Blog #3

1. My teacher's management plan is based on color cards. If a student misbehaves, he/she pulls their card and changes it to the next color, if the card gets to red then a call home is made. The students can not move back as a reward for positive behavior.  

2. My teacher has hand signals for students to use as she is teaching to signify what they need. One finger is held up when they need to go to the bathroom for example; the teacher can just motion for them to go instead of stopping the whole class to see what they need. My teacher also has a resource table in each desk grouping. She has all the manipulatives or supplies the students need in a basket on the table so if they need to use something they don't have to ask.

3.

a. Guiding Principals:

1. Everyone in the classroom should be treated with respect, whether student teacher or peer.

2. Procedures and routines guide the classroom towards learning.

3. Students should be given the opportunity to construct their own learning.

4. The teacher should guide the students in their learning.

5. Positive behavior support is key.

b. Classroom Set up:

I want my classroom to focus on the student grouping. I want it to be a comfortable learning environment that utilizes centers and technology.

c. Rules:

In my classroom I always wanted to make the rules with my students so they can be included. Making the rules with my students will make them feel connected.  I feel as though students would be more inclined to follow the rules if they have a connection to them.  Having discussions while making the rules regarding the rationale and relevance of each rule will help children understand why they are to follow these rules instead of that they are just “supposed to” follow them.

1.    I will ask the students to think about the class rules that they had in their previous classrooms.  Ask them to think about which ones they liked; which ones they thought were silly. What rules did you follow all year and what rules did you wind up not following at all?  Did you wish there were rules that weren’t listed?  Maybe rules that would have helped you learn?

2.    I will tell my students that I want them to think about what needs to be done in the classroom, i.e. learning.  I want them to think about actions that need to be completed like homework, bathroom breaks, answering questions.  Think about how these need to be done.

3.    I will ask my students to write down rules that they would like to have in their classroom.  I want them to try to think of some on their own for the first minute. I will write down suggestions of my own.

4.    In this next step, they can discuss with their partner (the child sitting next to them,) what rules they listed and why.  With their partner they can think of more rules that they would suggest.  Before school started, I set up my LEP students with a native English speaker.  The English speaker can help their English learning partner.

5.    I will ask the students to share some rules that they came up with; we can discuss why they would work or why they might need some adjusting.  I will also discuss some of my rules as well and see my student’s opinions on the rules.

6.    I will collect their suggestion sheets, I will go over in a discussion good rules that they suggested and why they work well. 

7.     I will use their suggestion as well as mine (so I still have final authority,) to write up class rules on an oversized notepad.  Next to the rule I will draw a picture for better understanding for not only my LEP students but the rest of the class as well.  I will act out each rule; this should help my LEP students as well.

       

8.      Each student will sign the bottom of the page since they have had a part in choosing the rules.

9.     To finish, we will practice the rules we have made together!

d.Routines

Morning: 

When the student comes in, they are to find their personal backpack cubby, get out all personal belongings that are needed for the day, put their backpack on the hook and place their lunchbox on the shelf above their backpack.

After putting their backpacks in their cubbies, students are to go to their desk and pull out their “Morning Work” notebook.  There will be a simple review assignment on the overhead for them to do in this notebook.  This will also be the time for students to sharpen pencils for the day. (If I have classes that switch this is what my homeroom would do, the other class would do the same thing excluding the backpacks.)

Bathroom:

When a student wants to go to the bathroom they will put their thumb up in the air and wait for me too excuse them.  During centers, while I am doing guided reading with groups, they are free to go without permission.  This procedure is based on a classroom with a bathroom inside.

Lining up:

When we are lining up to go somewhere, the students will wait until I call their group to line up. They will get all necessary materials, then sit quietly and wait to be called.

Going somewhere:

When going somewhere, students are not to talk and are to stay in a straight line until the destination is reached.

e. Disruptive behavior:

 I will have the color card system in my classroom. First students will get a warning with a nonverbal cue, like a look. If students don't correct the behavior they will receive a verbal cue. Then they will be asked to change their color. Students will be able to redeem themselves and move back up a color. Each day students will take home a take home folder with a paper showing their color for today in each behavioral category (on task, prepared..etc.) so the parents know exactly where the child misbehaved. The parent will need to sign in acknowledgment. We will also have a positive behavioral support of redeemable tickets. If changing of color does not work for students taking away of tickets will be used. Reoccurring behavioral problems will be dealt with on a case to case basis.

Blog #2

1. Describe what you observed in your classroom.

Though I have worked with students, I've done a lot of observing over the last two weeks in my internship classroom.  I've tried to take in my surroundings to understand the teaching styles, discipline styles and classroom management styles of my supervising teacher and her neighboring teacher that she switches classes with.  I have had the opportunity to sit in on two lesson planning meetings now.  Until this point I knew that teams of teachers plan lessons but before this I've never seen the process.  I got to see how the team of third grade teachers took the many books provided to them (and required) to use and made lesson plans and homework plans for three different levels of math students. I have observed how this is used in the classroom as well.  I got to see how my teacher provided the core curriculum to all students, provided enrichment activities to the students who were ahead and also "reteaching" activities to children who needed extra help (she allowed me to teach these students in small group.)  I really enjoyed being able to see how planning was used in the classroom and how easy it was to differentiate for the different levels.

2. How does the teaching style compare to yours?

 My two teachers, (my supervising teacher and the one in the next classroom) seem find an appropriate balance between teacher lead instruction and group/individual work, though their approach leans more towards the teacher-lead end of the spectrum.  They normally have teacher lead instruction then an activity (sometimes group work, sometimes individual.) I tend to lean more towards student centered learning and classroom management.  Where my teachers have ready made rules and directions for the students to follow I would rather have my students create the classroom rules with me and discover their own learning.  Each individual teacher has their preference and knows what works for them.

3. What elements of your supervisor’s teaching style will you incorporate
into your style?  Why?

I really enjoy how personally involved my teacher gets with the students.  For example, two students kept coming into school with out a uniform. She took time out of her schedule to go to the nurses office (while I was there) to rummage through their extra uniforms and find perfect fits for these two kids.  Neither of them have come to school since without a uniform.  Also, I like how my teacher takes kids aside to talk about their behavior on a personal level. She will take a student that she thinks needs help and discuss their behavior one on one, while trying to fix the situation.  That is just another example of how she takes her students lives personally.  I would really love to incorporate this caring aspect of her teaching style into my own future classroom; I think having your students know that you care about them is an important part of maintaining their trust so learning can occur.

4. What instructional/curriculum elements were new to you?

I've never before hear of the 20-day system that Hillsborough has in place. It is where the first 20 days of instruction are like an introduction,  preparatory instruction to the rest of the year.  One of the days they did "accountable talk."  This is where you practice repeating and rephrasing what a partner says.  Hillsborough's reason for having this in the 20 day curriculum is to prepare students to work in cooperative groups for the rest of the school year.  I've never seen this before.  Some aspects of it seem very appropriate and helpful for getting the students prepared for the curriculum of the school year.


5. What was familiar and comfortable for you?  Why?

The content that I was teaching was familiar and comfortable to me.  The math that I was reviewing was what I ended last semester teaching my 2nd graders.  So I was very comfortable with the material and effective strategies to get the content through to my students.  Other than that, most of the things I have observed over the last few weeks have been very new to me.  I have never been in a departmentalized setting where classes switch for math/science and language arts. I'm looking forward to getting the experience.

6. What do you plan to do next in your professional development?

My two goals were to graduate with my bachelors and get a job next fall. To help me achieve the goal of getting a job: I plan on continuing to absorb everything I see to use in my future career.  I also plan on strengthening my relationship with the teachers I am working with so they can be resources of help for me.  To continue on the path of getting my bachelors degree I will continue to do my very best in my internship and my classes.

“If a child can't learn the way we teach, maybe we should teach the way they learn.”

-Ignacio Estrada

Blog #1

As this is my third semester in the College of education I have taken many education courses; my list of courses that I still need to take is much shorter than the list of courses that I have taken but I’ll list them for your enjoyment!  I’ve taken: Social Foundations, Learning and Development, Childhood Literature, Teaching Writing, ESOL 1&2, Reading, Linking Literacy to Assessment, Integrating the Exceptional Child, Classroom Management, Math 1, Measurement for Teachers, Creative Experiences and of course, Level I internship.  The class that most impacted me was Classroom Management and my first internship. My Classroom Management was linked up with my Level 1 Internship, which, was joined with a special education cohort.  We were paired with a special education major to co-teach during our internship. By the end of the semester I was left with a deeper understanding of cooperative professional relationships as well as special education in general.

In the past I’ve babysat a two year old, a five year old and a seven year old. I’ve tutored my peers (10^th and 11^th grade) informally in high school and of course, I’ve interned.  Overall, I feel as though the babysitting impacted me the most.  I babysat the two year old and the seven year old when I was fifteen and it had a major impact on my decision to become a teacher.

            As I look ahead into this semester’s internship I expect to be able to take on the majority of the teacher’s role and responsibility as soon as possible; my last internship teacher let me take over the day, plan lessons, and sit in on her after school tutoring. After that experience I hope to have the same responsibilities and learning opportunities.  With that being said I am afraid that I wont have the same chances, like for instance, my supervising teacher will give me clerical tasks or not want me to follow him/her instead of letting me take on the teacher role Tuesdays and Thursdays.  Also, I fear that my supervising teacher will either criticize me too much or too little; I don’t want to feel uncomfortable, as if I’m doing everything wrong, but also I want some constructive criticism to work with.

            The best teacher’s I’ve had were my 2^nd grade, and 4^th grade, and my 7^th grade science teacher; they all:

- Integrated the Arts

- Plan lessons that vary modalities

- Took on a constructivist way of teaching

- Gave extra help if needed

- Created a classroom community

- Used real world motivation

- Used understanding and intrinsic motivation instead of intimidation

            All of these teachers created a very comfortable learning environment, in which I could create and learn in various ways.  They found ways to motivate me to want to learn, not just get the work done.  They are each memorable to me because each one of them is responsible for my general love of learning.

I’ll never forget Halloween, 7^th grade, because of my science teacher.  She dressed up as a witch (complete with cauldron and dry ice,) and performed science based magic tricks.  This kept us settled, regardless of our sugar-highs and engaged.  Throughout the year she would refer to these tricks as she taught her lessons; this gave us a fun shared experience where we could all draw background knowledge.