Week 15

Monday was my first time full time teaching with a substitute teacher in the room.  It was a positive experience to have someone in the classroom who was new but really supportive of what I was doing.  She was helpful, encouraging, and eager to participate.  She asked how she could help me often, but let me control the classroom.  It was a new, but positive co-teaching experience (3F).  It was also fun to talk with my students about their Spring Breaks on Monday.  During writing, they wrote sentences about the highlights of their Spring Break.  At the end of the day, I gave them a chance to read one of their highlights in front of the class.  They were eager to volunteer and the class was interested in listening to what their friends did over break.  

Tuesday we finished a Native American version of Cinderella during reading comprehension.  The students have been working on making connections between different versions of the same fairy tale.  This was the third version of Cinderella we have read, and the students really understood this one.  In the story, the students figure out that the Cinderella character is able to see "the Invisible Being" because she has beauty on the inside.  It was fun to watch the students comment on abstract ideas like courage, and inner beauty.  They really connected to the story and got SO excited when they could see "the Invisible Being" on the pages of the story.  They were excited about learning and it was a positive experience to facilitate that.  They are also growing in their use of questions words during partner talk.  They are starting to ask questions during partner discussions without promptings.  I'm glad we extended the fairy tale unit through this week so they would have the chance to make deeper connections between Cinderella stories.  They have been extremely successful so far! 

On Wednesday as I looked at my week plan, I was reminded of how much changes over the course of a day or a week.  In more than one subject, we were not at the place I anticipated being at.  I can't believe how many wild cards there are in a day of teaching.  My plans change daily, sometimes from one part of the day to the next.  I've learned that flexibility is a MUST in teaching.  As I revise plans throughout the day and throughout the week, I'm thankful for my laid back personality and for the example my cooperating teacher has been this semester of taking things as they come.  

On Thursday during math, one of the students who often refuses to participate in portions of the math block surprised me.  Often when he isn't interested in participating, he won't respond to anything said to him, he'll put his head down, and he'll say rude things.  Thursday, however, he refused to work independently during math because he was too interested in a book.  He didn't want to put it away, he didn't want to put it down, and he was SO interested in it.  As a teacher I had a complex:  do I make him work on math because he knows that's what I expect of him during this time?  Do I let him read because he is a struggling reader and I want to continue to give him opportunities to enjoy reading? Do I come up with some sort of compromise? 

It was one of the best problems I've had all semester. 

On Friday we focused the day on plants.  It was a beautiful day, and I planned activities that could be done outside so students could experience spring and practice learning in a different environment (4I).  They loved it.  We made observations, made comparisons, planted seeds, read about plants, talked about what they need and what they give us, etc.  They LOVE science Fridays! 

Schmidt Chapter 7

I would love to use the community in my classroom.  One of Schmidt’s ideas I liked was taking students on a walk to investigate the neighborhood (p. 144).   I liked the way Schmidt suggested using a community investigation, but also making sure it was purposeful for students by being sure that each student could explain the purpose for the field trip, what they should be doing on the trip, and how they will be gathering information.  I’m interested in using a community investigation like this one when we talk about maps in social studies.  Having students draw a map of the neighborhood before going out (as a warm up, allowing me to assess their mapping skills, what details they are paying attention to, etc.)  and then having them either add things or draw a new one afterward is something I’d like to try.  Including a scavenger hunt, like Schmidt mentions on p. 145, so students have a list of things to look for could also be helpful, especially with lower elementary students. 

I’m also interested in trying to incorporate photography into a community project.  On p. 147, Schmidt talks about putting a photograph in the center of a large piece of paper and having students draw around it to “add on” to the photograph. I’ve heard this idea before, and want to try incorporating it into a classroom activity. 

I think using activities like these would motivate my students by not only incorporating new ways of learning, but also by getting them involved in fun, different things that have purpose.  Incorporating things related to the outside world is important for students to know that their learning isn’t for nothing, and that what they are doing in school reaches beyond everyday activities and routine subjects. 

Week 14

On Monday we had parent-teacher conferences.  It was really helpful to sit in on numerous parent-teacher conferences in a row.  Not only did I feel like it helped me get to know my students better, it also was a good experience to listen to how my teacher approached conversations with parents, both positive and negative.  One thing I was surprised by during conferences was how many students came with their parents.  It my other experiences with conferences, students were not allowed to be in the room.  This time, almost all the students came with their parents.  Another thing I realized during conferences was how exhausting they were.  My teacher and I had 13 conferences in a row without even a minute break, and it was hard not to have any time to gather thoughts or look over scores right before each conference.  Participating in conferences was a practical learning experience that I really appreciated (8P).

On Tuesday I had one of the busiest days to date during student teaching.  My teacher thought we'd have a lot of down time during conferences on Monday, but we didn't end up having any free time.  Because I had been planning to introduce a readers theater this week and was planning to copy and assign scripts during conference free time, I had none of that done.  I spent all of my plan time getting their scripts ready.  I ended up getting everything done, but by the end of the day, I was exhausted.  I had a lot to do after school too, but I was able to catch up so that Wednesday wouldn't be as busy.  

On Wednesday all the work I had done on Tuesday for the readers' theater paid off. We practiced reading through the scripts during one of the morning mini lessons and during a couple guided reading groups and students LOVED it.  I could tell it would be challenging for them to follow along during the play, but they loved the idea.  Some of them got really excited when they realized they would get the chance to perform their plays for the rest of the class.  Most of them started taking it more seriously when I told them that as well.  
During math on Wednesday afternoon, we tried playing a game that students had not handled well the week before.  I reminded them that we had to stop playing the game once, but that I had confidence in their ability to play it this time.  They did so well.  They followed directions and played the game without distracting each other and without jumping or running around the rug.  They worked together and had a lot of fun.  It was a wonderful change. :)

On Thursday I could tell that Spring Break was in the air.  Everyone in the school seemed excited to get out.  During math the students were easily distracted by the second grade group working with my cooperating teacher.  After about 20 minutes, the 2nd grade group left to work on a computer program.  When they left, I was able to transition from using the board and drawings to having students act out the concept of fractions we were using.  Because the rest of the room was quiet, I was able to expect their voice levels to be lower.  They were able to hear me, and we were able to act out fractions and counting fractions.  I had student split the class into halves, thirds, and fourths.  Each group then stood up as we counted them, saying "1/2, 2/2" or "1/3, 2/3, 3/3" etc.  They were able to move around and they were much more engaged in the activity (5I).  Now I need to figure out how to pull off those kinds of activities while the 2nd grade group is still in the room.  

Friday was a busy day.  It was definitely a balancing act trying to get things done, keep students on task, and join in their excitement for Spring Break.  Students performed their readers' theaters they had been practicing all week at home. It was great to hear some struggling readers get really excited about performing their plays.  The rest of the class listened incredibly well too.  I was so proud.  :) 

Friday was one of the first times during writing that students were doing a variety of different things at the same time.  Some students were writing, some were illustrating, some were coloring, some were laying out their fairy tales and illustrations on large posters, and others were ready for the next assignment.  While it could have been overwhelming, I found that my students and I all enjoyed that work time.  I think they needed some time to move around the room and focus on a task on their own. They needed some time to be able to talk while they worked.  It was a really positive work time that they valued.  I could tell they were invested in their work and it paid off.  

Next week we are on Spring Break and we are all excited! 

Week 13

Monday I introduced the idea of setting in reading and writing for the first time.  Students had never talked about the setting of a story, but we were reading The Princess and the Pea, and it came up in context.  We defined setting during reading and I re-read the page.  During writing, they began writing their own fairy tales by visualizing the setting.  First we sorted cards:  some with examples of setting and some with other story elements.  After hearing multiple examples of setting and deciding whether or not their card described the setting of the story, students closed their eyes while I read more examples.  Next I asked them to finish the sentence that started, "Once upon a time..." with the setting of the fairy tale they were going to write.  After writing, they read their sentences out loud for the class. It was a successful way to introduce their fairy tale writing as well as a new topic, and they got really excited to continue writing.  


On Tuesday the students seemed to have a really difficult following directions.  I thought they needed to move around a little more, because they seemed antsy and like they had a lot of energy.  During math, I decided to play a warm up game with them in which they need to stand up and move to a different side of the rug if the math sentence I said was true.  They had played the game before, so I thought they would be able to follow directions well if reminded of the expectations, but after playing three or four rounds of the game, it was clear they could not handle the game.  I asked them all to sit down and had to change my warm up plan for the last five minutes before the main lesson.  I was able to adjust my strategy based on their actions and feedback (5J), and begin an activity in which they would follow directions enough to continue learning. 

On Wednesday we worked on writing fairy tales.  They had spent time writing the setting and introducing the good character.  Wednesday they had to introduce the evil character and how he or she tricked the good character.  They got to work right away, which has been rare, and spent almost 20 full minutes writing.  When they needed help I asked questions to get them thinking about what else they needed to write.  Each time they would look at me, get excited, and turn back to start writing quickly.  It was great to see them so interested and invested in their writing.  They are really latching on to the fairy tale unit during reading and writing, and it is wonderful to watch. 

On Thursday my cooperating teacher and I had to address how to handle a student who has been having anger issues.  At the end of the day on Wednesday he had been angry with another student, my cooperating teacher kept him to talk to him and thought he was calm at dismissal, but he was not.  On the way out the door he ran up to the other student, started yelling at him, and then they both started hitting each other.  We had to talk to their parents about the situation. Thursday we knew we needed to give the student strategies to control his anger and calm down, so we tried a balloon filled with flour.  Each time he feels angry he has to squeeze the balloon and face the wall until he calms down.  Multiple times throughout the day he needed to try the new method, and it seemed to work really well.  He had no incidents on Thursday, which was a big improvement. 

On Friday I felt like my teacher finally gave me complete control of the classroom.  Even though I've been full time teaching for a while, today was the first day my teacher spent significant time outside the classroom.  It was great to know that I had complete control.  Even when she was in the room and students asked her things, she said things like, "Did you ask Miss V?" We did an integrated science Friday. (3L)  It was a blast.  Over and over throughout the day my students said things like, "Miss V!  This is SO fun!"  and "Miss V!  I LIIIIIKE this activity!" 
Here are some pictures of what we did:  

They also did a partner reading activity in which they highlighted adjectives in a poem about clouds.  We also did a science demonstrations.  It was a really fun day and they loved learning about a new science topic! 

Schmidt talks about social justice in chapter 10 and why it’s a big deal in the classroom.  Even young students are inclined to talk about social justice because it’s a part of their everyday experiences whether they know the term for it or not.  Even if students are too young to explicitly list issues of social justice, they are able to talk about relationships, friendship, responsibility, fairness, support, encouragement, collaboration, and caring (p. 215).  Schmidt says that when teachers introduce students to issues of social justice in the classroom, they encourage them to look at the real world boldly, inquisitively, and from different points of view (p. 216).  Students may discover injustices that are hard to face, but being intentional about providing opportunities to learn about social justice allows students to begin to think about how they can act in response. 

Teaching social justice in the classroom is also important for the Christian teacher.  Incorporating activities centered on social justice gives students the opportunity to begin to figure out ways to be involved in the world around them.  It allows them to explore platforms.  It gives them opportunities to think about serving others and begin to explore issues of worldview.  They begin to consider what they believe and how that affects the people around them.  As a Christian teacher, this is a huge area of influence, not in the sense of pushing ideas or worldviews on students, but in the sense of giving students safe places to grow, explore, serve, and get involved.