Student Teaching Week 2 Reflection

Week of Reflection: Friday, January 11, 2019
 
Rate your overall experience of the week: 1-Very difficult | 5 – Great week
I would rate this week a 4. It really was a pretty good week. We are still getting back into the swing of things from Christmas break. On Monday and Tuesday, the kids did AMAZING. My child on the behavior plan was doing awesome-- and then it was like on Wednesday through the rest of the week, the wheels fell off. We had to talk with 4 parents today, because 2 children in our class have been stealing lunch money and things off of my C.E.’s desk. Hopefully after the weekend they will come back rested and back to doing great again.
Seven questions to end your week:
Observe: What pleasant surprises / accomplishments did I achieve this week?
This week (at the beginning of the week), I was pleasantly surprised at how well the children were adjusting to the new (adjusted) math and reading centers, and just from being back from winter break. They are really getting into a routine again from having a 2-week break! This week we had a talk with them about starting to act like mature 3rd graders (even though they are in second grade.) We told them that they need to get ready for 3rd grade, and start walking in a straighter line and talking out of turn less. This brought a whole new structure to the classroom-- for a little while.
Reflect: What lessons did my work/experiences teach me that I will build upon next week?
This week, I started planning math for next week. This was for my edTPA Task 4. I felt really confident, and I can’t wait to go ahead and teach it next week!
Focus:  How are my short-term efforts and my long-term goals still aligned?
I came up with a schedule this week to help me get as much done as possible during the week, to where I wouldn’t have to do much on the weekends. I also wanted to make this realistic and attainable. So, I have decided that every week day, except for Fridays, I am going to plan a whole day of lesson plans. On Monday’s, I will double up and plan for 2 days. This way, it should be no problem getting my lesson plans to my C.E. on Wednesdays at 5.
Be Productive: What could I have spent more or less time doing?
I could have spent less time talking about my lesson plans and spent more time actually writing them. I am still learning time management.
Have Courage:  How did apprehension and indecision impact what I did and didn’t do?
This week, the anxiety really started to kick in. I started to think of great things I could plan for the kids to do this semester, and I am not going to lie. I thought to myself that there was no way I would even attempt these cool lesson ideas because the kids would probably absolutely go wild, and it would wreck my classroom management. I had some apprehension about how noisy and unruly the kids would get when they got excited.
Begin Anew: What is the first logical step(s) for next week? What mental clutter can I clear?
The first logical steps for next week is to start lesson planning ASAP. I need to have 4 days of lesson plans done by Monday night. I am going to get into a routine with lesson planning, and this will help me clear some mental clutter.
Adapted from: Cernoff, M. (2013, August 7). 7 Questions to End Your Week With. . Retrieved July 21, 2014, from http://www.marcandangel.com/2013/08/08/7-questions-to-end-your-week-with/
What were some data you analyzed this week and how did it help inform your instructional decisions?
I graded a lot of spelling/phonics papers this week, and I noticed how many letters the kids were writing backwards. It is almost the whole class, and by second grade, I thought I wouldn’t be seeing much of this. This made me realize that I am going to have to refer them to look on the wall at the correct way to form their letters every time I see them doing this. I do not want them still writing a ton of their letters backwards going into third grade!
What is one piece of advice you can share with other student teachers?
One piece of advice I could share with other student teachers is to not pretend like you know everything there is to know about teaching and lessons. You are assigned a C.E. that you can ask anything about teaching for this whole semester… take the opportunity! I am learning so much just by asking my C.E. random questions, like how to handle a dispute between 2 kids on the playground or how to handle a child losing their lunch money. I find myself asking the most random questions, because the more I am in the classroom, the more I realize that I actually don’t know yet. This is such a humbling, awesome time in my education and future career! Don’t be afraid to just ASK your C.E.!
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.
E. Teachers demonstrate high ethical standards. This week, I started my child in my class on his behavior plan. He reached his goal for the week, and I sent a positive note home in his folder, along with a small pack of M&M’s. He was so happy. We had a talk with the whole class about straightening up, too. Their behavior was not the best this week, so we are looking for major changes next week.
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.
2. d. Teachers adapt their teaching for the benefit of students with special needs. This week, we advocated for our student with an IEP to get an extra weighted pencil, so that he could have one in our room, and one in E.C. too. They are very expensive, and we were glad that OT had an extra to give to him!
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.
3. b. Teachers know the content appropriate to their teaching specialty. This week, I sat down with Title I and came up with a phonics pacing guide for the first few weeks of student teaching. This helped me to get an idea of what all I needed to do.
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.
4. f. Teachers help students work in teams and develop leadership qualities. This week, my C.E. and I really tried to help our students talk through their conflicts with their peers and be nicer to them. We also started guided math groups, and they are working in small groups a lot throughout the day.
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.
5. b. Teachers link professional growth to their professional goals. This week, I also sat down with Title I and began planning my parent involvement event at the school! It will be literacy based, be for the whole 2nd grade, and take place in March!!
Other:
What components of your portfolio have you started to complete?
I started taking data for my behavior plan, and sent a positive note home to the child’s mom concerning what a great week he had.
What support does your clinical educator need from your university supervisor?
None that I can think of.
What support do you need from your university supervisor?
None that I can think of!