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