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!