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.