2.24.17

SIX WEEKS DOWN. FOUR TO GO. 

Weekly Rating: 5 out of 5

Really great week! I had a really good observation this week. I also had was able to meet the director of human resources and give him my resume. That went really well! 

• 
  
• Observe: What pleasant surprises / accomplishments did I achieve this week?
  
  
  I was glad to have such a great week! It really seems that the days and weeks are just FLYING by. I was able to share my parent night with a lot of people. I was also able to attend another meeting at the central office with the superintendent. Also, I started a new motivation plan with a student, which REALLy surprisingly, is working!

• Reflect: What lessons did my work/experiences teach me that I will build upon next week?
  
  
  Lesson of the week: Never be afraid to speak up and stand out. 
  
  
• Focus:  How are my short-term efforts and my long-term goals still aligned?
  
  
  I taught my edTPA this week which means that I am working to make myself and my students more successful. My short term goals also involve finalizing things for my parent night!
  
  
• Be Productive: What could I have spent more or less time doing?
  
  
  Always could have spent more time working on my portfolio it seems like. Less time worrying.
  
  
• Have Courage:  How did apprehension and indecision impact what I did and didn’t do?
  
  
  At the meeting that I attended at the central office, I was nervous about a few things. First, before I went, I knew that I wanted to make the effort to talk to the director of human resources. It just so happened, he was in the meeting! The catch was, he needed to leave early to go out of town. I didn't know what to do. Should I leave the meeting and try to catch him? Or just leave my resume in his office? I REALLY wanted to meet him and let him put a face with a name. I decided to leave the meeting when he did. I was able to catch and meet him! It went really well. Turns out, he knows my husband and family, so that was a nice surprise! After I talked to him for a while, I rejoined the meeting. The superintendent then asked the people in the room to share good things that were happening at their schools. A lot of people were mentioning parent involvement activities. After A LOT of mental debate, I mentioned my own parent night that involves the county's new phonics program, LetterLand. Everyone was really impressed, and I was glad that I was able to share that.
  
  
• Begin Anew: What is the first logical step(s) for next week? What mental clutter can I clear?
  
  
  Prepare for Task4 of edTPA and finalize parent night.
  
  
• What were some data you analyzed this week and how did it help inform your instructional decisions?
  
  
  I analyzed all of my edTPA data this week and thought about ways to go from there!
  
  
• What is one piece of advice you can share with other student teachers?

My advice: Pray. A lot.

• What components of your portfolio have you started to complete?
  
  
  Resume (completed)
  Behavior Plan (off to a great start)
  edTPA (off to a great start)

• What support does your clinical educator need from your university supervisor?
• What support do you need from your university supervisor?

No current support needed. Thanks for staying in constant contact with us, Dr. Sanders! Your feedback, encouragement, and support is appreciated!

NC Teacher Candidate Standards

Standard 1

Teachers lead the teaching profession. 

I was able to share with other teachers how I am using LetterLand to impact parents and students. 

Standard 2

Teachers work collaboratively with the families and significant adults in the lives of their students. I TRIED to call the family of the student who I started the behavior plan with. I sent a letter home instead. 

Standard 3

Teachers make instruction relevant to students. 

Using my edTPA lessons, I was able to connect the content back to students by talking about ways to be a healthy kid!

Standard 4

Teachers integrate and use technology in their instruction. 

We talked about how you can use computers to do a research project. We used iPads for students to do their own research. 

Standard 5

Teachers analyze student learning. After teaching my edTPA lessons, I analyzed students and their learning in order to assess myself and reflect on ways that I can have done things differently. 

2.10.17

FOUR WEEKS DOWN. SIX TO GO. 

Weekly Rating: 3 out of 5

I had an okay week. It seems like everyone at my school has the flu. We had 11 staff members out one day this week and the kids just keep dropping. My CE had the flu, so I was left alone one day this week. Knock on wood I don't have the flu. I am sick with something though (more of a throat and cough thing), so pray for me! I feel like I am wearing myself out. 

• 
  
• Observe: What pleasant surprises / accomplishments did I achieve this week?
  
  
  The whole week was a little crazy. With so many people out and staff members missing, things ran totally different. People are having to pitch in and do a lot more work than normal. I really do think that I've handled everything pretty well though. I'm a pretty go with the flow person, so I've adapted well to all the changes. 

• Reflect: What lessons did my work/experiences teach me that I will build upon next week?
  
  
  Lesson of the week: If a student hasn't improved, the technique or strategy that you are using is NOT WORKING. Period. Move on. Find something else to try. 
  
  
• Focus:  How are my short-term efforts and my long-term goals still aligned?
  
  
  I teach edTPA soon which means that I am working to make myself and my students more successful.
  
  
• Be Productive: What could I have spent more or less time doing?
  
  
  Always could have spent more time working on my portfolio it seems like.
  
  
• Have Courage:  How did apprehension and indecision impact what I did and didn’t do?
  
  
  I went to a professional development meeting this week. There were a few moments where I was nervous and apprehensive about sharing my thoughts, but I eventually opened up! I definitely needed courage to do that, especially since I often feel shut down by some of the other staff members. I'm thankful to have such a supportive CE.
  
  
• Begin Anew: What is the first logical step(s) for next week? What mental clutter can I clear?
  
  
  I met with several people about the parent night. Now I need to start finding my resources and supplies needed. I also need to finalize edTPA plans.
  
  
• What were some data you analyzed this week and how did it help inform your instructional decisions?
  
  
  We analyzed our MOY scores this week. We went to a meeting where they taught us what to do now with those scores and how to analyze as an independent class.
  
  
• What is one piece of advice you can share with other student teachers?

My advice: stay rested. Sickness may be coming. Don't wear yourself out.

• What components of your portfolio have you started to complete?
  
  
  Resume
  Behavior Plan 

• What support does your clinical educator need from your university supervisor?
• What support do you need from your university supervisor?

No current support needed. Thanks for staying in constant contact with us, Dr. Sanders! Your feedback, encouragement, and support is appreciated!

NC Teacher Candidate Standards

Standard 1

Teachers demonstrate leadership in the school. 

After attending a PDP meeting, I was willing to share my thoughts and input in order to help all of us grow in the teaching profession. 

Standard 2

Teachers embrace diversity in the school community and in the world. 
This week we talked about friendship. We talked a lot about being friends with people even though they might be different than we are. 

Standard 3

Teachers know the content appropriate to their teaching speciality. 

When I was first planing this week, the whole unit seemed a little immature. After reviewing the standards and really looking at where the students are in life, it was perfect. Kindergartens need to be taught about friendship and fair play. 

Standard 4

Teachers communicate effectively. 
This week we did a really cute poem having to do with Valentines. The students even wrote their own and we hing them up outside. Several of the other kindergarten teachers asked me how I managed to get the kids to do that. First and foremost, I modeled for the students. Its really important that students understand EXACTLY what to do and what the expectations are. 

Standard 5

Teachers link professional growth to professional goals. 
This really impacted me this week during our PDP meeting. I realized the kind of teacher that I want to be, and also the kind of teacher that I have already become. 

2.3.17

THREE WEEKS DOWN. SEVEN TO GO. 

Weekly Rating: 4 out of 5

I had a pretty good week! My kids were totally wild and out of control, so that wasn't good. However, I had a really great observation this week.

• 
  
• Observe: What pleasant surprises / accomplishments did I achieve this week?
  
  
  Again, I had a really great observation. Obviously there were things that I could have done better with, but overall I really wasn't too nervous. I tried not to let it distract me and just kept on going!

• Reflect: What lessons did my work/experiences teach me that I will build upon next week?
  
  
  Sometimes the kids are done and so am I. I had one of those days. I need to take a moment to breathe and think about things and then just keep trucking. Sometimes it can also be best to just move on and come back to it. 
  
  
• Focus:  How are my short-term efforts and my long-term goals still aligned?
  
  
  I got my behavior plan going! This is ultimately going to help my students and my final outcome.
  
  
• Be Productive: What could I have spent more or less time doing?
  
  
  More time finding creative and fun things for the kids to do.
  
  
• Have Courage:  How did apprehension and indecision impact what I did and didn’t do?
  
  
  I'm not going to lie, I had a really fun activity planned for the kids, but I decided not to do. I was too afraid that it would be too disruptive for the students. I want to find fun things for the kids to do that won't cause me to have this fear and back out.
  
  
• Begin Anew: What is the first logical step(s) for next week? What mental clutter can I clear?
  
  
  I need to start getting everything organized for my parent night. It's going to be here in no time...
  
  
• What were some data you analyzed this week and how did it help inform your instructional decisions?
  
  
  I took a look at some scores and compared them to this years scores. I definitely think that Letterland has a big part to do with the growth in our students!
  
  
• What is one piece of advice you can share with other student teachers?

My advice: just go with the flow. I'm really not a person that worries about a lot of stuff or gets too caught up in the PLAN. I have found that this really makes my life a whole lot easier.

• What components of your portfolio have you started to complete?
  
  
  Resume
  Behavior Plan 

• What support does your clinical educator need from your university supervisor?
• What support do you need from your university supervisor?

No current support needed. Thanks for staying in constant contact with us, Dr. Sanders! Your feedback, encouragement, and support is appreciated!

NC Teacher Candidate Standards

Standard 1

Teachers demonstrate high ethical standards. 

Not going to lie, there were some staff members "gossiping" about a student, but I refrained. I try to take this kind of thing very serious. 

Standard 2

Teachers adapt their teaching for the benefit of students with special needs. 
I have a student that needs some modification in order to meet their needs. I made sure that throughout my lessons this week that I took time to show that student one-on-one attention. 

Standard 3

Teachers make instruction relevant.

We talked about shadows this week! In order to teach students more about shadows and connect it to their lives, I took the students on a walk outside where we looked at our own shadow and the shadows of various objects! 

Standard 4

Teachers help students develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills. 
After we looked at our shadows, we traced the outline of the shadow of a wall. Later in the day, we came back out to see if the shadow had changed. The students were forced to think critically about why the shape of the shadow had changed. 

Standard 5

Teachers function in a complex, dynamic environment. 
If you have survived teaching for more than a week, you can check this off your list. Everyday in the classroom is complex and dynamic. You literally have no idea what could come up!