Week 9 of Student Teaching

I would rate this week at a 4, things seemed to flow pretty seamlessly considering the fact that it was the week of my final observation. I was really nervous that I would not meet the standards for student teaching. So, yes I am my worst critic!

• Observe: I am becoming very comfortable with teaching everyday. This being my ninth week I would guess so, but it's more than just being comfortable, it's being confident. It amazes me that just by being with my students that I am able to help them successfully grasp any the content that they may be struggling with.
• Reflect: One lesson that sticks out in my mind for this week is from my literacy lesson. I read to the student the Pied Piper of Hamelin. For each stanza the students had to visualize what event was going on in the text. I read and reread each stanza from the poem. The poem is written in somewhat older language. We discussed what events were taking place in the poem. Once students visualized what was happening in the text, we acted out the poem. I was the Pied Piper, I had a recording of a pipe on my phone, and the students were the rats in the story. We walked down the hall to specials acting out the poem.
• Focus:  My goals are still aligned I am trying to smoothly integrate global awareness in my lessons. I have been able to do this much easier because of my literacy lesson based on tales around the world.
• Be Productive: I could spend more time on helping students grasp the concept of money. Students are struggling with identifying coins and their value. I am planning to have a memory sheet for the coins and their value on their desk.
• Have Courage:  I still have apprehension with being too stern with my students. Classroom management has improved greatly in my classroom but that is based upon my continual praise for the students that are displaying positive behavior, when students do not react to the positive praise about another student, then I have purposed on having the students face consequences.
• Begin Anew: I am going to have to integrate more mathematic activities based on the value, and total value of coins that are represented from a given group.

What were some data you analyzed this week and how did it help guide your decisions?

This week I analyzed scores from a STAR test that each student took. This test allows me to see their reading level. Most of my students all have reading levels about second grade. I have two students that are on grade-level, and one that has a first grade reading level.

• NC Professional Teaching Standards 
• Standard 1: 1a, I am continuing to maintain a safe and orderly classroom that facilitates student learning. My behavior student was out for over a week  and has been calling out and disrupting class, but I have continued to communicate expectations and goals for students. I have continued to enforce consequences for bad behavior.
• Standard 2: 2c, I want all of my students to know that I have high expectations for them. Many times I tell them that "our goal" is to... so that they know what I am wanting from them exactly.
• Standard 3: 3a, I have been working on integrating vocabulary in my math lessons. I can tell that since I have began teaching the math vocabulary that students are able to solve word problems easier that are used to work with monetary value.
•    Standard 4: 4d, Integrating technology has been a goal for me to do in the classroom. I have had students create videos about what information was gained from science day this Friday.
• Standard 5: 5a, I noticed this week that students are struggling with answering word problems. They are not able to break apart what the problem is asking them. Word problems that allow them to use more than one specific type of data causes them to become frustrated.

• • What components of your portfolio have you started to complete? I have worked on global awareness project for my portfolio.
  • What support does your clinical educator need from Mrs. Suttle? None at this time.
  • What support do you need from Mrs.Suttle? None at this time.