Blog: January 25th, 2019

Overall Week

Throughout this week, I would rate it a 3. I would not say that this week has been necessarily too hard, but I would not say it has been easy either! This week has been a lot of time management when dealing with first observation, preparing for my edTPA week for literacy, and lesson planning for the next week. Doing everything all of this at once has really challenged me. Saying this, actually teaching this week has been amazing! I love being able to teach the students and see if they are actually understanding the information fully or not. One pleasant accomplishment this week that I completed was successfully taking over WIN, what I need, time. With having a half day on Wednesday, I had to extend our literacy time into WIN. The students are not going into their rotational groups, so this means I have the full class! I am able to be working on two-step word problems, which my teacher says that the students really struggle with.  This was something that they were not excited about learning, but at the end of the lesson, the majority were starting to get the hang of it. Going into next week, those who are still struggling with these word problems will be pulled into a back table with me in order to get more teacher guidance during this time. During this week I have started reading this data. We started word problems on Thursday, and on Friday I am going to pull students who were really struggling and could not solve the problems individually without help. This will allow these individual students to get more one-on-one teacher input while the class is working on the word problems individually. My short-term goals of taking data throughout each lesson and using this to drive instruction are apart of my long term goal and one of the NCTCS. I could have spent more time this week working on preparing my edTPA lesson plans. This is something that I am going to have to spend a lot of time this weekend making sure that I am fully prepared. During this week, I was able to show apprehension throughout the half-day. Having the students come in and having our schedule completely change, students were very confused and concerned. Being apprehensive and showing the students leadership during this time, they were able to stay focused and go with the flow throughout the day.  For next week, my logical steps are going to be to fully prepare for my edTPA teaching week. This is something that is going to be crucial to me throughout student teaching so I need to be fully prepared.  

Advice to my fellow student teachers: BREATHE. DO ONE THING AT A TIME. This is something that I really had to learn and focus on today. We have so many things going on and if we try to do all of them at once we are not going to be giving it our best effort. Try to focus on one thing and do it well, then go to the next task. 

 NC Teaching Standards

• Standard 1
• Throughout this week I was able to implement standard 1C which states, "Teachers lead the teaching profession". I was able to attend Profession Development that deals directly with my students and how to deal with my students when they are upset. This was called the CRM module. This was really interesting and I was glad to be present! 
• Standard 2
• Throughout this week I was able to implement standard 2A which states, "Teachers provide an environment in which each child has a positive, nurturing relationship with caring adults". In the morning meeting on Thursday, I was able to share with the students that it was national compliment day! I gave the class a compliment and read the compliments that we had in the compliment jar of the class! This was a great moment for the students because they were able to see how lifting each other up can be positive for each person involved. 
• Standard 3
• This week I was able to implement standard 3A which states, "Teachers align their instruction with the North Carolina Standard Course of Study". I was able to align all of my standards to my lesson plans and see where some standards overlap each other. (Reading and Math- Word Problems). 
• Standard 4
• Throughout this week I was able to implement standard 4C which states, "Teachers use a variety of instructional methods". Throughout this week, students were able to use a kahoot (online quiz: students try to get the top score), puzzles (Figurative Language Puzzles), and manipulatives within mathematics. These all provide a variety of instructional methods for the students to allow the students to get different ways of instruction. 
• Standard 5
• Throughout this week I was able to use standard 5A which states, "Teachers analyze student learning". Throughout this week I was able to take up data and fully get the information on how the students are doing with the specific learning tasks that the students are having to do. 

Other

• I have continued to work on my PDP and finalize my PDP for my portfolio. I have also continued taking data for my Behaviour plan. I am also teaching edTPA next week! (YAY!)
• I do not need support from my university supervisor or my clinical educator. 

Blog: January 18th, 2019

Overall Week

I am going to rate this week a 2. This week was started out great! On Monday it went really smoothly taking over reading. Throughout the week the students got more rambunctious. I get really bad migraines, and on Wednesday I had a super bad migraine. Working through a migraine was something that was difficult for me, but now I am going to always bring my medicine in my bag in case I need it during teaching. This way, I do not have to continue teaching with a migraine. Besides this, I thought taking over reading went very smoothly and the students were able to slowly getting used to myself teaching instead of my CE. The lessons that I am going to be building off next week are with poetry. Students have been learning poetry, but next week students will be working on figurative language within poetry. After students learn this, they are going to be working on their poetry test. Students will be building off the previous knowledge because they are able to discuss the figurative language that is within the poetry and have this aid in their comprehension of the poem. My short term efforts and my long term goals are still aligned by still trying to stay focused and get ahead each week. I am still trying to be as organized as possible as well as trying to plan well ahead! This week I could have spent more time working on my edTPA earlier in the week. This week on Monday I came in confident in what I was teaching on Monday and excited to start taking over some of Reading. I feel like this courage really helped my lesson and helped the students see that I was confident with my teaching. My first steps for next week are to go ahead and get all of my materials together and start what I need to be working on. I can clear out working on my planning commentary because I will be doing that this Saturday! This week I was able to successfully incorporate closures to my math lessons and allows me to see what the students are actually learning throughout each lesson. I use this data each day to decide who is going to be in my small group that is struggling with the material! I have a normal group as well as the group :) 

My piece of advice for other student teachers is continually asking your CE for resources that they may have access to! It is important we are taking as much away from this learning experience as we can! My CE has been super helpful with ideas and resources that I can use. Always ask and keep learning! 

NC Standards

• Standard 1
• This week I was able to complete part of NCTCS 1C which is, "Teachers lead the teaching profession". This Friday, we have a half day. Once the students leave, the staff is all going through a PD seminar from 1-3:30. This is something that is going to be very new to me, so I am excited! It is going to be on analyzing data and the best ways to incorporate data within the classroom. 
• Standard 2
• Throughout this week I was able to complete on NCTCS 2E which is, "Teachers work collaboratively with the families and significant adults in their lives of their students". Throughout this week I was able to sign my student's planners and agendas, which their parents see. As well as sit in on a parent conference with my teacher. This was something that was also new for me and interesting to see! I was able to add to the conversation and continue building a relationship with this parent. Also throughout this week one of my student's mom came to lunch. This student asked me to sit with them, so I was able to sit with the mom and have a conversation with her and really build a relationship with the parents of this student. These relationships are important to make sure that both ends are doing everything that we can for the student. 
• Standard 3
• This week I was able to incorporate 2B which is, "Teachers know the content appropriate to their teaching specialty. Throughout this week, I made it apparent to really know what I was teaching each day and really prepared before the day arrived. This way I could fully answer any students questions as well as get the students excited about learning. 
• Standard 4 
• Throughout this week I was able to incorporate 4B which is, "Teachers plan instruction appropriate for their students". This is something that I was able to do by monitoring and modifying plans to enhance student learning. I was able to adapt my plans when the need is this week as well as really get a glimpse of how to change something in the middle of the plan if it is not working. 
• Standard 5
• This week I was able to incorporate Standard 5C which states, "Teachers function effectively in a complex, dynamic environment". Throughout this week I was able to adapt my practice based on data. One day during this week during math, my students were really struggling with what was being presented to them. Throughout this lesson, I just slightly adapted what I was teaching and how it was being presented on the smartboard and it was able to aid in the comprehension of my student's knowledge of the information that was presented. 

Other

I have been working on my management plan as well as finalizing my information for my global awareness. I do not need any information from my CE as well as my University Supervisor. 

Blog Post: January 11th

Questions for Week

Throughout this week, I would rate this week a 4. This was a good week with taking over mathematics! This week, I was able to start taking over mathematics! This was an accomplishment for me because I have not taught that many math lessons before. My lessons taught me that my students are reading to continue building on fractions.  The students were able to understand the information presented and they will continue to learn off that. My short term efforts are still in line with my long term goals. Learning how to manage my time, and learning how to effectively interact with the students is something that will help me in my long term goals of being a teacher that is going to effectively teach students and provide students with what they need. I can spend more time focusing on my hooks and researching hooks for my lessons. I think I was more apprehension this week since I started taking over lessons. I was not as timid when it came to classroom management. My steps for next week are that I need to prepare for my math and reading lessons, as well as get my materials ready that I need to be printed. This can be done on Friday, to prepare for the upcoming week. 

Some data that I analyzed this week was at the beginning of my fraction lessons. The students were tested on two-digit by two-digit multiplication at the beginning of the week. Afterward, I was able to start teaching fractions. For morning work, the students worked on a worksheet that was dealing with identifying fractions. This was something that the students should have learned in 3rd grade. The students were able to answer these problems very quickly. The students all were able to understand the information. Which is very important, because the students needed this foundation in order to fully understand the lesson. Based off how they were doing on their morning work, I did not need to do a reteach of this information. 

Advice for my fellow student teachers: Get ahead! As much as you can. It is going to be crucial to plan ahead and start working on all things!

NC Standards

• Standard 1
• Throughout this week, I was able to help with Stanard 1A. I was able to take responsibility for all students learning during mathematics. I had to make sure that the students were learning the material. I also was able to use data to organize lessons, plan and set goals for my students. 
• Standard 2
• For standard, I was able to implement standard 2A. I was able to encourage an environment within the classroom that was inviting and respectful for my students. 
• Standard 3
• During this week, I had the ability to implement standard 3D. I was able to make instruction relevant for students by creating engaging hooks and activities for the students. During this week, I was able to plan these engaging activities and hooks for the following week. This is something that is going to make the students relevant for students. 
• Standard 4
• Throughout this week, I was able to implement standard 4C. I was able to use methods and materials that create a variety of instructional methods. Students worked on computers, with partners, and small groups throughout this week. 
• Standard 5 
• Throughout this week, I was able to implement the standard 5A. I was able to analyze student learning and have the ability to use that to drive data. 

Other

Throughout this week I have been able to work on edTPA as well as my behavior management. My CE does not need anything from my university supervisor and I do not need anything from my university supervisor. 

Weekly Reflections: January 4th

Seven Questions to End Week

This week I would rate my week a good 4. Since this week is all observation, it was not too difficult and I had the ability to get the majority of things done that were needed to be done this week earlier. 

The pleasant surprise I achieved this week was surviving the first week of student teaching! Woohoo!! Although this was only an observation week, I loved having the ability to get to really know the classroom and how the full day functions and works. I learned this week to be very organized and plan well! This is something that I can build upon next week because next week I start to take over Math! My short-term efforts this week of getting things done on time and being organized and products are still aligned with the NCTCS and my goals throughout this year of being organized and staying on top of the information.  I could have spent more time this week working on my edTPA. This is something that I need to carve out time for, even if I am very busy. This is a huge part of student teaching as well as my future! Throughout this week, there were a few moments of indecision on if I should discipline students or not yet. With not fully taking the classroom over, I was unaware if I should or should not discipline students. This is something that starting next week I need to have courage on and get more appreciation in and practice in- students need to see me as an authoritative figure (and that starts now)! The first logical steps for next week are going to start working on lesson plans for the next week and get more settled within the classroom. For Sunday, I really need to work on getting all of the math ready and organized for the week. 

With this week being an observation week, I did not analyze any data myself. I watched what the students were doing and how the students were doing on two-digit by two-digit multiplication and I noticed that these students are going to need slightly more practice with this before the test on Tuesday. 

One piece of advice I want to share with other students is to stop in the rush, stop in the hustle, stop at the moment, and ENJOY. This is such a fun time, (yes stressful time), but just take time to actually stop and look at this wonderful experience we are in! ENJOY IT. 

NC Teacher Candidate Standards: Observation Week

• Standard One A: Teachers Lead in Their Classroom
• Throughout this week I was able to watch my CE lead within the classroom. I was able to watch my teacher foster communication, collaboration, respect, and a great classroom environment. This is something that I want to incorporate throughout my student teaching experience. One way my CE lead the classroom this week was by encouraging students about the new year. He was trying to empower our students and let them know they have the capability to work on anything if they do hard work.
• Standard Two A: Teachers Provide an Environment in which each child has a positive, nurturing relationship with caring adults. 
• Throughout this first week, observation week, I had the ability to watch my teacher create a positive classroom environment. There were pictures put up on the bulletin board that was from the past semester, and all of my students were on the bulletin board. My students absolutely loved this and the pictures made the students feel like they were apart of the class and that they belonged within the class. 
• Standard Three C: Teachers Recognize the interconnectedness of content areas/disciplines
• During observation week, I saw my teacher interconnect science to math. For the word problems during multiplication practice, students were reading information about National Parks around the United States. This was something that is informational as well as what the students are practicing. 
• Standard Four C: Teachers use a variety of instructional method
• Throughout observation week, I watched my CE use multiple different instructional methods. One was using small group instruction, this was in ELA reading time. The groups were leveled and the students had the ability to read material that was on their certain level. My CE also does whole-group lessons. 
• Standard Five A: Teachers analyze student learning
• My CE gave a test on the drama play that my students have been working on. This is one way to ensure that the students are understanding the informaiton and fully having the ability to comprehend the text. 

Other

• I outlined the portfolio and started on my classroom website this week! 
• My clinical educator does not need support from my university supervisor this week. 
• I do not need any support from my university supervisor this week.