As a Matter a Fact-Solids-Liquids and Gases-Sylvia Bradshaw

This week I had the pleasure of teaching a spooky Halloween theme science lesson on states of matter. I started the lesson with a dry ice experiment that went over very well with the students.  The experiment was was followed by a PowerPoint presentation and a collaboration activity.  I was still a bit nervous for this lesson but not as nervous as the first.  I think that a bit of nerves are a good thing in order to perform well in a lesson, but the trick is not to let the nerves over come you and I'm still learning how to make sure that doesn't happen.  The flow that this lesson had was good, I think that the transitions were seamless, even when I was writing the lesson I could tell that everything went together very well.  To see the written plan executed in the classroom is always something that amazes me especially when the lesson goes over well and it did with particular lesson. 

One of the things that I like the best about my lesson plan this week was that instead of an independent practice, I had the student do a collaboration activity. I enjoyed seeing the students work together in a group and having conversations about why they classified items as either a solid liquid or a gas.  I feel that not only were they learning from the lesson that was presented to them, but they were also learning from one another. I believe that this was the first time that I have done a collaboration activity, it will definitely be something that I will do again.  Another thing that I did that was new for me was a Kahoot! review.  My students LOVED the Kahoot!.  They were begging at the end to play it again.  I love it when the students get excited about learning and while they were playing a game they were still learning the concept of solids, liquids and gas.

At the end of the day I passed out Halloween candy bags that I made for each student and thanked them for being so great during my lesson.

Week 9: Eighth Day in the Classroom

Week 9: Eighth Day in the Classroom

Date: Friday, October 29^th, 2021

By: Monica Schrank  

Today was my second day of teaching my lesson to the students. The students were learning about how to add using a hundreds chart. This was the first the students had ever used a hundreds chart to add, so when planning for this lesson, I had to think of how I could teach them about the hundreds chart in a way that was fun, engaging and easy for them to remember. I came up with a chant that helped the students remember how to add, which the students loved because it not only got them moving, but helped them to remember the path that they take when adding using a hundreds chart. While I was teaching my lesson, I realized that teaching the hundreds chart while going over problems, was taking longer than expected. I realized that I had to take out my GP and keep giving them sample problems that we did together. Making this on-the-spot and quick decision was such an eye-opening experience for me. I realized that no matter how hard you prepare for your lesson, it will not always go as planned. Therefore, making that instant decision allowed me to read the students and see that I could change my GP and allow the students to still learn but in a different way. I truly enjoyed teaching the students about adding using a hundreds chart so they could add another strategy to their math “toolbox” to help them add or subtract numbers.

 For Daily 5 this week the students were working with the teacher on their CVC words while I observed the teacher, which allowed me to see how she works with her groups of students. Seeing how the students work with the teacher, provided me with more guidance on how I can help them when I work with them individually on the same topic but with different groups. My MT provided the students with a variety of tools that they can use to help make learning CVC words easier such as pop its, Legos that the students wrote the word that they heard, and magnetic squares. I did not realize how beneficial it was to provide the students with Legos that they could write the letters of the CVC words that the mentor teacher was pronouncing; It allowed the students to understand that the consonants were at the beginning and end which was why the students used red for them and the vowels in the middle were yellow to help them understand CVC words. I noticed the concept of CVC was difficult for some of the students. However, by using the different tools like the pop-its, Legos, and magnetic squares, the students visually were able to grasp the concept. I made a mental note to make sure that I use tools like these in my future classroom to make it easier for the students to understand concepts such as CVC. I also got to walk around the classroom and see what the other students do when they are not meeting with me or my MT; The students can read to themselves, write in their journal, or read books on Epic. I liked seeing more about Daily 5 because when I am working with my group, I do not get to see what the other students do. I am teaching my third lesson next week and cannot wait to teach the students about the ocean habitat!

Field Experience- Cordova

 Hi Everyone! 

This week was my week off from teaching, I will be teaching my Social Studies lesson next week. I am excited for this lesson, I made an activity that I think the students will really like. My topic is on maps and at first I had a hard time simplifying and making sure it is developmentally appropriate. This will be an introduction to maps for the students so I am excited to see what they take away from the lesson. I was also able to meet with my teacher after school to get some more tips and collaborate on ideas. As far as the classroom goes, the students are learning about adjectives, and I was able to teach the lesson to one of the groups. I would describe an animal that they had to guess and they were to draw what animal they believed it was based on my descriptions. We also reviewed subject and predicates with a worksheet and reviewed a lifecycle of a plant on kahoot. 

Since the weather is getting cold the students are expected to have more indoor recess. My MT is sending a note out to the parents to see if they are able to donate any games. I have extra games at home that I don't use anymore that I plan on donating. My goal for next week is to make sure I have everything prepared for my lesson and make sure that I give myself time to practice it a few times before I teach. I feel that when the practice and work is put into the lesson plan it makes the teaching flow smoothly and comes out naturally. Another goal I have is to observe the math teacher that the students rotate to, this way I can get ideas and brainstorm for my math lesson. I hope everyone is doing great, we are halfway there! 😊

Why Leaves Change Color in Fall

 By: Melissa Cabrales

Thursday, October 28, 2021

Today I taught my science lesson about why leaves change color in fall. I was pretty excited about this lesson because I thought it was fun and the students would enjoy it. I would say this was the least nervous I've been since starting to teach. I think I was well prepared and made sure to really understand the content. I was able to break down the scientific method behind why leaves change color for second graders to understand it. My students had fun with it and really enjoyed this lesson. I made sure to really question my students throughout the lesson so they could really understand the content. I would say this was my best lesson yet! I didn't think I liked science but when you find an interesting topic and become creative in how to teach it to young children, it becomes fun! 

I'm really enjoying my students. Second grade is so much fun! The students are independent and so sweet. I keep thinking how we only have a few weeks left with them. It's going to be sad to leave them since this is my first actual in person class. In field experiences 1 and 2, they were remote and it was just very different. With being in person, it's easier to make real connections with the students. I always thought I'd want kindergarten but now I'm thinking 1st or 2nd grade. Teaching this age is really fun because they get so excited and are so encouraging. When I was getting ready for my lesson, a little girl in the class said, "Mrs. Cabrales, you're going to do great!" Another boy said, "can you stay in your classroom? Your lessons are always so fun!" They're just too kind. 

I had a great week this week! Now I'll be brainstorming about my next lesson and what I'll teach the class next time!

Science Lesson!

 Science Lesson

October 28, 2021

By: Alejandra Govea 

Today I taught my science plan and the students were engaged. I taught all about the water cycle. I was able to show a quick video that explains what happens in a water cycle. The students were also amazed when I did an experiment of  a rainy cloud. I was able to ask questions during the experiment and the students were being responsible and respectful. I noticed that the students were able to listen throughout my lesson. As the weeks pass, the students understand that we have class management when I am teaching. I constantly need to stop and wait or figure out ways to catch their attention and have them refocus again. 

The students were so excited to create their own water cycle on their own. I made sure that my example of my water cycle and the definitions of each stage was presented in front of the class. I did not focus on the students remembering the name of the different stages. I focused more on the students knowing how the water cycle works and looks like. My students needed more information about the water cycle rather than defining and knowing the stages of the water cycle. I personally thought that my science lesson was fun and engaging with hands-on activities.

Week 8 by Aranis Samra

     What a week, my second time teaching!! My subject was science and my lesson was on Surface Tension, I had the students use these materials in the picture to experiment. I felt more confident in my content and even my lesson plan this time, but I think I was mistaken. I began giving my science lesson and discovered that I had downloaded an incomplete PowerPoint, which made me quite nervous, and things went downhill from there. I didn't divert the children's attention to another activity until the situation was resolved, which would have been the ideal thing to do. But there were still so many other errors at that moment. I understand that we learn from our mistakes, but this one slapped me hard in the face. I thought I'd gotten over my fear of giving presentations and was finally getting the hang of things, but I was far from it. So I'll have to stay on my toes. I seem to do better under pressure. Also triple check your technology and what your using to present that's my biggest regret. 

    In terms of the students, they are extremely kind and understanding. They expressed their happiness with the experiment, which made me happy to know they were involved. I need to concentrate on perfecting my lesson plan writing skills and focusing more on my students rather than the fact that I am being observed. These last few classes have reminded me of how much I want to do this, and being in person has reminded me of why I wanted to teach in the first place. The satisfaction and love received from the students is something hard to describe, it really warmed my heart. 

Thursday funday

 Alexandra Slater 

Sunday, October 24th, 2021

    Thursday was a great day! It was spirit week, so I participated with the students and staff by wearing the school colors and jeans. If my students behave a certain amount of days they get sprinkles added to their donut on smart board. This week they were able to completely fill the donut with sprinkles so they earned a movie day.  On top of the movie day, we had an assembly with the Crete- Monee fire fighters. We got to go outside and see the fire truck and ambulance which was super cool. The students were super intrigued the entire and asked looks of questions to the fire fighters. Before we went to the assembly my teacher mentor made sure to let the students know to only ask questions and not say comments. I loved how she mentioned this because often 1st graders just want to tell stories constantly. After the assembly the rest of the day we worked very hard to complete phonics, math, writing, and spelling so we could use the other half for the movie. As usual, I took the lead on morning opener and yellow book! I am getting very comfortable with yellow book. At first I was SO nervous about doing it because it seems complicated but the more you do it the more confident you get with it.

 I supported a group of students struggling with math at the back table. We worked on subtracting by 9's through number bonds. Math isn't my strong subject so I really like getting time to work with students on because as much as i am helping them they are also helping me by getting me prepared for stuff like this. . I clipped my first student down as well. My teacher mentor kept telling me repeatedly that I need to "crack the whip" so that's exactly what I did.  I feel like this needed to happen anyways for the students to take me more seriously. The students really enjoyed the movie and my teacher mentor even brought in popcorn for them to eat during the movie. During the movie we were surprised with the fire alarm going off. It was a false alarm thank goodness, but it was good to see the schools and classes procedure when there is a fire drill. Overall, it was a great day filled with lots of fun! Up next, my second lesson plan! Wish me luck :) 

Week 8: Seventh Day in the Classroom

Week 8: Seventh Day in the Classroom

Date: Thursday, October 21^st, 2021

By: Monica Schrank  

For the Daily 5 for this week, the students were practicing their recognition of text features such as table of contents, subheading, bold text, photograph, caption, diagram, index, glossary, and nonfiction. A few weeks ago, the students practiced their recognition of text features by working on a Seasaw activity by looking through a nonfiction book and take pictures of the different text features. So today, the students were reviewing recognizing the different text features by find them in a nonfiction book and working on a quiz by filling in the text feature word with its correct definition. As mentioned last week, the three groups of students that I worked with have different academic levels, so, for the second and third group, I had to explain more for those students what the different text features were. The nonfiction books were used if the students needed help and by looking in the book, they could visually see what the specific text feature was. Some of the students needed help, but for the most part the students were able to finish the quiz with little to no help. This showed me that students knew what the different text features were and what they mean while also using the nonfiction book to help them find real/visual examples of the different text feature.

            Today was my first day of teaching my lesson to the students. The students were learning about fact and opinion from the story that they read called Jellies: The Life of a Jellyfish. The students were very engaged and focused during the lesson which helped me to know that they were paying attention. The students really enjoyed my part of the lesson where they found as many facts and opinions that they could in the text and put them on the board in the T-chart labeled Fact and Opinion. With this being my first lesson to teach in person, I was pleased with how the lesson went. During my lesson, I was walking around and one of the students said that this lesson was fun (which made me feel really good) because that showed me that I was keeping their attention and teaching in a way that was fun and engaging for the students. A few of the students needed help during their independent practice, so I was able to help those students one-on-one by focusing on facts and opinions and how to know if a statement is a fact or opinion. Overall, it was an eventful day observing and being in the classroom again with the students. I am really glad my first lesson is done because I feel more comfortable (not so nervous) and cannot wait to teach the students next!

Literacy WG Teaching- Field Experience

 Hello everyone!

This week I taught my literacy whole group lesson on inferencing, luckily I think it went pretty well! The students really seemed to enjoy the lesson and were engaged the whole time.  There were a few times where the students got pretty excited so I had to bring them back to focus, but there were no huge disruptions. I had the students us an interactive site that they have not used before so we used extra time to set that up. Their activity had a two-step process, illustrating and recording an audio, they loved it! My next lesson plan is Social Studies so my next goal is to brainstorm possible topics and meet with my teacher to get her opinion. I want to find a topic that is developmentally appropriate for the students and can still be engaging. Aside from my lesson the students practiced words with a vowel-consonant-e in them during foundations. My MT had them break up the word, spell it, and then us it in a sentence. 

For Science the students continued their lesson that began on Monday on why bees are important. I helped teach the lesson and guide the students to complete the activity. The activity consisted of the students creating a 3D flower and using pipe cleaners to make a bee. We then put the students in partners and gave them each a different color of glitter, representing the pollen. The students were learning that the pollen sticks to the bees and they spread to each flower as they drink the nectar. Towards the end of the day I was able to help the students practice for their spelling test tomorrow. I would call on each student, hold up the word and read it to them and then cover it so they could try to spell it. We decided to sing while spelling the word to help remember how to spell it during the test. I cannot wait to teach my next lesson, the students enjoy when I teach and my MT is a great help.

Good luck to everyone teaching next week! 😊

Sub day/ Math lesson

 By: Alejandra Govea 

    My MT was absent today and there was a permanent sub. I was impress by the way the sub managed to handle the students because the students do not listen. The sub waited to see when the students were able to be quiet so she can start the lesson. The sub thought that the students were not acting appropriately because of the MT not being in today but this happens every time I come in Thursdays. I liked how the sub took time off of their recess time and had them put everything inside their desk along with having them to wait more time in a quiet zone. The sub was surprised by the students behavior.

    I taught my math lesson on multiplication arrays/grouping. I thought my lesson went well but the only thing that did not go as planned was the AS activity. The students were suppose to get into 2 groups of 9 and they were not able to do it in a quiet zone and they were not focuses. The main reason for group work was to give them an opportunity to get up from their seats before a lesson. I also wanted them to listen and count with me to make sure that we all went into the correct groups. Overall, the students participated and understood the two strategies that we can do to solve a multiplication equation. 

Proper nouns-Tornado Drills-Place Value-Sylvia Bradshaw

Today went by rather quickly.  I got to the school pretty early and was able to spend some time with my CT before class started.  We talked a bit about my upcoming lesson plan and also about what the scholars were doing for the past week. It was nice to have that short time with her to go over just those couple things, the school day goes by so fast that we don't often get a chance to have too much conversation during the day.

I had my usual five minute meet and greet outside of the classroom with the scholars, most of them gave me a hug and I did a high five for everyone else as I went down the line.  These kids are really well behaved and even though sometimes they don't listen they can usually get themselves together without much conversation.  

My CT was observed by the principal during her math lesson and I got an opportunity to see how graceful she is under pressure.  It seemed that everything that could go wrong, was going wrong in that 40 minute time frame.  Two of the scholars were feeling sick, one with a tummy ache and the other was feeling like he had a fever.  There were about 6 students that were pulled out of the room for various reasons and there was one scholar that came in late in the middle of the lesson 😖. As I said before, my CT handled it with grace.  She quickly tended to the two sick scholars, I tended to the young man that came in late and the students that had to leave the room left quickly and quietly. At the end,  I was surprised to hear that even she had some nerves, which I couldn't tell while she was teaching. I guess I don't have to feel so bad when I get nervous about being observed.

Throughout the day we worked on context clues, base ten, place values, proper nouns and point of view.  One thing that I noticed today is that as much as some of the scholars struggle with math, they seem to be much more comfortable when it comes to certain parts of literacy.  When my CT was going over point of view, all the students seem to eagerly want to participate.  It was nice to see that a lot of the student were on the same playing field for that lesson. There was a lot of content that was covered and the scholars were still able to have gym time and recess.  I can't wait to see them next week and share my science lesson, it's Halloween week so, I'll be providing treats for the scholars without the tricks.

Teaching My Students all About Community Heroes

 By: Melissa Cabrales

Thursday, October 21, 2021

Today I felt a bit nervous as it was my day to teach my Social Studies lesson. I planned a lesson for my second grade around community heroes. The students were so excited to learn and take a closer look into the different community jobs. The students were so engaged throughout the lesson and were excited to share their ideas on real life interactions they've had with certain community heroes. Everyone was participating, even the students who normally keep to themselves. I was happy to see them all involved in the lesson and it made me less nervous. I was able to bring in some real life props to show the students and they really seemed to enjoy them. They asked questions about the items and were shocked to find out I had a real life police uniform on hand. My MT also gave me some great feedback and enjoyed my lesson as well. 

The students also took an intense math test which a few students really seemed to struggle with. I was asked to work alongside a student who is ADHD and I really struggled to get him to work. It was like pulling teeth, it was not fun at all. I really had to pull out all kinds of tricks just to get him to write his answers down. This students usually shuts down towards the end of the school day so I knew it would be an issue getting him to work but I didn't think it would be this hard. With a lot of persistence from me, I got him to complete the test. Although I didn't enjoy dealing with his stubbornness, I'm glad I get to work with him so I know what to expect when I am a teacher in my own classroom. Overall, it was a great day and I'm excited to see what I come up with for my science lesson plan next week. 

Book read to the class during lesson

presentation shown to class during lesson

 

Week 7 by Aranis Samra

     This is the week of one-on-ones. This week, I had the opportunity to deal with students that require further assistance and are falling behind. I conducted small group spelling exercises, sight word practice, and even a one-on-one with a student who didn't know how to write properly inside his guided lines. I'm not going to lie, I believe this is the first day in the last seven weeks that I worked from the moment I stepped in until I left.

    On a different note, I received my first farewell embrace. The students were grateful that I took the time to explain things more thoroughly and work with them on little issues that were taking up a lot of their time. You have to understand that the majority of these children do not have a strong support structure at home to help them succeed. That night, I suppose I hugged my own kids a little tighter since it was difficult to realize how much this year of quarantining had affected them. Getting this student up to grade level will require more than a few one-on-one sessions.

    The goal for the next week is to nail my second lesson plan this time would be on Science. That's my favorite subject. 

Late but here Week 6 ! by Aranis Samra

    My very first lesson plan. I was a nervous wreck at the time. I'm not sure if it was because it was my first time presenting a lesson plan or because it was my first time being watched. But I have to say that once I started talking and working on the lesson plan, my anxieties calmed down and everything went lot more smoothly. I discovered a great deal about my own talents and weaknesses. I believe that one of my strengths is that I have taken on the kids and have a deeper knowledge of their requirements in order for them to succeed. I also believe that watching how my MT embraces and listens to them has brought me closer to them, and they are always surprised when I call them by their first names. My weaknesses would be the fact that I felt so anxious before giving a presentation that it overtook my enthusiasm for teaching. Throughout my class, I gained a better grasp of the modifications I need to make to make it simpler for the kids to follow. Overall, it was a fantastic experience that taught me a lot. I came away with a long list of things I need to improve in my next lesson plan.

   My goal for next week is to have more small group time with the students and to find more ways to help those behind. 

P.S: My students said I did a good job and they celebrated me by doing the chicken wing dance.

1st Lesson Plan Completed!

 Alexandra Slater

Sunday, October 17th, 2021 

On Thursday we welcomed a new student into our classroom. I introduced myself and stuck by his side to make sure he didn't feel lost on his first day. He is on the borderline for being in kindergarten / first grade. My teacher mentor mentioned to me that this student probably should of started in kindergarten instead of first grade. So with that being said, during math, spelling, writing, and reading I sat next to him to support him. The students in the class were very sweet and welcoming to the new student as well. They showed him around the school and walked with him to the bathroom when he needed to use it. 

Besides that, I taught my first lesson! Im not going to lie it was pretty nerve wrecking! Once I got into the flow of the lesson I was able to loosen up. The only thing that kind of stunk was that I had to break up my lesson because the students had gym class in the middle of my lesson. I started teaching for about 15 minutes and then had to make sure I stopped with enough time to let them get to gym. Once they got back from gym I had another 15 minutes which was till the end of the day to teach my lesson. I felt overwhelmed with the time restrictions so next time that is something I know I need to mange better. There was also a lot of side comments and talking during my lesson so for the next one I need to get classroom management under control better. Lastly, moving forward I know not to do group work my set of students because they do not work well together in groups. My last activity of the lesson was 3 groups in the class working as a team to complete and investigation / worksheet. With that being said, they can not handle working in big groups with their classmates.  There was way too much goofing around going on instead of working. 

Overall, I'm proud of myself and happy to be done with the first one and know what to expect more for the next one! 

Field Experience- Week 7

 Hello Everyone!

This week was my week off from teaching but I have still been brainstorming possible topics for my literacy lesson. I met with the literacy teacher to discuss what direction I was thinking of going in and thankfully she provided me with a lot of helpful tips. I am excited to put my lesson plan together and create fun and engaging activities for the students. As far as the day with the students, it was a weird day because the students had a shortened schedule. This was because towards the end of the day the students were going to have a virtual meeting on safe and unsafe touches. I was glad I was able to experience the meeting because this is an important topics that students should be informed about. My MT mentioned it to me that this is a new mandated law in the state of Illinois to cover this topic in schools. During the meeting the presenter read a book about a king who hired a maid that would bring her son. The king told the maid that he would take care of the son while she cleans. The king would tickle the boy as a game but then began to touch him in his private parts. To be honest I was taken back that the book was very realistic as to what unfortunately can happen but I think it is important for students to know. 

As far as classroom behavior, there was a student that was acting out more than usual and I could tell the MT was getting frustrated. She mentioned to me that he has been acting out all week. They usually use a behavior chart,  but that does not seem to be effective anymore. I hope as the year goes on they can find a good strategy to use for him. My goal is to create an engaging literacy lesson and be prepared with all my materials. I hope everyone is having a great experience!

Have a great weekend 😊

Wonderful Day - Alejandra Govea

 Week 7 

October 14, 2021

By: Alejandra Govea 

    As usual, the students were so excited to see me today when I walked in the gym. I can not get over the fact that the students love to see me every Thursday. I like that I finally feel respected with the kids. It was hard the first weeks because they would talk over me but I think I set some classroom management rules where I let them know that I am in charge as well. During bathroom break, the students were actually quiet sitting on the floor waiting to use the bathroom when being called. I think it was a good idea for them to take a reading book with them to the hall way. 

I also talked to my MT about my next lesson plan and what I can use from her room. I thought since she was not going to be there, I could take advantage and ask her for things that I can use. I am excited to teach my math lesson next week because the students need to learn what I am going to teach. I was excited because I taught a student the difference between singular and plural. I gave him an example and let him try one on his own. I was able to explain the directions and see if he understood by the answer he gave. He usually does not do his work because he thinks that he is not capable to do anything.  I took the time to go by his desk and go over the sheet one on one. 💙

Place Value Bugs

 By: Melissa Cabrales

Thursday, October 14, 2021

Today was an exciting day as it was my first time teaching the students. I was so nervous to teach because I had to teach math and I know my students struggle with that subject. I was hoping I could teach my students the math lesson but still have some fun with them. I feel that the lesson went well for the most part. The students were very much engaged and had fun throughout the lesson. They got to work together and use Manipulatives I made in order to create different numbers while learning about the different place values. I feel my lesson went well even after being so nervous because majority of the students understood the lesson and were able to complete the activity sheet. I'm glad to have gotten feedback from my MT and professor because I feel like that's what will help me to do better on the next lesson. I'm glad to have the first lesson down and ready for the next one. 

I'm really enjoying being in this classroom and I'm feeling more and more comfortable around these students. I like how they're not shy to come ask me for help and I'm really enjoying my time with them every week. My MT is a joy to be around and I like watching and listening to her teach so I can get some pointers from her and learn from her. I really like being in second grade. The students are independent and I feel like there's so much to teach them. 

All About Needs and Wants- Sylvia Bradshaw

Today was the day, I taught my first lesson in an actual classroom!  I was excited and nervous, (mostly nervous) but ready to get this lesson under my belt.  I was disappointed that my MT was not able to view the lesson due to a doctor's appointment, but I still have four more lessons to teach and get her input.  

In my opinion that lesson went well, the students were engaged and even came up to me after the lesson and told me how much they enjoyed it.  The sub that was in the classroom, who happened to have taught in the district for over 14 years, also complimented my lesson and teaching style.  

I'm really proud of the anticipatory set of this lesson.  I started off by showing a picture of myself and asked the students who they thought it was in the photo.  They all guess right away.  I went on to say that I was 7 years old in the photo and that it was taken 40 years ago.  I told them that when I was a kid we didn't have Walmarts or Targets but I showed them a photo of the stores we did have (Zayre). I wanted the students to see that I was a kid just like them and that when I was young my parent would give me the long speech before we went into the store basically saying not to ask for anything because they were only getting things that we needed.  Of course all the students could relate to that story because they have all heard that speech before 😂. One of the students quickly added up my age and said, " you are 47 years old", another student asked me if I wanted to know how old his grandmother was and I told him absolutely not because only last week another student told me that his grandmother was younger than me by 3 years!!

As I said earlier, I feel that overall the lesson was successful, but there is always room for improvement.  I believe that I could have pushed the students critical thinking more with some of my questions.  I'll give myself some grace, I'm still learning.

Week 7: Sixth Day in the Classroom

Week 7: Sixth Day in the Classroom

Date: Thursday, October 14^th, 2021

By: Monica Schrank  

I had an eventful day observing and being in the classroom again with the students. The students were quite hyper and kept getting distracted during the lessons. My MT thought of a great way to help the students release some energy by playing verb charades. We all went outside and one person would pull a verb from the bucket. That student would act out the verb and would pick on someone to answer what they thought the student was acting out/what the action verb was. The students were really engaged and focused during this activity. I realized how important it is to have the students have “brain breaks” or do fun activities to get the students moving too, which can help them to be more focused and ready to learn.

The students today were able to use Nearpod for the first time this year (which was my first time seeing it being used too). My MT was having the students find text evidence that would help them answer the given questions in Nearpod on their tablets. The teacher had complete control of what would show on the students’ screens which I thought was a really good idea. This way all the students would move on to the next question together and the students would not be allowed to move ahead and start working on the next question. The students have to get their response approved by the teacher and if the students did not provide enough evidence from the text to answer the question, their response would be declined. After seeing how Nearpod works, I would like to use this application in a lesson because it is a different way of keeping the students engaged, making sure they get the right answer (making corrections if they did not), and making sure that everyone moves on to the next question at the same time.    

For the Daily 5 for this week, the students were practicing more on textual evidence by filling out a chart about the main idea of the story and finding certain textual evidence supporting the different topics surrounding the main idea. For example, the students were reading a story called Super Storms, which talked about thunderstorms, tornados, hurricanes, and blizzards. The students started out by focusing on the whole text by following me as I showed them how to find textual evidence and how to fill it in in the chart, which was the first box and was the direction instruction of the mini lesson. For the second box, we worked on finding the textual evidence as a group, which was the guided practice. For the third box, I gave the students the opportunity to find the textual evidence by themselves and turn to share it with a partner, which was the independent practice. We also learned how to focus on one topic, such as hurricanes, and find different textual evidence that explains what hurricanes are while focusing on one section in the book rather than the whole story. The students followed the same format by following how I found textual evidence for a section, all of us doing it together, and the students taking what they learned to find textual evidence on their own and share it with a partner. As mentioned last week, the three groups of students that I worked with have different academic levels, so, for the second and third group, I had to explain more for those students on how to find the textual evidence. I feel like this activity was a great learning experience for me because it helped prepare me for when I teach my lesson next week. I have taught/gone over many assignments and activites with the students before, but this mini lesson, which is set up the same way as the lessons are that we teach to the students, helped prepare me to feel more comfortable and see what it is like teaching all whole (mini) lesson to the students. I am really excited to teach my lesson to the students and help them to learn more about the world around them with me being the “teacher” in the classroom!

Teacher VS Friend

 Alexandra Slater 

Sunday, October 10th, 2021 

Thursday was a pretty ordinary day! My teacher had me step up and do hallway duty before school started which was fun! I was able to chat with the class in the hallway before school begin which I enjoyed. Each week I get to know the students better and better which I believe is important, because they are more comfortable and open with me then. Its important to build those relationships and connections with your students! I also, was able to do my typical stuff that my teacher mentor always has me do. Which is do the morning circle time, read them a book, and do the phonemic awareness yellow book. I really like how she allows me to do the yellow book because that is an area I definitely need practice in. I feel this is preparing me for student teaching because Dr. Kelly said all schools are now doing the yellow phonemic awareness book. 

    I got some great advice from my teacher mentor while the students were in gym and she told me while I am teaching I really need to "crack the whip". She said she notices the students taking advantage of me and I need to be more strict with them. I totally agree with her because, I have felt the students see me more as a friend in the class than a teacher. So with that being said, she gave me tips for classroom management and how to get the students to respect me a little better. Im glad she gave me this advice because I'm going to ensure I use it when I teach my lesson this upcoming week! All in all it was a good day and I got some beneficial advice / information on classroom management! Cant wait for next week!! 

Base Ten Blocks and Hallway Conversations-Sylvia Bradshaw

October 7, 2021

Sylvia L. Bradshaw

Today was an interesting day.  As usual, I was super excited to see the kids in the hallway before class.  The new student from last week seems to have settled in very nicely.  She is still very quiet, but I can tell that she has quickly learned the rules and the procedures of the classroom.  One student was having a particularly hard day in the classroom.  He was being very disruptive in class by falling out of his seat, tapping his pencil on this desk, yelling out answers and moaning and groaning about assignments he didn't want to do. My MT ignored the behavior for the most part and just continued to remind him that he was making bad choices and what the consequences would be for the types of decisions he was making.  At one point during my MT's lesson the student was completely disengaged and threw his worksheet on the floor and had his head on the table.  I went over to try and encourage his to pick up the paper and continue to work with the rest of the class and he started to cry.  I asked him if he wanted to go outside the room to talk and that is what we did.  I must say that my heart was bleeding for him, I just tried to say some words that I thought could get him out of the funk he was in.  When we entered the classroom, he was able to complete his work and then it was time for gym.  When my MT and I returned from taking them to gym, I then realized that I may have overstepped.  I was told that this type of behavior is routine for the student and that at this point my MT is just trying to reenforce the positive behavior and not the negative.  I guess that for the first couple weeks my MT was pulling the student into the hallway as well and having conversations and then she noticed that he was taking advantage of her kindness.  Lesson learned, I'm only  in the class one day a week and I'll make sure not to make that mistake again.

On a brighter note, I was able to work one on one with a student and use the base ten blocks.  The students worked on a three problems together as a class and were required to do the last problem on the page as an exit ticket.  There were about five students in the class that needed to some help on their work and my MT asked if I would be able to pull one of them to the side and work one on one.  I was happy to help and even more excited that I was able to use the math manipulatives to help her to understand the concept.  I was happy to see that the student actual gained some understanding by using the base ten blocks.  I hope that some of the strategies we went over together will help her in the future.

On a side note, I found out that I'm actually older than the grandmother of one of the students in my class 😂

Social Studies Lesson!

 Week 6 

By: Alejandra Govea 

The students were so excited to see me this week. I still receive hugs and "I miss you" and it feels good to know that I was missed. I taught my social studies lesson plan and I was not nervous to teach. I think I was nervous about the students behavior. The students have a hard time to listen and stop talking when someone is talking. I was nervous that the students wouldn't want to participate in my lesson. I had a student throw a tantrum during my lesson. Yes... a third grader throwing a tantrum on the floor. My MT was able to take him out the hallway when I was teaching to calm him. I also had some students talk over me while I was talking. Overall, the students learned the three different types of communities and the characteristics for each community. The students were able to work independently by completing their activity sheet. I hope the students get the hang of listening when I am teaching. The classroom management needs to improve especially in a 3rd grade classroom.   

I also let the students know that they need to call me Miss Govea because it is not professional to be calling me Miss Alex. The students weren't able to pronounce my last name correctly so I thought Alex would have been okay. I let the students know that my name is important just like theirs when I pronounce their name. I need to remind them to call me Miss Govea when they say Miss Alex. 

Science Lesson- Cordova

 Hello Everyone!

This week I got to teach my science lesson plan on the lifecycle of a pumpkin. Thankfully, everything went pretty smoothly and the students enjoyed the activity. I was worried about the students losing interest but they were engaged the whole time. We did a flipgrid which is where the students were put into groups and they took turns recording themselves. Each student had a stage in the lifecycle so a student could say something like, "I am the seed, I am the first stage in the lifecycle." I am glad the first teaching is done because now I feel more confident in myself and future lesson plans. 

Since the students two other teachers, one for math, and one for literacy, I get to meet a different teacher to discuss my literacy lesson plan in a couple weeks. The teacher was very kind and flexible to whatever I had in mind to do. My goal is to begin doing research for my literacy lesson plan and coming up with topics that correlate with what the students have been learning about. I am thinking about doing something that has to do with inferencing, but I am still brainstorming. 

Good luck to everyone with your lesson plans/ teaching 😊

Week 6: Fifth Day in the Classroom

Week 6: Fifth Day in the Classroom

Date: Thursday, October 7^th, 2021

By: Monica Schrank  

I had another great day observing and being in the classroom again with the students! My MT was teaching the students all about the different non-fiction text features such as title, table of content, heading, bold print, diagram, graph, caption, glossary, index, and where they are located in a non-fiction book. The teacher provided the students with an activity sheet where there were pictures of what each of the text features looked like. The students cut the pictures out and pasted them next to what text feature was represented in the picture. This activity sheet was a great way for the students to test the knowledge that they already had about the different test features while also creating a resources sheet that they can use of what each of the non-fiction text features look like. The students also used Seesaw to allow the students to find these non-fiction text features in a book, so the students were able to pick a book that they liked and find all the text features, take a picture of what it looks like and label what feature it was. I thought this was a great activity because it allowed the students to take the non-fiction text features that they just learned/reviewed and find them in actual books. This was a great opportunity for me because I have never used Seesaw before so I got to see how the students use Seesaw, the different features it provides for the students, and how it makes learning fun for the students through the use of technology. After learning about Seesaw, I would love to incorporate it into a lesson because the students really enjoyed using it!

For the Daily 5 for this week, the students were practicing turning common nouns into plural nouns, learning about irregular nouns that have to have the spelling changed, and correlative nouns that are words that mean more than one person or thing. I was able to meet with three different groups of students this week and teach them about these different concepts. The first group that I met with was higher on the academic level so they were able to know right after a few examples for each of the concepts, they knew what to do and were able to finish the activity sheet. The second group was a little less academically compared to the first group, so I had to spend a little bit of time explaining each of the concepts and how to turn common words into plural, understanding irregular words, and what the correlative words are and how to know what they are referring to. For the third and final group, they were the lowest academically, and I had to spend much more time with them on the different concepts. For example, I went over each of the different ways to turn a common noun into a plural noun (i.e., is you have a ‘y’ change the ‘y’ to an ‘i’ and add ‘es’, if you have an ‘f’ change the ‘f’ to a ‘v’ and add ‘es’). I went over each different way to turn a common noun into a plural noun one at a time and went through those examples with the students after we learned how to turn them from common to plural. I highlighted each of the ending letters and highlighted what that ending letter is turned into to make it plural to help the students to have a better understanding of what you turn those words into to make them plural. The students also highlighted on their sheet the ending letters and what they are turned into as well, which can help them if they want to refer back to this activity sheet as a resource for them. With the last group, we were only able to get through the turning of words from common to plural nouns and irregular nouns. I knew when I was starting to work with these groups of students that day that they would all be at different levels or knowledge academically, which helped me to realize how important it is to differentiate the ways in which you teach students. If I had not gone over the different ways of turning a common noun into a plural noun one at a time while showing examples for each with the last group, they would have been so lost and would not have understood how to turn common nouns into plural nouns. I cannot wait to come back next week and help not only the students that need more of a challenge, but the students need more assistance to learn about learn in a way that is easier and more beneficial for each and every one of the students!

A Day with a Substitute

By: Melissa Cabrales

Thursday, October 7, 2021

Today was an eventful day to say the least. I was surprised to see that my class had a substitute teacher today. The good thing was this is a permanent sub for the school so she knew her way around the classroom and knew all the students' names. She needed my help for some things like showing her where all the teacher's materials were and how certain things were done. Majority of the time, the substitute knew what she was doing and she kept the students hard at work all day. 

I thought it was funny to see how different the student behave just because their teacher wasn't there. The students really tried to get out of doing certain things or explained things the wrong way. That's when I spoke up and said, "Mrs. Cabrales is here and I know what you guys need to be doing and how things are supposed to go." I feel like that's when they knew they wouldn't be able to get away with things that they thought they would be able to. Some students were very chatty and forgot how to raise their hand and just shouted answers out. It took a little bit but the substitute and I were able to settle the students down and get them ready to start working for the day. 

Today I learned how important it is to stick to the schedule the teacher put in place. Students change their attitude when their teacher is away and it's important to not let them walk all over you and get them in order. Classroom management is especially important when the teacher is away. I felt like this was a good lesson to learn as a student teacher to see how different the students behave and how to manage them to get them working. 

Week 5 by Aranis Samra

     It's been a long week with a lot of work. This week, the students require a great deal of assistance; the more difficult the new concepts get, the longer it takes for them to grasp them. Throughout the day, I assisted my MT in administering math and ELA tests to the student. Because of the poor levels of performance we've had, this took a long time. Although the kids had a difficult day and were exhausted by the time they got home, it was also a gratifying one. The students were able to choose their reward from the prize cart using the Dojo points they had accumulated during the month. It was a fun opportunity for kids to put their math skills to use, and there were some wonderful goodies in the cart.

    My MT also let me to take over the last 15 minutes of the day to complete my Interest Inventory for my final project. I felt secure taking lead and doing the inventory with the children after getting to know them better and learning their names. Filling it out and writing their eloquent responses was a lot of fun for the kids. I think it's safe to say I've gotten used to the class, and I can now help my MT more without her asking. I gained a solid understanding of classroom procedures and how things operate at the school. My aim for next week is to complete my lesson plan well so that my students can benefit from it.

Week 4 by Aranis Samra

     

This week was great because the more time I spend with the kids, the more comfortable they become in seeking my assistance. I've gotten a lot better at taking command and getting their attention when I need it. This week, it was fascinating to observe the students and realize how much they had been influenced by online learning at home. Students were given Map tests this week, and the results were less than ideal. Many students are not performing at the level of their age group. Parents are not cooperating with their children's schoolwork at all, and children require a lot of one-on-one assistance. Subjects that normally take 45 minutes, such as mathematics and reading, are taking longer because students are having difficulty applying concepts independently.

    My objectives for the coming week are to search for methods to execute my lessons in such a manner that they comprehend the ideas by seeing how others do so. I'm also going to approach those who need additional help, with my MT's consent, of course. I believe that having the student in a one-on-one setting is more beneficial in terms of math. Overall, another fantastic day with the kids, and it's always so rewarding to hear their tales.

Sylvia Bradshaw- Week 5- The Hard Parts of Teaching

I was really excited to see the kids this week and they seemed just as excited to see me.  At the beginning of the day the students all wait outside of the classroom before the teacher greets each of them to enter the classroom. Because I get to the school before the scholars are allowed in the building, I have time to greet them while they are lined up waiting to go into class.  I use this as my time to catch up with them about their week and to find out all the going ons in the classroom :). This week there was a new girl in the classroom, I introduced myself to her, she didn't have much to say, she is very shy.  I'm looking forward to she how she blossoms over the next week.  I made it a point of asking the scholar from last week that was having a hard time adjusting how his week was and I was happy to hear from not only him, but from a couple of his classmates that he was doing so much better.  I love having this time to talk to the scholars, the schedule does not allow for. much free talk time, as you can tell from the photo below, so stealing some time to have that one on one is something that I'm happy to do.

The day was really a typical day, but I did have a very interesting conversation with my MT about family dynamics in the classroom and how it is very easy to spot when things are not quite right at home from the behavior and the performance of the students in class.  I could tell that my MT really cares a lot for her students and that she has their best interest at heart.  As I was listening to her voice some of her concerns, all I could think was, how is it possible, as a teacher, not to get emotionally attached to your students.  I know that there has to be a level of emotional attachment, but how are teachers able to make sure that they don't take home the personal baggage of their students' home everyday.  Some children have very serious problems at home and with me being a very empathetic person, I feel that I will need to find a way to make sure that I am able to separate my school life from my home life so that I am not emotionally drained by the personal difficulties that some of my student may face.  I wonder if most schools offer services to their teachers for their emotional well being.

Becoming More Comfortable Each Week

By: Melissa Cabrales

Sunday, October 3, 2021

This was another great week at my school. I really do enjoy being around these students. I feel like I am learning so much from them and I enjoy helping them learn and grow each week. I have really started making connections with some students and I can tell they're feeling more and more comfortable around me. They have started coming to me for help with things instead of their teacher. I like that I am able to not only help the students but really help out my MT too. 

My MT has begun to give me more work each day and I'm so glad. This week my MT had me create student data folders that we will be adding to throughout the semester for their parents. I was able to do another read aloud and I can tell the students really enjoyed it. It was a story about a bully but the kids that were being bullied were taught to have courage and stand up to the bully. I especially liked this read aloud because I had fun with making different voices for each character. Seeing the kids faces during the read aloud was fun to see. I saw kids smiling and laughing during certain parts of the book. At the end I did an activity with them and they seemed to really be into it. 

This week I made sure to really make myself useful instead of waiting for my MT to give me the go ahead on what I should do in the classroom. I made myself available to the students as I walked around the room and encouraged them to keep working. I feel that my MT is becoming more comfortable with me in the classroom because she leaves every now and then for bathrooms breaks or what have you. I make sure to keep the students on task even when the teacher isn't in the room. I just feel like this is all preparing me for when I have to teach my own lessons. 

Week 5- math, math, and more math

 Alexandra Slater

Sunday, October 3rd, 2021 

Thursday was a tough day for me personally because I got my second covid shot late Wednesday afternoon.  I had horrid side effects Thursday, but I still had to push on in class on Thursday. That being said, it made me realize no matter what a teacher is dealing with personally or physically they have to put on a brave, happy face and be there fully with their students. All I wanted to do was lay my head down on the table and sleep but I continued to walk around the class, answer students questions, and teach when my teacher wanted me too. My teacher allowed me to do the morning lessons, read aloud, phonics, and some math. Every week my teacher continues to give me more tasks in the class and get more involved which I really appreciate. I would say I am teaching on my own 40% of the day. I feel this is really preparing me for student teaching in the spring. 

Last post, I had mentioned I was not doing well with classroom management skills while teaching. I ensured to keep that in the back of my head on Thursday. While teaching I made sure to call out students who were not paying attention, pausing until students were focused, and not allowing students to get up or use the bathroom unless it was an emergency. We worked  A LOT on math on Thursday which isn't my favorite subject. With that being said, my teachers class is forcing me to get comfortable teaching and investing time into it.  Overall, I'm excited for next week because I will be feeling better and more clear head space to take on the day!