The End

Well I must say, this week has been a breeze compared to being full time. I will definitely rate this week a 5. Without the stress of so many lesson plans to write, I felt that I could really enjoy my time with my students. I know that my time with them is drawing to an end and it saddens me that I have to leave them, but I am so proud of how much all of them has grown throughout the year.

On Monday of this week I had the awesome experience of taking my students on a "field trip" to Honduras. We looked up plane tickets and everything! This related to the science unit I have been working on with my students for the past two weeks on landforms and Earth's features. This lesson helped me teach my students about diversity in the world (standard 2) as we looked at artifacts from Honduras and how they differed from what we have in the US. I was also able to use a variety of instructional materials (standard 4) in this unit. We traveled to a mountain peak in Honduras using Google Earth and my students were so excited to look at the different landforms around them. I have found throughout my experience student teaching that science is my favorite subject to teach and I know that there is a big possibility that it will not be on my schedule in my future classroom. Because of this, I have really tried to get better at integrating science and social studies into every subject and I am proud to say that I feel much more confident doing that now! (Standard 3)

Even though I feel experienced in the classroom, each week I gain new information and experiences as well. This week, that came in the form of proctoring practice EOG's. I demonstrated leadership in the classroom this week by helping proctor the tests (standard 1). There was a lot of data to evaluate throughout this process and since I have been the teacher for the past few months, I was responsible for my students' learning. I felt really accomplished after grading those mock EOG's and seeing student growth. They have come so far since their BOY tests. Looking at the data also allowed to me see where each student was still struggling and even though I am not teaching them in the upcoming weeks, it helped me and my CE prepare for how to best help each student. I was really able to reflect on student learning this week and how certain concepts I have taught have really stuck with students and which concepts I may need to revise before I teach them to my future students.

Overall, this week has been a good transition week for both me and my students. My long term goal of successfully completing full time student teaching has been accomplished. My next goal is to complete my portfolio. Going into next week, my first steps are to try to get as much as possible finished over the weekend. I have really been trying to get as much completed on my portfolio as possible and beginning next week, I hope I am able to spend more time working on my video because I know that is going to be a tedious task. My portfolio is slowly but surely coming together! My CE and I both feel that this has been a smooth transition and right now we do not need any support. I wish everyone the best of luck as you finish up your time in your classroom. Remember to cherish every moment because it will soon be over!

Wonderful Week Ten

Wow! I cannot believe that as I am writing this blog, I am finishing up my final week of full time student teaching. It has been such a crazy experience that at times seemed never ending but it is finally here. With this being my final full time week, I am happy to say that I can rate it a 5. I missed my students over spring break and we were all happy to be able to see each other and start learning together once again.

This week, my class has kicked off countdown to the EOGs. Since coming back from spring break, my CE and I have really been digging into the data from the whole year to see exactly what our students need. I must say that one pleasant surprise that came this week was looking back at all of my students' scores from the beginning of the year and seeing how much they have already grown. By reviewing all of this data, I am exhibiting standard 5 of the NCPTS. With this information, I have been making my lessons center around making sure my students have learned all of the information they need to feel confident when it comes time for the EOG. By making sure my lessons connect the standard course of study, I have been exhibiting standard 3.

In math this week, I introduced my students to using a calculator to help them find answers. It really surprised me that up until this point, my students hadn't ever really used a calculator so that in itself developed into a mini lesson in the middle of class! But students were very excited to learn that there was a portion of the EOG that they were allowed to use a calculator on and I think that helped to build their confidence. This has been a goal of mine since the very beginning. A large portion of my class struggles with feeling confident in themselves and their ability even though I am confident in them. Throughout the semester I have trying to create a safe, positive environment in the classroom where students can feel confident in themselves, but also not feel discouraged when they are not understanding. I am so happy to see the progress some of my students have made throughout the semester!

On Friday, third graders at WES got an awesome experience! We went on a field trip to Lone Mountain Farm where my students got the opportunity to learn about Native Americans. This was such a fun way for students to take in a social studies lesson and students enjoyed being able to get out of the classroom and they all learned so much about the history of the region we live in as well as a different culture.  I hope to take what all we have learned on this field trip and build upon it in the classroom next week. This field trip was a good change from just sitting inside the classroom and allowed me to use a different method for instruction (standard 4). Of course, being outside of the classroom also came with a lot of responsibility and leadership. I was in charge of a large group of students and it was my job to make sure that the environment was safe and orderly (standard 1).

In terms of portfolio work, I have begun organizing my videos and pictures to begin work on my video presentation since I know this will be very time consuming. I have also started talking with my CE about observations which will be coming up in the very near future. After looking through the rubric for the portfolio on Thursday, I know that it will be a lot of work, but I am also confident in being able to make it the best it can possibly be. Next week, I hope to be able to spend more time completing portions of the portfolio than I was able to spend this week but not being full time is going to give me that opportunity.

Overall, I feel that I have had a good week to end full time teaching on. I am at the point that I no longer apprehension and indecision impact my lessons. I know what to expect and am usually prepared for just about everything! With it being the end of my full time experience, I do not feel that there is any mental clutter to clear for next week. Currently, my CE and I do not need any additional support as we make the transition back in the classroom to her teaching full time. I hope everyone has a wonderful week next week. We are so close guys!! Keep pushing through!

March Madness

Well spring break is officially here and I couldn't be more excited! Overall, I'd have to rate this week a 4. My students were excited about getting a break so things were a little hectic, but overall, we had some really good experiences this week.

On Thursday, we had our PBIS reward which was a dance. My students have been looking forward to this all week and were really excited about it. Since it was PBIS sponsored, every student had to make a certain Dojo percentage in order to go. All but one of my students made their goal. My pleasant surprise from this week came when I saw how well he handled the news of not going. He really understood what prevented him from going and later told me that it was his goal to get to go to the last one at the end of the year. It really made me proud to see how much he has grown throughout the school year. The dance was also a really great opportunity to spend some time with my students just having fun. It really showed me some of the talents my students have that I didn't know about. In this way, I demonstrated standard 2: teachers treat students as individuals.

This week in reading, I tried to make my instruction relevant to my students by making it all about basketball and March Madness (Standard 3). We read stories on the history of basketball as well as different influential players. One thing I did with this was create a new classroom management strategy. What started out as just a fun part of my lesson turned into a way to help keep students on track throughout the crazy week. Students were in teams based on the way their desks are set up and I gave them each an opportunity to pick a team name. Whenever I saw that team on task, following directions, or being respectful throughout the day, I gave them a tally on the board. At the end of the day, the teams got to try to shoot a beanbag into a basket and however many tallies they earned was the amount of shots they got to take. This gave my students responsibility inside the classroom and helped them work in teams (standard 4). It was also a way for me to show leadership in the classroom by implementing a new classroom management strategy(standard 1).  My students LOVED this and it was also a way to have better class management which is one of my PDP goals for this semester. I know going back after the break, I will have to think of another creative way to keep students focused.

When I come back from the break, things will really begin to take off towards preparing for the EOG. In terms of looking at data, I have been able to reflect on my teaching by reviewing RTA scores with my CE in order to determine where the focus needs to be when it comes to reading. In math, there are still a few subjects needing to be taught before reviewing but I also feel confident in my students to be feeling prepared when it comes time!

Right now, my CE and I do not need any support but feel prepared as we go into my final week full time (as unreal as that seems!) Over the break, I plan to work some more on my portfolio. This week I have really tried to record as much as possible. I think I have plenty of footage but I would also like to have the problem of having too much versus not having enough! My CE completed her last observation on my teaching this week as well so I will be reflecting on that over the break to see where I can make more improvements. Overall, it has been a fun week in the classroom. There isn't much that I feel I should have spent more or less time doing as I think my time management has gotten much better over the course of the past semester.  As we go into spring break, I hope everyone has a relaxing week! We all deserve it!! Have a happy Easter everyone!

Countdowns and Critters

It seems like this week has been full of countdowns. Countdown to edTPA scores, countdown to spring break, and countdown to the end of the full ten weeks. Overall, this week has been pretty good! I would have to rate this week a 5 because it is so exciting to say that I passed edTPA and am FINALLY done with it! It has definitely been my biggest accomplishment of the semester.

In terms of meeting standards this week, I can definitely say that I met standard 2 in that I established a safe environment for my students. On Tuesday, while on the playground, a stray dog managed to get inside the fence. As I'm sure you can imagine, third graders went wild over the fact that there was a puppy on the playground. It was definitely hectic trying to make sure that no students actually pet the dog while another teacher was calling the office. THEN, on Thursday we had another run in with critters on the playground when some of my students found three baby rabbits underneath the slide. This then set students off again trying to catch and pet the rabbits. I must say that this excitement really made me work to get students focused back on math once they came inside for the end of the day. It definitely helped me understand that as teachers we work in a very complex environment and we will never know what might happen throughout the day! (Standard 5). It also helped me demonstrate leadership (standard 1) because for several minutes I was alone on the playground with two third grade classes that I was in charge of.

This week in math, I have really been trying to make my lessons more hands-on for the students. We are learning about segmented area right now which is really confusing for a lot of students so I have tried my best to make every lesson have a hands-on aspect to help facilitate learning for my students. I have to say that it has really helped get my students excited about learning all while I am following the standard course of study. It is my goal next week to make sure that my lessons are just as fun and hands on for my students. Based on the data I have seen both this week and in the past, my students really do retain more information when they have hands on activities.

Next week, I hope to spend less time stressing about my plans and more time enjoying the days with my students. I realize that my ten weeks are quickly coming to an end and I really want to enjoy every moment that I have left with my students. Right now, my largest goal is to get my portfolio completed. This week I have really worked on making sure I have a lot of videos from every subject to showcase during my presentation. Next week, I want to continue recording just as much. Right now, my CE and I do not need any support. Congratulations to everyone on getting completely finished with edTPA. I hope everyone is proud of what we have accomplished this semester. Be sure to make the best of these next few weeks!

Where Is Spring Break?

This week has been pretty average inside my classroom. Overall, I have to give this week a 3. Nothing too exciting happened, but it is pretty clear that both the students and teachers at WES are ready for spring break!

On Monday, my CE was absent from school. This was a very last minute thing and since Mondays are the days we normally do RTA, it caused for some very quick switches to the schedule that morning in guided reading. However, I was able to show leadership in the classroom by reworking my lesson plans to accommodate the quick change for both me, my students, and the awesome reading assistant I have in the mornings. One thing my students have been doing this week in guided reading are web quests. I had never heard of this before my CE recommended one to me but it is very similar to hyperdocs which is something we did last semester in science methods. Students are given a topic to research and on the iPads or computers, can look at chosen websites to gather information and research. This is an awesome way to integrate technology into a lesson and facilitate learning for students by encouraging them to use research and critical thinking skills. This also helped me with one of my goals for the semester which is to use more technology in my lessons.

Also on Monday, my class continued our unit on plants. This was the day we actually planted our seeds so it was very exciting for my students. As I walked around, I was so impressed by the way everyone was working together and being so careful to make sure the seeds were planted just right. As I leave them over the weekend, I am happy to report that a few of them are beginning to sprout! This is such a large project for my students so I am really trying to reflect on each step of the process. I have been analyzing student learning throughout this unit by assessing my students in fun ways that they don't even consider to be school work!  One thing I hope to build upon next week is continuing to enhance student learning in this unit. I want to allow my students the opportunity to research on their on and find unique ways to help plants grow and thrive. I hope to continue to make this unit as fun as possible for the students all the while still teaching them the curriculum and aligning my lessons to the standard course of study which is standard 3 of the NCPTS

One thing I have struggled with throughout this week is some behavioral issues in the classroom. It seems like every student is on edge and ready to be taking a long break away from everyone else in the class. Tensions have been running a little high which has caused a few problems with behavior. Nothing has been too serious but there have been times where my patience has been tested. However, this is all a part of teaching and has really helped me exemplify standard 2 since I am the one to help students calm down and remind them to be respectful of others.

In terms of my portfolio, my philosophy of education is complete! As I move into next week, I hope to spend more time reflecting on my lessons in order to better understand where things went really well as well as where I need to go back and possibly reteach. This is something that I am working to spend more time doing each week. My next step headed into the weekend is to one: take a breath because this week has been filled with so many ups and downs, and two: begin planning for the next week as my full time is starting to come to a close. Right now, my CE and I do not need any help but she did give me some awesome advice this week that I would like to share with everyone. Around this time of year, everyone is on edge, teachers and students both. The best way to ride out these next weeks before break is to take every moment as it comes and not stress too much. Crazy stuff might happen but it happens to every one.

Best of luck to everyone next week!

Parents and Planning

Well I must say that after the horrible week last week, this week was a piece of cake! I think I would rate this week a 5 because I had so many awesome experiences with my students.

Throughout the week, my class has been comparing fractions in math. When I was first given this standard, I was a little apprehensive about it because fractions have never been my strongest skill and I certainly didn't want to tell my students something that was wrong. However, after talking with my CE about strategies that she recommends, I was able to create some really hands on activities for the students to complete. My biggest surprise this week and also my most rewarding moment came at the end of one lesson when a student said "Wow! I didn't know math could be this fun!" That really gave me encouragement. I know that by giving my students more hands on activities and using a variety of instructional materials I am facilitating learning for my students. With as excited as they were this week, I hope to build upon that excitement next week when designing my plans.

In reading, we have been working with cause and effect. To help make this relevant for my students, I used a Scholastic News article that discussed being safe online. As a teacher, it is important that I demonstrate high ethical standards and it is my responsibility to help make sure that my students are using their best judgement in every situation. I spent a lot of time this week talking about the effects of our actions and words and how these things effect us and the people around us. As the leader in the classroom, it is my job to make sure my students are safe and are also making the right choices.

In science, we started our unit on plants this week. I am so excited to be doing this with my students and I know they are looking forward to some neat science activities just like I am. One thing that I introduced this week in science were our new groups. I created seven groups of students in my class and those seven groups will be working together for the rest of the unit. Each day, every member of the group has a different role to play. I was nervous about this at first because I had tried it earlier in the year and it didn't go as planned. However, after spending more time in my classroom and knowing who I should and should not pair together, it went much better the second time. The students loved the jobs they were given and it gave them a sense of responsibility. It is also helping them become better collaborators which ties into standard 3D: teachers make instruction relevant.

On Thursday, I had parent teacher conferences. This is something that I have always felt nervous about and I was nervous throughout the entire event! But after being a part of so many this week, I feel much more prepared for when it is just me and parents. I felt like I really learned a lot about my students from getting to meet with the parents and discuss things that occur in the classroom. While I have heard some stories about rough conferences in the past, thankfully every single one of mine went smoothly and my parents were all really excited about the plans I have in the future. Of course this can relate to standard 2 in that I was working collaboratively with the parents and adults in the lives of my students. In preparing for conferences, I really had to look deep at the data my students have been giving me all semester long. Parents want to know how their students are doing and of course I have to be able to explain what everything means. Looking at all of this data deeply really helped me reflect on my practice as a teacher to see exactly which students needed more support and where.

In terms of portfolio work, with teachers submitting their letters of intent this past week, it has really motivated me to finish tweaking my resume and getting it sent off to be approved. My goal for next week is to get it completely ready to be sent off and hopefully begin applying soon for jobs. My first steps for next week is to get everything prepared in terms of lessons. With science projects, field trips, and PBIS rewards coming up, I feel that it is very important to get prepared as soon as possible. Right now, my CE and I do not need any additional support. As the days get crazier closer and closer to spring break, we are just taking everything one day at a time which I would recommend to everyone. Best of luck to everyone as warm weather begins to creep in and students start getting ants in their pants for break!

We're Halfway There Guys!

As this week comes to a close, I am officially at the halfway mark of student teaching. It's crazy to think that it is already March. Before we know it, graduation will be here and we will be walking across the stage as future educators. I have to say, that as the weeks go by, it is getting easier and easier to get into the habit of things with my students, even on the crazy days. I really am taking on the leadership role in the classroom and my students are understanding that as well. I am incredibly thankful for that because this week has been the most stressful week of my life with all of the edTPA craziness. Because of this, I have to rate this week a one. But in edTPA terms, it is a nonscoreable.

We celebrated Read Across America Week this week in honor of Dr. Seuss' birthday on Friday. Along with this, we had Green Eggs and Ham day where everyone wore green, Fox in Sox day where everyone wore their favorite crazy socks, and a slew of other fun activities to get students excited about reading. I know that this has been one of my goals throughout the semester because I love reading so much and I really want my students to enjoy it as much as I did when I was their age. One of my favorite parts of the week was on Friday when my class got to spend the last half hour of the day reading to a younger class. I was pleasantly surprised with how well my students did reading. They were trying their best to be good role models and it really made me proud to see my students take what I talk about in our classroom about practicing kindness and treating everyone like family to heart and exemplify it with another class. I feel that I have helped create a positive and nurturing environment, and as a result my students are beginning to model that as well. Next week, I plan to build on this idea of practicing kindness because from experiences I have had this past week, it is something my students constantly need to be reminded of.

On Monday, I was able to demonstrate standard 5: teachers function in a complex environment. Due to a very last minute schedule change, our entire afternoon was thrown off schedule but while something like this would have been very hard to handle in the beginning, it became easier to readjust activities and lessons to be much shorter to accommodate the different times. And as a result, both my and my students were able to transition through things easily. In the beginning of my time student teaching, there would have been some apprehension about switching things around, but by now I really feel comfortable changing things up to help my students.

I must say that with all the craziness that has come with edTPA this week, it was a struggle to really focus on my lesson planning. However, as we go into spring, I have some really exciting ideas planned for science. This helps me relate to standard 4B: teachers plan instruction appropriate for their students. While I have some really fun activities in my head for what I want to do with my students, I also know that I must relate them to the standard course of study in order to make sure my students are learning what they are supposed to, which also relates to standard 3. It is my goal next week to really spend more time on lesson planning because it is something that I haven't been able to spend very much time on this week with all of the craziness that comes along with edTPA.

On Thursday, we submitted our stuff to Pearson for edTPA and I have to say it was both relieving and nerve-wracking at the same time. So much thought and time has been put into these projects and for it to finally be over is an odd feeling. This is something we have prepared for since our junior year. It has definitely relieved some mental clutter from my mind! As much as I have hated the stress that has come with edTPA, I will say that it has really helped me able to look at data and plan accordingly based on data. Choosing focus students based on data really helped me to see where my students were and were not understanding. As crazy as edTPA was, being able to review that data really helped me target some misconceptions early on.

Because edTPA is now over, I am going to finally start working on my portfolio some more in the coming weeks since I haven't been able to do that recently. Right now, neither me or my CE need any support as we push past the halfway mark. As we go into next week, I wish everyone a much easier week with way less stress. Remember that no matter what our scores end up being, our goal is to make a positive difference in our students' lives!

Careers and EdTPA Tears

Well this week has certainly been eventful! In my classroom, we had career week this week. Each day, we had a different community member come in and talk to us about their jobs. From policeman, to park ranger, to even the mayor of Boiling Springs, my students had a lot of fun. It also gave me the chance to talk with my students about graduating high school, and going to college to be successful in a career field of their choosing. Being able to have this conversation with them allowed me to demonstrate leadership in the classroom by preparing my students for their future 9 (standard 1). It also made me feel very accomplished as an educator to hear so many of my students talk about their future plans. In my classroom there are so many different future careers. I have students who want to be singers and dancers, as well as firefighters and navy seals. Listening to what everyone wants to do really helped remind me of the diversity in my classroom and how different each of my students are (standard 2).

One thing I did for the first time this week was use Kahoot in my classroom. I have wanted to do this for a while with my students and we finally got the opportunity in math this week. My students absolutely loved it and it was a great way for me to utilize technology as well as use a different way to assess students (standard 4). It worked very well so I know I will definitely want to use it again in the future especially since it was a quick way to see results and data from my students and see where my students were understanding and were not. Since I based all of the questions that I asked in the game off of the standard course of study, I was able to align my instruction and ensure that even while my students were having fun, they were still being prepared for their EOG's (standard 3).

We also had a writing day this week so I wasn't in my school on Friday. This was a little disappointing since my students were dressing up as their future careers but my CE sent me some pictures and they all looked great! Having the writing day was very helpful because it gave it me plenty of time to really reflect on my teaching the week of edTPA (standard 5).

Overall, I'd have to say that this week rates about a 4. Career week was really fun and as stressful as edTPA is, it was really helpful to have plenty of time to sit down and work on it. My goal next week is to finish edTPA and make it as good as I possibly can. I hope that next week I can spend more time on it early on so that I can also have time to really work on my lesson plans. After next week, I am really excited to un-pause portfolio work and start looking towards the end of the semester. As we continue into next week, I wish everyone good luck. Stay focused and pushed through! Right now, my CE and I have no questions as we continue through.

Valentine’s and Crazy Times

Well my teacher was right when she told me that Valentine’s Day was bigger than Christmas at the elementary level. This week has been crazy with students being extra excited and then a surprise observation to top it all off. The stress that has come with this week leaves me rating it about a two. I wasn’t feeling my best and my students could tell that I was off. But Monday is a new week and hopefully with some rest over the weekend, we can start anew!

One thing that has really been a struggle this week was implementing standard two of the NCTCS. My students have really seemed to butt heads with one another all week long and as a result, I have really been trying to keep my classroom a welcoming environment for everyone. This includes going over school policies with the students several times, as well as talking about love and kindness.  The arguments that many of my students have been having has really hindered my ability to help students work in teams and we have been trying to learn to communicate better. I think everyone is just kind of stuck in a February rut! Hopefully after the weekend, my students can come back on Monday and the classroom can be positive more of the time!

One exciting thing that I feel I have accomplished this week is bringing more global awareness to my students. We started learning about the olympics and we continued all week talking about where the games were being held, different countries participating, and of course, how the US was doing. When I started talking about it on Monday, I had one student who said they had watched the olympics before. By Friday, over half the class had told me they had been watching different kinds of games at the olympics. I felt really proud that I could get my students excited about this because I know they are learning a lot just by watching tv at home.

Next week, it is my goal to spend more time focusing on reflecting on my lesson plans each day after I teach. As I analyze student learning, I know that I need to become better about documenting changes that I make in my planning. I know that by looking at student data more carefully and the grades that students are getting, I will be able to reflect more thoroughly on my teaching. One thing that I was able to do on Friday was meet with the AIG teacher to help get a better understanding of how I can best help my students who excel in school. This has also helped me get better at working collaboratively within the school.

Hopefully, next week both me and my students will be back in the swing of things. I would like to be completely finished with edTPA by the end of next week and then get back on track with working on my portfolio. Right now, my CE and I have no questions and we are both starting to really get used to and comfortable with the switch in positions between the two of us. I wish everyone good luck next week. We are almost halfway through full time student teaching!

Empty Seats and EdTPA

Well, the flu has officially hit WES and third grade has been hit hard! Because of all of this sickness and the stress that has come with teaching edTPA, I would have to rate this week a 3. It has really been stressful trying to keep everything flowing and on time with kids being absent, and many leaving early. Sick kids has also helped me work on standard 2 and providing a safe, nurturing environment for each of my kids. This week, that has meant taking temperatures, and comforting achey kids. A word of advice to all my fellow student teachers- Lysol will quickly become your best friend! I hope this weekend all of my students can get some rest and come back on Monday feeling much better!

In terms of classroom activity, this week has been pretty average. I do feel that I am really starting to demonstrate more leadership in the school than I have in the past. I am now familiar with all the teachers and administrators and I got the opportunity to step up into a leadership position on Thursday. During my planning period, I got asked to step up and help in the media center with a kindergarten class while the librarian took care of some things. It was a little scary to go from 3rd graders to kindergartners, even if it was just for a few minutes, but I really enjoyed getting to help!

On Friday, I was able to join my team along with the administration in our mid year data dive. This was a day long meeting where we discussed the students' recent test scores and reworked our WIN groups. I have been to one data dive at the beginning of the year but this time, I was able to give my input and really understand what my students needed. This helped me get a better perspective of how to facilitate learning for my students. In a group, we discussed how every single third grader learned best and how we as educators could provide the appropriate levels of development for each student. It has also helped me reflect on my students' learning and analyze how they have been learning. With the changing WIN groups coming up next week, I have really began to study the standard course of study a little more closely because the students that are about to come to me are really struggling in math and I must know and feel confident with what I am teaching. Hopefully, I will be able to ease their confusion and frustration that comes with math.

Because of the craziness that has been edTPA week, I haven't really spent any time working on my portfolio. One of my goals for next week is to spend more time being productive with making progress on my portfolio. Right now, my CE and I do not have any questions going in to next week. We are just both hoping that next week our students are feeling better and we can enjoy our time sharing lots of love during Valentine's Day. I hope everyone can get a restful weekend and good luck to anyone doing edTPA next week!

Full Time Fun

Wow! Full time student teaching is so fun (and absolutely exhausting!) I think I would have to rate this week a 4. It's still so weird that I am actually full time teaching but I think I am slowly starting to get the hang of it. Being the leader in the classroom has really taught me a lot about taking responsibility for all of my learners.

One thing I got to observe this week was the chaos that came with an outbreak of head lice in an elementary school. As I am sure you could guess, our guided reading time became much more disorganized as students were being pulled left and right to get their heads checked. As crazy as this time was, it really gave me a great opportunity to observe standard 2E. My school was so good at getting in contact with parents about the situation and working collaboratively with them throughout the entire week to make sure everything was ok with each student. I have never been a part of an experience like this before so it was very informative for me.

Another new thing I did this week was teach an entire math unit and then assess my students on it. This made me a lot more nervous than I thought it would because I knew their assessments would reflect solely on my teaching and not mine and my CE's combined. However, as I looked at their tests, I was able to analyze my student's learning and seeing how well they did on the topic really reassured me. The whole experience really reminded me how important it is that I know the content I am teaching so that I can convey that knowledge to my students. Being able to reflect on my practice in this way and see the data was very helpful in planning for upcoming lessons.

I was also able to see a success in my math lessons that I feel relates to one of my goals this semester to get better at classroom management. My CE and I have struggled all year long to get our students to stay focused and engaged in our math lessons since they are at the very end of the day right after recess. This week, my CE and I came up with a really fun game that we play called Spleen (totally made that up at the last minute!) With Spleen, students get randomly put into groups and there is a new group each day. They must work together to not get any Spleens (or tallies) on the board. They can get tallies if they aren't paying attention, are talking, or just not on task. It's a group effort and at the end of the day the team with the least amount of points gets a treat. It's a great way to get students to work in teams and develop leadership qualities because they are all accountable. It has really helped math time go by much smoother!

With EdTPA coming up next week, I haven't focused my time on anything except for that so my portfolio has been put on hold until I can get through EdTPA. Next week, I hope to spend more time focusing on collecting more items for my portfolio. Right now, both my CE and I are a little nervous about next week and how everything will go. I don't think there are any specific questions regarding anything, just a little apprehension since EdTPA is such a big part of the student teaching experience. With these next few weeks begin as stressful as they are, I leave everyone with this advice. "God will never give you anything that you cannot handle, so don't stress."

Normal is Nice

Wow! It feels like I'm finally spending quality time in my classroom. This was my first full week since the very beginning of January and while it was still very hectic, it was a much needed week of normalcy. I really feel like my students benefitted greatly from being in the classroom. On a scale of 1 to 5, this week would probably be a four since it was both hectic but productive.

One thing that I feel very accomplished with was my observations that happened throughout the week. On Monday I was able to observe my students go through DIBELS testing. This reading test is something that is administered throughout elementary school and tests many different aspects of reading such as comprehension and fluency. It was very informative to get to observe my students do this. It was also very encouraging to look at the data with my CE and see several students who have made remarkable growth throughout the year! I know in the following weeks I will begin to delve deeper into data as my students continue with testing. With all of the testing that takes place in third grade, it is a little nerve wracking knowing my students have Eogs coming up in several months. It really puts into perspective just how important it is for me as the teacher to know what I am teaching them but also to make it relevant for my students. I hope that as I continue teaching my kids, I can really find what clicks for all of them.

I was also able to lead several guided reading centers this week while my CE was out doing more testing. It was really cool to have control of the classroom and I feel like it really prepared me for next week as a I start student teaching full time. One thing that has been an adjustment for both me and my students this week is me taking over that leadership role in the classroom. I have been observing my CE and watching how she handles things in the classroom and hopefully as I continue to become a leader, my students can adjust easily. I think as my confidence builds, I can continue this. As I am teaching more, I am also starting to reflect on my lessons. It is sometimes difficult to remember this aspect of student teaching after a long day in the classroom so I hope to spend more time next week on this task since it is so important for teachers to reflect on their practice.

On Thursday, my CE was out the whole day for testing so it was my first opportunity to see what teaching a full day was like and WOW! It was exhausting but I feel that I learned a lot about myself and about my CE in the time that I had. It was a messy, chaotic day with some parts that weren’t too great, but it was also very enriching. Getting to be the person to create the safe and comforting environment for my students was a wonderful learning experience.

As EdTPA draws near, I am beginning to have some nerves as I'm sure everyone else is too. One thing I have really been trying to work on is getting as familiar as possible with the content I will be teaching. I know the more knowledge I have on the standards I am teaching, the better prepared I will be when it comes to EdTPA. As I continue to work on my portfolio, I am trying to learn how to integrate technology more effectively for my students. As one of my goals for this semester, I hope to be able to introduce my students to some new, fun ways to learn that is able to integrate technology at the same time! If anyone has any suggestions it would be greatly appreciated!

Right now, my CE and I feel confident as we move forward. Hopefully this continues throughout the semester! As we all begin  to delve into full time teaching very very soon, I encourage everyone to keep their goals in mind and remember the young lives that we are positively shaping! Good luck to everyone next week!

Snow Days Galore

It's pretty hard to give this week a rating. In all honesty it probably ranks a 1 because I haven't been in my classroom. I'm also really disappointed to postpone full time student teaching next week because of all the crazy schedules we've had. I really feel prepared and ready to take on the classroom full time!

Monday we were out for MLK Jr day. Then Tuesday and Wednesday were both supposed to be teacher workdays but Wednesday everyone got snowed in! That snow carried on to Thursday and Friday so I haven't seen my kids in a week now! I'm really starting to miss all of my crazy little kiddos!

Next week, my main goal is to get my students back in the swing of things. They have had such a long break that I know having a full week of school next week is going to be a struggle not only for them but me as well. Hopefully, I can make my lessons that I have been planning fun and exciting and help ease them back into our daily routine.

As I mentioned earlier, I have spent practically no time in my classroom so it is a little hard to connect to the NCTCS. I did get to see my PLC put standard 3 into place. During their weekly meeting, they were planning what they were going to do next week. They were aligning their plans to the standard course of study and they were also able to interconnect different standards really well. I look forward to the day when I can do it as well as they do! We have also had to really adapt to the changing schedules. It is no doubt that the career we are going into is a complex environment and these past weeks have shown how crazy it can sometimes be. It is important as teachers to be able to respond well to change in order to help our students do the same. I have really seen that exemplified in my school lately.

Even though I did not get to see my students or get to teach anything, I was able to get some work done on EdTPA and my portfolio. With our upcoming meeting this Saturday on EdTPA, I am ready to get started and get it over with! One goal that I have for next week is to spend more time working on EdTPA so when it comes time to teach, I am fully confident with what I teach. I was also able to complete my classroom website except for the technology requirements. Overall, I felt that I was productive this week, but I also feel like it was a lot of lost time because my students really need to be in school. I know next week is going to be a lot catching up. But the best advice I can give to all my fellow student teachers is to just go with the flow! Eventually, we will get some normalcy in our classrooms!

What's a Normal Day?

Let me start off this post by saying that while last week was crazy, this week was the true definition of chaotic! This week I really got to see all of the staff at school exemplify NCTCS 5C. We had to adapt quickly to unscheduled changes and function effectively in our environment.

It all began on Monday when our principal came across the loudspeaker at 8:30 and announced that due to possible bad weather, we were going to dismiss at 10:00. As I am sure you could guess, my students were THRILLED to get out of school early and didn't really care too much about doing any work until dismissal. But, we pushed through and I got to lead my very first guided reading center. I began by doing a short lesson on figurative language and my students really got a kick out of listening to different idioms. Then, I was able to work with my students in small groups as we began reading nonfiction texts.

Tuesday was lesson planning day for me. The students were out of school due to ice on the roads, but we had a workday. I got to sit in on my very first PBIS meeting. PBIS stands for Positive Behavioral Interventions and Support and it is what Washington uses as a way to monitor and reinforce positive behavior in the students. This system really helps us provide a positive and nurturing environment for each student. Instead of focusing on negative behavior, we are rewarding students for positive behavior. It was really neat to get to hear some of the ideas that the staff had for rewards this upcoming semester.

Wednesday we were FINALLY back to normal and on schedule again, but we called it "ketchup day" since there was so much to get caught up on! I got to continue my guided reading groups and having these guided reading groups really helped me understand how to plan instruction that was appropriate for my students. I did completely different things with my groups depending on what their reading level was. Having these groups was a great way for me to see differentiation and really begin to get comfortable with doing it on my own. It was also very rewarding to see my students come up to me and tell me a new fact they learned about the animal they have been reading about because it showed me that they were excited to continue learning.

Thursday we had a PBIS field trip. I have been on one field trip with my students before so I really enjoyed getting to have another one. We went to watch Inside Out. This was a reward for students who have done really well and earned at least 85% of their Dojo Points. It was so exciting that all of my students got to go on this trip.

Friday we had yet ANOTHER crazy day because it was an early dismissal day where the students got out at 1:00. Because of this, we had to shorten our schedules a good bit. I got to complete my guided reading centers though and it was exciting to go through the whole week reading through the books. I feel that my students really learned a lot from spending a whole week working on the books. As I continue to do guided reading groups in the future, I plan to reflect on what my groups did this week so that I can make my lessons more effective for my students. As I move into next week, I want to continue planning guided reading centers that are meaningful for my students. My next step in this is to begin some professional development by looking at how other teachers do their guided reading centers.

Since this week has given me more free time than I am used to, I have really dived into making headway on my portfolio. I have my behavior management plan figured out and beginning next week, I am going to start collecting data. I have also gotten my resume completed and all I need now is to get it approved. Finally, I have created my class website and am beginning to look at technology tools to include. Overall, it has been a very productive week and I have made a lot of progress which will help once I begin student teaching in two weeks. Right now, my CE and I are both feeling confident about the weeks to come and we don't need support in one particular area. Going in to next week, I feel prepared and ready to go! I hope everyone else can feel the same!

Week 1 of Student Teaching

Wow! This was my first week of student teaching and it was great! Being able to be in the school all week long from start to finish was a wonderful experience and although I am absolutely exhausted now, I feel that I have really learned a lot from observing so much.
This week I got to experience what a two hour delay schedule looked like for the first time and it was interesting to see how students react to a sudden change in their every day schedule. It was definitely hectic at times!
As I am beginning this journey, one lesson I learned this week was just how much planning my teacher does every week. While it has been no surprise to me that she does a lot of planning for her own classroom, it was interesting to see just how much is interconnected between all three third grade teachers. I hope that next week I can continue to understand each teacher's responsibilities and duties, and not just my clinical educator's. I also would like to make it a goal of mine to get more involved with my PLC.
Since it is the beginning of the semester, I have been very focused solely on student teaching and it has been great not having any distractions! It has really helped me get more connected with my students. I do still have some apprehension about being the main teacher to my class simply because my students don’t respond well to change, but I am hoping that beginning to assist the teaching next week will help with that change in the following weeks! With that being said, I am so excited to have my own guided reading center next week and have small group experiences with my students. I think it will really help with getting to know how my students learn. I have already learned so much this week about my students and as I begin planning my guided reading groups, I am really trying to differentiate for every student because all of my students are so unique! I am trying to create my guided reading groups in a way that facilitates learning and helps each student feel comfortable reading with me and their peers, as well as learn the concepts being taught.
I am beginning to have more of a leadership role inside of my classroom. I am getting to take on more responsibilities such as picking up teaching when my CE is called out of the room, and contributing more to PLC meetings. As a result, my students are beginning to see me as more of a teacher and not just a Gardner Webb student.
I am so excited to see what these weeks have in store for me!