Blog Post: Week of April 26th

Overall Week

Throughout this week I was able to observe other schools as well as watch my CE teach full time and help him any way that I could! Saying this, I would give this week a 5 because I loved being able to help and see other classrooms and gain insight that I can incorporate into my future classroom. I was surprised at how different fourth-grade classes were! I observed another fourth-grade classroom at the same school and it was a completely different environment! I will continue to learn about things that I can incorporate in my future classroom next week and really try to make the most of the time I have with the students. My long term goal is almost complete because we are almost done with student teaching! I submitted all my material and now just have to present my portfolio soon! At the end of this week, our class is taking a vocab test on the math vocabulary that they have been learning throughout the geometry unit that is going to be important on their EOG testing. For next week I am going to spend more time focusing on applications and where I can apply back home. Advice for other student teachers: Really soak in the time we have left and make the most of it. Spend this time making connections with the students and really spending time with them- that is what they are going to remember. 

NCTCS

• Standard 1
• During this week I was able to watch my teacher implement 1A by leading in the classroom. He was able to lead by example and throughout the week the students are learning about character traits of being a leader. 
• Standard 2
• This week I was able to see my CE create an environment that was respectful and welcoming for all students. This is directly related to standard 2A. 
• Standard 3
• This week I was able to see standard 3C met by watching a teacher use CNN student news! This was something that is specifically for students but directly connects them to global events that are happening all around us. 
• Standard 4
• This week I was able to see all the teachers that I observed and my teacher use technology. This is directly related to standard 4D. 
• Standard 5
• This week I have seen my teacher meet the standard of 5A by having the students take quizzes as well as the test at the end of the week. This is really going to give him feedback on what the students are understanding or what the students need more work with. 

Other

I do not need any feedback. I turned in my portfolio! 

Blog Post: April 12th

Overall Week

This week has been a 5! Even though I have given the class back, I have loved still being in the classroom with the students and having that extra time to really invest in all of the students. This week I have been able to go to other schools and visit 2nd grade, and 3rd-grade classrooms! I loved these classrooms! It was great to see other teaching styles and to see how all classrooms are different. My students have been so sweet when I return to the classroom as well. Next week I am going to continue to build on my portfolio and work on the portfolio. My long term goal of finishing strong is almost there! I can not believe that we are almost done with this whole experience and about to GRADUATE. FROM COLLEGE. I am still shocked it went by this fast. This week I have spent a lot of time working on applications for back home in Texas. I could have spent more time on my portfolio, but trying to balance both during this time period. This week I have felt really good about the decisions I have made and helping out Mr. Dow while I can. I think this is such a great time to be there to do whatever he needs and have the opportunity to really help specific students.  For next week, we have spring break! This week I am going to go home back to Texas and really try to finish a lot of my portfolio on the workday on Monday. This week in class we are giving the benchmark test through the county to our students. This data will tell us what the students are understanding from the last nine weeks and how they can really see what students are missing before the EOG.  In our classroom, it is all prep for the EOG right now! 

My advice for other student teachers is to really soak up these last few weeks we have with the students! We do not have much more time so it is important to make it last. 

NCTCS

• Standard 1
• This week I was able to watch my CE really lead his classroom and start teaching the full week again. This was an important week because he has to establish his norm again now that I am no longer teaching. (1A) 
• Standard 2
• During my observations, I was able to see how teachers adapted their teaching to benefit students with special needs. Students were able to get differentiated instruction that really helped students understand the specific learning targets. (2D)
• Standard 3
• This week in every classroom I was able to enter I was able to see standard 3A which is alignment to NCSCOS. Every class I was in really did a good job of sharing the learning targets with the students and discussing the goal of the lessonStandard 4
• Standard 4
• Throughout my visits to classrooms, I was able to see teachers really use 21st-century skills and teach students collaboration and cooperation and how to work in a team. This is something that I think is crucial in a classroom and something that I want to continue in my own classroom. (4E) 
• Standard 5
• This week with the ability to do the benchmark testing for the county we will get data back that we will bring to our grade level team and discuss as a whole grade what we are doing with the specific information from the test. 

Other

I have finished my resume, classroom management, and other components of the portfolio and have started on my video and worked through my video. My CE and I do not need any support. 

Blog Post: April 5th

Week Reflection

Throughout this week I would say that this week was a 5!!!! Gradually giving back the class has worked very well! The students are getting used to it and have been kinda sad about me no longer teaching anymore! ALSO WHAT MADE THIS WEEK SO AWESOME IS THAT I PASSED EDTPA!!!!!! (Thank you, Lord). I think that was my accomplishment for this week :). Next week, students are still going to be going over traditional literature but Mr. Dow will be teaching now! My long term goal of being organized and staying focused has really shown this week in planning and through edTPA scores. I could have spent more time working on my portfolio this week. I had the courage this week when I got observed by the principal! I love that my principal was able to come to observe me, just like she would for teachers at our school. I was nervous about this but it went really well and the post-conference was very beneficial. Starting next week, I am going to observe some other classes and grade levels as well as really focusing on my portfolio. This week I was able to analyze the data on the traditional literature story work articles that we have been reading (we have been reading fables). The students did very well on these quizzes! 

A piece of advice/statement:   I am so proud of all of us for our hard work this semester. We have been working so hard for this and it is finally coming all together now. SO PROUD. (I am slightly emotional)

NCTCS

• Standard 1
• This week I was able to implement standard 1A of leading in the classroom. I have used data to organize and set goals for my students throughout the week. 
• Standard 2
• During this week I was able to implement standard 2E by working with family. One of my students has been in the process of getting different medication and we have been working with his family during the transition process. 
• Standard 3
• During this week I was able to implement 3C which was dealing with the interconnectedness of content. During our read-aloud of Number the stars, students were able to learn about Adolf Hitler and how some Jews were running to Sweden for freedom. 
• Standard 4
• During this week I was able to implement standard 3C by using a variety of instructional methods. During this week, students had a traditional literature book and they were filling it out and also having the ability to watch short stories of different myths, fables, fairy tales, etc. 
• My students watched a short Cinderella and after I had multiple students that said they have never seen Cinderella. (I WAS SHOCKED!!) 
• Standard 5
• This week I was able to implement standard 5A by working with analyzing student learning through the Storywork quizzes over the fables that we have been reading. 

Other

• I have completed the edTPA component and passed!!!! WOO HOOO
• Also, I have started working on my video, documenting and writing the global awareness portion as well as classroom management portion! Crazy how time has flown! 

My CE and I do not have any further questions.