Student Teaching Week 8 Reflection

February 22, 2019

• Rate your overall experience of the week: 1-Very difficult | 5 – Great week

This week was a 4. Balancing edTPA with lesson plans and everything going on sometimes felt impossible, but I finally feel like I am starting to figure some things out!

Seven questions to end your week:

• Observe: What pleasant surprises / accomplishments did I achieve this week?

This week I was happy to accomplish week 4 of full time student teaching-- which means after next week, I will officially be halfway done. I can’t believe how fast it’s flying by!

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

This week I learned the importance of structure and routine in kids’ lives. The more structure they have, the better they seem to do.

• Focus:  How are my short-term efforts and my long-term goals still aligned?

I added a ton of evidence to my NCTCS notebook this week. I attended a vertical alignment staff meeting (for 2nd-4th grade in the county) on Wednesday as well, so I am learning things that will help me with my short term goals, which will in turn help me reach my long term goals.

• Be Productive: What could I have spent more or less time doing?

I could have spent more time giving myself brain breaks from edTPA. I noticed that I started to overthink everything and second-guess myself, so I finally just had to step away from it for a while before I messed everything up.

• Have Courage:  How did apprehension and indecision impact what I did and didn’t do?

N/A this week.

• Begin Anew: What is the first logical step(s) for next week? What mental clutter can I clear?

To get my edTPA DONE.

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?

edTPA data overload this week! Finally finishing up the data part this week.

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

Don’t feel bad for taking care of yourself and giving yourself breaks every once in a while. Don’t be too hard on yourself.

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.

Standard 1a, “Teachers lead in their classrooms.” This week, we adopted a Growth Mindset in our classroom. We had a talk about being more positive, and put anchor charts up in the class to refer the kids to when they have an anger outburst or throw things because they get a math problem wrong. It’s going to take a while for them to get used to it, but I think it will work wonders in the upcoming weeks.

• 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.

Standard 2b, “Teachers embrace diversity in the school and in the world.” This week finishing up on biographies, I made sure to include a selection of biographies that was very diverse. We read biographies on both men and women, of all different times and eras in history, who were from various backgrounds and cultures. I feel like the kids really learned a lot and enjoyed reading about people from different cultures.

• 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.

Standard 3c, “Teachers recognize the interconnectedness of content areas and/disciplines.” This week, I integrated some Global Awareness in my classroom. We read a biography on Amelia Earhart, and talked about how she disappeared and there are several theories on why. I pulled up a news article where they think they found her remains on a Pacific Island, and some theories of what happened to her (like she was captured, or she just ran out of food, etc.) I have never seen the kids so interested in anyone’s biography besides hers!

• 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.

Standard 4h, “Teachers use a variety of methods to assess what each student has learned.” This week, I analyzed my edTPA data, found a pattern of learning, and was able to draw conclusions for next steps. I am getting better at the data thing.

• 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.

Standard 5b, “Teachers link professional growth to their professional goals.” This week, I attended a county office meeting on vertical alignment with all the 2nd-4th grade teachers in the whole county. We talked about data driven instruction, potential new math and reading programs, and reading interventions.

Other:

• What components of your portfolio have you started to complete?

I’m working on my portfolio video, behavior plan data collection, and mostly my parent even coming up soon.

• What support does your clinical educator need from your university supervisor?

N/A

• What support do you need from your university supervisor?

N/A