Week 7 Reflection

Sarah Gilbert

Friday, October 2, 2015

Week Rating: 4

Questions to end the week:

What pleasant surprises/accomplishments did I achieve this week?

The best part of this week happened today.  Today is the last day for the students to get their AR points to meet their goal.  We had the students put their heads down on their desks and close their eyes.  If they had never made their AR goals before, they raised their hand.  My behavior student raised his hand, which did not really surprise me.  However, I knew he was close to making his goal today.  He has been reading with me over the past few days and taking his tests with me, and I knew how hard he was working.  In the last twenty minutes of class, he finished reading a book, read it again to me, retold it to me, I quizzed him on it, and then he took his AR test.  He made a 100 and made his goal for the first time ever! I got so excited and I pretty much did a happy dance.  I also sent home a note for his mom telling her that he made his goal and he had worked very hard and how proud I was of him.  It may seem small and insignificant, but it means the world to me!

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

This week, I have learned how to manage the class time better.  I’ve learned how fast things can be done, even though I do sometimes under-estimate my time.

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

This week has shown me that I really am making progress with the students, and I hope things continue this way.

What could I have spent more or less time doing?

This week, I wish I had spent more time finishing my unit.  I teach it the week after next, and I will be uneasy about it until I finish it.  I am excited about my Sarah, Plain and Tall unit.

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

I didn’t have too many issues with this this week.  The only issue that I have, and it isn’t even a huge deal:  I do not have a login for Renaissance, which is the AR program, so I can’t check their progress.  It annoys me, but isn’t a huge problem.

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

The first steps for next week are to plan for the week after, and to get ready for Tuesday, after the long weekend.  It’s going to be weird to not see my students.

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

This week, we have been analyzing AR data, the results from the math test last week, and the problem sets for the lessons to make sure that students are understanding the material, since time can be a tricky subject to learn.

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.  This week was absolutely crazy due to all of the rain, but we made it through.

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

I am still finding ways to help my special needs students.  I have been recording books for them, and one student has been using a stress ball to fidget with underneath his desk during instruction, which has helped tremendously.  He used to make his cap erasers have a “war” on his desk.

·             Standard 3b – Teachers know the content appropriate to their teaching specialty:  Learning the new methods of math instruction is complicated.  We have been measuring time this week and I was not taught the same way, so I was completely lost, but my CE helped me sort that out.

·             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 help from my CE, especially when it comes to material that is taught differently now from the way I learned it.

·             Standard 5c – Teachers function effectively in a complex, dynamic environment:  This week has been very interesting with all of the things we’ve had going on this week, and all of the rain, but we have managed, and still had things to celebrate.

Other:

·             Components of the portfolio started/completed:

o   Technology Tools

o   PDP – in progress (shared)

o   Student Work Samples collected

o   Interviews for behavior management project

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

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