Week 6 Reflection

Sarah Gilbert

Friday, September 25, 2015

Week Rating: 4

Questions to end the week:

What pleasant surprises/accomplishments did I achieve this week?

This has been my second full time week. I enjoyed being able to plan bulleted lesson plans.  That has helped me so much this week. I have also been working very hard to help my students find books they like.  This week, I looked for books for one of the boys using the types of things that he liked reading.  He typically avoided chapter books because he was scared of them.  He has the ability to read them, but he just avoided them.  He liked non-fiction books, but he had also liked stories that were historical fiction.  I found the first book of the Magic Tree House books, and he absolutely loved it!  He is currently reading another book.

What lessons did my work/experiences teach me that I will build upon next week?

This week, I have learned that I the students work very well they are challenged.  I have not worked with eight and nine year olds as much as Mrs. Lawson has.  There are some things that I am not sure of how the students should be able to do things.  For example, I had no idea that eighteen students could use the restroom in less than five minutes with only three stalls per bathroom (I have 13 boys).  However, Mrs. Lawson said that they could, and so I have been timing the students during the restroom break, and they have been able to do it.  And now they understand that if they are not finished and back in the classroom before the timer goes off, they have to clip down.  Our clip chart really does work, and we are constantly moving clips up and down.

How are my short-term efforts and my long-term goals still aligned?

One of my goals involves my interactions with my students; how I make them excited about school and learning.  Today, all of the kids were sad and gloomy because of the rain, since we would not be able to have Fun Friday Recess.  I turned on GoNoodle’s indoor recess and let them dance and move and exercise with the video.  When I turned that off, I let my girls (I only have five) demonstrate the Cupid Shuffle that they have practicing on the playground this week.  By the end of the Fun Friday time period, I was doing the cupid shuffle and the cha-cha slide with my students, and we had a blast.  One of my boy’s came up to me and said “Miss. Gilbert – we never know what you are gonna do”.  That made so excited, because it seemed that they were curious and wanted to know what was going to happen next, and so I felt like they enjoy the things I do.

What could I have spent more or less time doing?

This week, I should have spent more time planning the week after next.  I have started, but I wish I could have progressed further than what I have. I turn in my lessons to Mrs. Lawson on Wednesday, so I wish I had gotten farther.

How did apprehension and indecision impact what I did and didn’t do?

Indecision is an issue when it involves doing things that I am not sure of the process that Mrs. Lawson would prefer. 

What is the first logical steps for next week?  What mental clutter can I clear?

The first steps for next week are to finish planning, no matter what happens.  I am still a little on edge about a lot of things, so I need to calm myself down a bit and move forward.

What were some data you analyzed this week and how did it help did it help guide your decisions?

North Carolina Professional Teaching Standards

·             Standard 1a – Teachers lead their classrooms:  I have taken over the whole schedule now, and I am leading the classroom. 

·             Standard 2d -Teachers adapt their teaching for the benefit of students with special needs:

I have made lots of progress with my special needs students.

·             Standard 3b – Teachers know the content appropriate to their teaching specialty:  Learning the new methods of multiplication and division instruction are still challenging, but I am working extra hard to keep ahead of my own planning.

·             Standard 4b – Teachers plan instruction appropriate for their students:  This week, I have been planning the lessons that I will be teaching next week.  I have used the county curriculum websites as well as a lot of Mrs. Lawson’s help to make sure that the lessons are appropriate for eight and nine year olds.  Mrs. Lawson has also given me a lot of tips for how to work with eight year olds, since I do not have very much experience with this age group.

·             Standard 5c – Teachers function effectively in a complex, dynamic environment:  This week, I have taken over the full day, and we are mostly settled into our schedule.  I have written the daily schedule on the board, and that helps us all so much! The schedule also helps the kids transition to the next thing – someone goes up and erases the subject that we just finished, and announces what is coming next.  It works very well for us.

Other:

·             Components of the portfolio started/completed:

o   Technology Tools

o   PDP – in progress (shared)

o   Professional Development

o   Student Work Samples collected

·             Mrs. Lawson does not need anything from Dr. Parker at this time.

·             I do not need anything from Dr. Parker at this time.