4.14.17

Week of Reflection: 4.14.17

  

• Rate your overall experience of the week: 4
• Seven questions to end your week:
• • Observe
    This week, I was really pleased to sit back and watch my CE take back over subjects I had been teaching. It has really been a cool experience to observe the differences in our teaching styles. 
    
    
  • Reflect
    As I have been observing my CE, I know now some things that I can improve on moving forward as a new teacher. I've seen the ways that our students react when I teach something, and then when my CE teaches it.
    
    
  • Focus
    I am so close to achieving my long term goal of a successful student teaching experience, and I have each day with my students and CE, along with wisdom and support from my university supervisor, to thank for that!
    
    
  • Be Productive: What could I have spent more or less time doing?
    I know this sounds silly, but spending less time being a "part of the classroom" during my observational time would have been a wise decision. I now see what my CE had experienced while she took a step back to let me teach. When you're in the classroom, you just have that desire to keep one foot in the door/lesson.
    
    
  • Have Courage:  How did apprehension and indecision impact what I did and didn’t do?
    The other day, I had a little panic session about all that I needed to get done and the little amount of time I had left to complete it. However, I'm really thankful for an amazing support system of fellow student teachers who got me through that.
    
    
  • Begin Anew: What is the first logical step(s) for next week? What mental clutter can I clear?
    Next week, I want to get my observations done so I will not have to think about them as I spend my last full week in my classroom. As portfolio presentations near, I don't want to become overwhelmed with that and let it steal my joy of accomplishment. Rather, I want it to accompany the ending of this experience.
    
    
• What were some data you analyzed this week and how did it help inform your instructional decisions?

This past week, I looked at EOG data in order to help me drive my last little bit of instruction. Also, I wanted to understand why we were starting so "early" to review for the EOG. However, as I looked at several trends in the data, I soon understood why EOG review is so integral for success of students and teachers.

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

We are so close! Even as we continue to press on and finish strong, don't forget that this is our senior year. We don't have very much time with our students. Some of us have already said goodbye even. Cherish the time you have left in your classroom before it is time to say goodbye.

• NC Teacher Candidate Standards (be sure to reference activities from your lesson plans to solidify your answer)
• • Standard 1
    There was an instance where one student appeared to be bullying another student in my class; particularly, in the middle of a lesson I was teaching. I hated to take instructional time on task away, but I felt that it was the best decision to make to not stop my lesson, but integrate morals of right versus wrong in a lesson about inferencing. It got my point across, because I could notice a change in demeanor of the student I suspected was bullying.
    
    
  • Standard 2
    This past week has been really busy for administrators and support staff as 504's need to be finalized in order to receive EOG accommodations. Working in an EOG testing classroom has really been an eye-opener for me, because I think 3rd grade and up has some particular challenges that have the potential to personally affect teachers (EOG performance). I got to sit in on a 504 meeting where the parent was present and just to hear the specifications and detail that go into a 504 really surprised me.
    
    
  • Standard 3
    I had been teaching inferencing, and I found that I think I really have a passion for ELA. At the beginning of student teaching, I thought it was mathematics, but the more I teach, the more I can relate to and display a passion for ELA.
    
    
  • Standard 4
    During my downtime, with my CE's permission, I have been pulling small groups, not necessarily to target academic skills and objectives, but to integrate behavior skills into what we do. When I pulled a group, we would be working on fractions, but I would integrate teamwork and mutual respect by making sure that each student in the 5 person group had a specific job. That way, they couldn't get the task done without relying on each other.
    
    
  • Standard 5
    As I have been putting this portfolio together, I have been reflecting on each piece. For example, I have done a lot of reflecting on my behavior management plan. The student I chose has come a long way, but I'm still thinking of ways that I could improve the plan for the next student I see fit to benefit from it.
    
    
• Other:
• What components of your portfolio have you started to complete?
  At this point, it has been a little bit of everything!! I'm mainly just trying to tie pieces together by integrating my website, choosing musical pieces to go in my video, and most importantly my educational philosophy!
  
  
• 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