One of my learning goals this semester is to improve my classroom management. Specifically what I am working on is to manage the volume in the classroom and keeping students on task. I am currently in a pre-school classroom and students at this age level aren’t use to much structure yet. They like to talk out and can get very loud. However, this can be a case in every grade level as I have had to deal with these issues in past classrooms before as well. My mentor teacher has been giving a lot of great advice and feedback after seeing me work with the kids and doing lessons. She told me what I should work on to reach my goal is to have confidence when disciplining a child and show my authority. She also said to speak louder when I do so. I have really been working on this and I can already see some improvement where a few of the students listen to me after being told once now. I used to have to repeat myself over and over or they would just totally ignore me.
I had to make some changes in my plan because I didn’t list other activities that I would do other than the assignments we were already given. Making these changes is really making me think more about how I can improve and reach my learning goals. I want to add things that I can try out in order to succeed.
I know my mentor teacher will be a great help in this process because she will give me constructive criticism. She will also do many observations that I can reflect on and make improvements where needed and give me any other suggestions. I will also be video taping a lesson that I do so I can watch myself and see how my classroom management skills play out.
Friday, February 25, 2011
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Characteristics of the Novice Teacher
Characteristic # 4: The novice teacher should be a facilitator of learning for all students.
For this characteristic, it is very essential for the novice teacher to understand and recognize that each student does not learn in the same way or one specific way for that matter. Every student learns differently and in different ways for various content areas and tasks. The novice teacher must be able to differentiate for their students’ needs and provide learning opportunities that benefit them as well as give them a chance to reach their full potential even though lessons will be challenging. The teacher must be able to differentiate and modify lessons where it is needed. Variety in the classroom is a necessity with things such as assessments and other required assignments, tasks, etc. for the students. Not every student is on the same level so tiered instruction is important as well.
An artifact that I would use to exemplify this characteristic is my Literacy Workstations project that was completed in Education 461. For this project, we had to plan a Tiered 1 Reading Instruction. The way in which the instruction was set up was I had whole group instruction, small group instruction and literacy workstations and writing instruction. The students were split up into high, high-medium, medium, and low level reading groups. I chose the book, Diary of a Wimpy Kid to be the center of my lesson plans and majority of the assignments for my whole and small group, and my writing instruction as well as a few literacy workstations. Activities were set up to give students the chance to work individually, in pairs, and in small groups and then come back as a whole. The literacy workstations were provided with much variety by providing an “I Can…” list for students to have options to choose from for the tasks they were to complete.
These two tie in together because the Literacy Workstations project is an excellent example of showing how the novice teacher can be a facilitator of learning for all students. The teacher had to come up with tier instruction and differentiate for the different levels of students. It shows the understanding the teacher has in knowing what her students’ needs are and providing activities that match those individual needs.
Characteristic # 2: The novice teacher should be an effective communicator.
In this characteristic, the novice teacher must practice and maintain good communication skills whether it is with parents, students, or other faculty members. In order for there to be success in the classroom, a teacher must be able to effectively work cooperatively with others. Nothing will ever get accomplished if a teacher cannot verbally express reflections or needs in the classroom. When it comes to communication with students, a teacher must be able to explicitly explain instruction for lessons. Also, the teacher should be able to express praise or address where improvement is needed to each student. When communicating with the parents, a strong relationship should exist. The parents should be aware of what is taking place in the classroom and know if there is anything that needs to be done at home to continue their child on the path of success. The parents and teacher need to work as a team. Finally, when working with other faculty members, a novice teacher needs to understand they part of a team at the school as well.
An artifact I chose for this characteristic is an assignment we had to complete for Education 401. We had to complete a task in which we had to reach out to the parents of the students in our PDS classroom this semester. I wrote an introduction letter that was sent home to the parents. I had to state who I was, why I will be working their child, and some of my goals and ambitions. I also assured them that they could put their full trust in me for my time being with their child and if they had any concerns or questions to feel free to address me.
I think that assignment was a great way to show how the novice teacher can be an effective communicator. It showed my skills in expressing who I was to the parents and being open with them as well as leaving the opportunity for them to get back to me if they chose to do so.
For this characteristic, it is very essential for the novice teacher to understand and recognize that each student does not learn in the same way or one specific way for that matter. Every student learns differently and in different ways for various content areas and tasks. The novice teacher must be able to differentiate for their students’ needs and provide learning opportunities that benefit them as well as give them a chance to reach their full potential even though lessons will be challenging. The teacher must be able to differentiate and modify lessons where it is needed. Variety in the classroom is a necessity with things such as assessments and other required assignments, tasks, etc. for the students. Not every student is on the same level so tiered instruction is important as well.
An artifact that I would use to exemplify this characteristic is my Literacy Workstations project that was completed in Education 461. For this project, we had to plan a Tiered 1 Reading Instruction. The way in which the instruction was set up was I had whole group instruction, small group instruction and literacy workstations and writing instruction. The students were split up into high, high-medium, medium, and low level reading groups. I chose the book, Diary of a Wimpy Kid to be the center of my lesson plans and majority of the assignments for my whole and small group, and my writing instruction as well as a few literacy workstations. Activities were set up to give students the chance to work individually, in pairs, and in small groups and then come back as a whole. The literacy workstations were provided with much variety by providing an “I Can…” list for students to have options to choose from for the tasks they were to complete.
These two tie in together because the Literacy Workstations project is an excellent example of showing how the novice teacher can be a facilitator of learning for all students. The teacher had to come up with tier instruction and differentiate for the different levels of students. It shows the understanding the teacher has in knowing what her students’ needs are and providing activities that match those individual needs.
Characteristic # 2: The novice teacher should be an effective communicator.
In this characteristic, the novice teacher must practice and maintain good communication skills whether it is with parents, students, or other faculty members. In order for there to be success in the classroom, a teacher must be able to effectively work cooperatively with others. Nothing will ever get accomplished if a teacher cannot verbally express reflections or needs in the classroom. When it comes to communication with students, a teacher must be able to explicitly explain instruction for lessons. Also, the teacher should be able to express praise or address where improvement is needed to each student. When communicating with the parents, a strong relationship should exist. The parents should be aware of what is taking place in the classroom and know if there is anything that needs to be done at home to continue their child on the path of success. The parents and teacher need to work as a team. Finally, when working with other faculty members, a novice teacher needs to understand they part of a team at the school as well.
An artifact I chose for this characteristic is an assignment we had to complete for Education 401. We had to complete a task in which we had to reach out to the parents of the students in our PDS classroom this semester. I wrote an introduction letter that was sent home to the parents. I had to state who I was, why I will be working their child, and some of my goals and ambitions. I also assured them that they could put their full trust in me for my time being with their child and if they had any concerns or questions to feel free to address me.
I think that assignment was a great way to show how the novice teacher can be an effective communicator. It showed my skills in expressing who I was to the parents and being open with them as well as leaving the opportunity for them to get back to me if they chose to do so.
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Mentorship
I have really enjoyed being in the classroom with my mentor teacher this year. This was the first semester where we had to teach a lesson every week and I couldn't have asked for a better mentor teacher to work with. She has always been so helpful and encouraging. She always gives me advice about my teaching and teaching in general. I enjoy watching her with the students because she balances a professional relationship as well as a personal relationship with them, which is something I admire and hope to be able to do when I have my own classroom. I have learned a lot from her and have always shared my reflections and thoughts with her to maintain a good relationship. If I ever have any concerns or questions, she never hesitates to help me out in whatever way she can.
I think respect for each other and flexibility benefits both the mentor teacher and the student. One has to be understanding and willing to work with them if they want to actually learn something and to be able to take something out of the experience.
I think respect for each other and flexibility benefits both the mentor teacher and the student. One has to be understanding and willing to work with them if they want to actually learn something and to be able to take something out of the experience.
Monday, October 4, 2010
Wiki
This wiki assignment has opened my eyes to a lot about my PDS school and what a PDS actually is. I've never really put much thought into what it is, just that it is the school where I am student teaching at and gaining the experience I need to become the teacher that I am striving to be. Doing this assigment really put things in perspective for me. While learning all the information I did about my school/community and the teaching field in general, I learned it through a technology tool, which is definately something that could be used in the classroom. I think this is a great tool that teachers could use for any content area to present to their students as a study guide form or any lesson at all. Teaching how to use the wiki could be a lesson in itself as well. It wasn't as hard as I thought it was going to be. It was surprisingly easy to catch on to. I think it is a tool students would love to play around and work with.
My favorite sections of our wiki would have to be the school pledge because we got a picture of 3rd grade students doing it and they were recorded as they said it and it is just the cutest thing ever! I also really like our meet our mentor page because all participants put up a picture of our teachers with a quote. We all agreed on how much we are really enjoying this year so far in our classrooms with them!
My favorite sections of our wiki would have to be the school pledge because we got a picture of 3rd grade students doing it and they were recorded as they said it and it is just the cutest thing ever! I also really like our meet our mentor page because all participants put up a picture of our teachers with a quote. We all agreed on how much we are really enjoying this year so far in our classrooms with them!
Monday, April 5, 2010
Post 3
Describe at least 3 types of assessment practices that you as a student/learner have experienced throughout your own schooling and explain the benefits or limitations of each type of assessment.
Some types of assessment that I remember in my past experiences are state testing, which started in elementary school. I remember teachers always trying their best to prepare us and give us practice tests so we had an idea of what to expect. Preparing for college, I had to take the ACT's. SAT's are also available. Then in order to apply to enter the Benedum program I had to take the PPST's. There are books and online practice tests for both assessments of the ACT's and PPST. They were great tools for practice and studying. I feel testing can sometimes be unfair though. Being timed puts a lot of pressure on you and also some people, like myself just aren't good at test taking. However, that doesn't neccessarily mean you do not master the information. I think multiple tests should be given every so often and taken into account of ones performance and knowledge. Weekly tests are a good assessment because it shows the progress and understanding of your students in a short period of time. You can keep up easily with their work and progress. I feel constant questioning is a simple way to assess your students to make sure they are understanding the material being taught because it is right there in the moment that the student has to respond to the information. You will see right away if they are really grasping it. I enjoy when I see my mentor teacher ask questions to her classroom because the students get so excited to raise their hand. They never hesitate to express their answers or ask further questioning. I feel that as teacher you must be doing something right then when the students in your class are eager to learn. I also watch my mentor teacher give weekly tests which is very important to keep up with their progress. She lets me grade their papers so I get to see the results and it is very helpful in my learning process in becoming a teacher. What are some benefits you have seen in your classroom?
Some types of assessment that I remember in my past experiences are state testing, which started in elementary school. I remember teachers always trying their best to prepare us and give us practice tests so we had an idea of what to expect. Preparing for college, I had to take the ACT's. SAT's are also available. Then in order to apply to enter the Benedum program I had to take the PPST's. There are books and online practice tests for both assessments of the ACT's and PPST. They were great tools for practice and studying. I feel testing can sometimes be unfair though. Being timed puts a lot of pressure on you and also some people, like myself just aren't good at test taking. However, that doesn't neccessarily mean you do not master the information. I think multiple tests should be given every so often and taken into account of ones performance and knowledge. Weekly tests are a good assessment because it shows the progress and understanding of your students in a short period of time. You can keep up easily with their work and progress. I feel constant questioning is a simple way to assess your students to make sure they are understanding the material being taught because it is right there in the moment that the student has to respond to the information. You will see right away if they are really grasping it. I enjoy when I see my mentor teacher ask questions to her classroom because the students get so excited to raise their hand. They never hesitate to express their answers or ask further questioning. I feel that as teacher you must be doing something right then when the students in your class are eager to learn. I also watch my mentor teacher give weekly tests which is very important to keep up with their progress. She lets me grade their papers so I get to see the results and it is very helpful in my learning process in becoming a teacher. What are some benefits you have seen in your classroom?
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Post 2
What do you see as the most difficult tasks in the teacher planning process? Describe some examples of effective assessment practices.
As of right now, the most difficult task in the teacher planning process for me, is being creative and coming up with ideas that are appropriate for all of the students. I'm still a little unfamiliar with what each grade level should be achieving and what they should already know. Therefore, coming up with material that I must master in and be able to teach can be a challenge. Looking into the CSO's is a big help and gives me an idea of where the students should stand. After being in a classroom for a given amount of time and actually seeing where your students stand though, is the only way one can know for sure. Observing is a continuous task that must be performed daily in order to really understand your students. Being prepared and looking further into the material that needs to be taught is very helpful when it comes to planning as well. The internet is a great resource for teachers. Technology plays a big part nowadays. Having different tools for the students to use is also good for effective assessments. I think hands on activities is a great way to enrich a learning environment for all children. They get a chance to see visually and apply what they are learning to their own experiences outside the classroom. Weekly tests are also good assessments. What do you feel comes easiest when working with the teacher planning process?
As of right now, the most difficult task in the teacher planning process for me, is being creative and coming up with ideas that are appropriate for all of the students. I'm still a little unfamiliar with what each grade level should be achieving and what they should already know. Therefore, coming up with material that I must master in and be able to teach can be a challenge. Looking into the CSO's is a big help and gives me an idea of where the students should stand. After being in a classroom for a given amount of time and actually seeing where your students stand though, is the only way one can know for sure. Observing is a continuous task that must be performed daily in order to really understand your students. Being prepared and looking further into the material that needs to be taught is very helpful when it comes to planning as well. The internet is a great resource for teachers. Technology plays a big part nowadays. Having different tools for the students to use is also good for effective assessments. I think hands on activities is a great way to enrich a learning environment for all children. They get a chance to see visually and apply what they are learning to their own experiences outside the classroom. Weekly tests are also good assessments. What do you feel comes easiest when working with the teacher planning process?
Friday, February 5, 2010
Spring Semester: Post 1
"How do you feel at this point about your journey to become a teacher?"
My journey so far in learning to become a teacher has been a very beneficial experience. I am learning my weaknesses and strengths and what it takes to become an effective teacher. I have to admit, while taking all of these education courses and being in the actual classroom setting, there are times where I feel a bit overwhelmed. Even though it is very challenging, I know that it is necessary in helping me become the kind of teacher that I truly want to be. I absolutely love and adore children so I know that even if there are times that I am stressed I just remember that this is my passion and I truly want this more than anything, to make a difference in a child’s life. I am excited and ready to continue learning throughout my journey. Do you question at times your readiness for the classroom and if you are able to handle it?
My journey so far in learning to become a teacher has been a very beneficial experience. I am learning my weaknesses and strengths and what it takes to become an effective teacher. I have to admit, while taking all of these education courses and being in the actual classroom setting, there are times where I feel a bit overwhelmed. Even though it is very challenging, I know that it is necessary in helping me become the kind of teacher that I truly want to be. I absolutely love and adore children so I know that even if there are times that I am stressed I just remember that this is my passion and I truly want this more than anything, to make a difference in a child’s life. I am excited and ready to continue learning throughout my journey. Do you question at times your readiness for the classroom and if you are able to handle it?
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