1.27.17

• Rate your overall experience of the week: 4
• Seven questions to end your week:
• • Observe: What pleasant surprises / accomplishments did I achieve this week?
    I feel that I was very productive this week as far as student teaching goes. I enjoyed going in on my teacher workday, even though my CE was not there. She had taken a day off, and I was kind of glad to have the time in the classroom to get ready for the week. I was able to get organized and work on the week's activities.
    
    
  • Reflect: What lessons did my work/experiences teach me that I will build upon next week?
    I learned this week that it's super important to stay consistent. I noticed that when I am consistent with my students, they remain aware of my expectations.
    
    
  • Focus:  How are my short-term efforts and my long-term goals still aligned?
    My long term goal of student teaching is still going fine as planned, but I want to achieve that more now than ever by a means of instilling a care for my students. Several incidents occurred (nothing negative) that made me realize that students will learn better if they feel they can trust their teacher.
    
    
  • Be Productive: What could I have spent more or less time doing?
    I think I need to begin increasing my workload on edTPA. I feel like I have been very productive otherwise this week.
    
    
  • Have Courage:  How did apprehension and indecision impact what I did and didn’t do?
    I was apprehensive about a few activities I had planned for Friday, mostly because they involved a lot of student independence. I trust my students to turn in quality work, but I wanted to find a selling point that could motivate students to want to exceed expectations on these activities. I was apprehensive about even doing the activities because I was unsure of how students would perform, but I knew I had to leave it up to the students to show me how they could perform.
    
    
  • Begin Anew: What is the first logical step(s) for next week? What mental clutter can I clear?
    Next week I'm excited because we will finally be back on a regular five day weekly schedule. I've learned quickly that any deterring from the original schedule causes students to lose focus and behavior. I've gotten my lesson plans done early for next week, so I plan to spend this extra bit of time this weekend working edTPA.
    
    

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

We completed our mid-year EOG benchmark and the scores kind of shocked me a bit. I knew that they would be inaccurate because there was material we had not yet covered, but still. The scores concerned me and I want to make sure I give them every resource they need to be successful.

• What is one piece of advice you can share with other student teachers?

Don't let your students see that you are nervous! It's almost as if they can smell fear, and I think we all know they will change their behavior if they do. Also, know your content. Even if that means teaching it to yourself in advance, do whatever you have to do to know the content you teach. That's a connection

• NC Teacher Candidate Standards (be sure to reference activities from your lesson plans to solidify your answer)
• • Pick an element from standard one of the evaluation tool and explain some activities/strategies you implemented this week to increase your rating for the element.
    I've begun to prepare for the EOG Parent Night we are holding in March. Mrs. Blanton put me in charge for the mathematics portion, and so I've begun pulling together resources for that event.
    
    
  • Pick an element from standard two of the evaluation tool and explain some activities/strategies you implemented this week to increase your rating for the element.
    We did a lesson on Black History Celebration and I wanted to give examples that would help students realize the severity of the situations that African Americans came from. I used examples of real life situations to help students better understand.
    
    
  • Pick an element from standard three of the evaluation tool and explain some activities/strategies you implemented this week to increase your rating for the element.
    In mathematics review lessons this week, I would ask students to teach to me the content. That way, I know that they are understanding, and they might be able to teach me new ways of understanding the content as well.
    
    
  • Pick an element from standard four of the evaluation tool and explain some activities/strategies you implemented this week to increase your rating for the element.
    I've made it a point to question students during many of my lessons. If they can explain to me what we are learning, there is a good chance they are on the right track. Also, I've been trying to teach content that is relevant to what students are currently capable of learning. I've had to go back and reteach standard algorithm multiplication quite a few times, and that is something the whole grade level is experiencing, so I'm glad I'm getting that experience.
    
    
  • Pick an element from standard five of the evaluation tool and explain some activities/strategies you implemented this week to increase your rating for the element.
    I've been reflecting on my differentiation and hook strategies a lot in order to make my instruction and content delivery stronger.
    
    
• Other:
• What components of your portfolio have you started to complete?
  Selecting my learning progressions and talking with my CE about how to proceed with them
  
  
• What support does your clinical educator need from your university supervisor?
  none at this time
  
  
• What support do you need from your university supervisor?
• none at this time

1.20.17

Week of Reflection: (list the date of the Friday for week just completed)

  

• Rate your overall experience of the week: 3
• Seven questions to end your week:
• • Observe: What pleasant surprises / accomplishments did I achieve this week?
    
    

    I definitely was pleased with my ability to transition between lessons/areas of the building. Students recognized and respected my voice.

    
    
    
  • Reflect: What lessons did my work/experiences teach me that I will build upon next week?

    When I taught my math progression dealing with two digit by two digit standard algorithm multiplication, my students got very confused. This was interesting to me because I had taught them one digit by one digit standard algorithm multiplication. It took a lot of reflection on my part to back up and see where the issues were. The cause of deficiency was not so much found in my teaching skills as much as it was a case of how the students found other methods of multiplication so much easier, and it was a case where they would mentally prefer other methods such as partial product or area models. Next week I want to do focus groups to help clarify.

    
    
  • Focus:  How are my short-term efforts and my long-term goals still aligned?
    Having begun my first of ten full weeks of instruction, I am still on track to successfully complete student teaching.
    
    
  • Be Productive: What could I have spent more or less time doing?
    I want to spend more time branching out and becoming my teacher in the sense of using some of my own resources and materials.
    
    
  • Have Courage:  How did apprehension and indecision impact what I did and didn’t do?
    I was very nervous to begin this student teaching experience, especially this week as it is the beginning of my ten weeks. I did not want to completely mess up, which I am proud to say that my CE and I agree I have not done. Holding the whole class all day every day is a completely different ballgame, and I still am not seeing through the lens of a teacher because of a few logistical things that student teachers just do not do, just because they are in reserve for employees of the district/school. I also have come to the conclusion that no one can really imagine what the teaching profession is like until they are one. I learned so much this week, but it also was not an information overload which I am thankful for.
    
    
  • Begin Anew: What is the first logical step(s) for next week? What mental clutter can I clear?
    Next week I am excited to come in early on our planning days and literally clear my mental clutter by preparing for the weeks to come. I believe that beginning my ten weeks at this point has been beneficial because it has allowed me these planning days to get ahead and soak everything in. I want to prepare all my materials and clean the room. My CE will not be present, so it will also be a good chance for me to be in the room by myself and take inventory of what I will be surrounding myself by for the next few months.
    
    
• What were some data you analyzed this week and how did it help inform your instructional decisions?

I was lucky enough to go with my CE to an MTSS Case Colleague meeting at the Central Services office because my CE is our grade level's Case Colleague. It was eye opening for me and I learned so much about MTSS. This was relevant because we just got back our MOY DIBELS data and so we've been in the process of doing some Data Dives after school and during planning. It's interesting to see the growth and concern areas, because it's allowed me to better serve my students at an individual level.

• What is one piece of advice you can share with other student teachers?

Be confident! I was very nervous this week, but it has been a great experience so far and I can't wait for next week.

• NC Teacher Candidate Standards (be sure to reference activities from your lesson plans to solidify your answer)
• • Pick an element from standard one of the evaluation tool and explain some activities/strategies you implemented this week to increase your rating for the element.
    I've taken a more active leadership role since beginning student teaching, obviously. But in my multiplication lesson reteach on Friday, I had to take the leadership role of the class to help students maneuver this new territory of multiplication.
    
    
  • Pick an element from standard two of the evaluation tool and explain some activities/strategies you implemented this week to increase your rating for the element.
    I used "Making Connections" task cards when teaching that particular concept and was able to incorporate certain values and diverse cultures into each card. For instance, one card talked about Malaria, and we were able to have a discussion about malaria and also incorporate Author's Purpose because the card was very informative.
    
    
  • Pick an element from standard three of the evaluation tool and explain some activities/strategies you implemented this week to increase your rating for the element.
    I've gotten very familiar with the content I've taught so far, and did a little research on ways to make certain instruction even more interesting for students. I came across the website Epic!, which is a great online reading tool that is free for teachers. I want to use it to integrate reading and auditory listening skills into my ELA lessons.
    
    
  • Pick an element from standard four of the evaluation tool and explain some activities/strategies you implemented this week to increase your rating for the element.
    In my fluency intervention groups, I've been honing in on the particular skills my students lack. Not only that, but I've been getting to know the students in my groups because some of them come from other classes. I've been trying to get to know them all as children just so as teachers, because I feel that they need that in order to care about learning.
    
    
  • Pick an element from standard five of the evaluation tool and explain some activities/strategies you implemented this week to increase your rating for the element.
    This whole week has been an experience of reflection as I strive to perfect the teaching profession as a whole. I've never done anything like this (teaching all the time, that is), and it's been great. But this process is one giant trial by error that I am so excited to continue along in.
    
    
• Other:
• • What components of your portfolio have you started to complete?
    edTPA learning progression brainstorming, teacher website
    
    
  • What support does your clinical educator need from your university supervisor?
    none at this time
    
    
  • What support do you need from your university supervisor?
• none at this time

1.9.17

• Rate your overall experience of the week: 4
• Seven questions to end your week:
• • Observe: What pleasant surprises / accomplishments did I achieve this week?
    Well, I wasn't expecting my Reading instruction to go as well as it did but it was really a good experience. I was able to make sure my students understood concepts of the new material because I made the lessons fun, and they were staying with me. Also, I have been able to spend a lot of time bonding with my grade level, whether we were working through a inclement weather delay or meeting at grade level.
    
    
  • Reflect: What lessons did my work/experiences teach me that I will build upon next week?
    As I prepare to begin my first full week on Tuesday of next week, I think it's been good to take over lunch and other management duties first. Doing so has allowed me to assert my role as a teacher and build relationships with students within this role. I was always the student teacher, now that I'm really beginning to take over, I am able to show that I mean business.
    
    
  • Focus:  How are my short-term efforts and my long-term goals still aligned?
    My short term goal of preparing for student teaching and long term goal of successfully completing student teaching correlate very well, and I have adopted a mindset of "ready or not, here I come" in order to achieve both of these goals.
    
    
  • Be Productive: What could I have spent more or less time doing?
    I definitely want to dedicate more time to sleep, first and foremost, because I have noticed that student teaching (and just teaching in general) is a very demanding job. And I say "job" instead of "internship" or "course" because that is exactly what it is. Many of our peers are in the process of beginning internships, and I feel confident in saying that it is impossible to comprehend how much time and energy is devoted to student teaching until you do it yourself. So I want to sneak sleep in where I can. This will obviously be done by developing a more strict routine of planning after school.
    
    
  • Have Courage:  How did apprehension and indecision impact what I did and didn’t do?
    In this in between phase of teaching in my CE's classroom, I am always careful not to overstep my boundaries by any means. I am often apprehensive to do something without my CE's permission, but she has maintained an attitude of open-mindedness for me and I am completely grateful for that. I've also been apprehensive about doing new things in the classroom, especially against my CE's advice. This is primarily because I know how much wisdom my CE has, and how I do not have many of the experiences she has had with trying things out.
    
    
  • Begin Anew: What is the first logical step(s) for next week? What mental clutter can I clear?
    Next week is huge for me, because it is my first week of holding everything. I want to take the lengthened weekend to prepare and meditate on the fact that I will start that first week of holding everything.

• What were some data you analyzed this week and how did it help inform your instructional decisions?
• Easy CBM data, DIBELS DAZE and DORF; It helped me further understand my student's instructional gaps
  
  
• What is one piece of advice you can share with other student teachers?

Keep ahead in your lesson plans!! It is so worth it! It will make your lessons that much stronger the longer you can let it sit and steep for revision before they are due to your CE and University Supervisor. Also, communicate your needs with your CE as they come along.

• NC Teacher Candidate Standards (be sure to reference activities from your lesson plans to solidify your answer)
• • Pick an element from standard one of the evaluation tool and explain some activities/strategies you implemented this week to increase your rating for the element.
    It's been a newfound world for me to immerse myself in the teacher world, and with all of our PLC and Grade Level meetings, I've really enjoyed getting involved at my clinical school and becoming part of the family. I requested to be put on our school's email list, so that got done as well. I've also made it a point to be a leader to my students, and show I care for them.
    
    
  • Pick an element from standard two of the evaluation tool and explain some activities/strategies you implemented this week to increase your rating for the element.
    My school has a very diverse element, and I've been fortunate enough to immerse myself in it over the past school year thus far. Part of NCTCS 2 is adapting for students with a variety of needs, and especially in my ELA lesson about making connections, I tried to use examples that the audience of students I had would relate with. Our grade level has also organized a Hospice Supply drive, which I feel relates to standard 2B.
    
    
  • Pick an element from standard three of the evaluation tool and explain some activities/strategies you implemented this week to increase your rating for the element.
    I've grown stronger in my content knowledge for sure. I also have gotten really creative with some ideas on how to integrate science and social studies since we don't have dedicated lesson time for those two sections. My CE also got me a Cleveland County Schools 4th grade standard book, and I've been researching in that this week. It's good to have everything I need in one book.
    
    
  • Pick an element from standard four of the evaluation tool and explain some activities/strategies you implemented this week to increase your rating for the element.
    I've been balancing how my CE teaches and how I teach just because I'm taking more control in the classroom. I've also had to balance my positive and negative behavior reinforcements. My students worked in teams quite a bit this week, specifically when we did a table challenge while reviewing Author's Purpose Task Cards.
    
    
  • Pick an element from standard five of the evaluation tool and explain some activities/strategies you implemented this week to increase your rating for the element.
    Reflection has always been important in my educational career thus far, but I've definitely been reflecting more on my teaching practices. I've found it really useful to take my commute to and from school to think about everything that has gone on/will go on in the school that day. It's helped a lot to avoid silly mistakes, which is ironic because Im always telling my students to do that.
    
    
• Other:
• • What components of your portfolio have you started to complete?
    I've begun to record myself teaching for the video purposes, as well as set up my classroom website.
    
    
  • What support does your clinical educator need from your university supervisor?
    None at this time

    
    

  • What support do you need from your university supervisor?
  • None at this time