Reflection #20

The first day I was at the elementary school was an average day with one acception. In the morning Ms. C was going to be on the morning news, so the class had to sit in another classroom until she returned. We went to Ms. W's classroom. I am glad that I was in the classroom to help Ms. W out. I could not imagine trying to handle two classes at one time. Ms. C's class was a little rambunctious. They were supposed to be sitting on the carpet reading a book silently, yet most of them were sitting there talking. Ms. W's class was well behaved. One thing that surprised me was that when the morning news came on the class didn't quiet down and Ms. W didn't ask them to quite down either.  I would have my class sit quietly and listen to the morning news, that is when all the important upcoming events are said, like McDonald's night, tee shirt day, jeans day etc. After the news was over Ms. C came back and things went as normal. The students from the other class came into our class and then we began centers. One students was putting in minimal effort on this day. O seemed like he wasn't even trying in ALL of the centers. O is an ELL student, however shouldn't excuse him from not even trying to his work. 

The nest day the things were the same as the day before. After the extra students left Ms. C's classroom and all of our students returned the students had earned a reward that they wanted to redeem. The reward was for spelling the word FAIRNESS. Each class is trying to spell this word. The was you can spell it is by earning 'soar card chips'. For every three chips your earn your get to add a letter. Everyone has the whole month to spell the word. Ms. C's class spelled it early so they got their reward early. The reward was an extra 20 minutes of recess. At 9:45 the class, Ms. C and I all headed to the play ground, ready to play and have fun! Then we saw the sign... "Play ground closed until 3/27". Apparently they school was painting the playground and it would be closed until said date. And the other playground had kindergartners playing on it so we didn't want to mess with them. The other choice we had was to have indoor recess. The students weren't too happy about that. I felt bad for the kids. They were so excited on their way out and then coming back  in they were gloomy and had long faces. I wasn't able to stay fro their indoor recess but I'm sure they enjoyed it, it was probably better then doing classwork!

The last day I was at the elementary school for the week was a very special day for me. I was able to teach a lesson to the students again! But first in the morning it was the same routine as the other days, the c;ass had to go to Ms. W's class in the morning and then when they returned we read a book. Ms. C also quizzed the students using brain teaser questions. When it was finally time for me to teach I was pretty nervous. I know that the kids aren't going to judge me, I guess its just my natural stage fright coming out. After I started my lesson the jitters went away. I was feeling confident in myself and happy with how it was going. I was also impressed by the student interaction during the lesson. Over all I am very happy with how my lesson went. I feel accomplished and and I am looking forward to being able to teach a lesson again. 

Reflection #19

This week during my experience at the elementary school started off pretty boring. The first day was student benchmark testing day for 3rd grade. The students had to take their 3rd quarter benchmark test for reading and writing. Last time they took the test the students did fairly poor on it. However the work that they do in the morning is specifically geared towards the benchmark test and FCAT. After the last test the students and teacher made a data chat chart. This chart showed their weaknesses and their strengths. Since Ms. C knew what the students needed to work on that is what she focused on. All the morning work was focused on the topic areas that required the most work. I really liked the idea of the data chat chart however I would not call them 'weaknesses' I would maybe call them 'focus points'. 

The second day was more eventful. The students were able to work in centers! The class started the day like most days, morning work, FASTT math, and then centers. The students from the other class are still coming into our classroom and our students are leaving our class and going to another class to practice for portfolio testing. 

I noticed that D wasn't in class for two days. I asked Ms. C were he was. She told me that her, D, all the administration and D's parents had a meeting together. After their meeting it was decided that D would be moved to an EBD classroom. Everyone in the meeting thought that it was for the best interest in D for him to be in that classroom. He will get more one on one attention and that is really what he needs. It was not fair for D to not be getting the attention he really needs. 

On the third and final day that I was in the classroom I got to teach the students!! I had a lesson plan and activity for the students to do having to do with idioms. First thing in the morning the students did their normal morning routine. After they reviewed and came up with the right answer Ms. C gave me the reigns and let me take over in teaching the class. I began teaching by asking the students if they knew what idioms were. The class went completely quiet. At that point my nerves were taking over and I started to feel butterflies in my stomach. I decided to change my question and asked students if they have heard of some idioms before. I showed them the idiom activity card. Some students raised their hands and said they have heard that before. Next I started to ask students to tell me what they thought the idioms meant. Some of the things they thought were hilarious! Other times I was pleasantly surprised by which ones they did know! I wrote all the idioms that we talked about on the board and the meaning for them. When we had almost 20 idioms on the board I told the students what we would be doing next. DRAWING! The students love drawing! They enjoyed being able to have fun and draw. 

Credit to Iowa Digital Library 

After most students were done drawing Ms. C was going to read them all a book. P ask if I could read it so of course I did. It was kind of a tongue twister of a story but I manged to make it through. 

I feel a lot better about teaching my real lesson for the class. This practice lesson has made me a lot more comfortable with the classroom and how I would control it if it was my own. I hope that my next lesson goes as well as this one did! 

Reflection #18

What an interesting week I had! First of all the computers did not work almost all week, again. In the morning the students use the computers to work on FASTT math. The internet wasn't working so that   was a major problem. Later on in the day we needed the computers for centers. They use the computers for a reading activity where they learn new vocabulary. Not havi8n the computers working was the first of the problems. We also didn't have any books for their centers. The students need a non-fiction book for "3-2-1 non-fiction" This is an activity where students have to write down three interesting things they read, two new facts they learned and one question they still have about the subject. Another activity they need books for is making a comic strip. The students are to choose a fiction book and then pick out the six most important parts of the book. Then create a comic strip using the story line of the fiction book they read.

Credit to Wikipedia

So not having the computers and not having books was a problem but Ms. C was prepare. She moved right along with the morning and had the students come wit on the carpet and they read a story together. It was the next story that they would be reading in the class. It was called "Suki's Kimono" We still had the extra students in the classroom, they had already read this story. A few of the students from the other class did not behave very well during this day. They were very disruptive and Ms. C had to move one of the students and talk to another one multiple times. After we finished reading the story we had extra time before our students came back. Ms. C asked me if I would like to read to the class. Since it is Read Across America Week I decided to read a Dr. Seuss book. I read the book "I Saw It On Mulberry Street" As soon as Ms. C asked me to read the students were so excited. I was picking out a book and they were all smiling and moving around on the carpet. It makes me happy to see the students excited for me to teach. It calms my nerves a little more for when I actually get to teach my lesson.

The computers still were not working on the second day that I was in the classroom. All students had to work on the morning warm up since there was nothing else to do. After the class finished the warm up and went over what was the right answer the portfolio kid left and the other students came into the classroom. Next we went over test grades. Ms. C handed back test to each student and to the extra students she gave them the test of the students who were not in the classroom at the moment.

The last day the computers finally were working!! It was a joyous moment for Ms. C, the students and I. The students could finally work on FASTT math. Also the students got a new center, it was one that helps with vocabulary. The students had sets of cards and were to match the vocabulary work with the definition of the word. Ms. C also decided to use Zoo Books for the 3-2-1 non-fiction reading activity. With the computers working, the new centers and the Zoo Books we could now work in centers. The other centers that the students work on are acrostic poems and writing a paragraph using two words from the word wall.

On that day Ms. C and I talked about C and D. Both of these students have problems focusing in class. C however has been put on ADHD medicine. He has only been on it for about 2 weeks but it has made a tremendous difference in his behavior. He has gone from out of control bouncing off the walls and very disruptive, to a very calm and pleasant student to have in class. Also D has major behavior problems in class. He acts silly and very disruptive. His parents have not put him on any medication, D is autistic. Ms. C said that there is going to be an emergency meeting with D's parents to see if he can be put in an E
BD class.