

Something that was pointed out to me during my observation was my classroom management. I do find myself being apprehensive on discipline or getting on to the students when my CE is present. I know I shouldn’t and I feel like I do fine when she is not there or there is a sub, but I subconsciously still see myself as the guest in her classroom and hesitate on disciplining the kids.

Begin Anew:

I need to finish my commentary for Task 2 next week before the seminar.

Data:

Today I had planned on giving my students a quiz on what they were doing in math. Well before we started I did a few review problems with them and in doing so figured out they were definitely not ready for that quiz. So we spent the whole lesson instead working on the skill some more. 

Advice:

“Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.” James 1:12

Remain steadfast.

NC Teacher Candidate Standards

1b. Teachers demonstrate leadership in the school. 

The Title 1 teacher and I met with the staff members to talk out and get feedback on the Parent Night we are planning for the whole school.

2a. Teachers provide an environment in which each child has a positive, nurturing relationship with caring adults. 

I continue to see my relationship with these students improving. It is very awesome for me to be able to see this grow.

3b. Teachers know the content appropriate to their teaching specialty. 

I know the topic is not directly related to the standards but since we have started designing cars with K’nex kits to go with our force and motion unit, we have been looking at designs of cars and why they are designed that way. I come from a family of car enthusiasts and the students have been able to ask questions and make more connections between the why of the designs and different forces like friction because I can help lead them through and bounce things back to them.

4c. Teachers use a variety of instructional methods. 

I continue to use different forms of instruction like hands-on models and materials that really allow students to explore and understand the concepts in both math and science. I am working on trying to do a little bit more of this in ELA and social studies too.

5b. Teachers link professional growth to their professional goals. 

I have been looking into some professional development opportunities. 

Other:

Been working on Task 2

Week of February 1st

Week of Reflection February 1st

  

This week was a much better week than last. I still have tons to do, and I am still having a hard time when it comes to the lesson plans, but I felt more accomplished. This week was my first full week and I loved it, being able to teach the kids all day for the whole week. It is crazy trying to switch classrooms, and I am still trying to figure that part out, but it worked out. Some of the teachers have been messing with me asking if I sleep there at school as I have been there so long every day. I was given a key to my classroom, so now I have been getting there before any of them and staying there until after 6, which is way after everyone else has left. This has helped me feel much more accomplished though, because I can just focus on everything I need to do with no distractions. Overall I think I would rate this week as a busy 4.

Observe:

I have been noticing this week how much my relationship with the students has improved in just the last few weeks. I was worried at Christmas time because I felt like I was not getting anywhere with them. But in just the last couple of weeks, that has changed tremendously. 

Reflect:

So I had a lesson in social studies yesterday where the students were going to use their chrome books for some research. Well before we got to that part we were watching a video clip and discussing the topic. While we were doing so, one of my students was already on his Chromebook, but since he was still participating in the discussion and was actually sitting still I let him go. When we got through he came and showed me what he was doing while I was teaching and he was taking notes! He is one of my students that cannot stay seated and it is a battle to get him to write anything. I am now trying to figure out a way to use this without him getting bored with it or it causing the other students to whine because "why does he get to be on the computer".

Focus:

I finished teaching my edTPA lessons this week! I feel like they went very well. Now I need to get going on those commentaries.

Be Productive:

I did a  lot this week with day to day stuff. Wrapping up the day, grading papers, making my reflections, revamping lessons for the next day, and so on. I feel like I need to be doing more on my portfolio but since edTPA is also a part of the portfolio I feel like at least I am still doing something for it.

Have Courage:

My second CE is going to be out this next week and she gave me things to do with the students during ELA  since it’s a short week and she would have a sub. I kind of had some ideas on what I wanted to do with them post edTPA with poetry but I didn’t want to step on her toes and wound up just going along with what she wanted me to do because she was so insistent, but I would like to find a way to integrate my own things more this semester.

Begin Anew:

The first thing I need to do is get some folders to keep everything for each class/subject separate so that I can easily grab things for each class and keep it organized because right now it is a mess.

Data:

We have been working on operations with decimals and as I graded some work from the students I realized they needed extra practice with a certain lesson and I had to push my other lessons over a day.

Advice:

“For this light monetary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” — 2 Corinthians 4:17-18

NC Teacher Candidate Standards

1e. Teachers demonstrate high ethical standards. 

I continue to behave professionally and ethically and follow all the rules and policies.

2d. Teachers adapt their teaching for the benefit of students with special needs. 

I am trying to find ideas for my ADHD student who I mentioned earlier that was taking notes on his computer.

3a. Teachers align their instruction with the North Carolina Standard Course of Study. 

Students had a small research assignment in both social studies and science which allowed them to practice these literacy skills.

4b. Teachers plan instruction appropriate for their students. 

I was talking with my CEs this week about their grading styles and such to help me. I did not know how much to actually put a grade on and when to just give them credit for doing the work.

5a. Teachers analyze student learning. 

Looked at data from the students on our math lessons and redid my lessons according to this.

Other:

I finished teaching my literacy segment for edTPA.