Student Teaching Week 2- January 13, 2017

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

My overall experience for this week is a 3. It was a short three day week but it was very crazy. We had to change things around with the schedule and the kids were wild from having a break from school to play in the snow. I guess this is the whole part of "going with the flow and having an open mind".

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

 On Wednesday, students had a two hour delay which made the schedule different. Since the schedule was so different this day, the subjects that I taught were the only subjects we did for this day. What does this mean? I was the teacher for the entire day. I am very surprised at myself because I thought the day went well.

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

Some things that I can build upon for next week are my classroom management skills. They are not bad, I just think there is always room for improvement in this area. One of the main things I need to work on is a quick response and thinking fast to catch a student before it gets too out of hand.

 

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

 
My short term efforts of improving my classroom management skills are aligned with becoming a better teacher in the classroom. I want to have a respectful environment for my students so they can feel comfortable in my classroom, be engaged and receive the support that they need.

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

I can always spend more time on lesson planning and less time doing other things. Last week I talked about getting into a rhythm however, it was hard to continue with the rhythm with the snow. That made this week a little more crazy than usual. There is always something I could spend more or less time doing but nothing every really goes as planned. 

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

I still feel that my biggest fear is being wrong and messing up. However, I have became more and more comfortable in the classroom which has helped a lot. When I get up to teach I always have to tell myself that I can do it and its okay to mess up as long as I correct myself and do it better the next time.

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

I can constantly clear out of my mind that another week of student teaching is DONE... Wow! Week two is already complete and the weeks will continue to fly by. This is always a motivation for me to keep looking forward to the weeks ahead and improving. I can always improve and fix my mistakes.
 

• What were some data you analyzed this week and how did it help inform your instructional decisions?  

  The data that I analyzed this week helped me and my CE to determine what needs to be taught next week for all subjects. A lot of this weeks lessons were pushed back to next week because of the snow. So tests and things will mainly be next week.

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

    •  Leadership in the schools: This week I attended a grade level meeting with the teachers. We sat down and planned the 3rd 9 weeks which was great to be a part of since that is when I will be the teacher during my 10 weeks. This was a great way to show teacher leadership.
  • 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.
    

    •  I feel like I focused on treating students as individuals this week. I think that it is very important to maintain high expectations for every student and keep a positive attitude.
  • 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.
    

    •  Aligning the NC Common Core Standards to instruction is the number one thing that I have done every single day. It's super important to include the standard to each lesson plan so I know what to teach and students are learning the information that the state requires.
  • 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.
    

    •  Asking questions and allowing students to work in groups to develop critical thinking and collaboration with one another. It's great for students to be able to the critically and work with others.
  • 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.
    

    •  Blogging is a great way for me to reflect on my practice. Reading through these questions allows me to look back through the week and remember what all I did this week and how I can improve to make my teaching better next week.
  
  
  Other:
  
  
  What components of your portfolio have you started to complete?
  • Classroom Website
  What support does your clinical educator need from your university supervisor?
  
  

  • When I asked my CE this question her response was, "I am satisfied with everything right now. I don't think there is anything I need right now."

  What support do you need from your university supervisor?
  
  

  •  Right now I think all is well.