Today was all about setting up the classroom. Starting early this morning I finished what I could of the bulletin board I was in charge of, and then helped my teacher with her other boards. The room is starting to come together, and that is a very good thing because school starts tomorrow!
As I walked around the school I asked teachers how it was going and they all gave me the same answer, "I can make it two days." Maybe the first days of school are always crazy, whether you are a first year teacher or a 20 year teacher.
After school tomorrow I am going to see if I can get together with my teacher so we can finally go over what it is that I need to do in her classroom. I also need to contact my adviser. I bet they didn't think they would need to be working before University even started!
Wednesday, August 19, 2015
Tuesday, August 18, 2015
Day 2: Poco A Poco Se Anda Mucho
First faculty meeting of the year! The school police officer spoke to us about what we can call him for as well as when to report child abuse. (FYI: A teacher must report child abuse if their is physical evidence AND a statement from the child. If you have reasonable suspicion... that works too. DCFS for Logan, UT: 855-323-3237) That was very good information for me to have as well as all of the teachers there.
The principal had us all meet with the different faculty which was very fun to meet so many different people! She also made us a little treat with the faculty theme for the year:
She also compared the school to mountain climbing. All mountain climbers have certain things to keep them safe. A harness, carabiners, shoes, and a belayer. Each one of these is similar to a person who helps the students learn and grow. The harness is like the specialists at the school who work with your students trying to make sure no one falls behind. The carabieners are the curriculum specialists who teach you how to use the different materials you are given so you can better give that information to your students. Climbing shoes are the resources available to the students like the library, other teachers, parents, friends. And last is the belayer who is the teacher. A belayer guides a climber up a rock face and holds their rope so they don't fall. The belayer can see paths that the rock climber cannot see and will shout it up to them. This is what a teacher does.
What a wonderful analogy! I loved listening to that! On a sillier note, we were required to read through some updated district material, and we needed to read every slide. Each teacher took turns reading a slide. About half way through, and half the teachers were asleep, one decided to sing her entire slide to the tune of "Climb Every Mountain!" from the The Sound of Music. That woke everyone up pretty quickly. After that several other teachers either sang their parts or spoke with an accent. When it came to my turn, the accent I had wanted to do was already taken, so I spoke with a Russian accent. The entire room was rolling on the ground laughing. I was glad we had a way to make it interesting
Monday, August 17, 2015
Day 1: Preparing for School
I went to school today, not really knowing what I was getting into. I knew that I was going to meet my teacher but I didn't know if I would be staying or what. She said we would go over my student teaching requirements for her classroom. Or maybe we would just meet and she would send me home.
Neither assumption was correct. I went to find a classroom and a teacher who was not what I expected, but a happy surprise. As soon as she got there she put me to work. I started copying pages and cutting them out, picking out paper to put them on and so forth. At first I was frustrated that I was just copying stuff, but the more I thought about it... That is what a teacher does on the first work day of the school year. Copying, cutting, pasting, hole punching, laminating that is all part of what a teacher does. So I stopped my pessimistic thoughts and happily finished my job, greeting all of the teachers that came in.
I should mention, I am starting my student teaching this week instead of in two weeks when the rest of the student teachers are because the second half of my student teaching is in Norway. I have to leave two weeks early for that and so here I am! Thankfully I get to see all of the before the start of school procedures and how my teacher sets up for her class. This is something I have been wanting to discover how to do, and now I have an opportunity to see how it works!
My teacher, Mrs. Burton, was working with another teacher in the 5th grade on what they were going to do this week. They had matching plan books ( that were gorgeous! Take a look!) and they were planning what to do on Thursday and Friday. They obviously knew what they were doing since they were using phrases and words I didn't understand. But they were also looking at the lesson plan book they had made the previous year, which was just as detailed and well designed as the one they were making for this year. I was very impressed with it. Especially since the last teacher I was with said she did not use lesson planers anymore. When I am in my own classroom, I will be sure to have a good lesson plan book, and keep careful notes of what I am doing so that I can do it again or not, next year.
Neither assumption was correct. I went to find a classroom and a teacher who was not what I expected, but a happy surprise. As soon as she got there she put me to work. I started copying pages and cutting them out, picking out paper to put them on and so forth. At first I was frustrated that I was just copying stuff, but the more I thought about it... That is what a teacher does on the first work day of the school year. Copying, cutting, pasting, hole punching, laminating that is all part of what a teacher does. So I stopped my pessimistic thoughts and happily finished my job, greeting all of the teachers that came in.
I should mention, I am starting my student teaching this week instead of in two weeks when the rest of the student teachers are because the second half of my student teaching is in Norway. I have to leave two weeks early for that and so here I am! Thankfully I get to see all of the before the start of school procedures and how my teacher sets up for her class. This is something I have been wanting to discover how to do, and now I have an opportunity to see how it works!
My teacher, Mrs. Burton, was working with another teacher in the 5th grade on what they were going to do this week. They had matching plan books ( that were gorgeous! Take a look!) and they were planning what to do on Thursday and Friday. They obviously knew what they were doing since they were using phrases and words I didn't understand. But they were also looking at the lesson plan book they had made the previous year, which was just as detailed and well designed as the one they were making for this year. I was very impressed with it. Especially since the last teacher I was with said she did not use lesson planers anymore. When I am in my own classroom, I will be sure to have a good lesson plan book, and keep careful notes of what I am doing so that I can do it again or not, next year.
1st Meeting with Cooperating Teacher
Good morning!
This week, I start my student teaching and I have to say, I am nervous. Perhaps it is because I have not been in a classroom all summer, or maybe because after this I will be a full on teacher with 20-30 kid's learning in my hands. Maybe it is both.
Either way, I am going to do it, and I am going to do it well.
I went through my student teaching packet thoroughly today. I wrote down all of the expectations that I need to meet as well as when I need to get things done. Thank goodness the University is so organized!
I expect this meeting with my cooperating teacher to go well. From the e-mails we have exchanged she seems like a wonderful person, and hopefully one that will help me to grow and become better. We will discuss where I will teach my lessons, and plan some together. I am very excited for the cooperative teaching that is required by the University. I think that it will help me to be better at self-evaluation.
I have been looking up things on Pinterest to help me with my student teaching. So far one of the most helpful articles I have found was 8 Things I Wish I Knew as a Student Teacher. I loved the advise it gave, as well as the insight into something I have not yet done, and am slightly terrified to do.
Alright, I am not as terrified as I was a few weeks ago, now I am more excited to start this last part of my pre-teaching journey.
This week, I start my student teaching and I have to say, I am nervous. Perhaps it is because I have not been in a classroom all summer, or maybe because after this I will be a full on teacher with 20-30 kid's learning in my hands. Maybe it is both.
Either way, I am going to do it, and I am going to do it well.
I went through my student teaching packet thoroughly today. I wrote down all of the expectations that I need to meet as well as when I need to get things done. Thank goodness the University is so organized!
I expect this meeting with my cooperating teacher to go well. From the e-mails we have exchanged she seems like a wonderful person, and hopefully one that will help me to grow and become better. We will discuss where I will teach my lessons, and plan some together. I am very excited for the cooperative teaching that is required by the University. I think that it will help me to be better at self-evaluation.
I have been looking up things on Pinterest to help me with my student teaching. So far one of the most helpful articles I have found was 8 Things I Wish I Knew as a Student Teacher. I loved the advise it gave, as well as the insight into something I have not yet done, and am slightly terrified to do.
Alright, I am not as terrified as I was a few weeks ago, now I am more excited to start this last part of my pre-teaching journey.
Friday, January 30, 2015
The Miracle of Technology
I learned all about a ton of different technology we can use in our classrooms.
Apps (Free for computers, paid on tablets)
Algodoo -- apply really physics to drawings
Stellarium -- see anywhere in the world, at any time, what constellations are being seen.
Celestia -- explore the known universe
Ed.Ted.com is a wonderful website where you can create, use and find lesson plans. There is also a thing call the Ted Ed Club. It helps students to create their very own Ted talks, so they can express their ideas just like the rest of the world.
YETC at USU's website is so fabulous with amazing resources that are available for anyone to use!
As I was thinking about this today, someone said something
"Create experiences not lessons." - Nathan
This is exactly what I want to do. I need to make sure my students are reaching the common core and passing their tests, because that is how I will have more opportunities to create more experiences. But I don't want to teach to the test. I want to teach with experiences. My role model does just that.
Apps (Free for computers, paid on tablets)
Algodoo -- apply really physics to drawings
Stellarium -- see anywhere in the world, at any time, what constellations are being seen.
Celestia -- explore the known universe
Ed.Ted.com is a wonderful website where you can create, use and find lesson plans. There is also a thing call the Ted Ed Club. It helps students to create their very own Ted talks, so they can express their ideas just like the rest of the world.
YETC at USU's website is so fabulous with amazing resources that are available for anyone to use!
As I was thinking about this today, someone said something
"Create experiences not lessons." - Nathan
This is exactly what I want to do. I need to make sure my students are reaching the common core and passing their tests, because that is how I will have more opportunities to create more experiences. But I don't want to teach to the test. I want to teach with experiences. My role model does just that.
I want to be Mrs. Frizzle. I want to dress like her, I want to teach like her, through exploration. I want to have an imagination like her. Most of all I want her bus, however I think I will have to deal without that.
I am so excited/terrified to be a teaching. So much pressure, so much potential.
Friday, October 24, 2014
Why do I want to be a Teacher?
A question I have been asking myself lately.
My original reason was:
"I want to make a difference, I want to be around children, I want to have a challenge."
As I dissect my reasons I find I need to reevaluate why I want to be a teacher.
- I want to make a difference. -
Teaching is not the only place I can make a difference. However it is a good place to make a different. I just wrote a paper on George S. Counts who wanted to reform society and schools together to create a better society. He said “We are convinced that education is the one unfailing remedy for every ill to which man is subject.” And in some senses it is. Education is how we shape the future generation, and I want to be a part of it. I do what to help shape the children of the future and I want to be an active force for change in our world. Yes, I can do that in many places, however teaching is the place it speaks most to me.
- I want to be around children. -
Yeah, this reason could be tossed. There are so many other professions out there where I could work with children, and be significantly less stressed, and have significantly less work to do. However a teacher and her student have a unique bond, and that is something that I want to experience and cherish forever.
- I want to have a challenge. -
And this reason is the cake topper. "I want a challenge"? There are SO MANY other fields of work where I would be constantly challenged. If I chose a career in Mathematics, I would be challenged from the very start. If I chose to be an artist, I would be challenged to create different works of art on a regular basis. But teaching provides its own challenges, and those are the challenges I want. I want to puzzle over how to help a student and discover what is going to work for that child. I want to grow with the students as we learn together how to get along with one another. I do want the challenge of teaching, specifically.
On this blog I have been posting some lesson plans, and how I thought they went, which I think is a great way to evaluate myself. Also doing this post was helpful, reminding me why I am here in the first place. Since I have been in the Teacher Education program I have found several educational blogs that I love to look at. Some are more sophisticated than others, but all have great material.
Literacy Blog from Edutopia
Blog where Students can post their work
A blog to tell the hilarious things you hear in class!
"I want to make a difference, I want to be around children, I want to have a challenge."
As I dissect my reasons I find I need to reevaluate why I want to be a teacher.
- I want to make a difference. -
Teaching is not the only place I can make a difference. However it is a good place to make a different. I just wrote a paper on George S. Counts who wanted to reform society and schools together to create a better society. He said “We are convinced that education is the one unfailing remedy for every ill to which man is subject.” And in some senses it is. Education is how we shape the future generation, and I want to be a part of it. I do what to help shape the children of the future and I want to be an active force for change in our world. Yes, I can do that in many places, however teaching is the place it speaks most to me.
- I want to be around children. -
Yeah, this reason could be tossed. There are so many other professions out there where I could work with children, and be significantly less stressed, and have significantly less work to do. However a teacher and her student have a unique bond, and that is something that I want to experience and cherish forever.
- I want to have a challenge. -
And this reason is the cake topper. "I want a challenge"? There are SO MANY other fields of work where I would be constantly challenged. If I chose a career in Mathematics, I would be challenged from the very start. If I chose to be an artist, I would be challenged to create different works of art on a regular basis. But teaching provides its own challenges, and those are the challenges I want. I want to puzzle over how to help a student and discover what is going to work for that child. I want to grow with the students as we learn together how to get along with one another. I do want the challenge of teaching, specifically.
On this blog I have been posting some lesson plans, and how I thought they went, which I think is a great way to evaluate myself. Also doing this post was helpful, reminding me why I am here in the first place. Since I have been in the Teacher Education program I have found several educational blogs that I love to look at. Some are more sophisticated than others, but all have great material.
Literacy Blog from Edutopia
Blog where Students can post their work
A blog to tell the hilarious things you hear in class!
Tuesday, October 7, 2014
Over the Next Few Days
Wow.I was told that I was a natural teacher, which is really what I needed to hear.
This and this are the lesson plans I have been using for the last few days. I was very impressed by how well my student did in both of these. She was able to understand the concept and she tried very hard, very quickly. Her mother says she is not motivated, however I don't see it. Perhaps it is because I put a good spin on the class that she sees it that way as well. One thing I do need to work on is giving her more independence. She depends on me for all of the answers. I need to make sure she knows it is okay and preferable for her to use her own mind to come up with solutions!
This is the lesson I have been using for my other student. He loves playing with the tiles and creating words that he knows. He does have a hard time remembering the different sounds of certain letters. But this is something he picks up on very quickly. I am very impressed by his listening skills. I do need to find a way to mix it up, the tiles are going to be boring if I keep using them every day.
These last few days have been much better for me, as a teacher. I have been able to see my students succeed and struggle and have been able to enjoy teaching them.
This and this are the lesson plans I have been using for the last few days. I was very impressed by how well my student did in both of these. She was able to understand the concept and she tried very hard, very quickly. Her mother says she is not motivated, however I don't see it. Perhaps it is because I put a good spin on the class that she sees it that way as well. One thing I do need to work on is giving her more independence. She depends on me for all of the answers. I need to make sure she knows it is okay and preferable for her to use her own mind to come up with solutions!
 |
| This is how we discussed what the root cycl could mean |
This is the lesson I have been using for my other student. He loves playing with the tiles and creating words that he knows. He does have a hard time remembering the different sounds of certain letters. But this is something he picks up on very quickly. I am very impressed by his listening skills. I do need to find a way to mix it up, the tiles are going to be boring if I keep using them every day.
These last few days have been much better for me, as a teacher. I have been able to see my students succeed and struggle and have been able to enjoy teaching them.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)