Search This Blog

Saturday, June 4, 2011

Week One Post Two

Post your final reflections for week one here. Please include challenges, issues, and lessons learned as well as opportunities of improvement that you will incorporate into your teaching next week.

14 comments:

  1. I made it through the first week, and I feel so relaxed now because I know that I can do it. Even though there were some challenges and bumps in the road, this week was a success. Yesterday (Thursday, 06/09) was my best and most challenging day. Yesterday, I had three of four groups want to stay and come back to 5th grade reading, which is the biggest compliment I can get in this entire experience. Students wanting to stay in my class because they are truly learning and having fun is all I need to hear. My heart truly filled with joy when the kids asked to come back to my class! Even another teacher asked me what we were doing in reading because the kids in that class expressed how much fun they had. I know this will not always be the case for reading because it is a challenge to make reading fun for many kids, especially the kids who already struggle in reading. The fact that I had my first "WOW" day made my day and summer and overall experience. Yesterday's success in reading was the best reward I can receive. No matter what challenges I may face in the future, yesterday was proof that I can be in charge of my own lessons and class, while also providing students with fun activities that allow them to enjoy reading.
    Although I had my best day yesterday, I also experienced my most challenging moment in this program. At one point during the day, I lost a few minutes of control with one class. Although I have set my boundaries, each class is different. Where I can be more easygoing with one class, another class may need more structure. This one particular class is the class where I need more structure, and I did not provide enough structure in that particular class. Therefore, the class thought they could do whatever they wished. I did gain control of the class, and I explained to them that there are certain rules/procedures each student must follow; that is true with anything in life. I also explained the importance of respect. I made each student in that class reflect on his/her choice of behavior, and we discussed what happened that interrupted the class time, and we also discussed the lack of self-control. Each student was able to express his/her feelings/concerns. At the end of the class, there seemed to be a level of respect that was once missing. We even huddled together in the middle of the room to boost everybody's attitudes and show support and respect for each other. Everyday is a new day, and I express that idea with all of my students. I am looking forward to Monday when that particular class comes to my room. I am eager to teach and interact with that class because although it is my most challenging class, it contains some of my brightest and expressive students. Yesterday was still my best day, even with the minor challenge.
    With that being said, I am constantly learning that each class needs a different motivation to want to be in reading. I am also learning that each class is different and needs different teaching methods. I have mentioned this before, but it so much easier said than done. I am constantly thinking about how I can alter my lessons to meet the interests and needs of each class. Some activities may not appeal to every class, and I want each class to know that I care about their success and interests.

    ReplyDelete
  2. (I did not know there was a max limit in the posts, so here is the rest of my post)

    Overall, this week has taught me that I have to be more willing to go with the flow. I am a very planned and prepared person, but I am learning that not every lesson is going to go perfectly or fit into the time frame I have planned. I am trying my best to improve my lessons daily and learning that this is what teaching is all about in the real world. People who care enough to take the time to get to know their students and environments, plan harder, and do whatever it takes to make the next day a success are the people who will get the ultimate reward of having students succeed in not only school but also life.
    This coming up week, I simply plan to improve on my classroom and time management skills. I want each class to know what is expected of them, and I also want each class to know that I am not going to lower my expectations. I am constantly trying to improve on everything I do in teaching because I want to become the best teacher I can be for my students now and in the future. I want to learn as much as I can about my students and teaching in general. Teaching is not only about providing students with learning, but it is also about providing yourself with life-long learning.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I am just going to be real in this post. I am aching on the inside. Each day, I watch these kids act so ALIVE, but I also catch glimpses of them masking their vibrancy with this ugly hardness that results in intimidation and insecurity.

    Each day, I welcome my kids with music in the background as each of them find their place on the carpet. We invest about 5-10 minutes debriefing and more importantly, with their folder in one hand (like a graduation certificate) and my other hand extended, they come shake my hand and say their name before they grab their folder, pencil, and find a seat. Each day they are getting better. Each day we are building more trust. Each day they are standing more proudly, they are speaking more loudly, and the are looking at me more directly-- but I have to tell you that the hardest boys of them all, the one's who stir up the most trouble in our classes, have the hardest time looking at me. Although it's hard to believe that they can actually be quiet, when they mumble their name each morning, it is clear they struggle the most.

    As I read more of their journal entries, discover more about their communities, and listen/ read about more accounts of adults who had the same start as these kids-- my motivation is shifting from, "I should do this because I am good at it." to "I should do this because I am needed." It's only been one week and I am already more invested in these kids than I have ever been invested into a group of kids before. I can't explain what's happening, but they are changing me and the process hurts.

    I want to know more about these kids. I want to know why they draw tear drops on their faces in their self portraits. I want to know who they go to when they are scared. I want to hear there questions. I want to meet the people they confide in.

    This program will not last long enough for me to find all the answers to my questions, but after experiencing the blooming of this first week-- I can't wait for more, and I plan to use each and every moment we have to, as Mrs. Dubose would say, "ring these kids for all they are have to offer."

    ReplyDelete
  4. My final reflections from my first week. I have already found teaching in an 'inner-city' school to be exceptionally rewarding. Friday we drove around to the different elementary schools in Prichard, Eight Mile, and Trinity Gardens. These were parts of Mobile that I have never even been to in the 4 years I have lived here. I saw houses that some of my students lived in and it was really an eye-opener. I really want to teach my children the skills, curriculum and life, that they need to be successful. I want to give them the best education that I possibly can so that they don't have to live the way their families might live. I learned that education is the key to unlock choices for the future. I want them to believe in themselves and in their future! I am excited and feel so privileged to get to spend my summer with these special and beautiful children! We both have so much to learn from each other!

    ReplyDelete
  5. This week was amazing for me, really life changing. I know that may sound crazy for week one, but things really hit home for me on Friday while Pastor Joe was speaking to us. Initially I thought that “inner city” schools just were not the place for me and that I was not going to be able to handle the emotional tolls of what these kids have experienced in their lives. Then I remembered as he was speaking, this is why I wanted to be a teacher, this is why I am doing this, to help kids who were like me. When I first decided to become a teacher I wanted to help children who had been through a rough childhood and overlooked and passed through the system like I always was. Of Course, I thought of white children, never “inner city” children. When he was speaking to us I just had this feeling in my heart like God was saying this is where you are meant to be. This is where you can change the world and reach so so many more lives.
    As far as the classroom goes, I already love each and every one of my students. It felt really good to hear the students stand up on the stage Thursday and say I learned this from Ms. Cook’s and Ms. Devore’s class. It made me feel like I was doing something right and they were really getting IT! I can’t wait to teach them more with the rest of our time together and to form stronger relationships with each and every student. Who knows, hopefully I am already making a change this summer.

    ReplyDelete
  6. The first week of the program was very eye opening! I realized how exhausting it can be to come up with exciting and engaging lesson plans everyday. I also experienced how rewarding it feels to hear students understanding what I am teaching and enjoy coming into my class to learn. I am so thankful that I was given the opportunity to teach the subject I got because I find the subject to be very interesting and I am somewhat knowledgeable about the material so I am not having to spend a lot of time studying before I teach it. I also have had to understand and accept that not all teachers like to teach the way I do but it is still important to be respectful and professional. The beginning of the week was smoother than the end so I know that I am going to have to go back over my rules and tell them what my discipline plan is. I also learned this week that every interaction with a student can affect them so it is important to be aware of your interactions. Overall I loved the first week and I can say I know 90% of my students names which is a huge accomplishment! =) I look forward to seeing what next week brings!

    Jennifer Norton (3rd grade Science)

    ReplyDelete
  7. Overall the week was amazing. Sure there were some bumps along the road- a discipline problem here, a changed lesson plan there- but overall it was amazing. I met 56 amazing fourth grade students who have already made a huge impact on my life. I hope that over the upcoming three weeks I can have as much of an impact on them as they did me in the first week.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I did not think it was possible to learn as much as I have about myself and my students in just one week. I am learning the different learning styles that my students prefer and respond to best. I am ecstatic that I have been able to provide lessons for my students that gets them excited about math. I love that this is only the first week and I am already seeing students progress with their math skills and become more confident in their work and in themselves. I am encouraged everyday when I see students who have tried something new have a look of pride and excitement on their face. I am so blessed to have the opportunity to work with this program. I learn something new from my students in every one of my classes that I know are making me a better educator.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Friday was incredible. Pastor Joe and Linda made me realize just what and where many of the students we see every day are coming from. It’s hard to imagine those little smiley faces going home to some of the places we saw on the tour. It breaks my heart because I already feel so attached to these children. I want them all to be okay, safe, and loved. They are so sweet and want to please so badly. This week I am striving to always have a smile and make this experience: one where they are engaged in reading, having fun, safe and where each and every one feel as though they belong. I know it’s a lot, and may not be attainable since we only have a few short weeks with them. I plan to try my hardest to come as close as I can to this though.

    Before my field work, and this experience I can’t honestly say I would have chosen to work in an “inner city” school. However, this one week rocked my world and changed my whole perspective on working in an inner city school system. Overall, I felt the whole week was a success and when I walked out of Brazier Elementary School every afternoon I felt so rewarded. Like I said before, this experience is life-changing.

    ReplyDelete
  10. This week I will be working on my approach to teaching 3rd graders. I have had kindergarten in the past so this was a completely new experience for me. I will also be working on communicating better with my mentors. It is a habit for me to keep my thoughts to myself, and I realize that I need to work on expressing those thoughts more. I am excited about this week, and hope to learn more about my students.

    ReplyDelete
  11. The end of the second week was very educational. I enjoyed my time spent at Mt Hebron Church. Pastor Joe and Pastor Linda were very welcoming and full of love. I was very impressed with their community center that is open to the public. The Bright Spot (the name of their community center) was bright and cheerful. They had everything from a party room area, to a play area similar to a play place at McDonald's, a cafe, a full gym, and entertainment area, a place with many video games, and party areas for birthday parties of all ages. I was amazed to hear that this church is the largest church in Alabama and build everything through there own parishioners donations. After touring the facility and listening to meaning speakers we went on a tour of Prichard Alabama. There are many areas in Prichard. I got a chance to see the schools mt students attend and where they live. The field trip was very eye opening. I look forward to the next week of experiences.

    ReplyDelete
  12. This past week has been an amazing experience for me. It is not entirely how I expected it to be. The first day was not too bad. I had some students better than others. My most chaotic class on the first day is still my most chaotic class today. On Friday morning, I was thinking, "oh, how fun, two children with colorful heads they must be fun I hope they are in the fourth grade so I can meet them....and I hope they are well behaved." Well, they are in the fourth grade; well behaved is questionable though. These twins are instigators, they need attention, and they are very loud. I am not sure how to give them the attention they need or how to attend to the other students while dealing with them. I wish that I could have someone who could teach me how to reel in these students and others like them so that they do not disrupt the entire class on a regular basis. I was lucky on the first day of teaching because I did not have to test my students in S&M (this name should really be changed because there is the song out now and I'm sure they probably know it even if they do not understand the meaning). In my classes we just jumped right into activities and rules.

    This week we have been going over many different vocabulary words (I could not figure out how I was going to get 25 vocabulary words on my word wall and after only one week, I all ready have 11). We have talked about speed, friction, mass, momentum, among many other words in regards to movement. Thursday was my favorite day; I taught inertia. We went outside where we tried to stop running on an instant. The students really enjoyed this activity because it gave them the chance to run outside. After we experienced our feet stopping while the tops of our bodies wanted to continue moving, we worked with movement, friction, and scooters. This was also exciting because my students were able to talk about what we were doing using the vocabulary words. This let me know that I was doing something right.

    I'm looking forward to this week when we will learn about potential and kinetic energy and go on the field trip.

    ReplyDelete
  13. This week seemed to fly by... After taking a day to get to know the students and covering rules and procedures on Monday, and some introductory content on Tuesday preparing the students with necessary vocabulary and so forth, we began experimenting on Wednesday. We started off with the egg floating experiment. I had gone over this lesson in my mind a 1000 times wanting to make sure that I was totally prepared. I knew that working with 20+ 5th graders, using various materials in groups could be disastrous if I didn't plan well. Well the planning paid off!! The experiments went well in each class. Assigning each member of the group a specific job proved to make the class run smoothly. The students were very excited to see the egg float after we added the salt to the water. They all gasped with excitement, which was a relief because I was worried that they would find the activity boring. I couldn't have been more wrong! I left Wednesday on a high and looking forward to Thursday. We continued to experiment on Thursday, even though we were working on the modified schedule. The students are getting a hang of the procedures and I'm enjoying getting to know them as well!

    ReplyDelete
  14. This week was a test for me and I am proud to say I passed! My first week as a teacher was a rewarding experience. Being able to teach my students what they needed to know was an experience of a lifetime. We studied variables and pendulums this week and by the end of the week my students were able to identify the different types of variables that were associated with the pendulums.

    ReplyDelete