Last Day!

I couldn't believe yesterday was my last day going to the elementary. I had missed about three weeks going there because of testing, so I was very excited to finally get to interact with my students once again. When I arrived, the class greeted me excitedly. My teacher said how i had ben missed the past few weeks. Since it was my last day, I got to teach the students a mini lesson. It consisted of reading them a story followed by a worksheet about vocabulary from the story. The students sat around me as I read to them. As I have learned from my teacher, I engaged the students with questions throughout the story to keep them thinking about certain topics. At the end, we did an activity from the back of the book that lead towards the worksheet. The kllast twenty minutes, I walked around the class helping the kids write and answer their questions. Finally, right before it was time for me to go, my teacher gathered the students on the reading carpet where they each wished me luck. A little girl told me that she hoped mall of my dreams came true. It was at this time that I felt my eyes were getting teary-eyed. My teacher told me that she loved having me in the class and that she knew I would be a great teacher in the future. I cannot explain what an amazing and exciting experience this has been. Before this class, I wasn't sure whether or not I truly wanted to teach. However, this class opened my eyes. I loved being able to work with students and guide them through dififculties. To see the excitement of learning in their eyes made me want to be a better teacher to them to help them learn as much as possible. I am also very grateful for the teacher I had. She gave me the opportunity to feel like I was part of the classroom and gave me many tips which I will for sure use in the future. This has been a great class, and I will miss my students. I know they will do great as they move onto third grade.

AP English Lit Exam

On Thursday, I took the AP English Lit Exam. It consisted of 55 questions in 60 minutes over passages and poems. The second part was 2 hours where we had to write an essay over a poem, an excerpt from a novel, and a topic given to us. These types of tests are helpful because they allow the students to show how much they have learned over the course of a college level class and gives college credit if passed. It is a good way to asses how well you would do given college level material. The work load in an AP class is more rigorous in order to prepare you for the test and get through the material. The AP tests are by far harder than TAKS, because it takes more analytical skills. You have to use prior knowledge in order to help answer college level questions. I believe this tests are effective beacuse they are not easy. They actuallydo test whether or not you know the material. If well prepared, it is possible to get credit and save money and time in college.

Last Thursday was a pretty relaxed day at the elementary. I got there and noticed there was a sub. The students were working on coloring an easter bunny. I was proud of how well behaved they were being. After a few minutes of coloring, my teacher had instructed for the sub to read them a story. We all headed to the reading rug and listened to the story. The sub, who had subsituted for that class before, made sure the students were interacting and asked them questions about the story to help them stay focus. Afterwards, there was a big math packet to work on. It seemed to be like a review, containing fractions, shapes, and adding and subtracting. I went around helping the students through the problems. Since I had to leave early, the day went by fast. When it was time to go, a little girl said that it would be hard to continue to do the packet without my help. This made me my day because I felt like I was actually helping the students in some way. I told her that they were able to do it and to have confidence. I can't believe we only have three days left to go to the elementary.

Tests are an effective way to evaluate a students knowledge. However, alternative assessments can also be effective and provide different means to get information across. Alternative assesments can have students think on a higher level of Bloom's Taxonomy. They can create different activities to prove that they have an understanding of the material. Also, alternative assessments allow for students to have a more hands on learning experience. Overall, alternative assessments provide a different route for a teacher to evaluate the level of knowlegde by the students.

As I've been noticing for the past few weeks, the students have been practicing their math and reading skills in order to prepare for the upcoming end of the year benchmarks and other exams. Yesterday, they took their Spanish Reading Benchmark. It consisted of two passages followed by a series of questions. I could tell some students were a bit nervous. Also, most of them were finishing up early so my teacher walked around telling them to recheck their work. I walked around as a way to make sure all the students were being concentrated on their test.

An assessment is an important aspect in school because it demonstrates how much the student has learned. It also allows the teacher to see what level of skill each student is at and try to help maximize all of their skills to a greater potential. An assessment can also measure a teacher's effectiveness in presenting information to the students and show the growth of each student. The most common type of assessment is a standarized test. Alternative assessments include having the students make posters, write a skit, portofolios, or presentattions. By having the students create somethign to show their level of comprehension, it allows them to think on a higher level on Bloom's Taxonomy.

At the elementary school, I noticed that my teacher incorporated different teaching styles as she moved from subject to subject. The day began by reviewing the homework from the previous night. My teacher got the class involved in understanding why the right answer was right or to answer any questions. When that was done, the students began to learn a new poem. First, my teacher read the poem out loud, and explained what the poem was about. She also asked the students to visualize some of the imagery given in the poem. Later, it was the students turn to recite the poem. They were all so excited to learn a new poem, and even had hand motions when they recited it. To incorporate writing, the students next had to write the poem on a sheet of paper. They also had to write out the five senses and give examples from the poem. During this time, I worked with a little girl who is behind from the rest of the class as far as her writing skills. However, I was so excited when I noticed her writing and reading skills had improved. It was really interesting to view her progress. Once this activity was done, my teacher went on to lecture the class in science using the AvtiveBoard. This part of the class was also interactive because she kept the students focused by asking them questions.

Something I noticed and was very impressed by was how my teacher handles any bullying situation. Two little boys had made fun of a little girl and when the teacher found out she immediately took them to the side and had a stern conversation with them. Afterwards, they apologized to the girl.

As the year gears up to end, preparing the students for test is the main priority. The teacher had the students rotate stations while she worked individually with each student on their reading. I love when the students work in these stations because I get to go around and help and interact with each of them. While some read, others used computers to read a book online, and others praxcticed their writing. Overall, it was a productive day.

Within an elementary classroom, each student is at a different skill level. This problem is more evident in elementary because the students are developing at different levels. I've seen differential teaching in my classroom. There is a student who's skill level lags significantly behind the other students. My teacher, and myself, have had to accommodate when the assignment involves reading and writing. While I don't think this student is classified as special education, this is a great example of how my teacher has to develop different ways of teaching to help all student achieve success. I believe that no matter what a student's disability may be, it is important to allow them to have the same opportunities for an education as the rest of students. A disability only shows that a student has to have accommodations, however it is not an excuse to label this student as incapable of learning. As a future teacher, I would try to incorporate as much as I could any special needs student in my class with the regular students. Not only would this help the student learn, but it will also promote awareness among the the other student to respect everyone no matter their disabilities.

Testing day for the students

On our last visit to the elementary, my class had to take a test that determined their level of skill in the English Language on the computer. Making a class of curious second graders take an online test  along with the mishaps technology brings  proved to have its challenges. First, the computers were being slow and not logging the students into the test. The computers also kept turning off. My teacher, the teacher in charge of administering the test, and I had to go around logging the students back in and hoping the second or third time around technology would work with us. I realized that when working with technology it is very important to maintain patience and clearly tell the students what is asked of them so they don't let their curious side take over. Since starting the test took so long, my teacher asked me to take the class on a restroom break. At first, I was a bit nervous since I did not know if the students saw me as an authoritative figure. However, I was amazed at how well behaved they were and proud that they listened to me and followed directions. I felt like I had control over my class. Once we were able to start the test, my teacher read some sample questions and finally the students were off on their own. I noticed that some students found it easier than others. Tests like these make it clear that at an elementary level there is a prominent gap between the skill level of students within one class. Knowing this allows my teacher to adapt  her teaching style for the better of the whole class. In class we learned about test taking and grades. I was able to see how standardized tests can help determine at what level each student is at. The tests my teacher gives the students also do the same but they test a specific topic they are on. Also, grades are earned and not given. Now that the year is on its way to the end, the students are being tested more often. I'm so excited to get back in the classroom and work with the students on a more one-on-one level, and keep learning from my teacher.

Objectives in the Classroom

Yesterday at the school, my teacher worked on math and social studies with the students. The day began with my teacher passing out a math test. After practicing fraction problems by making a "Fraction Book," my teacher passed out a practice test to evaluate their level of comprehension. The test was meant to show whether or not the students knew the material. She was going to grade them expecting 90% accuracy. This will help the teacher see what she has to change to better the learning experience of the students.  Once the test was done, we moved on to social studies. The objective was to learn about heroes of different time periods in American history. The students created a heroe book and had write down important facts about the person and why they chose them as their favorite heroe. The students also drew pictures reflecting on what they wrote. The teacher was going to grade them by the content written with very high accuracy. Throughout the week, we studied how to write and indentify objectives. Taking with me this knowledge I was able to see my teacher placing her objectives in action. These past nine weeks have been different than last semester. First, I am able to experience all the core subjects being taught. Second, I feel like my teacher allows me to be more involved in the classroom. I can't wait to see what the last nine weeks will bring at the elementary.

Something that has been different this semester is the fact that I get to experience various subjects the students learn in school. I thought I wouldn't like this new change, because I enjoyed working with the kids on my favorite subject, English. However, the more I get to work with the students on social studies and math, the more I enjoy it. I get to learn how the teacher apporaches and introduces different aspects of history. For example, the students have been learning about heroes of the past and making connections to their own lives. It's also nice to see how my teacher appreciates my help and allows me to work more and take more control in the class. I feel like I've been giving more range to work with the kids. Yesterday, I also did paperwork type work for my teacher. I was making folders out of paper and staples. It was so much fun because I felt like a teacher. The more I go to the school, the more I feel like teaching is what I really want to do.

Part 1
Yesterday, I was able to see a different part of my 2nd grade class. My teacher began the day with social studies and later science. I got to see these two subejects begin taught, something last semester I did not. It was interesting seeing how social studies and science is presented to an elementary class. While the class worked on a social studies worksheet, I helped the student who I helped last time. I felt really good knowing I was making a difference in this students educational life. Then, I was able to teach alongside my teacher on the Activeboard. I was nervous, but felt comfortable in front of the classroom. I got the students involved in learning some habitats for animals. I felt like it was a very productive day.


Part 2
As we move on to the work force, being prompt can be the difference between being an outstanding employee and being fired. The importance of instilling promptness at an early age begins in school. The rising problem the school was having with chronic tardiness made the school have to come up with a new tardy policy. The policy states that, no matter the excuse, if you are caught in the hallway after the bell  has rung you will be put in ISS for the remainder of the day. The contraversy this rule has had begs the question of whether or not this extreme measure is effective or not. As a teaher, tardiness cannot be acceptable. Yes, there are those students who view the bell system as a mere suggestion to get to class. Having this severe consequence has had an effect on students. As soon as the bell rings, most students begin heading to class, and when the two-minute bell rings, the school practically becomes a race to get to class. No one wants to spend the day in ISS for a tardy, which does make students prefer to follow the bell system. I believe that from a teachers perspective, this system is working. While it may be a little harsh, it gets the job done. Some students don't follow procedures unless there is something bigger at stake. On the other hand, there are those students who don't care either way and continue their chronic tardiness. These students then begin to miss their classes, which as a teacher would concern me. However, this percentage of students is small and most decide that the smart thing to follow the rule. Teachers experience less tardies and begin the class with no interuptions and ready to get to work. In my opinion, the "no excuses" attitude for being tardy is a bit obssesive. Sometimes there are things out of our control, such as traffic. Yet, it seems like this new policy has had an effect on students. As anything new, the policy might need certain modifications, however, as a teacher, the reduced number of tardies will make for a classroom that runs much smoother and students who follow the procedure.

In class, we have been studying what Harry Wong has to say about being an effective teacher and how prodecures will allow for a teacher to run a succesful classroom. What I found interesting the last time I went to the elementary was that my teacher had Harry Wong's book on being an effective teacher. I began to really notice how she handles the classroom and spotted different procedures she has in place. Something new I saw last Thursday was seeing the students get ready to take a test. My teacher instructed them to clear everything off their desk and be in ready position, which was having both arms on the desk and sitting properly. Next, she handed out the dividers to give each student their space and discourage them from looking some place other than their test. When she saw that everyone was ready, she passed out the test. They, as a class, filled out the name and date and put their pencils down when they were ready. Finally, the teacher instructed them to begin the test. After they were done, they were instructed to check over their work. Lastly, the students raised their hands so the teacher could pick up the test. She had a list of things to do after each t5he test was done, so the students knew exactly what they were expected to do. I found this procedure very effective because the students followed each step and were ready to work. Other small procedures Ive seen my teacher implement is when the students move from the reading carpet to the desk or vice versa. She begins by getting their attention with the signal they've learned and instructing them table by table to go to the designated area. From what I've seen, I think my teacher has a good hold of the students. They seem to follow procedures and intructions.

I was very excited walking in to my classroom yesterday. The kids as soon as they saw me greeted me enthusiastically. I will admit that at first I didn't think they would like me simply because they had another student for their class last semester. Yesterday also presented itself with how a teacher must accommodate with different challenges the day might bring. For example, my teacher relies heavily on the Active board. All of her flip charts and notes are on the system, but yesterday it decided to stop working. She tried for a few minutes to get it to work, but when she realized there was no use she directed the class in a different direction. Instead, she handed out copies of a text and the students began to read over it and paraphrase what they had read. As a teacher, it is good to introduce and use different technologies in the classroom, however, since it can also be very  unreliable it is good to plan for when things don't work out a certain way. I was most excited when I was able to work with two kids individually. These students fall behind the rest of the class. Their ability to read and write are not as high up. I worked with them and helped them get their thoughts in order by asking them to tell me things they had learned. Then I helped them write by sounding off whatever word they did not know how to write.Sometimes it was difficult for them, but I managed to keep them focus and try their best. It was  great knowing I was helping these two students be able to succeed in the classroom and that my teacher trusted me to do this.

Part 1
We learned the importance of drills to practice how we should react under those circumstances. Yesterday, we experienced an unplanned fire drill. All the seniors were at the assembly, while the lower grade levels were in their study halls. The students and teachers who were in their classroom knew exactly the procedure to follow. They headed to their their designated areas, while the teachers maintained order as to where their class was. As I has heading outside, I even saw some classes that were lined up oputside. However, the seniors that were in the auditorium had to follow a different kind of procedure. The handful of teachers didnt have a roster to know where exactly their students were. Also, we just headed outside without sticking with our class. It wasn't too chaotic, but we did move slightly slowly considering it could have been a real fire. That's just because there are only two exits in the auditorium. After the fire drill, we all headed back to the assembly. Considering the circumstances, I believe the fire drill went well because we still knew the procedure.

Part 2
Our guest speaker discussed how prominent stereotypes are. People guide themselves by what they see and judge a person before spending the time to get to know them. We have all been a part of this. It is really easy to simply stereotype a person especially when we know nothing about them. I think in these times, stereotyping has become more evident in school and everywhere. Minorities are usually seen as uneducated or lazy. In most cases, it is quite the opposite. It is important to make an attempt to stop stereotyping in order to reduce hostility among dirrefent groups of people and instead try to become a more unified community. instead of judging people based on myths we've heard, we should treat each person as what they are, an individual with different strengths and weaknesses. reducing steroetypes will open our eyes to see the potential of each person and not shut them down before even knowing them. Stereotypes hinder each group from moving forward.

January 13th 2011

I was very excited going back to the elementary and getting back into the classroom. I decided to stay with the same teacher and students because I wanted to stay consistent. However, I was kind of disappointed when I realized there was a different group of students. Last semester, the teachers rotated classes. My teacher was involved with reading and writing and then the students rotated to another teacher for math. This semester, however, the teachers decided to keep their homeroom students and teach all subjects. My teacher had to adapt to the changes. She has never taught math before so she's been getting help from a different teacher as to how she should approach this. This will be an interesting experience as it will allow me to see more than just reading and writing. I'm also excited to meet a whole new group of kids and work with them as much as possible. They were a little off guard by me at first, but the more I helped them the more they began to trust me. Also, my teacher rearranged the room for this new semester. By rearranging the room, she made the classroom atmosphere more exciting and workable. Something I really admire about my teacher is how she engages the students in the activities and how involved she is with them. She has a good teacher-student relationship and you can tell the students really respect her. She handles problems really well too. I cant wait to see what this semester has in store for me.