Week 3 Blog

Week Of Friday:  SEPTEMBER: 15

Level of Difficulty: 4

Observe:

One thing I have observed this week is the power of personality. Now, I feel I have a good personality. I am always and have ALWAYS been a jokester. It has been hard for me to balance the teacher glare and the humor that is within me. But I have put more emphasis on my personality and tried to be more comfortable and confident in the classroom. It has made a huge difference on attentiveness of my students and helped me to be a better speaker...I think.  Now I still am able to manage my classroom and deter distractions throughout the day and the lesson, but I feel the kids trust me more and are more likely to follow directions for me now.  We will see.

Reflect

One positive thing I have done this week is take more initiative.  My CE has noticed as well.  She is always fine with me trying new things and taking responsibility and is always there to help me if I fail.  She encourages me to get back in there and try it another way.  This is very important for all teachers but especially student teachers.

Focus

This week I am focusing again on being a better instructor and thorough in my teaching. All of the other puzzle pieces are coming together, but I feel I can be better at making sure students are picking up on my teaching.  This is huge as we all know.  So I am practicing more, thinking through what I am going to say, making notes and consulting with my CE in the afternoons.  Recordings are a big help as well.  This is certainly a craft!

Be Productive

My main focus over the next three weeks is nailing the edTPA lessons and gathering all the information I need for that. I am staying on task with lesson planning as well so that I can rest on the weekends….at least for an hour or two.

Have Courage

Continuing to have courage to try new things, take responsibility and handle tough situations by myself.  We won’t always have the safety net of our CE so we HAVE to develop these critical thinking skills as a teacher.  

Begin Anew

We just started Genius hour today so that is a new venture we are working on for the next 9 weeks.  Students will pick an area that interests them and become a “genius” by researching, developing and producing a product that showcases what they know about the topic. They will have a guiding question and it must be something that can’t ONLY be explained by using Google to look it up. They will use our Technology block once a week to discover and create whatever they choose.  It could be how to make a video game or code, one student wants to learn about Wars and why they start, one student wants to know how to create a new food.  It is really limitless.  But they will research, write, create, and or present their new knowledge at the end of the 9 weeks.

Data

We are finally finished with our reading assessments.  We are creating reading groups to work with during station time and will begin planning activities and lessons next week. I am also learning more about how data drives instruction and how my team works that out.

ADVICE

Student teachers: Build a great PLN, stay organized and don’t give up.  There is a lot to this, but you can do it!

Standard 1 1A: Teachers lead in their classrooms

This week: Stepping up and taking ownership of the class. When they need to switch, when it’s time for lunch, when there is an announcement, when they are getting too loud, that’s all me.

Standard 2: Teacher creates a safe and loving environment for their students.

I have learned a lot about the lives some of our students have.  Some/most are just fine, but some have rough situations. It is important to really take interest in them and show you care. Don’t be fake, but go out of your way to just ask them how their week is going or how their afternoon the day before was.  You will learn a lot. Even the ones you have to get on to all the time.

Standard 3: Teachers know the content they teach in the classroom

Nothing is more embarrassing than standing up there and fumbling your words. KNOW what you are going to say, how you are going to say it and how to flow.  This is crucial to being a great teacher!!!

Standard 4:B: Teachers plan instruction appropriate for their students

I have worked very much on making sure my CE is ok with the content.  We have planned a lot together because she knows what works the best.  We have every minute planned out to the dot and back ups are in place. We have a great group of students!!!

Standard 5: Teacher Reflect on their Practice

I still have a lot to grow in, but I was reminded my Dr. Wesson this week that I HAVE grown a lot and to keep getting better. This week I have started giving my CE a list of goals I have to work toward so that she doesn’t feel bad when she critiques me.  She is super nice.  This way, I can see if I am progressing and I am accountable.  Dr. Parker suggested this to me before and I think it is a great method for feedback.