Reflecting on Week One

The end of week one has arrived and I find myself realizing that it is going to be very difficult to leave come November. Not only do I love the students and their eagerness to learn, but I feel like I have been welcomed into a family of professionals with the warmest hearts you will ever know. I fit in here well and enjoy every second of the day I am within the walls of Cold Springs Middle School. Sure it is hard work, and yes there are those students that try your patience, but isn’t that what this age group is all about? Shouldn’t I be expecting those trying times for after all, this is my moment to learn how to deal with them and to refine my skills so that I can become a great educator?

        This week I found the class room techniques that work best and those that do not. Raising my hand and having them hold each other accountable for getting themselves and their peers to be quiet works wonders. I can usually quiet them down inside 10 seconds. My lead teacher, a veteran teacher for nearly 30 years or more still uses the old school techniques of raising the voice, and I found that it takes the students roughly 45 seconds to a minute to quiet down, and even then he needs to readdress it during that time. I have not yet used the marbles in the heart dish I purchased as a noise-induced attention-getter, because the students have not taken it to that level. The beginning of the day is easier to manage them than at the end of the day, but then I am a parent and already know this with my own kids. When I gain full control of the classroom, this will be my time when I get them more mobile in the classroom for instruction and this should help with them being agitated in their seats. Though my lead teacher is an incredible instructor and full of valuable skills, I do see and realize why UNR teaches us the new techniques for managing the classroom. It’s more positive for the students, and by thanking them for managing themselves and passing out reward paws dollars for them to purchase things with at the student store, is by far a more effective and rewarding way to discipline than to constantly yell at them and only pay attention to bad behavior and the consequences to that.

        This week I tried a technique that I learned in Dr. Virginia Beck’s students with special needs class. I have a student, we’ll call him Student M, that has some behavioral problems. When I greeted him in the morning he was not interested in returning the greeting. Rather than trying to suck up to him to “get him to like me” I walked away. When I was asked to pass out some handouts to the students, I utilized Student M’s assistance and it turned his behavior right around. We had a good day, and he even smiled. Just by giving him that opportunity to be important for a moment made all the difference in this kid’s day. His behavior towards me in the class was that of all the other students and it reinforced to me just giving them that moment to shine can make all the difference. I will definitely be using this technique again with this student and others.

Days 1 & 2

Wow, what an amazing two days! I am going to have so much fun! I love the 5th grade team teachers and I have managed to learn all my students names by the end of the first day when they are in their seats, and about 90% of them when I see them in the hall or outside while waiting for the bell. I have an incredible group of students that are very bright and creative thinkers. Yes there are the troubles and trials, but in all the group as a whole is awesome! EIther these students just rock or I've chosen the right profession (perhaps a little bit of each). I've completed my first lesson plan for a writing mini-lesson and sent it to my lead teacher, who will be reviewing it and then giving me a date as to when we will place it next week. On Friday of next week I'll be the main teacher for the day which is exciting because of the short week and the fact that the students have been testing on Wednesday, so we get to have a fun day of learning instead of just routine schedule. I'm going to be pulling out some of my fun science stuff we learned in Dr. Crowther's class and some of the fun activities we did in Dr. O'Reilly's Social Studies methods class. I'll be doing some tanagram activities for math and some working with some fun writing skills excersizes like Mad Libs or something for ELA. Learning still happens, we just don't have to stick with the main schedule. I'm really excited about this day and super nervous also, because my lead teacher will not be there is I lose management. Next week is going to be about preparing for this day. I have not had the opportunity to substitute teach for the school district prior to this day, so this is realy my first time on my own!!!

My First Full Day!

While teaching the students begins on Monday, today was my first full day at the school. I've been up since 5am and I'm starting to see double of everything this evening! Adjustment time and acclimation shall be my focus over the weekend, rather than sleeping in.

In all it was a fabulous day. I have my first official mini lesson to plan for writing. I think I'm going to jump in with a workshop with writing stations at each set of desks. The assignment is to teach them the stages of pre-writing (remember it's a mini lesson so it shouldn't have all the stages of writing yet) so a workshop with them moving from station to station will not only be good for the kids to get up and about, but also would make for a great first observation with my UNR supervisor and the principal! I get to do this mini lesson during the second week. Also if it's a successful lesson, I may get to teach it in 6th period writing enrichment. This would be an awesome opportunity to show my skills in differentiating because during the mini lesson its the whole class an during enrichment its about 7- 13 students that need the extra support.

I can't explain yet in words the excitement I feel. I'm on the precipice of something great. Days before my dream begins. I explained to my husband, an immigrant from Eastern Europe, that today I feel the same as he did 10 years ago after he got the Visa to America, bought his plane ticket and was on the train to the airport. My take-off is Sunday night and I land on Monday morning starting my new life!

Watch Out 5th Grade...Ready or Not Here I Come!!!

Getting Initiated in the World of Teaching!

Today was my first official day as a student intern. OMG! I am so excited I think I'll burst. I am going to love working with Mr. Albright. He and I think along the same brain wave. Right down to color coding our subjects. It was not planned. I put my Portfolio II binder together many days ago, and designated the color blue for science (blue is my favorite color, and science is my favorite subject so naturally I put them together), math is purple because that is my other favorite color and my other favorite subject. Social studies is green and ELA is red. Well, low and behold today we are meeting with our UNR supervisor and and opening up our binders (his was the 5th grade standards and lesson plans) and wouldn't you know, he sees things the way I do and his colors matched mine per subject! Both of us are a bit OCD when it comes to organization, so we are going to get along just fine =)

I met with the other teachers of the team for 5th grade as well as the other school administration and grade teachers. It seems to be a tight knit family and they welcomed me with open arms and open classroom doors. I'll be getting the opportunity to come teach lessons and observe in the other 5th grade classrooms as well a a full day observation in a subject I choose (Science probably) for 6th 7th and 8th grade so that I can see where the students are headed towards in their futures at Cold Springs Middle School. The principal seems really glad to have me there and is looking forward to observing how I progress as a student teacher! UNR was not kidding when they said your student teaching semester is like one big job interview. I really want to be assigned to this school, and so I NEED to shine this semester!

Notes I need to remember though, are my eyes seems to dry up in the building. I must bring my eye drops and get my vision tested soon. I have to convince the insurance company to let me be seen a month early, because my eyes will not make it to October when I am due for my annual exam. I also need to get my flu shot this year! A must and I should do it tomorrow when I am on the UNR campus so I can get it and the HEP A/B series for free!

Tomorrow I will be going to the ice cream social to meet with students and their parents as they get their class assignments. I get to bring my kids with me, and that should help little Natalie understand "Where's Mami going?" In all I am very excited for the school year to begin. I worked very hard to get to this point and next to having my children, this is my dream come true! Bring it on!!!!

One Month and counting

Over the next month as I begin to prepare for student teaching I find myself excited and looking forward to the adventures ahead. 5th grade is such a special time in a student's life and to have the priviledge of being a part of that experience for Mr. Albright's class is one that I am truly grateful for.

As I prepare for 5th grade teaching, I am also preparing for the exams that will undoubtedly make or break me for obtaining my license. Though I am confident I will do well on these tests, there is always that apprehension one gets while preparing for such an important exam.

Next week I have my interview and screening with the Washoe County School District for substitute teaching. Everything is beginning to line up, and soon the time will come to no longer be the student but to be the teacher!