Week 11

Hello Everyone,

I hope you have had a great week.

Questions for the Week:

What are some good technologies do you use in your classroom?

Does your school have a science night?

What programs does your school have to raise money?

How are some ways you integrate science into your classroom?

Does your teacher use anchor charts?

How are some ways you have had several groups of students collaborate with each other on a project?

How are you modeling writing?

Observe: I feel my biggest accomplishment is helping students figure out how to add two-digit numbers. Students really struggled with the process of adding the two-digit numbers at the beginning of the week. For the most part, most of the students are understanding the process.

Reflect: I need to make sure when I am demonstrating how to complete an application problem, to use literacy. Students will need to write a sentence restating the problem. I will also show students how the number looks in its written format. The more students see the number converted into the word, the more they will understand math problems which have numbers in word format.

Focus: My short-term goal is to complete my Philosophy of Education by Sunday. My long-term goal is to plan for a successful portfolio presentation: classroom management plan and global awareness plan.

Be Productive: I made the mistake of having the students cut out a craft and a booklet at breakfast time one day this week. Students breakfast time went over into phonics because they were not finished. I should have had students complete one or the other and not both. Next time I will make sure students have something reasonable to finish before breakfast is over.

Have Courage: I was concerned about reading through a book with literacy stations that I neglected to ask higher order thinking questions. I need to make sure I give students quality and not quantity. It is important for students to finish the book, yet it is even more important for students to comprehend the book. I need to have the mindset that I would rather students read 5 pages and understand all of it through guided HOTS questions than read the whole book and not understand any of the information.

Begin Anew: I am looking forward to completing Module 4 and beginning the Module 5 for math. Students will be working on Geometry for next week after completion of the test. I can clear away the clutter of adding two-digit numbers.

Data Analysis: When students answered a question yesterday about the book we had read, they did an excellent job explaining components of the story. However, students had restated the question to explain their answer. Students had put the answer on paper without specifically restating what the answer was asking. This lets me know what we need to work on. Every time a student answers a question in a written format they need to restate the question for any subject.  

Advice: Think of the end goal in mind. GRADUATION!

Standard 1: Standard one applies to teachers to maintain an appropriate learning environment in their classroom. For observation, this week I made sure students were on task by snapping my fingers and directing their attention to me when I had something important to say to them. Also, I explained the rules and expectations to students before we began the lesson.

Standard 2: I need to work more on global awareness for every single subject matter. This week the students learned about how the St. Patrick day holiday had originated? Students also learned where St. Patrick’s Day had originated from (Ireland). I showed students North Carolina and how far it was in comparison to Ireland. One thing I should have asked students was if they had any Irish descendants. This would have been a great way to connect diversity (2b) in the classroom.

Standard 3: Students will be taking a test on Monday of all they have learned for Module 4. I will go over the test before students begin to take the test. We will go over tens and one’s numbers (4 tens and 4 ones are 44) and we will add problems with two-digit numbers. Students will be tested on all the standards for Numbers and Operations.

Standard 4: I have been using a few differentiation strategies in my math lesson plans. A few of my students are struggling with adding two-digit numbers. I have used the math lesson plan to break down solving the problem. Students use a number bond to break down one of the two-digit numbers. For students who are having difficulty in using the number bond, I will show them how they can also use pictures to solve the problem. Students will need to solve the problem different ways to figure out the answer.  

Standard 5: I have reflected on students phonics test they have taken on Friday. I was disappointed that many of them are struggling with spelling. For next week. I will have some students practice writing their spelling words during the week. Though students, do practice their words during groups, some students do need the additional practice to bring them up to a higher level. 

To be more prepared for my portfolio, I am currently revising my philosophy of education so it will be ready for viewing next week.

My CE and I have no questions for Ms. Suttle as of now. I will email if I do.

I hope each of you has a happy weekend and a productive next week.