Today was a good, but also crazy day. Lot's to reflect on but not a lot of time to write. This will be the cliff notes version. :). Today I got to teach part of the reading class. It was sooo great! The kids were engaged and responded great to it. Our class has such a high stress level when it comes to testing and doing well. They really wear their emotions on their sleeve...(we had two boys come into class crying today). I wanted to do an activity that would help them learn to breathe as a relaxation method. We did this by blowing bubbles while listening to calming music. It was wonderful! After this, we went over some strategies to help them in their reading.
Now, I want to reflect on some the discipline today. During the end of our math class one of the girls in our class came back from her intervention class. This girl is always pretty quiet but also respectful and nice. When she came back, she asked us if she could use the restroom. We said yes, and then she never came back. Ms. Johnston had to hunt her down and found out she walked into ISS and said she didn't want to be in class! We were absolutely shocked and confused. Ms. Johnston and I are both trying to figure out what happened.
While Ms. Johnston was in the office dealing with this situation I had our Science class. They were getting ready to do a really neat experiment where they get to test the importance of using their thumb. However, they just went absolutely wild! I have been in the room with just me and the class many times with good behavior...but my goodness, not today! I turned of the lights and made them all sit with their heads down. I told them how disappointed I was in each of them. I told them we are a team and we just don't act that way and that it was unacceptable. Many of them wrote me cards apologizing and a couple even teared up. I'm not sure if it was the best way to handle the situation but it got them on task and ready to learn. I really think it is so important for me to establish discipline now, even though it is challenging.
Days like today certainly have some struggles but I still appreciate them fully. At the end of the day, I still see so many more positive great moments then the few tough ones. I think about the laughter of one of the kids as they popped a bubble, the boys in our class doing a funny disco dance when we played music, comforting a kid that was sad and seeing them smile, a student in math working so hard and improving so much. Kids are wonderful. They are also people and are full of ups and downs...good days and bad days. When I think about this, my patience grows more and more. Teaching is a wonderful profession.
P.S. My desk officially has some supplies!
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
I Have My Own Desk!
Today was another really great and busy workday! We had a workshop today on a program called Class Scap. The tutorial was really informative and useful. The more the woman explained about the program I saw how awesome it is and how great it will be for the students. This program helps teachers know exactly where kids stand in their learning. For all my teacher nerds, you would just love it! You can specifically choose the objectives you want the kid to be tested on. They can do a pre and a post test. One of the coolest things is that the program is all web based. This allows us teachers to create tests from home and without having to use software. The program is not meant to be used as grades for the student but specifically for instructional data. Pretty cool, right!
One of the things that was brought up in the workshop is that by 2014, all EOG's will be on the computer. Many teachers have probably expected this change but it also brings its challenges. There were many questions about where we would find the right amount of computers. It will be interesting to see how this develops. Technology is growing fast :).
After the workshop we did a bunch of work in the room. I worked with Ms. Johnston to plan which lessons I will be teaching next week and which objectives need to be covered. i will be teaching Math, Science, and Read Alouds each day. It was amazing being able to find some great books to read aloud and get started planning. (I'm certain you will hear much more about how these plans develop in the next couple of days)!
Then, we started cleaning and rearranging. Our room is significantly smaller than many of the other rooms in the school. This is quite a challenge! We were able to make the room more open and far less dusty. I got to explore through all of the books Ms. Johnston has gotten over the years. There are few things in this world that bring me us much joy as children's book. As I explored I found a trip down memory lane with "The BFG, Frindle, Bud Not Buddy and more. Books have such a wonderful power to take us to a completely different place. I'm sure we can all remember the books we have read that have brought us joy, made us cry, or made us feel like we were a superhero. I hope the kids in my class will get to explore books in an exciting way.
Once we got some things rearranged we found a space for me! Ms. Johnston is absolutely a miracle worker on making it work and I am so thankful for her. I am officially feeling like a teacher and bringing some school supplies tomorrow. It won't be long before that desk will be covered with lessons, books and all sorts of other things, but I can't wait!
My supervisor also came today to check on us. She answered all the questions we had and I felt much more comfortable afterwards. I also passed the drills quiz with flying colors, woohoo!
Tomorrow, the kids come back!
One of the things that was brought up in the workshop is that by 2014, all EOG's will be on the computer. Many teachers have probably expected this change but it also brings its challenges. There were many questions about where we would find the right amount of computers. It will be interesting to see how this develops. Technology is growing fast :).
After the workshop we did a bunch of work in the room. I worked with Ms. Johnston to plan which lessons I will be teaching next week and which objectives need to be covered. i will be teaching Math, Science, and Read Alouds each day. It was amazing being able to find some great books to read aloud and get started planning. (I'm certain you will hear much more about how these plans develop in the next couple of days)!
Then, we started cleaning and rearranging. Our room is significantly smaller than many of the other rooms in the school. This is quite a challenge! We were able to make the room more open and far less dusty. I got to explore through all of the books Ms. Johnston has gotten over the years. There are few things in this world that bring me us much joy as children's book. As I explored I found a trip down memory lane with "The BFG, Frindle, Bud Not Buddy and more. Books have such a wonderful power to take us to a completely different place. I'm sure we can all remember the books we have read that have brought us joy, made us cry, or made us feel like we were a superhero. I hope the kids in my class will get to explore books in an exciting way.
Once we got some things rearranged we found a space for me! Ms. Johnston is absolutely a miracle worker on making it work and I am so thankful for her. I am officially feeling like a teacher and bringing some school supplies tomorrow. It won't be long before that desk will be covered with lessons, books and all sorts of other things, but I can't wait!
My supervisor also came today to check on us. She answered all the questions we had and I felt much more comfortable afterwards. I also passed the drills quiz with flying colors, woohoo!
Tomorrow, the kids come back!
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
First Teacher Workday!
When I was a kid, I would always get so excited to see the words "Teacher Workday" on the school calendar. These days meant more time sleeping in and relaxing. I quickly learned today that on a teacher workday, teachers really do work! I got to school at 8:30 and was able to wear jeans. It felt like a holiday within itself to be able to wear jeans to school. :). Once I got there some of the teachers chatted in the hallway. We shared about our weekends and all kinds of other things. I really love the teachers at our school, they are so easy to talk to. It was also wonderful to see that the conversation always went back to teaching and the children. They are such hard workers and I am learning so much from them.
The next few hours were filled with grading papers and organizing. I know that doesn't sound too exciting but it is kind of fun! I root for all the kids and get so excited when I see they are having good grades and understanding material. When they are not doing so well, it helps us see what we can work on. I got to put up some our students great work in the hall. I felt like a proud Mom as I sat back and looked at their great work. There are some truly amazing artists in our class!
After this, some of the teachers went to lunch. The place was freeeezing but it was fun to see them all outside of school. You can tell they love what they do and love working together. Once we got back, time flew by! Ms. Johnston and I got a lot done today. As important as workdays are, I also found myself missing the kids. We have one more workday tomorrow and I will get to go to a conference in the morning. :)
Challenge of the Day: Helping organize the room today and get everything ready I saw just how much preparation and time it takes to get a room ready. This has made me nervous about my 1st year of teaching and having supplies for my class. If you have any suggestions please let me know!
Quote of the Day: As cheesy as it may sound my favorite quote of the day was getting to write on a kids paper, "100 % You Are Awesome!"
The next few hours were filled with grading papers and organizing. I know that doesn't sound too exciting but it is kind of fun! I root for all the kids and get so excited when I see they are having good grades and understanding material. When they are not doing so well, it helps us see what we can work on. I got to put up some our students great work in the hall. I felt like a proud Mom as I sat back and looked at their great work. There are some truly amazing artists in our class!
After this, some of the teachers went to lunch. The place was freeeezing but it was fun to see them all outside of school. You can tell they love what they do and love working together. Once we got back, time flew by! Ms. Johnston and I got a lot done today. As important as workdays are, I also found myself missing the kids. We have one more workday tomorrow and I will get to go to a conference in the morning. :)
Quote of the Day: As cheesy as it may sound my favorite quote of the day was getting to write on a kids paper, "100 % You Are Awesome!"
Friday's Go Fast!
Sorry for just now posting! Friday's go by so fast and this weekend I got to spend some wonderful time with my best friend and her family at Myrtle Beach. I have found a whole new appreciation for the weekends :). I had written down my reflection in a word file but forgot to post it on here...so here it is!
Walking into the school on Friday is a fun feeling. You can tell that both teacher's and students are ready for the weekend. Every day the first part of Reading is spent with the kids going to the library, taking AR test and getting ready for the day. It is one of my favorite parts of the day to go around and see the children engaged in books. Last semester, a wonderful professor taught me a behavioral strategy to do with students called "2 x10". In this strategy the teacher spends 2 minutes a day, for 10 days getting to know a student that is having difficult behavior. I decided to implement this in the Reading part of the day. I specifically went to 2 kids that have been struggling. I asked them to about the book they were reading and what it was about. I then asked them what some of their favorite books are and shared mine as well. They laughed when I shared my deep love for Little House on the Prairie ( a true sign I am getting old)! I also asked them about their plans for the weekend and what are some of their favorite activities. I could tell by the smile on their face that it meant something to them. I'm going to try to keep doing this. Plus, it is just wonderful to get to know the students better!
In reading today the students had to take their Spelling test as well as a reading comprehension test. Just by looking at the students I can tell which ones are feeling confident and which ones are not. During the test, one boy told me he wasn't feeling well at all. His face looked super pale and I could tell there could be a disaster. Mrs. Johnston called his family to come home. It is hard seeing someone feeling so bad and you can't take care of them. In the short time we waited for his Grandpa to come, 3 others started not feeling well. We also learned that their were a bunch of other students that had to go home. Bring on the airborne and hand sanitizer!
Math was fantastic again! It is awesome seeing the kids excited about it. Next week I will teach a whole week of math. As nervous as I am, I'm really hoping I can help continue their excitement and help them learn multiplication.
Overall, it was such a great day!
Walking into the school on Friday is a fun feeling. You can tell that both teacher's and students are ready for the weekend. Every day the first part of Reading is spent with the kids going to the library, taking AR test and getting ready for the day. It is one of my favorite parts of the day to go around and see the children engaged in books. Last semester, a wonderful professor taught me a behavioral strategy to do with students called "2 x10". In this strategy the teacher spends 2 minutes a day, for 10 days getting to know a student that is having difficult behavior. I decided to implement this in the Reading part of the day. I specifically went to 2 kids that have been struggling. I asked them to about the book they were reading and what it was about. I then asked them what some of their favorite books are and shared mine as well. They laughed when I shared my deep love for Little House on the Prairie ( a true sign I am getting old)! I also asked them about their plans for the weekend and what are some of their favorite activities. I could tell by the smile on their face that it meant something to them. I'm going to try to keep doing this. Plus, it is just wonderful to get to know the students better!
In reading today the students had to take their Spelling test as well as a reading comprehension test. Just by looking at the students I can tell which ones are feeling confident and which ones are not. During the test, one boy told me he wasn't feeling well at all. His face looked super pale and I could tell there could be a disaster. Mrs. Johnston called his family to come home. It is hard seeing someone feeling so bad and you can't take care of them. In the short time we waited for his Grandpa to come, 3 others started not feeling well. We also learned that their were a bunch of other students that had to go home. Bring on the airborne and hand sanitizer!
Math was fantastic again! It is awesome seeing the kids excited about it. Next week I will teach a whole week of math. As nervous as I am, I'm really hoping I can help continue their excitement and help them learn multiplication.
Overall, it was such a great day!
Thursday, January 13, 2011
We're having fun!
Today started on time, which was incredibly early. 5:30 am to be exact. Thankfully, once I get out of my bed I am pretty pumped for the day. I got to the school right around 7. It was so nice getting there early! I got to get the keys for all the 3rd grade teachers and get our room ready for the day. Made me feel like a real teacher! Once I got back to the room and got things set up I began to pray for each student by name. It was amazing the peace and comfort that came from doing this. I really pray that the kids would see God's love through our love for them in class.
The day was full of adventures! In Reading I got to teach the students about present tense. I never realized how tricky of a concept this can be but they were starting to really understand it. I think I will have a better idea once I check their homework in the morning. After we did this they finished their work in groups. I had to do some disciplining because one group wasn't working well together. It's not fun having to correct them, but it is wonderful seeing them change and work better together.
Our math class was an absolute blast today. They say the funniest things and I can tell Ms. Johnston and I get equally excited when the light bulb goes off for them! I respect Ms. Johnston so much and really enjoy watching her teach. She really got them excited about what they were learning today and I love that she isn't afraid to have fun. They were working on relating division to multiplication. When they did some of the problems at their seat and got them right they got to come dance to some fun music we had playing on Pandora. They were so happy showing their dance moves and the activity really helps them stay on task in their learning too.
During science the kids have been working on the skeletal system. They have been learning the technical things for now but will get to do some really cool activities next week. While they working one boy told another, "You aren't going to pass the EOG's". This upset him and he said, "I'm going to knock you out". As soon as I came over there I had to deal with the situation. It was so out of character for these two but I also think it was coming from them being really tired. I talked to them about being a family and how we should treat one another. They both knew they were wrong and got a note home. I'm nervous about the parents reaction but I hope it will be okay!
We got another new student today! Very excited about him. He seems very sweet and eager to learn. I loved seeing the other boys truly welcome him to our class. It is so beautiful to see the heart of a child. Hopefully we can find out his levels soon and get him right on track. I'm writing some welcome notes to our new students. I never had to move in the middle of a school year but I'm sure it isn't easy. Hoping this will help them see how special they are!
After school I got to sit in on a parent teacher conference. It was really helpful and truly great to see a parent involved. I'm hoping to have more experience with parents soon at our Open House coming up soon!
The day was full of adventures! In Reading I got to teach the students about present tense. I never realized how tricky of a concept this can be but they were starting to really understand it. I think I will have a better idea once I check their homework in the morning. After we did this they finished their work in groups. I had to do some disciplining because one group wasn't working well together. It's not fun having to correct them, but it is wonderful seeing them change and work better together.
Our math class was an absolute blast today. They say the funniest things and I can tell Ms. Johnston and I get equally excited when the light bulb goes off for them! I respect Ms. Johnston so much and really enjoy watching her teach. She really got them excited about what they were learning today and I love that she isn't afraid to have fun. They were working on relating division to multiplication. When they did some of the problems at their seat and got them right they got to come dance to some fun music we had playing on Pandora. They were so happy showing their dance moves and the activity really helps them stay on task in their learning too.
During science the kids have been working on the skeletal system. They have been learning the technical things for now but will get to do some really cool activities next week. While they working one boy told another, "You aren't going to pass the EOG's". This upset him and he said, "I'm going to knock you out". As soon as I came over there I had to deal with the situation. It was so out of character for these two but I also think it was coming from them being really tired. I talked to them about being a family and how we should treat one another. They both knew they were wrong and got a note home. I'm nervous about the parents reaction but I hope it will be okay!
We got another new student today! Very excited about him. He seems very sweet and eager to learn. I loved seeing the other boys truly welcome him to our class. It is so beautiful to see the heart of a child. Hopefully we can find out his levels soon and get him right on track. I'm writing some welcome notes to our new students. I never had to move in the middle of a school year but I'm sure it isn't easy. Hoping this will help them see how special they are!
After school I got to sit in on a parent teacher conference. It was really helpful and truly great to see a parent involved. I'm hoping to have more experience with parents soon at our Open House coming up soon!
Challenge of the Day: In education their is a theorist named Jacob Kounin that came up with this term "withitness"....this fancy word basically means a teacher having "eyes at the back of their head". We have all had those teachers that just seemed to always know what we were doing even if they were looking in an opposite direction. I'm thinking I may have to have a different kind of laser eye surgery to achieve this!
Quote of the Day: "We're having a gooooood time"! From one of the girls in our math class that is working so hard and doing great. It is incredibly rewarding to hear kids excited and joyful in their learning.
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
"Behind Your Chairs..."
Today was another 2 hour delay day, which was so wonderful! Again, delays make the day just fly by even faster. I realize I am completely spoiled by this schedule :). It was really awesome to be at the school for 2 days in a row, starting to sink in that this is my life now. It's an interesting transition going from college student to teacher. I find myself wondering when is there time in the day to do simple things like go pay an electric bill or get to the gym. I'm learning that planning out my time is going to be incredibly important.
One of my favorite parts of the day is getting all the kids together and in the room at the beginning of the day. It really feels like family coming together. I hope to have a strong community in the class at all times. During Reading today Ms. Johnston did some testing with some students and I checked homework and we went over a practice EOG passage. The class really did great on their work. I'm always so proud of them. I had them give themselves a pat on the back for correct answers. After this they worked in their groups again. Their flow maps are starting to come together. There were some issues with working together. As a teacher, I often wonder why kids struggle working together. You always seem to have one student that is bossy and others that don't care at all. I realize more and more that this is true amongst most people working in groups. It's often not easy when we try to work together. We have to learn that sometimes you sacrifice what you want in order to help your team. I tried to teach this to one group that was having difficulty. I had them explain to me what a team is. I then told them that in class, we are a team and we work together. It seemed to work and when I observed later in the lesson they were working great together!
Math flew by today but was also fun. It was great seeing the whole class really engaged in their learning! In our Science class the kids gave them a worksheet about bones. Boys seem to be especially interested in the skeletal system. They had a reading passage to read and questions to go along with it. One thing that is difficult is the kids often just search for an answer in the text without reading. (I'm guilty of doing this too!). I find myself telling them, "You must read. When we read we learn things. We aren't playing hide and go seek with the questions!" I am learning to take my own advice on this too. :)
Overall, today was another really great day! Tomorrow is the first day without a delay...so 5:45am is coming way too soon. Hoping to find a good balance this semester. One thing I can honestly say that every moment I'm in the class with the kids I am more and more affirmed this is my calling. That's an amazing feeling to have.
One of my favorite parts of the day is getting all the kids together and in the room at the beginning of the day. It really feels like family coming together. I hope to have a strong community in the class at all times. During Reading today Ms. Johnston did some testing with some students and I checked homework and we went over a practice EOG passage. The class really did great on their work. I'm always so proud of them. I had them give themselves a pat on the back for correct answers. After this they worked in their groups again. Their flow maps are starting to come together. There were some issues with working together. As a teacher, I often wonder why kids struggle working together. You always seem to have one student that is bossy and others that don't care at all. I realize more and more that this is true amongst most people working in groups. It's often not easy when we try to work together. We have to learn that sometimes you sacrifice what you want in order to help your team. I tried to teach this to one group that was having difficulty. I had them explain to me what a team is. I then told them that in class, we are a team and we work together. It seemed to work and when I observed later in the lesson they were working great together!
Math flew by today but was also fun. It was great seeing the whole class really engaged in their learning! In our Science class the kids gave them a worksheet about bones. Boys seem to be especially interested in the skeletal system. They had a reading passage to read and questions to go along with it. One thing that is difficult is the kids often just search for an answer in the text without reading. (I'm guilty of doing this too!). I find myself telling them, "You must read. When we read we learn things. We aren't playing hide and go seek with the questions!" I am learning to take my own advice on this too. :)
Overall, today was another really great day! Tomorrow is the first day without a delay...so 5:45am is coming way too soon. Hoping to find a good balance this semester. One thing I can honestly say that every moment I'm in the class with the kids I am more and more affirmed this is my calling. That's an amazing feeling to have.
Challenge of the Day: I want to get our Math class thinking! One way I think we could do this is by giving them a Problem of the Day to work on when they first come in. Anyone know of some good resources let me know! They are at a low level but are trying hard. I want to implement some that are fun for them.
Quote of the Day: When we were in line to use the bathroom a few boys were all laughing really hard. I went up to them and asked, "Boys, what is so funny?" They kept laughing and one said, "Our music teacher....she said something funny." I said, "Can you repeat it" (with a big smile on my face). They said, "Yes...she said for us to get behind our chairs. Behind is like saying butt hahahhaa." As silly as this is, I found myself laughing with them. I love the innocence and humor of children.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
First Day!
This semester I begin "student teaching" every day with some really awesome 3rd graders. Last semester I was with them every Thursday and this is one step closer to getting into the real world. Teaching is huge passion of mine. During my time at ECU I have been blessed to learn a great deal about teaching and children and now I get to apply it, while learning and growing.
One of my requirements this semester is to write a reflection for each day I'm at the school. I thought it would be neat to share these reflections with the world. While every day may not be interesting to read, it will be a great way for me to reflect while sharing my life with friends and family. Besides, kids are incredibly interesting every day, so I'm sure I will have some interesting stories to share! I also named my blog "Standing Upon My Desk" from the film, Dead Poets Society.
Watch this clip:
In this clip, Robin Williams character John Keating says, "I stand upon my desk to remind myself that we must constantly look at things in a different way." One of my favorite things about being a teacher is the ability to learn and grow more each day. I know this semester and every year of teaching will be filled with constant reflection of how I can learn more to be the best teacher for the children.
Now, on to the adventures of today's teaching! As a majority of Greenville was hit with loads of snow/ice Greenville was fortunate to only have some cold, nasty rain/sleet. However, the talk on the news and the little ice we did get allowed there to be a 2 hour delay. As excited as I was to get to school and begin teaching it was really nice getting to get a little extra sleep. When I got out to my car I had a load of ice on the windshield. Most of the time in Eastern North Carolina I don't need a window scraper....so I don't have one. Being inventive I used a old plastic hanger in my car. It worked perfectly! I was pretty proud for being so inventive.
Once I got to the school it was wonderful seeing all the faces from last semester. Hearing "Ms.Martin" again brough a big smile to my face. I stood outside the door hearing the kids share about their breaks and their favorite things. It is always a joy to hear them share about their lives. I found out we have three new students in our class! I went up to each of them and introduced myself and told them I can't wait to get to know them better and be with them every day. Once the day began I got to see how hectic a 2 hour delay makes the day. Classes were shorter and the kids were much wilder. School started at 10am and we had lunch at 10:30. It is going to take some serious getting used to eating so early!
Once we got back we switched to our Reading classes. Our reading class is the "high" reading class. They are really such great kids and very smart. Ms. Johnston had to do some testing with students so I did the "centers" teaching. They were working in groups to create a flow map. While I was walking around I noticed a couple boys at one table pretty upset. I went over to see what was wrong. One of the boys looked up at me and said, "I just can't do it. I can't do the multiplication tables...and I can't do this." I brought him over to the table with me and gave him a hug. Then I told him to take a few deep breaths with me and explain what he's feeling. I really think 3rd grade can be such a hard grade because this is their first year of testing and their is a little of pressure. I realized that these kids care so much and it is important to praise them often and help them realize that the best they can do is to give their very best.
After Reading we had our Math class. Our Math class is very challenging for both behavioral reasons as well as academic. However, it is one of my favorite times of the day because you can see such growth. I really hope that I can give this class a lot of opportunities to see math as fun. I'm in the process of making them "thinking caps" to help encourage them in their learning. I think the more excited I am about teaching the more excited they will be about learning (hopefully)!
At the end of the day I had the students line up for the end of the day. As the students were lining up one of the boys had 2 back packs on. The boys around him asked why he had an extra one. I listened in because I was curious too. He explained he has it because they give him food in the bag every week to take home and then he brings it back to get more. As he explained this I realized he wasn't ashamed by this at all. I chimed in saying, "Wow! That is so cool! I'm sure there is some really good stuff in that bag. Even cooler...it is a mystery! You will have to come back and tell me what delicious food is in it tomorrow." He smiled really big and I could see he felt special.
As the kids all left I gave each of them a hug and told each one that I can't wait to see them tomorrow. Overall, it was such a great day. Now I just have to find a way to actually sleep by 10!
Challenge of the Day: Working on getting whole class attention without having to yell. I'm not a yeller by nature and want to find some more ways to get all the students on task. I plan to implement something tomorrow.
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