Week 13 Reflection

Week 13 Reflection

Sarah Gilbert

Friday, November 13, 2015

Week Rating: 5

Questions to end the week:

What pleasant surprises/accomplishments did I achieve this week?

This week has gone by very well.  I have gotten amazing compliments this week from my CE, as well as other teachers here.  A second grade teacher across the hall told me yesterday evening that she had stood outside my door for a brief moment that day and listened to one of my lessons, and that she was very impressed with and how it was going!  I’m not sure which lesson she heard, but it made me so happy!  My CE has given me lots of compliments on my math instruction this week, which has been where a huge part of my focus is. 

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

This week has been eventful with my evidences meeting and fourth evaluation, and I now know which specific standards that I still need to work on.  The specific help is awesome to help me finish up next week with the last few standards I need.  This weekend, as well as next week, will involve a lot of portfolio work.  I have several components finished, but I still to compile them all together and assemble my livebinder.  The videos and the screencasts are the hardest part.

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

Both my CE and my US given me a lot of compliments with my math instruction, and I have definitely made a lot of improvement in math.  I am also more confident in math, which I think was a lot of my problem to begin with.  This has improved in the last two weeks, which also helped the standards to be checked off, which is awesome!

What could I have spent more or less time doing?

This week, I wish I could have gotten more portfolio things done.  Although it is progressing well, living in a place that cannot get internet access is frustrating when so many things have to be uploaded and downloaded.  It can be frustrating.

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

Indecision wasn’t a problem this week, and apprehension has not been too much of an issue either. Some things are annoying when it comes to having the “student teacher” title, like not having access to the Renaissance Learning site or not having a key card to get back in from recess on my own. Other than that, this week has been really great.

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

I have officially planned my last week of lessons, so next week will be spent working on organizing a lot of portfolio requirements. 

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

This week, we looked at the progress monitoring data from last week.  Flex groups aren’t changing until January, but there are already some that I know will be moving out of my Tier 2 group, as well as some coming in.  It is good to know that the students are improving.

North Carolina Professional Teaching Standards

·             Standard 1a – Teachers lead their classrooms:  I have definitely been leading the classroom in every way I can. 

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

More small group instruction has been better integrated into the math lessons, which I am still nervous about.

·             Standard 3b – Teachers know the content appropriate to their teaching specialty:   This week, we have started the most dreaded thing in math; putting letters into mathematics.  While the students are understanding it just fine now, I know how much a pain this will cause them later, so I want to give them as much practice with it as I can, so they will be more prepared for it later.

·             Standard 4b – Teachers plan instruction appropriate for their students:  The lessons for next week are not as integrated as I would prefer them to be, but my CE approved it since it takes so long to teach the three branches of government to the students.  She said that since we only have social studies three times a week, it could easily take two weeks to teach government.  I just wish I could integrate it with the reading lessons.

·             Standard 5c – Teachers function effectively in a complex, dynamic environment: This week has been less hectic than last week, by far, but having one day off through them off as well.  On Tuesday, our Veteran’s Day program went 30 minutes longer than what we expected, and then I had 45 minutes to teach both reading and math (which is normally an hour each).  I was worried that I was going too fast, but my CE told me that I did awesome, which made me very happy.

Other:

·             Components of the portfolio started/completed:

o    PDP – in progress (updates are shared)

o    Professional Development updated and completed

o    Student Work Samples collected

o    Unit completed

·             My CE does not need anything from Dr. Parker at this time.

·             I do not need anything from Dr. Parker at this time.  Thank you for meeting with me this week!