Week 15? nah!

Today felt like what I would feel like if I was going to my wedding.
I started to tear up as soon as I started recessing in with all the other graduates.
When the first prayer was prayed my eyes started to tear up again.

I can't explain it, but I just know that God was with me and all of us in that moment. 
I feel like today marked a transition in my own spirit. 
From student to teacher.  From child to adult. (hopefully you know what I mean)...

I left feeling grace, and feeling strength, and feeling love from so many friends, family members, and cohorts from my cohort. ;)

I'm beyond blessed today and just feel like my heart is full of thanks and praise to God.
I don't know what's coming next, but he does, and I'm excited!

Thank you all!

Week 14!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YAY!

My goals for this week are to enjoy the children and to actively make peace happen in my classroom. 
One word to describe last week was fast!  It went by super fast, and I am so thankful for that.
I'm so appreciative at this point of all the support through prayers and words of encouragement I've received from my supervisors and first placement cooperating staff.  I've even met some teachers at my second placement that have been super encouraging.

I'm challenged to move forward with confidence and a dedication to including many different types of learning activities. 

Things are going as smooth as possible, and I'm looking forward to THURSDAY!!!

Yay!  We did it.

Week 13

My goals last week were good.  I've been benefitted by having extra activities or extensions of what the kids are learning in my mind and at the ready for if there's extra time.

My new goals for this week were to pray for the Spirit to just lead me and flow through me as I teach.  I've been praying that God would just activate the gifts he's placed in me for his glory.  I realize more than ever that if this is a calling from Him, then I need to humble myself and be willing to be weak.  To realize that he's the one that is giving me everything I need to be a teacher.  I've been praying that his love would flow through me as I teach.  And honestly, if that sounds uber spiritual, I'm sorry.  I just realize how weak I truly am and how much I really need him, every day for everything.

I've been humbled and taught many things throughout this experience, and I'm still learning.  One word I would use to describe this week is miraculous.  God has taken the reigns this week and somewhere along the way, I feel like a switch turned on.  I felt it during some lessons, and my teacher even started leaving way more.  I think she felt it too.  God is with me, and I have been enjoying the kids, and what I'm teaching, and I don't take any credit... If I do take credit it's mostly for my weaknesses.

My daily interactions with my students (being that they come from diverse backgrounds: Arabic, Polish, Mexican, Caucasian, etc.) continue to help me realize how much language, culture, family, and community values have an impact on their learning.  It impacts everything, down to how they think and what they think about certain topics.  It is a factor that can be attributed to why they understand certain mainstream cultural things and why they don't. 

I'm so touched by learning more and more about these kiddos.  Learning about their parents and home backgrounds just causes me to want to pray for these kids, and to create a safe and fun environment, a community for them to work and learn in.  I understand that a huge factor on some of their lives is the fact that many of their parents are very young.  When teaching such a diverse group, I have realized in the moment (those moments when I need to think on my feet in front of them) that their experiences and perspectives are not going to be my shared experiences. 

This week I tried to be sensitive to cultural diversity during one of their arts activities.  I played them some music while they were cutting and pasting and tried to get them into a festive mood.  I chose songs that did not bring up Christmas.  I chose songs like Let it Snow and Jingle Bell Rock (by the chipmunks).  The kids know them, but I felt this was helping diversity because some of the Arabic kids don't celebrate Christmas, but celebrate EID.  I didn't want to promote one holiday over another one, and that is why I tried to choose neutral songs, things that would sing about winter/snowy things.  I don't feel that I denied my faith in anyway by doing this.  I really took time to think it over.  I think this is appropriate because in my own heart, I feel like that American Christmas is crazy.  It's presents, gifts, and people overspending.  I don't think any nonbeliever is going to see Christ just because I play a song that has the word Christmas in it.  I think they will experience Christ if I'm a Spirit filled teacher who lives and gives out the grace and love that God's given me.  (I'm not sure if I'm right, but I feel like my heart is in the right place, so to each their own perspective I suppose.)

I've been trying to design my instruction appropriate to the students' needs by choosing an activity or assessment, and then depending on their response to it (confusion, or instant grasp of the concept), I move forward and make decisions on what type of activities we should do next.  It helps me to decide if we need to stick to the same topic for another day, or if we're free to review other topics that we've previously learned.  Every day reflection is such a huge part of how I think through this process.  And I'm reflecting into the night.  I have found that teaching isn't something that you leave when you sign out at 3:15 or 4:00 or whenever. 

My cooperating teacher respects the diversity of students and families by acknowledging the fact that certain students celebrate EID and others celebrate Christmas.  I think that it helps the kids not feel weird or different.  The kids just feel like a little community, and no one is treated badly for their differing celebrations.

Things are winding down, and next week I should be teaching half days.  I will be observing a little, but teaching Monday & Tuesday.  The school musical is Wednesday and Thursday, so they'll be easy days.  I plan on enjoying the kids as much as I can, and I hope my cooperating teacher's goal is the same. 

In response to the discord that's been going on in my placement, I have to say that since this switch has been turned on, it's been like a source of life.  I feel like it just came out of nowhere.  The fear is gone.  My hands may still shake but I'm feeling more confident and enjoying these kids.  The lessons and discussions come easier and I'm sure it might baffle or surprise someone who thought that I'd never get past my lack of confidence.  And I guess this is my only explanation.

I Corinthians 1:27
"But God chose the foolish things of the world that he might put to shame those who are wise. God chose the weak things of the world, that he might put to shame the things that are strong."

In spite of any struggle or weakness that I've had, in my weakness God's been strong and he's the one whose going to put me in the teaching position that he wants me to be in.  Done.  It's pretty awesome to see the completion of an awesome goal. 

Which reminds me, it's so entirely true...

"Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit." Eph 7:8

Week 13: Done      :)

Week 12

My goals for last week were to have activities to take up the teaching time, and then to plan over the break.  Well I was able to have activities for the time. I think my teacher pinpointed a good thing that I missed on one of my activities. I had a game that was a blends Bingo, that was supposed to help students to identify blends.  I introduced it in a way that wasn't as great as it could have been.  We talked after about how to structure the game so that the kids were still getting some higher order thinking skills in.  She really made me think, and it was just a simple switch that I could have made with my wording.  This conversation helped me to make sure that I'm evaluating what I am asking of the students.  I want to be making THEM think, and not putting the thinking on myself.  If I did that all the time, I will definitely lose some of the kids who are higher.  I mean, they would still enjoy the game, but the learning that could have happened will just be missed.  This was a good lesson for me to learn.

One word to describe my week:  short.  It came and went, and now I'm in my almost last week of full time teaching.  It feels so good to be so close to the finish line.

A lesson I taught where I created multiple learning activities that allowed for variation in students' learning styles and performance modes was probably something that happened last week.  I've been trying to integrate a couple different things during Phonics.  So, we listened to a song, had kids come up to the board, and had pictures to pass out for the kids to see to illustrate what we were learning.  This week, I have a powerpoint for them to see a few of the words with long a (our focus this week) and then they'll be able to practice coming up with other long a words. 
I don't have any students with IEPs in my classroom and so I didn't have to plan instruction for any students with disabilities.  The students who receive reading/ELL services are pulled out of class by another teacher.

I have learned from my teaching that accessing students' prior knowledge of content before beginning the lesson is vital to grabbing the kids interest.  It also is the framework for getting their little minds thinking along the right lines.  I think it fires up their schema and that's what enables them to connect what they already know to what they're going to learn next. 

As of right now, I don't need any feedback.  I'm wondering if there are any teacher/resource websites that you have used/would recommend.  I've been trying to find supplemental sites, and so far Pinterest is a good site.  Otherwise, I'm looking up the sites that go along with the textbooks.

Thank you!

Week 11

My goals from last week were good.  One of my new goals I have for this coming week are to be prepared with activities to take up my teaching time (the 2 1/2 days I'll be teaching is very haphazard with Thanksgiving activities taking up the whole time according to the lesson plans that the First Grade Team created).  I'm planning on read alouds, cut & paste activities, singing stuff, etc. Another goal I have is to make it to Wednesday afternoon and then take books home and plan out the next week so that I can enjoy my holiday.  I need to see family or maybe just get this placement off my mind.  Two and a half days seems like it'll be the longest week regardless.

One word to describe my week:  blank.  Nothing I do is good enough, and even if I have an amazing teaching day, the littlest weakness is being pinpointed.  I don't know if I'm going to make it through.  Honestly.  I've been getting comments that a few things I've forgotten could lead to me being kicked out of the school. 

Well, unless it's in God's plan for me to fail, after all these years invested, money invested, heart invested in learning and teaching, then the result she thinks is inevitable will not come to pass.  I'm just going to try paying even more attention to every detail.  I'm like part of a circus, trying to make sure I jump through all the hoops.  And even then it's not good enough, I need to move faster and jump higher.

The prompts.
A lesson I taught this week that successfully engaged my students was a phonics lesson that we had. (there were a few more, but this was my number 1) I reviewed a few words on the board to remind them of what we'd been working on during the week:  sh & th blends, and the a sound in ball.  Then we listened to the Phonics song which they loved and I displayed the words on a big chart on the board.  Then kids came up and identified words that contained the blends or a sound.  They loved singing the song, and it was such a great time with me and them.  We listened to it play through a few times.   

During my teaching I adjusted my strategies by letting them hear the song more times than I had planned, and then I asked them to listen for the sh/th/a sounds.  It's a good preview, and they were motivated to come up and identify the sounds.  I was able to be myself, be silly with them, and yet maintain order.  These kids are just the sweetest.

I don't need any feedback.  My supervisor knows everything, and one of my goals right now is to stay in constant contact.  Any communication I have that is questionable I will be forwarding to her and possibly my seminar instructor.  The refrain of my communication with this CT is repetitive.  Anything that happens I'll be emailing/communicating so that there's notice of the situation that's transpiring.  I can definitely say that I never thought it would be like this.  There's just no fixing it.  Anything I try to say to defend myself or explain myself is shut down, and so I'm left without an advocate.  I just keep my mouth shut, which may be putting me in a bad light as well.  I feel like I can't win though, so it's better to just shut my mouth and hope I'm still able to graduate in December.

I'm still trying my best, but the last few days I've been so _______.  That's why I said blank.  I'm just trying to trudge through and enjoy my time teaching the kids, as well as make sure I remember every little OCD detail of all of her systems in her room so that the constant corrections die down.  But like I said, that's highly unlikely to happen.  The upside:  she's been leaving the room and that's helping me to feel so much more confident and I feel able to practice what I'm learning without a critical eye on me.

Week 10

Last week, my goals were to focus on incorporating activities that would allow my first graders to create, and also to have the best attitude.  I feel that I made a good start with the activities that I taught the kids this week, and my attitude was pretty good.  I feel like I'm in the home stretch and so I'm really excited about it.  I'm not as anxious as I used to be.  I even went back and visited my classroom from my first placement today.  I was able to be there all day and work with the kids and alongside my good friend.  It was just awesome and such a gift to be able to go back.  I just love that grade level, and I felt that I had grown so much with how I handle classroom issues.  I feel like it just gave me a shoot of confidence and I can see how God's been using my second placement as well as a place for me to grow.  I'm just so excited that I do see progress and growth (even if I'm not the best, I'm not putting the pressure on myself to be that anymore, just to DO my best, and that's all that matters)!  I feel like I still would really like to teach in a private school environment.  I've been in both environments.  I'm not opposed to public, but there are certain elements of creativity and freedom that aren't quite in the public setting.  But we'll see, I haven't observed the other grades in this second placement yet.

My goals for this week are the same:  to insert creative ways to teach subjects while meeting the objectives, and to have the best attitude possible (as a result of personal devotion time with God).  I'm excited for this portion to be wrapping up.  I can't say AGAIN how thankful I am to see growth.  It's not leaps and bounds, but it is enough.  I'm so thankful for God's work in my life, and helping me to persevere.  When I prefer the easy route, God takes me around the hard way, and I know it's for my good and because he is trying to make me.  It's not what I like, but it's shaping me into who he wants me to be... So, really, how can I complain?

It's not easy to find a single word to describe this week. I will say it was a kick in the pants.  In a good way!  My cooperating teacher ended up leaving at random points and then by Friday was gone for most of the day.  Being left on my own with no notice was interesting.  I did it though! I was able to effectively transition the kids, and get them to their specials on time.  This experience is invaluable to me!  I realize all that she does when she's trying to maintain order and a low volume are necessary.  The noise level that I originally thought was ok, I've come to realize is not.  It seems like the little bit I let them talk, it begins to escalate.  I've found the structure and times of quiet that we ask the kids to obey are much needed and are teaching these first graders how to show respect and be responsible for their next teacher.  If I let these good habits fall to the wayside, then their second grade teacher will just have to deal with the problems.  And that's not fair.  It's a good experience for me to be able to realize this on my own.  I hope that she continues to leave the room when I teach because I learn so much more when I don't have her to rely on or fall back on in the classroom.

Describe what I learned about creating a learning environment that encouraged social interaction, active engagement in learning, and self motivation.  This week I learned that these are all necessary for students to be able to enjoy what they're learning and want to participate.  This takes a lot of preparation, and my tone of voice when I'm teaching is so important.  With everything I do, I must instill a love of learning and a spirit of cooperation in these kids.  When they're able to be actively engaged (hands-on, visually stimulated, or kinesthetically involved) in a lesson, it is definitely more exciting and motivating for them.  I'm seeking to incorporate many times where students are able to do things like this.

Strategies that I used to create a smoothly functioning learning community in which students assume responsibility for themselves and one another are really behavior strategies.  I ask the students to help their neighbor if they are talking when they're supposed to be listening.  I remind them of what good, respectful listeners do, and verbally praise those students who are behaving how I want them to behave.  Students instantly respond and try to help each other to make the good choice of listening and being respectful.  It works as a kind of positive peer pressure.  I've also tried to add opportunities for students to work collaboratively when we're having a group discussion.  They were able to share their favorite land environment and animal in front of the class.  They had a drawing that they drew of this environment.  All of the students were listening very intently and seemed to enjoy it.  I'll try to incorporate sharing time again this week if it fits into our schedule.  I think opportunities to share what they've created with their friends are very motivating to the students.  They want to follow instructions and complete their assignment so that they're able to receive positive feedback from their peers.

I don't need any feedback right now.  I've been talking it over with my cooperating teacher, and my last week to teach will be the first week of December.  The second week of December will be my observation week.  I had planned on foregoing this, but now I definitely want to view several different grade levels, and am excited to see how each grade level teaches in the public school setting.  Keep the prayers coming, please.  Prayers for peace between this teacher and myself, and an attitude of collaboration. 

I'm almost there!  I'm in the home stretch and very excited about it.  Toward the end of the week my co-op teacher was being more encouraging, and said she could tell I was doing great with handling discipline.  So, I'm thankful for a positive comment.  I'll take it, but my confidence and assurance comes from God.  I'm so grateful that I made it this far.  It's pretty awesome.  My mom would be proud.

Week 9

My goals from last week were things I thought about, but it seemed like other goals
crept up on me as a matter of necessity.  I've been dealing more with interpersonal/intrapersonal
struggles.  I'm definitely being tested when it comes to self control, wisdom, and endurance. 
I feel like my goals for this week need to be to go above and beyond what is expected.  My cooperating teacher is not my biggest fan for reasons I'm still coming to find out.  I'm just seeking to focus on doing the best I can do by incorporating many different instructional methods of delivery, so that kids are engaged and they are able to doing higher order thinking (creating).  So, those are my goals, to do my best at having the best attitude and focus, and to use that focus to introduce many of my activities and lessons with the opportunities for students to create something.

One word to describe my week was responsibility.  I feel like instead of focusing on negatives and the way others act, I need to just take responsibility and put forth my best effort.  I feel like when people are trying to say negative things about you, and pick you apart on every side, they won't have any ammunition if you're doing your best and presenting your best.  I have to focus on my goals, and growing, and let the other stuff just kind of roll off my back.

One take-away from this week is that I'm learning how to treat people who dislike me.  I'm learning that it's not good to ignore or deny problems, but to keep an open dialogue and work your way through.  It's best not to be defensive or prideful of my abilities, because in reality, any great talents I have are from God.  I definitely feel humbled and feel like I'm in an incredible growing experience.  I am excited to graduate and finish at this point.  I'd like to move on to my own classroom and feel like I'd like to try this on my own.  It'll be nice to not have a teacher in the room with me all the time. 

Onto the prompts.  I think this school displays consistency in some ways, and others it doesn't.  The school has certain programs and rewarding things, and all teachers carry out those programs and promote them in their rooms.  The first grade team has the same lesson plans, and as a result all the classrooms know that their curriculum is aligned and all are learning the same thing.  Something that isn't consistent is a program that the principal promotes to first and second grade.  The teachers have hinted at the fact that they don't agree with the results so they don't implement it as much as the prinicipal would like.  They feel that because their students are progressing, there is no conflict.  I'm not sure how I feel about this, and what I would do if I was in that situation.  I think I would still try to do it, if I was being asked by my principal to implement the program.

I think that my school does a great job of communicating with the parents.  There are procedures set up to keep parents up to date on student grades as well as behavior in the classroom.  I think I'll have more of a handle on how the parent communication goes after I observe Parent Conferences tomorrow and Tuesday. 

I think what I will do as a teacher to communicate effectively with parents is (if there's time) try to make a list of students who are doing great, and plan to call those parents by the end of the week to let them know.  Too many times a parent is called when something wrong is happening, and I want the parents to know that I'm working with them.  I'm not just there to give them the bad news, I want them to share in the successes as well.

I don't need advice so much as I need prayer.  Prayers, prayers, prayers for myself and my cooperating teacher.  That there would be peace, an attitude of collaboration, and I'm just hoping she starts leaving the room after next week so I can have the kids to myself!  I enjoy it so much more when it's just me and the kids. 

Week 8

     My goals last week were to incorporate song & to hone routines.  I've had many chances to practice this because my teacher was gone Monday and Tuesday.  I enjoyed the time with the kids so much, and they were very well behaved. I even taught them a few things I learned from my first placement and they loved them :  put a bubble in, and help your neighbor.
     One of the goals I want to continue this week is to be in prayer for my cooperating teacher. I felt a check in my own spirit because when I'm stressed and anxious, or thinking of needs of my friends, it's so much easier to pray for myself, and people I love.  This week I felt god kind of leading me to pray for this teacher.  I can honestly say its a different perspective, and I've seen results from it which may seem small but let's me know this is how it should be.  Her disposition has been more kind and encouraging toward me and I appreciate it so much.  I totally attribute it to God.  I am so thankful that he's walking me through this experience.  I couldn't do it on my own, that's for sure.
     One word to describe my week would be trust.  I feel things getting a little easier, and I'm feeling more of myself coming out. I didn't realize how regimented and anxious I'd become until I started feeling myself relax and enjoy what I'm doing.  I want to remember that my trust in god and giving up on my own efforts is what got me here. I'm just praying I don't start trying to do it on my own again, because his Word is what's been giving me peace and any confidence I have in this growing time.
     One of the prompts asked if there were any similarities between the first and second placements.  I have seen a lot of differences and similarities.  I think there's more room to be creative with the curriculum and how it gets taught at my First placement.  I think that lent to more time needed for planning, but that's one of the things I love.  Spending all that time, and putting everything into it, and creating lessons that are meaningful and engaging.  On the other hand, it's nice to not have all that work far into the evening. I've been benefitted by having more free time in my second placement.  One thing I miss from the first placement is the focus on no bullying.  They try in my 2nd placement, but I feel like the approach is different and I think kids will respond better over time o the 1st placement's methods.  That's just my opinion.
    I know of several things I will steal from both teachers.  That's their behavior techniques, some of their organizational aids, and a more laid back attitude that I've seen modeled by both of them.
   I think my cooperating teacher is a great example of a teacher-leader.  She is someone that many teachers go to because she's very organized and take charge.  She handles things and organizes them for many teachers at different grade levels.  This week she also overheard another teacher having a rough morning, and asked the teacher if she wanted to step out for a second.  Her compassion and reliability make her someone that I think the other teachers on her team look to for help/input.
     My supervisor should know I pretty much taught Wednesday and Thursday full day at the teachers request as well.  I showed up and the teacher said she wanted to see how I was after two days alone with the kids.  So I literally had 10 mins to look over all plans for the day (thank god it was a half day) and then start the day with them.  I know it sounds crazy but I was able to do it, with confidence, and then when I got there the next day she asked me to do the same thing.  She said she thought I'd done a great job and so she thought I should do it again.  Ha!  I had no planning time, but was able to look at the order of what was being taught, and use what I had to think on my feet.  At the end she told me I'd done a great job, which was nice to hear.
     This week Ill be starting my take over.  There will be a few days where she introduces guided reading & touch math but I'll be full time other than that.

Week 7

My goals from last week were to plan in advance and to incorporate song.  I was able to accomplish both, and this week I'll still be trying to continue incorporating song/music.  My goals for this week are to hone the routines that my teacher uses to teach reading.  I feel like they're very effective and I'd like to continue them.  I have time to practice these routines because I'll be teaching all day Monday and Tuesday.  My cooperating teacher will be at a conference both days.

One word I would use to describe this week would be expectations.  I feel I've had to adjust my expectations.  I've been so blessed in the past to work with people who have become friends.  I think the one thing that's good about working with someone who's simply a colleaugue is that I pretty much am left on my own to figure things out myself.  I've enjoyed learning from teachers and gleaning whatever I can from their experience.  Being left on my own and without support allows me to see what I bring to the table.   I think more of who I am comes out, as opposed to me modeling someone else's strategies. 

The best part of my week was when me & my cooperating teacher accidentally taught a lesson together.  She had to leave the room right when she was going to start a Social Studies lesson.  I could sense she was not putting a lot of faith in my teaching abilities.  It'd been a rough start.  She asked me if I could just start reading the story in the book with the kids.  She walked out and I started to find the page and started questioning the kids about the title, the pictures they saw on the page, and then started reading with them.  She walked in at the tail end of my questioning.  When I finished reading the first page, she started interjecting with her lesson.  She was smiling and nodded to me to continue.  I stopped in the middle to point out something we'd been talking about that had been confirmed in the book.  She was still smiling in the back.  Anyway, she started talking again and then a teacher came in the room and interrupted her.  They continued talking, so I called the kids attention and finished up the lesson.  It was an awesome moment because I felt that moment was from God.  I was able to completely think on my feet, and I felt that I had gained a little credibility with my cooperating teacher.  I'm thankful that this happened because I felt like my gifts were activated, and Ir ealized that I could do this.  I learned that so many times my weakness is worry and I tend to overanalyze and make things more complicated than they are.  This lesson was spur of the moment, yet it was meaningful, standards based, and helped me to feel that this is definitely something I enjoy doing!

I haven't had time to collaborate with colleagues yet.  We were supposed to have a first grade meeting on Friday, but it got cancelled because the principal was dealing with some private concerns.  I feel like collaboration is definitely essential.  It is by no means a time waster.  For myself, sometimes I've had the best ideas or creativity spark from building on other's contributions and shared experiences. 

I haven't had any personal parental interactions.  I've witnessed the interactions my cooperating teacher has with her parents.  I'll be participating in the school's conferences both days on Nov 5, 6 so I should be able to see the kinds of concerns that come up.  I think the relationship a teacher has with the parents is crucial.  I think clear expectations and mutual respect are important.

I don't really need feedback or advice right now.  Just continued prayers.  November is pretty much my full time month, and I'm excited.  I had a moment with the kids on Friday where I got my teacher voice back.  I've been so impacted by fear and anxiety, and I've found that if I'm teaching a new skill the kids need my support and confidence to feel confident.  I was up teaching a math skill, saw some eyes glazing over, and I switched the tone of my voice to add more rises and falls, and their faces started to light up.  I have to remember, my acting skills and tone of voice need to be things I pay closer attention to. 

Week 6

The goal I had for my first week at my second teaching placement was to observe and document all the forms of classroom management that the teacher implements.  I also observed her routines, and tried to compile a list so that I'll be able to remember everything that is required to be done in the mornings before the day even begins.

My goals for this week are to have my Trinity lesson plans done a few days before the lesson I'm actually teaching.  I have been struggling with this, and I feel that if I think it through thoroughly and in advance, I'll feel more confident about what I'm doing.  I also plan on finding ways to incorporate song into whatever lesson I'm doing this week.  If there's something I like to do it's singing.  I want the kids to know that about me, and start to look forward to how I will incorporate it into our learning in a constructive way.  I think this will be something great for this grade level.

To try and describe last week within one word is impossible for me.  I experienced the dumps, lack of motivation, fear of failure, and just plain sadness about leaving my last teaching placement.  I was in a place where I felt was my ideal teaching environment, and I felt challenged and intrinsically rewarded with the depth of the lessons I was teaching and observing.  First grade lessons are definitely simpler and I was feeling a little let down.  After the 1st two days, I felt that my attitude needed to change, because it would not be helpful to me.  I felt like I needed to make a greater effort to get to know the kids, and to communicate more effectively with my cooperating teacher.  By Friday, even with this decision made, I was still very emotional and feeling like I was about to just breakdown.  I found time in my early morning devotions to write down a verse in James 1:2-5 that I felt God reveal to me.
"Count it pure joy whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.  Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything..."  The verse goes on, but I felt this in my heart.  I kept praying for God to help me, change me, etc. and then all these obstacles and doubts were coming up.  I was looking at the trials & tests of my faith in the wrong perspective.  I've been beating myself up, feeling like where is God?  And this verse clearly showed me that because of all the stress and testing I'd been experiencing, that is my assurance that God is with me and he is helping to change me.  This may seem so small, but I grasped onto this verse and memorized it by the end of Friday.  (I wrote it on a post-it note and stuck it on my binder and had the page open on the back table all day.  I'd go back and recite it to myself whenever I was at the back table).  It was my strength all day long.  And to be honest by the end of the day, the dumps were gone and I felt joyful.  I was even able to share that experience with one of my friends from my cohort who is placed at the same school.  I'm telling you, it was a turn around.  So, that's also a goal, I'm going to have a verse of the week sitting in my binder every day, and I'm going to memorize and hold onto it throughout the day.  I think my cooperating teacher came by and saw it, and I'm glad.  It's a good thing. 

I think the number one takeaway I have from my entire student teaching experience right now is how much I need to have a system that reinforces the expectations I'm going to set up.  I need to have a plan for students to be able to know clearly what their expectations are.  When they know their boundaries and limits, that the place we'll be working in will be safe, respectful, and ordered, I think that's the foundation upon which all learning will take place.  The other takeaway for me is how much I need to rely on God for everything.  I know I have gifts and abilities, but at the end of the day I just don't have the same joy as when I completely rely on God and his word to be my strength throughout the day.  It allows me to see the children I teach in a different light, it allows me to view fellow teachers in a different light. 

My thoughts on prompt 1:  (the teacher should use the results of each test system to assess for student learning and, if necessary, remediate and correct for student mastery.)
I think this is correct.  If possible, some students need to be retaught if they clearly didn't understand.  I would probably assess whether or not the test medium was appropriate by maybe verbally asking students the questions they didn't understand.  Depending on the type of error, whether an error in understanding the directions or a total lack of comprehension of the topic, then I would know how best to move forward.

My thoughts on prompt 2:  (the students should be graded on a percentage system.  This way they're competing against themselves to reach a level of success.)  I think that it might be a good thing to let them compete against themselves.  I definitely don't like to see them competing against each other.  That would lead to a lot of negativity.  This system may be more positively motivating.

I have remediated with groups based on my assessment of their work turned in.  On two days that I was teaching my TPA lessons, I found that several students were struggling with the concept.  The first remediation day I did a read aloud and guided practice with modeling of how to do the activity.  This helped those students.  The next day I met with small groups who were still having trouble and worked with them to help each other through guided practice to comprehend the reading strategy.

I think that tracking has its positives and negatives, and I'm not really sure I have a complete opinion one way or another about it at this point.  I'd have to live it myself and see the results with students I know before I give an answer to this question.

I don't need feedback on anything right now.  One thing that I wish was different was that I only needed to teach 3 more weeks instead of 4.  I realize I'll be getting more experience and that's great, but literally everyone else in my cohort will only teach for 5 full weeks.  Because I chose split placement they added a week for some reason, and I just found out that I'm scheduled to teach 6 full weeks overall. 

Honestly, I'm grateful for all the growing experiences.  I mean, I keep learning a lot about myself.  It's a good thing.  But I'd like to be done with the stress as soon as possible.  I think it's a perfectly normal concern and so when I see when my 2nd placement teacher wants me to start teaching Oct 29 - Dec 7, that's another added week onto my schedule.  I'd like to know how to bring it up with her in a way that's tactful.  Who knows how I'll feel Dec 7, maybe I'll be so gung ho and won't want to give it back, but I may feel the reverse.  I want to address this before any more time passes. 

So, here's the concern.  I'm already doing an extra week of teaching than my cohort.  Two extra weeks is a stretch for me.  I need help with how to tell her that I will be happy to give her class back to her after 20 days.  Twenty days, which adds to five weeks, will be plenty of time for me.  The first graders are adorable, but I'll be ready to start observing.  There are so many different pullout, special ed, reading specialist, etc. classrooms in that school that I want to see. 

Week 5

Well, I made it!  The goals I had for the week were transitions and giving student feedback.  I had a lot of practice transitioning kids.  And at first I would become frustrated with the process but have learned that jumping in and acting is better than losing my patience and letting chaos reign.  So, I think I've been doing better with that.  Giving the kids feedback requires my undivided attention, but everytime they talked I tried to be more intentional with praising them for a specific detail that they added to class discussion.  These areas still need work, but I feel good with the progress I'm making.

Two new goals for this week are to be as helpful as I can (since it's my last week at Southwest and I won't be doing a lot of teaching) because there's standardized testing going on all week, and to continue to observe classroom management strategies.  I feel like this is the crux of what could make or break me in the next classroom environment that I'll be going into. 

A word I would use to describe this last week was bittersweet.  I feel like I really started to enjoy teaching some of the subjects, and it felt good to feel confident and work with the students.  I  am finding that I prefer Reading above all the other subjects, so that's led me to be prayerful about possibly looking into education after Trinity and seeing what the possibilities are, if I decide to not go the route of traditional elementary school teacher.  I've definitely been learning from one of the best, and I'm thankful that I was placed in the classroom I've been in.  The kids are great and I'm going to miss them.  Some of the girls were already asking me if I would come back and visit them.

A lesson that went really well happened this week.  I was teaching about inferring during reading.  What it taught me was how important it is to offer several opportunities for students to have guided practice before they are ready to practice a skill independently.  I was able to see growth in their understanding, and it was an awesome moment.

I think it's imperative that I master the content I'm teaching so that I'll be confident and able to steer the class.  It won't be as easy for my lessons to become derailed on questions/behavior if I know what we're talking about, where we need to go, and the skills I need the students to learn and practice.
My lesson objectives do accomplish assigning, but could do a little better at assessing.  I've noticed that while I'm drawing to a close.  This is an area I can improve on. 

When reflecting upon Bloom's Taxonomy I understand why Creating is at the top.  If students simply remember what was taught, that doesn't mean they're understanding the concept or applying it.  Creation is the highest form of learning because they're recreating an example of what they have internally processed and comprehended.  This impacts my teaching because I won't be as likely to have drills on memory as forms of assessment.  I will seek to create assessments and guided practice which will allow my students to create, rather than do drills.

Week 4

I did survive this week!  Yay!  Victory!  I didn't just survive though.  I had a rough Friday and Monday but then I rebounded by taking extra time to work on what wasn't working with my lesson plans.  I think I could've set more substantial goals last week, but I really was feeling overwhelmed.  I think that I ended up starting to work on new goals by the end of the week, and I'd like to continue working on them.  One goal I have for myself is to work on transitions.  Another goal I have was given to me by my cooperating teacher Julie.  When students share a piece of writing or something they've done I need to be more specific with my feedback and use positive praise for what they have contributed correctly and creatively. 

One word that would describe my week would be pacing.  I think I've been learning how to pace myself in lessons.  I think timing is everything, and I'm trying to set more concrete time limits so that I'm able to accomplish all my goals, and my amazing cooperating teacher is helping me with this.  I also would say I'm trying to mentally pace myself when it comes to what I have to work on outside of the classroom.  Right now it's a whole lot because I'm doing my TPA project pretty much before everyone else will be.  And since it's my last week of full time teaching, this just seems like it has the potential to become overwhelming. 

I think this because when I get home at the end of the day, I don't just go and sit down at the table and start plugging away at lesson plans.  I've been at work already from 7-430, and 2-3 times this week I was there til 5 or 545.  I'm exhausted, and I don't think it's possible sometimes to just start chipping away at all this work.  I think I have other personal needs that need to be met, and sometimes I need to allow myself to step away from it.  And if it's for an extended period of time, then so be it.  I think it's doable definitely, but I'm kind of letting myself throw the schedule out the window, and I'm handling one day at a time.  I think this one day at a time thing helps. 

I have not videotaped my teaching yet.  Videotaping will be occurring this week.  I don't need to see the video tape of myself to know that I need to work on confidence.  I need to script my introductions because if I don't I stumble over my choice of words.  I don't want my lack of prep time to confuse the students.  The actions I plan on taking to correct my weak areas are to be even more prepared.  Like I said, I'm trying to script my introductions more, trying to create another list of behavior reminders and redirections so that I'm able to continue to manage the students effectively, and I'm trying to find time amidst all of that to get to bed at a decent hour so that I can wake up and have personal devotions (this component is central to it all, because if I don't have a walk with God, peace, and any type of joy, I'm going to be a miserable person for the kids to spend their days with).   My cooperating teacher and I probably discuss my weak areas more than positives, because I usually bring them up.  However, I've made an effort to ask her to give me feedback about what I'm doing right.  She's been taking a lot of notes, and she's made an effort to tell me all the ways that I've been able to manage and teach the kids well.

Our classroom has many procedures to help with classroom management.  I use them every day, and couldn't manage the kids without them.  We have a reminder chart, and after the student gets 1 reminder (which is a friendly warning), their name gets written on a chart and they must talk to the teacher at recess as well as write a note saying how they think they should change their behavior.  The student's parents have to sign the note and it must be returned the next day.  We have many more procedures and tricks that we use, and they are very clear and the students do know what is expected from them, so for that I am very thankful!

I'm still trying to figure out if there are any specifications for the TPA video.  At this point, I have so much on my plate, I'm pretty much going to submit what we tape, (I do know the time limit ) and hope for the best.  I think that it will be fine.  I can't wait until this is all submitted and over with so I can focus solely on my teaching and growing.  The thing that may surprise my supervisor is how frequently I keep going back and forth with not knowing if I want to teach elementary or special education.  It's really been a conflict within me, but one I think I'm going to have to leave with God.  I need to trust that he's going to put me in the classroom that he wants me in.  So, here I am, enjoying my last few weeks at Southwest.  Yeah, I'm probably going to be sad when I leave.  It's been such a great experience, and I feel like I'm leaving it with a friend.  My cooperating teacher is someone who has become a great friend, and it's awesome that we can share a faith in God.

Week 3

Enjoyable.  Overwhelming.

I believe my goals were to circulate around the room more and to try to enjoy what I'm teaching.  I feel that it's easier to enjoy what I'm teaching when I'm familiar and comfortable with my lesson plans.  I'm still not there yet, but I enjoy watching my cooperating teacher and seeing how she interacts with her class.  I hope I get to that point someday.  I have tried to be conscious of my need to stay at the center of the room, and I've been experimenting with walking around the room when I talk.  I use it more right now to monitor behavior when students are talking.  So far, I think I've improved but more work needs to be done.

My goal for this week is survival.  And to give myself a break.  I have a lot of planning to do since it's my first week as a full time teacher.  I am very hard on myself, and after my observation on Friday, I have a lot of doubts.  The one word I would use to describe the week is enjoyable, but after Friday and seeing my workload I would choose the word overwhelming.  My cooperating teacher even gave me pretty simple goals to work with for Reading and Writing times, which will help me.  But I think I'm freaking out because this is all just a new environment for me.  I miss what I'm familar with, and that's working with kids with disabilities.  I like this environment as well, the kids are such sweethearts, but I just don't know where I'm going to be going after this experience.  I have a lot more questions than answers now, and wasn't expecting this.

With regard to Julie's classroom management, she is very consistent with her methods and consequences.  I would hope to continue the consistency. I'm not sure of something I plan to do differently.  I would want to make more use of several different kinds of positive behavior supports.  I feel like I've been focusing on the negative at times, and hate that I sound like a broken record.  I think then, one of my goals should be to focus on rewarding students who are behaving how I want them to while a lesson is going on.

I plan to start my class effectively by informing students of procedures in my classroom, and the expectations we collectively have for behavior. I've had several opportunities to implement classroom management.  I think to the reading lessons I've taught, and when students made connections to their lives from the text, I would tell them,  I like how you are thinking hard about the text, and I would tell them to put a ticket in the basket (it's a positive reinforcer for the whole class).  I think I would try to have multiple ticket-worthy questions worked into my lesson so I could reward several students and they would be motivated to dig deeper when they read. 

"Effective teachers MANAGE their classrooms.  Ineffective teachers DISCIPLINE their classrooms."  An effective manager of a classroom is able to let everyone be and there are expectations that are set up that will provide for rewards as well as for consequences.  Ineffective teachers discipline their classrooms and their focus is most likely on the negative and punishment.  Positivity and rewarding kids for their good behavior will bring about a more positive result, as opposed to making students feel resentful.

Something I need help on is knowing what the specifications are for the 3-5 minute video for our portfolio.. Can it just be a few clips patched together and then uploaded to YouTube?  I know that I can then just post a link to my portfolio.  Also, the video for the TPA, I'm wondering if it's just that 15 minute teaching clip and can that be in a youtube link or does it need to be copied to a cd?  That's about it for now.

Week 2

I let my cooperating teacher know my goals from our beginning conversation last week.  Because she knew my goals, she helped me work on them and then we had talks about
how I felt when I had to implement them myself.  She also asked me if I had any suggestions to add to her classroom management strategies.  I feel that since I'm only there for a short time I should work hardest on trying to implement her strategies because that's how I'll have the most success (all because of consistency).  I would rather have success with the kids learning her repetoire of CM strategies than throw new things/methods out at the students every day.

My goals for this week are to enjoy the lessons I teach, and to move around the room more when I'm in charge of the class.  I noticed that as I was establishing a comfort level I tended to remain in the direct center at the front of the class.

The word I would choose to describe this week with is calling.  I would use this word because it's what helped me to get through the rough moments.  Even in the times when I see all the paperwork, see all the work that I need to do for Trinity just for one lesson plan, and I begin to feel overwhelmed, a little reminder seemed to just speak to me and say that I can do it.  Pretty soon this practice time will be over and I'll be in the classroom that God called me to be in.  I felt it so strongly at the first day when we had faculty meetings for my school Monday.  I felt tears come to my eyes, and at that moment I felt like I was right where God wanted me to be.  It was pretty awesome.  So, the anxiety, fear, and excitement are still happening interchangeably, but there's also a peace and reassurance that God is with me, and I'll get through this time, and learn so much. 

I saw several different opportunities within the first days of school for my cooperating teacher to create a learning environment that encouraged social interaction, active engagement in learning, and self motivation.  This was set up in a myriad of ways.  The kids were allowed to do several getting to know you activities.  There was discussion of rules based on respect and friendship.  It's nice that this school is coming from a Christian base, and the kids are able to see how they should treat each other from this standpoint.  They also pray with each other which I think sets the tone for a close community of learners and believers.  I also believe several of my cooperating teacher's strategies help to encourage engagement in learning and self motivation.  Sometimes these strategies come in the form of positive reinforcements and rewards, but I feel that this is helping the students to set good habits.  They learn that there are consequences for their actions, and they are in charge of the outcome.

With regard to Chapter 8 and professional dress, I don't believe that it changed my idea about the way I dress because I always try to dress professionally.  I think it's important to dress this way because it sets the tone for your classroom.  You are dressing professionally because you ARE a professional. 

I believe one positive expectation that my cooperating teacher has for her students that I hope to continue is her focus on confronting bullies.  When I say confront, I don't actually mean a confrontation, but she has implemented the stance of the school.  They give the kids a list of things to say if someone is bullying them, and has the students practice standing up for themselves, and making their opinions heard.  I think this is very helpful to the kids and something I'd like to be able to remember and remind them of, because they need to know their value, and not be victims of bullying students.

One thing I need help with is when to write a lesson plan and when not to.  For instance I did a few short introductory lessons (if you could call them that) this week and I'm not sure if I should write out an abbreviated lesson plan for those or not.  The only thing that might surprise my supervisor is that my classroom doesn't have air conditioning.  I'm praying Indian Summer skips a year.

Week 1

One of the goals I have for myself this upcoming week are to observe and document classroom management procedures set up by my teacher.  Another goal I have is to talk over when I'll be expected to start my first lesson so I can start my lesson plan documents.

One word I would use to describe this week is roller coaster. I keep moving from excitement to anxiety to fear to calm, then back to excitement again.

I observed an Open House and first day of school for my 2nd placement because I was invited by the classroom teacher.  My teacher was very effective with classroom management because she gave students clear expectations, set an atmosphere of anticipation, and repeated her simple instructions in order to give students time to process.  She had a positive attitude when communicating her expectations and the procedures that would be included when students behaved well or poorly.  She stated that she knew she wouldn't have problems because they looked like such great first graders.  I think that set positive expectations in the students' mind, because they knew their teacher believed the best in them.  I havent observed any classroom lessons because the first day was teaching the kids procedures and outlining their boundaries, such as quiet in the hallways, the teachers books vs. the students' books, and areas that were off limits.

I plan on explaining things clearly and using the strategies she uses (like feet in a square) because it's what the kids are used to and respond well to.

I have learned that I need to be there to set clear boundaries from day 1.  If students know how far they can push on day 1 it'll just be way better.

I'd like help understanding how to write the formal lesson plans we have to turn in.
That was very unclearly presented to me and for me to feel like I can be successful, I need to know the expectations.

I found out that there are a few parent concerns.  I'm wondering how that will play out.