The past two weeks, my goals were to work on my organization skills and helping all of my students achieve passing grades on their Constitution tests. The first goal is something not complete yet, as it will have to be worked on continuously throughout the semester. That being said, I've made some strong strides in keeping things organized better and staying up on tasks that I need to. My second goal, making sure all students pass the Constitution test, went extremely well. The overall average grade of my three classes was an 87%, so I was very happy after giving that test. I'm happy with how my goals panned out.
These next two weeks will be very different for me. Starting Monday, I am transitioning out of my classes at Marist. It's hard to believe seven weeks have gone by, but I feel like I've learned a great deal in this short time. I feel like I'm just hitting my stride here, and I built a great rapport with my students. My first goal is to transition out smoothly while still making this week a positive learning experience. My second goal is to get my feet wet quicker at my second placement, working hard to become a part of their community right off the bat. It will be difficult coming in midway through the semester, so hopefully I will be able to establish a strong rapport with my new students. It will be challenging, but I look forward to the learning experience.
In terms of a classroom management plan, I've worked on the structure of my group assignments. In order to keep all students on task, I have tried to make sure each group member has something that they are responsible for, then requiring them to report back to the entire group. This generally keeps all group conversations on task, efficiently uses learning time, and holds students accountable. One of the biggest parts of my teaching philosophy is to teach life skills that extend beyond the classroom, and this is certainly an example of that. Accountability is an important character trait, so developing this through my classroom management plan will set students up very well for the real world.
Last week, I really enjoyed the principal panel that Trinity had set up for us. There was some tremendous insight presented in an open forum, with administrators speaking honestly about what they look for in educators. My biggest takeaway from that was that finding a job may be difficult, but as long as I properly display the traits that I have I will be fine. I walked out of the panel very reassured that I was on the right track in education, and that my training has put me in a great place moving forward. I like what my future has in store.
In terms of the edTPA, I made a big decision this week. I had been trying to complete the project during my first placement, but I found this difficult with the shorter time frame. Much of the first few weeks were an adjustment period for me, and admittedly I was overwhelmed a bit. Add to that a fairly structured curriculum in US History, I felt I could not give my best work in my first placement. I decided I would complete my edTPA project in my second placement. This has a few advantages. First, I know have a familiarity with student teaching. While I will be at a new place, the adjustment period will be much shorter because I now know what to expect. Second, the ten week placement allows me a bit more leeway and room for error should I need it. I will be much more comfortable completing the edTPA in my junior high placement, and more importantly I know I will be able to put out a much better quality of work.
Monday, September 30, 2013
Sunday, September 15, 2013
Blog Post 2
Last week, my two goals were to get into a rhythm and learn all of the names of my students. Luckily, I feel very accomplished in both of these goals. I had a great week in terms of student teaching, with some great lessons taught; more importantly, I learned a great deal from the lessons that did not go as smoothly as planned. Additionally, I feel I got into a groove in terms of my schedule and balancing everything out. I'm also getting my students' names down much easier, which allows me to personally connect with the students a bit more. I'm very happy with how my first two goals panned out.
For the next two weeks, I want to concentrate on staying organized, as well as having all of my US History students pass the Constitution Test. Organization, specifically with materials I need to grade and handout, plus lesson plans, is one big thing I need to master. This is a skill that will set me up well for the future. As far as the Constitution test, it is something I am starting this week and is a very important part of US History for juniors. A passing grade is necessary in order to move on to senior year, so I feel a tremendous responsibility (that I look forward to) to prepare my students the best that I can for the exam.
One word to describe my past week: successful.
In the past two weeks, I worked hard to create a learning environment that encourages social interaction, active engagement in learning, and social motivation. I achieved this by using a variety of group reading and discussion activities during lessons which both engaged the students and allowed for social interaction. Allowing for group collaboration creates an environment where different opinions are shared, thus allowing students to also learn from one another.
A positive expectation that my cooperating teacher has which I hope to continue on is an environment where students feel welcome to share their thoughts, as well as ask questions. This gives the students a sense of ownership in the class as they are relied on to help the flow of the class.
Two takeaways I had from "The First Days of School" were the advantages of and what is contained in a well-managed classroom, as well as the importance of the teacher's space being close to the students' space. I had considered the idea of a well-managed classroom before, but the importance of this was well-illustrated in the book. Also, I never thought that a class would be less disciplined if the teacher is located a bit farther away. These were two important aspects of the reading to me.
For the TPA project, I have begun to plan out which lessons I will be videotaping and using for the project, now it is a matter of getting the content ready. I will really focus in on that this week as I move forward.
In terms of anything with my college supervisor, I think I am good to go. Looking forward to my final observation next Monday!
For the next two weeks, I want to concentrate on staying organized, as well as having all of my US History students pass the Constitution Test. Organization, specifically with materials I need to grade and handout, plus lesson plans, is one big thing I need to master. This is a skill that will set me up well for the future. As far as the Constitution test, it is something I am starting this week and is a very important part of US History for juniors. A passing grade is necessary in order to move on to senior year, so I feel a tremendous responsibility (that I look forward to) to prepare my students the best that I can for the exam.
One word to describe my past week: successful.
In the past two weeks, I worked hard to create a learning environment that encourages social interaction, active engagement in learning, and social motivation. I achieved this by using a variety of group reading and discussion activities during lessons which both engaged the students and allowed for social interaction. Allowing for group collaboration creates an environment where different opinions are shared, thus allowing students to also learn from one another.
A positive expectation that my cooperating teacher has which I hope to continue on is an environment where students feel welcome to share their thoughts, as well as ask questions. This gives the students a sense of ownership in the class as they are relied on to help the flow of the class.
Two takeaways I had from "The First Days of School" were the advantages of and what is contained in a well-managed classroom, as well as the importance of the teacher's space being close to the students' space. I had considered the idea of a well-managed classroom before, but the importance of this was well-illustrated in the book. Also, I never thought that a class would be less disciplined if the teacher is located a bit farther away. These were two important aspects of the reading to me.
For the TPA project, I have begun to plan out which lessons I will be videotaping and using for the project, now it is a matter of getting the content ready. I will really focus in on that this week as I move forward.
In terms of anything with my college supervisor, I think I am good to go. Looking forward to my final observation next Monday!
Monday, September 2, 2013
Blog Post 1
As student teaching continues on, there are a few things I want (and need) to accomplish. I feel myself starting to get into the groove of teaching 5 classes a day, which is nice, but I feel I need to get into a better rhythm, which is my first and primary goal. By this, I mean that I need to both get into the rhythm of a typical lesson and the rhythm of a full-time teacher and coach.
Time management, luckily, has not been an issue as of yet, but I am seeing that adjustments need to be made with a full plate during the week. I was able to execute some successful lessons this week, but time crunches due to coaching and coaching related schedule changes certainly made this a difficult task. I'm still adjusting to the schedule, but I really look forward to getting into a more set rhythm this week. Teaching and coaching are two walks of life that require great organization, communication skills, and attention to detail, but this is what I want to do for the rest of my life; what better time to get used to this lifestyle than during student teaching?
My second goal for this week is learning all of my students' names. I've never been a person that has been good with names, so learning the names of 100+ different students has been a tall task for me. I've made some progress at this (my cooperating teachers struggle at this as well!), but I really want to have everyone's name down this week. A huge part of my teaching philosophy is getting to know my students, so I need to accomplish the most basic task before I go further.
If I had to use one word to describe my first week with a full teaching schedule, I would choose the word "hectic." A lot of new things being thrown at me, but I believe I will get better at balancing it all and improving as a teacher during the process.
Over the past two weeks, I have observed many things that will help me begin the teaching/learning process with my students. The biggest thing I have learned is the type of students I have. I was overwhelmed to find that the vast majority of my students are hard workers who really want to learn. This is a personality trait that any teacher would love to have in their students, and it gives me a tremendous advantage going forward. It is exciting to know that I get to wake up every day and teach students who are eager to learn the material. I am able to have high expectations for my students as they hold the same expectations for themselves.
My cooperating teachers and I so far have a very good relationship. Both of the CTs share common lunch and prep periods, so we have made a daily habit of sitting together and discussing upcoming material and lessons. More importantly, they use this time to give me feedback on what I can improve on or what worked well during lessons. I feel blessed to be around teachers that have a wealth of classroom experience while remaining down-to-earth people. These daily meetings are where instructional planning takes place, and we usually set aside some time after school to discuss specific points that need to be covered. Additionally, we stay in contact via phone calls and text if anything else is missed. I feel very well-prepared by my cooperating teachers.
One of my takeaways from reading The First Days of School is that good teachers continuously educate themselves. It is important to continue to take classes, attend conventions and join professional organizations in order to remain up to date in what is important in education. Additionally, these forms of education allow teachers to collaborate with one another and share important ideas that can be inserted into one's own teaching style.
Another takeaway from the reading was that the first year of teaching is not made easy solely from teacher education or student teaching. Inevitably, issues will arise that are impossible to prepare for. In such situations, first year teachers have to make the best decision and learn from that decision. Experience is the only thing that truly prepares educators, but a teacher education base-layer is certainly important.
In terms of the TPA Project, I have begun preparing for it by familiarizing myself with all of the tasks, and I have begun to brainstorm on a particular unit that I want to cover. I have not made a final decision yet, as I am not sure if I want to focus on my Western Civilization class or my US History class. Additionally, I have gone over important dates and assignments within the tasks. The TPA Project will certainly be a lot of work, but I feel very comfortable knowing that my Trinity education coursework has prepared me for the project.
As of now, I don't feel I need help or feedback, but as I get further into my placement I may need some feedback on activities that I am using in lessons. So far, though, my cooperating teachers have been tremendous assets in terms of advice and guidance. As I mentioned before, I feel truly blessed to be working with who I am. Things have been running fairly smoothly, which I am thankful Consequentially, I don't feel there is anything that may surprise my college supervisor, other than how warm a 2nd floor corner classroom can get in the summer months!
Time management, luckily, has not been an issue as of yet, but I am seeing that adjustments need to be made with a full plate during the week. I was able to execute some successful lessons this week, but time crunches due to coaching and coaching related schedule changes certainly made this a difficult task. I'm still adjusting to the schedule, but I really look forward to getting into a more set rhythm this week. Teaching and coaching are two walks of life that require great organization, communication skills, and attention to detail, but this is what I want to do for the rest of my life; what better time to get used to this lifestyle than during student teaching?
My second goal for this week is learning all of my students' names. I've never been a person that has been good with names, so learning the names of 100+ different students has been a tall task for me. I've made some progress at this (my cooperating teachers struggle at this as well!), but I really want to have everyone's name down this week. A huge part of my teaching philosophy is getting to know my students, so I need to accomplish the most basic task before I go further.
If I had to use one word to describe my first week with a full teaching schedule, I would choose the word "hectic." A lot of new things being thrown at me, but I believe I will get better at balancing it all and improving as a teacher during the process.
Over the past two weeks, I have observed many things that will help me begin the teaching/learning process with my students. The biggest thing I have learned is the type of students I have. I was overwhelmed to find that the vast majority of my students are hard workers who really want to learn. This is a personality trait that any teacher would love to have in their students, and it gives me a tremendous advantage going forward. It is exciting to know that I get to wake up every day and teach students who are eager to learn the material. I am able to have high expectations for my students as they hold the same expectations for themselves.
My cooperating teachers and I so far have a very good relationship. Both of the CTs share common lunch and prep periods, so we have made a daily habit of sitting together and discussing upcoming material and lessons. More importantly, they use this time to give me feedback on what I can improve on or what worked well during lessons. I feel blessed to be around teachers that have a wealth of classroom experience while remaining down-to-earth people. These daily meetings are where instructional planning takes place, and we usually set aside some time after school to discuss specific points that need to be covered. Additionally, we stay in contact via phone calls and text if anything else is missed. I feel very well-prepared by my cooperating teachers.
One of my takeaways from reading The First Days of School is that good teachers continuously educate themselves. It is important to continue to take classes, attend conventions and join professional organizations in order to remain up to date in what is important in education. Additionally, these forms of education allow teachers to collaborate with one another and share important ideas that can be inserted into one's own teaching style.
Another takeaway from the reading was that the first year of teaching is not made easy solely from teacher education or student teaching. Inevitably, issues will arise that are impossible to prepare for. In such situations, first year teachers have to make the best decision and learn from that decision. Experience is the only thing that truly prepares educators, but a teacher education base-layer is certainly important.
In terms of the TPA Project, I have begun preparing for it by familiarizing myself with all of the tasks, and I have begun to brainstorm on a particular unit that I want to cover. I have not made a final decision yet, as I am not sure if I want to focus on my Western Civilization class or my US History class. Additionally, I have gone over important dates and assignments within the tasks. The TPA Project will certainly be a lot of work, but I feel very comfortable knowing that my Trinity education coursework has prepared me for the project.
As of now, I don't feel I need help or feedback, but as I get further into my placement I may need some feedback on activities that I am using in lessons. So far, though, my cooperating teachers have been tremendous assets in terms of advice and guidance. As I mentioned before, I feel truly blessed to be working with who I am. Things have been running fairly smoothly, which I am thankful Consequentially, I don't feel there is anything that may surprise my college supervisor, other than how warm a 2nd floor corner classroom can get in the summer months!
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