Greg Week 15

This week I had my final observation on Monday. The students had been working with graphing and analyzing the data from a graph to answer questions. I decided that for my observation I would do a math lesson. The plan was to have each student have a small bag of M&Ms and they would predict how many of each color in the pack and then open the pack find out how many of each color and they graph it on a pictograph and a bar graph and then answer questions about the data that was collected using the table and graphs. I would relate this to standard 2,  Content Area and Pedagogical Knowledge. The competent teacher has in-depth understanding of content area knowledge that includes central concepts, methods of inquiry, structures of the disciplines, and content area literacy.  The teacher creates meaningful learning experiences for each student based upon interactions among content area and pedagogical knowledge, and evidence-based practice. I think that this lesson helped to reinforce the concept of reading graphs and making them. I did not a lot of improvement in their ability. The only downfall was I was not able to give each student a small packet of M&Ms due to them being made in a factory that also produces things with peanuts. So, I was the only one allowed to use the M&Ms. That changed my lesson a bit and made it a little less hand on. But overall it went great.

Through student teaching I have built many relationships with my two cooperating teachers and other educators in the school I have worked in. This relates to standard 8,  Collaborative Relationships. The competent teacher builds and maintains collaborative relationships to foster cognitive, linguistic, physical, and social and emotional development.  This teacher works as a team member with professional colleagues, students, parents or guardians, and community members.

Time to finish u the next week and a half of student teaching!

Greg Week 14

This week was a bit challenging. Classroom management and reteaching strategies came into play a lot!

This week we started a new unit in math, I was told to jump forward a couple chapters in the math text book to graphs and data. Which I could tell from the first lesson they were not understanding it very well. But I moved on to lesson 2 anyways. This is when I knew that I needed to stop and go back and reteach this skill of reading line plots. I would relate this to standard 5, instructional delivery. The competent teacher differentiates instruction by using a variety of strategies that support critical and creative thinking, problem-solving, and continuous growth and learning.  This teacher understands that the classroom is a dynamic environment requiring ongoing modification of instruction to enhance learning for each student. I had to go back and think of a new way to teach reading line plots. I found a new work sheet and reteach how to read them. Doing this made it possible for me to ensure that the students knew how to read and interpret graphs so we can move on to reading other graphs. When I checked the homework, the students had made impressive improvements.

This week I’m not sure what it what but the students are CHATTTY! I guess maybe the weather or the time of the year, but they are non-stop Even in the lunchroom the students have been getting in trouble and I was told they had a silent lunch. I have been trying really hard to be patient with them and try different strategies to keep them quieter and manage the classroom. I would relate this to standard 4, learning environment.  The competent teacher structures a safe and healthy learning environment that facilitates cultural and linguistic responsiveness, emotional well-being, self-efficacy, positive social interaction, mutual respect, active engagement, academic risk-taking, self-motivation, and personal goal-setting. One my strengths my patience I would say. So, I have just been doing a lot of waiting and looking at the talkers. I reward the student in the classroom who get quits or set the example for the other students. The reward is a hawk buck for a weekly prize drawing at the end of the week. I make a big production about when I hand them out to the students, typically the same 3. I find that rewarding the good behavior is better than criticizing the bad behavior and keeps me calmer and stress free. This creates a more positive learning environment for the students and for me.

On to week 15!