Week 6

This week was and steady week. I was able to do a lot of my EdTPA stuff. I was way more nervous than I thought I would be. I also tried to pay attention to the students activities more, but I feel like there is just carpet behavior that you can't control. You just do your best to stay focused and engage the students. The first couple lessons that I recorded. I was way too focus on recording and doing what I was supposed to do for the lesson that I feel that I took away from the actual learning. I felt rushed and self conscious. The next lessons, I just rolled with what I had. I knew that I was prepared and that I was passionate, and I hoped that came through. I also thought whatever I don't catch I will add captions to or I will explain in my commentary. I think the students are getting more and more comfortable with me. I was able to really connect with my student who are struggling readers or mathematicians. They are engaged more with learning and more excited to answer even if they are wrong. That is really rewarding to watch.

This week my CP and I have sat down and planned out my full take over. I am excited to get these things started and to really own the whole class. One thing that I learned for best practices, if that when team planning. Each teacher having one subject they are responsible for works. THis can be getting the major ideas for, discussing with the team, and they getting all the required handouts, slides, and materials for the whole grade. This best practice really helps the week to be planned out in advance and less last minute addition or planning to be done. I really think it is something I am excited to do in the next coming weeks, it helps with my confidence knowing things are planned out and ready to go.

Last week I set the goal for my EdTPA and for my guided reading. This week I think I accomplished my goals. I talked to my principal and I will be observed next week or the following based on his availability. I will be working toward taking over Science this week.

Week 5

This week to me was all about changing my mindset around student teaching. I went into student teaching thinking this would be my time to shine and break out into my creativeness. I am not giving up on that creativeness. However, I have changed my mindset to understand that this experience is more for me working with the district and my teacher, and work with their more rigous and strict guidelines. I was able to work with my teacher for guided reading, and having so much support helps me really connect with the students. During guided reading this week, I could feel myself relax and just connect with the students and related the topics to their interest. I also really felt confident with explicitly explaining the focus concept, this week is concept was wrapping up main idea. I really liked that feeling of knowing I was doing a good job.

This week was my first professional development with the whole school, Every Student Needs a Champion. We have talked about this process in some of our classes during our program at Trinity.. However, I have never participated in one. To recap, every students name is put down. Hale had three categories, know students by face and name, knowing the students by academic levels, and knowing students personally. Each teacher when to each grade level and initial how they knew each student and wrote a personal note for 1-2 students per grade level. It was a great way to see what students needed a champion and help plan for connection for these students. It was a great insight as a new teacher. I was able to visit with the other second grade classes and got introduced to our friends who needed a little more attention.

Last week, I set the goal of having more lessons done. I have not gotten to get a significant amount of lessons done. However, I have had great conversation and plans with my cooperating teacher about lesson plans and my takeover. I am really happy to have a reset on my perceptive and to have more lessons down the road. This week is my EdTPA filming and that will be my big focus this week. I am doing my lesson on Shared Reading and I am hoping that I am well prepared for this task.

From the reading this week, Eptness is having a rich, intense existence, inside and out of their classroom.
The three behaviors that I will use are approximations, modeling being a learner, and  work on do nothing for doer students. I plan to use approximations, this a big deal for me. Most teachers, myself included focus on the negative. I believe in focusing on the positive and celebrating those small positive actions, however it doesn't always work that way. Making a conscious effort for positive praise is hard. However, I can do this by creating a checklist to make sure each student is getting great positive feedback, that I can make sure I am looking for positives. Next I will work on modeling a learner. I think this is something I do naturally, I am good at pointed out what I do wrong. However, it is not embarrassing for me. Being humble, and admitting my mistakes for the whole class is great for their confidence, and that is needed for friends with language needs. Lastly, I need to work on doing nothing for students who can do. I so often want to be helpful, I take away from the experience of having the student figure it out. I often see myself doing this for my lower students as well. I think addressing that issue will help.

Week 4

This week I continued with shared reading. I was able to take over a guided reading group this week as well. The district spends a lot of time on grouping. So this week was one of the first weeks with the full schedule in full motion. The rotations worked really well this week. I was able to have one group to myself, and that was really cool. Toni was able to come and observe this during my second time getting the group. This week, I also introduced call outs into the class, the students are frequently off task. I believed a good step would to cover expectations and take the time to cover what call outs purpose was and how I want the students to check themselves after a call out. The students were really into the call outs and had a couple favorites.

During guided reading and throughout this week, one of the main themes that I have learned and struggled with, is how your teaching is directly effected by the district. One of my struggles has been taking over, and what I am allowed to take over is very limited in what I can do. The district is strict with the literature that can be used for shared reading and guided reading. I really enjoy the shared reading and I love being able to have open dialogue with the students. However, with how regimented the schedule is, I only get 30 mins for the lesson, which each student doesn't get a chance to participate, I do use call out popsicle sticks to try to let everyone speak. However Guided reading is only 15 minutes and is supposed to be able the students reading, and only talking about the focus topic.  This is the reality of some district and principals, and that challenges my teaching style. I am still not sure how I would react or adapt if I worked within this district.

This week I hope to gain more and more lessons. I hope to be able to balance between taking over lessons and working with my teacher as well. Last week I set the goal of talking to the Principal, however I have not been able to do that. He did observes some of my guided reading goals, as I conducted them in the hallway due to space. He seemed pleased. This week I hope to take over social studies and science this week if I can too.

Week 3

This week in my student teaching, I was able to experience a lot of exposure to planning. The district that I work in does a lot of planning and structure for Math and Reading times. The curriculum is set and there isn't much room for new content. However, the district provides a half hour of Literacy Acceleration and Math acceleration. Even guided reading has more room for creativity. This is exciting, yet very overwhelming, a lot of the time we have spent into planning the first two weeks was devoted to set curriculum, and these open spaces to create your own content requires more time and planning to find resources. The text are given, concepts are open to be taught in a variety of ways. I really liked to see my teacher prioritizing the things she needs to do, over what things she wanted to do. For example we spent a lot of time covering guided reading groups and rotation, and let added effects to something we could do at home or cut completely. Also I really like how we collaborated together to find ways to calm the class, and support modifications to student who need sentences frames. This really made me realize I had so much to plan, and honestly I was discourage for a minute that I would be overwhelmed within the next couple weeks.

After talking to a few classmates and my CP, I felt better know that as I get through the program, planning becomes second nature. I was able to dig around with teacher pay teacher, and resources from the school to see that I love learning new ways to teach concepts, and that planning will be really fun. One of the new techniques that my CP teacher has been instilling into me, is that we are teaching strategies not stories. This was something that will stick with me for my teaching career. I, myself focus on a good story. I have to make sure to balance and emphasis main idea, and the concepts we will teach going forward without getting lost in the story which is also not necessarily a bad thing. This balance is what takes a good teacher to a great teacher in my opinion and I am hoping to master.

Last week I set the goal was to have 4-5 lesson plans done. This week I did have 4 lesson plans for my shared reading, I also wanted to open up to my teaching staff. I think that has definitely gone well. This week I hope to create fun and engaging guided reading groups. I have been able to connect with the students more as well. I think this week I hope to make sure I am connected with the principal, I want to carve out a time that he can come observe my teaching and get feedback on it as well.

In chapter 3, Schmidt talks about finding ways to identify camouflage and seeing the real student underneath. I think this is very true for my student in class. In my class we have many different languages and 6-8 ELL student with varied skill level and in their native language. One of our ELL students in the class clown that she describes on page 53. During group discussion or direct instruction, he is constantly finding things to laugh at or have other students laugh at. He avoids reading aloud in small groups, and blatantly says he "can't" read when he is capable, but reads below grade level. Breaking down these false statements and encouraging his positive interactions during these times are important for me to maintain with him.

Week 2

This week was in the introduction to curriculum at Hale Elementary. Students learned main idea throughout the week, and studied math concepts like place value and reviewed concepts from the first grade. This week I assisted in small group instructions during our math time. Ms. Krebs implements the districts mandated teaching strategy of TQE. The students are introduced to a math problem where they use their previous knowledge to try understand the given task or question. The group discussion is mainly turn and talk, or students are given a white board at their sit spots to individually explore the concept. Then the student will work through a set of problems as a group. Finally the class will work independently on their work. The math groups rotate daily, as the students finish their independant work, Mrs. Krebs and I observe and coach as needed. Each student is given a set of "beyond" problems to finish working on if they finish early, each tailored to the lesson. Finally if the students finish their problems, they choose between a math bin with preselected math games, and deep dive activities to work with independently or with a partner. Math has stuck out to me this week, because it is a well oiled machine. The students are familiar with the routines that in place and they students are seen in small groups for extra instructions. This is important for me to see so I can see how to tailor to my student that need addition supports in these areas.

In terms of new techniques that I learned, the school separates shared reading time and guided reading time. It is very beneficial. I am learning to take over for shared reading for next week. The way the district mandates shared reading is very cool. The teacher models the focused task, and engages the students in think aloud's and turn and talk. There are some ways that I would like to incorporate movement into these lesson, and will definitely work with my CT to plan ahead this week as we go.  The dynamic that Mrs. Krebs and I have is a learning process. She is very "by the book", and seems to really like to do things the same way every time. I am learning to be patient and work with her in a way that I did not see as challenging.  We are working well to attack many classroom issues, with student behavior and grouping, and I believe I have a great grasp on the students academic levels and personalities.

The teaching goals that I set for the week are going well. I was able to observing a lot of reading strategies, and Mrs. Krebs and I are working well to plan ahead to what and where I will be teaching. I hope that within the next week I have completed 4-5 lessons and that I have continued to support and build a good relationship with my students and CT. One other issue that came up is that I am a lot more shy around teachers and staff than I expected. I do feel as involved or part of the team yet, and I would like to work on build that relationship this week as well.

In chapter 3, Schmidt talks about finding ways to identify camouflage and seeing the real student underneath. I think this is very true for my student in class. In my class we have many different languages and 6-8 ELL student with varied skill level and in their native language. One of our ELL students in the class clown that she describes on page 53. During group discussion or direct instruction, he is constantly finding things to laugh at or have other students laugh at. He avoids reading aloud in small groups, and blatantly says he "can't" read when he is capable, but reads below grade level. Breaking down these false statements and encouraging his positive interactions during these times are important for me to maintain with him.