Week in Review 2/2 - 2/6 due 2/10
Time for your Week in Review posts.
Entries should be posted no later than the following Tuesday for the previous week.
Remember, it doesn't have to be long and involved just a snap shot and what you are learning.
Chris
posted by Heidi @ 9:27 AM
5 comments
5 Comments:
I feel much less nervous and much more comfortable in front of the class. So in that respect the practice I have gained so far from teaching my three sections over the past few weeks has paid off. I still struggle with when to step in and remind my students to behave, and when it is better to turn a blind eye. I hate to be a nag, but I want my students to respect me and be respectful at the same time. Another of my frustrations last week and in general has been my health; I have no joke had an ongoing cold/cough ever since the beginning of the semester which I can just not shake. I’ve also had one week with the flu. Although I’ve been able to still go to school everyday, I have not always felt like I was at my best. My students probably think that I have a permanently nasal voice and hacking cough by this point:) I am determined to shake this bug soon. Has anyone else been bombarded by new germs or is it just me?
This week was quite something. The mornings in the SpEd room went very well, although one 1st grader and one 2nd grader were gone all week. The students all did very well on their spelling tests and I have learned a lot about Raz Kids, which is a great reading program on the computer that the kids just love! We had one student in the SpEd classroom for In School Suspension for 2 days this week. The student was aggressive, threw chairs, knocked over tables and desks, and threatened to commit suicide. I was terrified. Mr. Daniels and I had to remain in the classroom to make sure that no one else came in and his mother came and took him home. Mr. Daniels and I then had a discussion of how the referral process at the school works as well as the power that the parent has over if the child gets tested or not. I was a little worried about how the week would go in Mrs. Heit’s classroom since this was the first time I wrote the lesson plans. After talking with Mrs. Heit on Friday I found that she thought things went great! I was relieved. The students focused a lot on their math centers, we are moving into money and fractions. The group was eager to learn the new concepts and I think they are picking it up quite well. There are a few behavioral issues in the class but Mrs. Heit has shown me lots of strategies to use and I was able to use a few strategies that I learned in my classroom management class as well! On Friday the class made Apple Cobbler, which worked on our themes of Teamwork and Fractions. I was amazed at how well it turned out and how cooperative the students were. Overall it was an educational week and I look forward to next week!
It has been an exciting couple of weeks! For the past week I have been creating and teaching the classes by myself. My cooperating teacher had minor surgery last week and is out all of this week. Basically the substitute is hanging out in the back of the room, takes attendance, and watches me take over the class. It has been a surprisingly positive experience. It is a great feeling creating a lesson on paper, presenting and teaching the lesson, and then having the studentsbe engaged and responsive. I feel like a real teacher! I had the students write down (anonymously) what they thought I did well, and what they thought I could do better next time. Almost all of them said "You did great, it was fun/interesting" and most of them didn't write anything in the "could do better" column. It has been an encouraging week, to say the least. That was in my 3 Health classes. In my PE classes, I am making the students work, run and play a bit more then they are used to. I am also runnning with them, which they think is great.
My biggest challenge so far has been classroom management. My students are great, and generally not disruptive at all. However, I find myself stopping the class often to quiet them down. Maybe that means that they are just stimulated by the lesson though, because the chatting is always about the unit.
Lauren- I have not been hit by the assault of new germs yet, but many other student teachers around me have. I am sure there is only time until I get sick...especially when I look out at my students wiping their noses on their sleeves coughing into their hands, etc. Yuk.
Second post
Well first off our base it really secluded and out here. We are part of a 3 base group including ours, Feltwell, Lakenheath and Mildenhall. Our base(Feltwell) is really nothing at all other than the school, a collection of about 20 other buildings that used to be the school and are now being used for official air force business, some random houses for enlisted people, and a small convenience store. Although it is off the beaten path as they say we have now acquired our drivers licenses and a car on loan so I think that our mobility is on the rise. The other two bases close to us (especially Lakenheath which is the closer of the 2) have many of the things that are common to bases including a post office, PX and commissary. In the area we just took our maiden voyage out into the English countryside last weekend. Hal and I went down to London and saw some of the town. We went to the British museum and the Imperial war museum both of which I know I could have spent at least 3 times a long at each. I know that there will be much more to see in the coming months. As far as the classes go I have seen a lot of them and have gotten to know some of the students very well. From seeing their work and observing some classes I think that on the whole these students do very good work. My world civilization teacher Mr. Aaron says that on an average assignment he will have about half A’s the rest mostly B’s a few C’s and an F or 2.
But it is a great time over here still and i am excited to get more and more responsibilities as the weeks wear on. Hope all is well with everyone else
Colin Donovan
Hi everybody,
I was mixed up and when I responded to last week's comments, I told you to tell us about your week and 3 day weekend in the next review and realized I was a week behind in my reading/response so please always check the prior week to see my comment too!
Lauren, getting sick is always an issue for student teachers. You are around a bunch of new germs. My advise to all of you is eat well, drink plenty of liquids and get as much sleep as possible...I know, when?! I also am a big believer in Airborne twice a day. All of you, take care of yourselves!
Katie, interesting challenge in your sp ed class and that was where they put an inschool suspension student. Glad you had a good discussion about the referral process. The rest of you might want to find out how that process is handled at your schools.
Hal, somehow I knew you'd be pushed on classroom management but look at the experience you gained. It may be hard to step back!
Colin, you must have loved your time in London. I haven't gotten to the History Museum but have heard it is awesome. And you and Hal have your driver's licenses?? and can remember the correct side of the road? I am impressed. Tell us what kinds of responsibilities you are getting to take on and what are the classes besides World Civ?
Skiff of snow this morning so winter is not over around here.
Warm wishes to each of you and have a wonderful three day weekend. Chris
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