Rate
I would rate this week a 4 out of 5, more because of my own tiredness than the kids or the teaching.
Observe
This week I was pleasantly surprised by the outcomes of my behavior plan. My plan is in place to benefit a student who has trouble focusing and frequently zones out during instruction. This week we implemented a check list on his desk. He gets a check mark for every 10 minutes that he is completely focused. This week he only missed getting 5 or 6 checks total. It was almost like working with a completely different child. His test scores also improved tremendously this week, jumping 24 points in math and 14 points in reading. I am very pleased and hope this trend continues.
Reflect
This week, I realized what a huge difference taking time to figure out what works for a student can make. My behavior management student has become a new person this week and it's great!!!
Focus
This weekend I will focus on finishing up Task 3 and getting everything organized to teach edTPA math next week.
Be Productive
This week I could have been more productive in working on Task 3. However, I did not want to fall behind in my lesson planning as it is an all week job.
Have Courage
I do not feel that apprehension or fear held me back this week.
Begin Anew
This weekend, I want to have edTPA Reading Tasks finalized so I can begin fresh with edTPA Math next week and not have the stress of both assignments hanging over my head.
Data
This week, I got a lot of formative assessment data from math station time and was able to hone in on areas that my students really needed extra practice in preparation for their tests. For the most part, I think it paid off. However, I still had a few students with grades much lower than I would have liked to see.
Advice
I would like to tell student teachers to take this experience very seriously because it is preparing us to step into the real world in a few short months and lead classrooms of our own with no CE present.
NCTCS
This week, I would say I grew in the area of NCTCS 5a (teachers analyze student learning). Recording data in math centers and reading stations has been something I have struggled with this semester, but this week I think I finally got it. I created a table on Word and I printed it out and I can put student names in, what problem we are solving or what question I am asking and record student answers. This has proven to be a great tool to look back at and see where students need extra practice.
Portfolio
This weekend, I will be finishing my edTPA Reading and getting everything organized and prepared for my edTPA Math.
University Supervisor
After the observation this afternoon, my CE and I have no questions.
Leslea,
ReplyDeleteI am proud of you on working until you found the following....."I think I finally got it. I created a table on Word and I printed it out and I can put student names in, what problem we are solving or what question I am asking and record student answers. This has proven to be a great tool to look back at and see where students need extra practice." You can use this data for differentiation and really making a difference in meeting the needs of your students. GREAT JOB!!
Leslea,
ReplyDeleteI am glad your week went well and your behavior plan is starting to fall into place! I am sure your EdTPA is coming along great, but I can definitely related to being exhausted this week because I found myself in the same situation. I hope you were able to relax and regain some strength to endure this next week! We are almost there and your advice makes me really excited because I am so ready to have my own classroom!!!! I hope you have a good week this coming week too!
Jessica
Leslea,
ReplyDeleteI am pleased to hear about your behavior plan. I think it is amazing that you are seeing such a huge difference in his performance at school throughout the day and the entire week. Also, its awesome that you are getting so much accomplished and read for edTPA I know it can be stressful and add so much to your plate. Keep up the good work.
Awesome about your behavior plan, Leslea! I've had a similar experience! You're advice is so true. When I think about the fact that I have three weeks of teaching left and then BAM! That's it! In just a few short months, it'll just be us. I know that you're going to do great on your on! Proud of all your hard work! Keep it up, girl!
ReplyDeleteI am glad that your behavior plan is working out! That must be so very encouraging. I totally understand about trying to complete the edTPA portion. Sometimes it does get a little difficult because I can get caught up in lesson planning as well. I hope that you have a great week this week! :)
ReplyDeleteLeslea, I am glad to see you are having success with your behavior plan! Tiredness is to be expected- I think it is just going to be a part of our lives forever now! :) I know it is a good feeling to be finishing up edTPA- I am so ready to turn it in and be done! I like the idea of math stations, that is something I am looking into...Let's talk about it Tuesday at the seminar!
ReplyDeleteLeslea,
ReplyDeleteI'm glad your behavior plan is working! Just like Mrs. Suttle said, if we need to adjust it to meet the needs of our students, we shouldn't be afraid of doing that. I hear you on the edTPA comments. It is a trying process, but one I believe we can also learn from. Good blog, you are almost there! :)