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.