*student teaching week 7*
I remember being nervous about this placement and freaking out
about it the night before I started. Now, my heart was breaking as I
pulled away from the parking lot Thursday afternoon. I had no idea
seven weeks could feel so long but so short; so brief, yet so
impacting.
It was my final week of teaching the NPC Mustangs. And it was a
bit of a crazy week, but it ended really well.
Monday I continued my stint of teaching (or supervising) all seven
classes (my cooperating teacher was training for leading a group of
students on a Europe trip later this spring, so I took over
supervising her French classes in addition to the English classes I
already was in charge of). The freshmen were simply finishing their
final drafts, so weren't too much of a problem. The seniors discussed
“Ozymandias,” and actually got into a lively discussion about
celebrities who, like the statue, had fallen from prideful heights.
It was encouraging to see them connecting to their homework and
having so much participation. Though Monday didn't prove too much of
a problem, I was ready to have my cooperating teacher back so I could
a) have a plan period again and b) to have someone to support me
after some challenges the previous week.
Then I got the text – she was stuck due to a canceled flight.
Having finished my unit, and not being sure of what unit was next, I
came up with a plan on the fly. The students took part in four
stations, each with a different Language Arts related activity. I was
proud of myself for thinking up this idea, and actually had a student
comment on how she was impressed as well. To add to the challenge,
Tuesday morning there was a two hour delay, so I had to plan for
shorter classes as well. Hey, if nothing else, I have definitely
learned to be flexible with my plans in this placement! Wednesday
marked the return of my teacher and a phase out of my duties in that
classroom.
The senior class, meanwhile, finished their Romanticism unit and I
wrote and administered my first full-blown test. I gave it on my
final day there; however, a very small percentage of my students
actually took the test that day. First of all, not everyone was
there, being the day before mid-winter break. Second, with so many
tests that day, they had been given the option by my cooperating
teacher to opt out until Tuesday. Those who did take the test did
okay; for those that didn't do as well, it was because they hadn't
taken responsibility for their studies. I felt I had given them the
supports needed; they had received a study guide and gone through a
review activity, and the questions came straight from that. I also
asked those who were there to fill out a post-assessment about their
feelings and impressions of the unit; however, with so few in the
room with me, I didn't get a good representation of the class's
reactions.
My final day was a good way to end. I had brought candy and wrote
the class notes. In the freshmen classes we also had cookies to
share. I wish I had been able to say goodbye to more of the seniors
and staff members, but many students did come and express their
appreciation and say goodbye to me. Now, I just have papers – loads
of papers – to grade before I head off to Illinois on Sunday to
start my second placement with the Central Middle School Twisters.
This placement at NorthPointe was incredible. Never before have I
felt so supported by the staff as a whole in a placement, and
especially supported by my cooperating teachers. I also felt
connected to each of the students, and have many fond memories, funny
stories, and lessons learned that I take away as I leave this
placement. I didn't know when I began just how much these seven weeks
would mean to me. It really felt like a place I belonged; I was a
staff member, I was trusted, and the students really became my
students. I come away from this
placement with more confidence for the future, with things to
continue to work on, and a greater love for what I'm doing. Now, on
to the next step and the next lessons God has in store for me. But I
am incredibly grateful for all the blessings he showered on me
through this time at NorthPointe.
Saturday, March 1, 2014
Saturday, February 15, 2014
Lots of laughs amidst the challenges
** student teaching week 6**
This week I wore a football jersey, and the next day my arm was in a sling. Then I encountered one of my freshman boys wearing a coconut bra (on top of a shirt) and a grass skirt. Finally, my classes became a sea of blue and yellow. No, nothing was wrong. It was homecoming week at NorthPointe.
Once again, it was an abnormal week. Thankfully, this time it wasn’t because of snow days (although a five day week this semester really does seem abnormal). However, in most cases, the fun dress-up days didn’t affect the learning.
Once again, let’s take a brief review of what went on this week:
Class of 2014
The Romanticism continued in the senior class. Monday was a little rough; I don’t think I’d assign “Kubla Khan” again other than the kids had to laugh at how crazy it was. The next two days were a lot better. I had found an audio recording of “Rime of the Ancient Mariner” (a poem I really love), and so during class we played that while reading, which not only saved my voice but made it more alive than I probably could have. There were three different actors, and the man who read the mariner was superb. Anyway, we stopped it occasionally and I would ask questions or explain something a little further. The students had a couple of assigned questions those nights, but overall it was more relaxed of a week for them. Plus there was pretty good participation during class. I was pleased with this choice, though, and would probably use it again if I teach “Rime.” I think it does help students understand poetry to hear it read by someone who knows the poem already. Further, there are some ESL foreign exchange students in the class, and this aid is probably very useful for them.
We ended the week with Byron. Friday they had an end of the day assembly, shortening every period, and the students were antsy for the big day, so the lesson didn’t go as well as expected. However, I did still get across all I had hoped and the students have been asking good questions that show they’re thinking deeper than the surface about some of these lines.
Another thing I’m pleased about is the rapport I have with some of the seniors, especially fifth hour. I went to the Calvin vs. NorthPointe game Tuesday, and sat in the middle. The next day, the students were talking about seeing me and asking my opinion about the game. Then several of them asked if I would come to the homecoming game (I couldn’t this time). I’ve also been able to use some of their slang or stories that I know they can relate to when trying to explain some of the concepts of the poems, which they seem to appreciate.
My goals for the final four days:
- edTPA, edTPA, edTPA: I’ve started work on these tasks, but the next two lessons are part of the segment I planned for the edTPA. So now I just have to try to keep that in mind in my planning, hoping to get the required parts into the lesson and good footage of some of the insights students have been having prior to bringing the camera into the classroom.
- Continue to make connections: As I finish, I’m really trying to emphasize those connections between poems and between their lives and the poems. I don’t want these poems to just be something isolated - they interact with the same themes we’ve studied, the same topics, and moreover students can still pick up on some of the themes in today’s society. Thus, I hope to continue to demonstrate these connections
- Finish strong: I have two more lessons to teach, a review day, and a test to give. Though I’m starting to feel like coasting lesson-wise, having all the work done for this week already, I know to make the lessons successful I can’t coast yet. I have to keep reviewing my lessons, keep thinking about what to add or build on from day to day. Then I want to see the students finish strong too, and hopefully demonstrate their knowledge and learning on the test Thursday.
Class of 2017
The freshmen had a lot of working time this week. We had one more lesson on Monday, but after that it was working on their rough drafts. However, they didn’t always make it easy on me this week. Some students didn’t even have their research complete. Others had finished their research, only to realized they’d only used internet sources, when we told them a number of times, and wrote it in the requirements on the website and in hard copy form, they could only use two. Then, there were the behavior issues. Without my teacher in the room at the end of this week, some of the students seemed to try to take advantage of that and see what they could get away with. Some of how I handled it I feel good about; however, the steps I took probably weren ’t enough for some of them. But it did give me examples to build on, and I was able to formulate plans for handling those situations the next time they arise, and implement them. This is what student teaching is for, in some respects; to try out some of what works now, while I’m still being supported.
I really only have two days left to teach most of my freshmen students, since most of them have final drafts due Tuesday. For these last two days, my goals include:
- Keep a lid on it: I need to work to control a couple of the students who are challenging my authority and slacking off. This is my test on classroom management. Now that I know some of what behaviors they’re exhibiting, I can figure out what to do about it.
- But don’t let others slip through: Even while I manage some of the troublemakers, I have to also be supportive of those who are working, which is pretty much everyone else. I don’t want those who are being good students, but want some assistance, to slip by
- Finish strong here too
I still don’t really want to leave these students at the end of this week. I do miss Trinity, and my friends there. I miss dorm life. But I don’t feel it was near enough time with these students. If we could just move Trinity to Michigan, or NPC down to Trinity, that’d be great. Yet, I am interested to see where this next placement leads, and what challenges, rewards, and lessons it brings.
This week I wore a football jersey, and the next day my arm was in a sling. Then I encountered one of my freshman boys wearing a coconut bra (on top of a shirt) and a grass skirt. Finally, my classes became a sea of blue and yellow. No, nothing was wrong. It was homecoming week at NorthPointe.
Once again, it was an abnormal week. Thankfully, this time it wasn’t because of snow days (although a five day week this semester really does seem abnormal). However, in most cases, the fun dress-up days didn’t affect the learning.
Once again, let’s take a brief review of what went on this week:
Class of 2014
The Romanticism continued in the senior class. Monday was a little rough; I don’t think I’d assign “Kubla Khan” again other than the kids had to laugh at how crazy it was. The next two days were a lot better. I had found an audio recording of “Rime of the Ancient Mariner” (a poem I really love), and so during class we played that while reading, which not only saved my voice but made it more alive than I probably could have. There were three different actors, and the man who read the mariner was superb. Anyway, we stopped it occasionally and I would ask questions or explain something a little further. The students had a couple of assigned questions those nights, but overall it was more relaxed of a week for them. Plus there was pretty good participation during class. I was pleased with this choice, though, and would probably use it again if I teach “Rime.” I think it does help students understand poetry to hear it read by someone who knows the poem already. Further, there are some ESL foreign exchange students in the class, and this aid is probably very useful for them.
We ended the week with Byron. Friday they had an end of the day assembly, shortening every period, and the students were antsy for the big day, so the lesson didn’t go as well as expected. However, I did still get across all I had hoped and the students have been asking good questions that show they’re thinking deeper than the surface about some of these lines.
Another thing I’m pleased about is the rapport I have with some of the seniors, especially fifth hour. I went to the Calvin vs. NorthPointe game Tuesday, and sat in the middle. The next day, the students were talking about seeing me and asking my opinion about the game. Then several of them asked if I would come to the homecoming game (I couldn’t this time). I’ve also been able to use some of their slang or stories that I know they can relate to when trying to explain some of the concepts of the poems, which they seem to appreciate.
My goals for the final four days:
- edTPA, edTPA, edTPA: I’ve started work on these tasks, but the next two lessons are part of the segment I planned for the edTPA. So now I just have to try to keep that in mind in my planning, hoping to get the required parts into the lesson and good footage of some of the insights students have been having prior to bringing the camera into the classroom.
- Continue to make connections: As I finish, I’m really trying to emphasize those connections between poems and between their lives and the poems. I don’t want these poems to just be something isolated - they interact with the same themes we’ve studied, the same topics, and moreover students can still pick up on some of the themes in today’s society. Thus, I hope to continue to demonstrate these connections
- Finish strong: I have two more lessons to teach, a review day, and a test to give. Though I’m starting to feel like coasting lesson-wise, having all the work done for this week already, I know to make the lessons successful I can’t coast yet. I have to keep reviewing my lessons, keep thinking about what to add or build on from day to day. Then I want to see the students finish strong too, and hopefully demonstrate their knowledge and learning on the test Thursday.
Class of 2017
The freshmen had a lot of working time this week. We had one more lesson on Monday, but after that it was working on their rough drafts. However, they didn’t always make it easy on me this week. Some students didn’t even have their research complete. Others had finished their research, only to realized they’d only used internet sources, when we told them a number of times, and wrote it in the requirements on the website and in hard copy form, they could only use two. Then, there were the behavior issues. Without my teacher in the room at the end of this week, some of the students seemed to try to take advantage of that and see what they could get away with. Some of how I handled it I feel good about; however, the steps I took probably weren ’t enough for some of them. But it did give me examples to build on, and I was able to formulate plans for handling those situations the next time they arise, and implement them. This is what student teaching is for, in some respects; to try out some of what works now, while I’m still being supported.
I really only have two days left to teach most of my freshmen students, since most of them have final drafts due Tuesday. For these last two days, my goals include:
- Keep a lid on it: I need to work to control a couple of the students who are challenging my authority and slacking off. This is my test on classroom management. Now that I know some of what behaviors they’re exhibiting, I can figure out what to do about it.
- But don’t let others slip through: Even while I manage some of the troublemakers, I have to also be supportive of those who are working, which is pretty much everyone else. I don’t want those who are being good students, but want some assistance, to slip by
- Finish strong here too
I still don’t really want to leave these students at the end of this week. I do miss Trinity, and my friends there. I miss dorm life. But I don’t feel it was near enough time with these students. If we could just move Trinity to Michigan, or NPC down to Trinity, that’d be great. Yet, I am interested to see where this next placement leads, and what challenges, rewards, and lessons it brings.
Sunday, February 9, 2014
Getting Down to the Wire
*student teaching week 5*
Well, it was an almost full week at NorthPointe. Wednesday marked the 6th snow day since I’ve been there. My units are pretty much down to the wire, and I’m just hoping no more cancellations will happen as I finish the last 9 days I have at the high school. By the time I become a certified teacher, I will definitely be well-practiced in rethinking my plans when unexpected cancellations or shortened classes occur!
I taught both the seniors and freshman all week. Teaching-wise, it was kind of a mixed bag week. I had good and rough lessons. The students were tracking with me some classes and other classes they were pretty out of it. But that’s also the life of student teaching; some things don’t always work out.
A quick review of the week:
The seniors
We got through Wordsworth, so still have four more poets to look at before the test. We had okay discussions on Blake and three of the Wordsworth poems, but "Tintern Abbey" was rough in both classes. The cooperating teacher told me he doesn’t usually assign it as homework, but works through the poem in class instead, or at least gives them a paraphrase of the poem. It gave me something to consider for the future; how can I challenge them appropriately and yet still support them? When I get my own class, I may be able to gauge this fine line better, knowing them from the beginning of the year and sticking with them year-long. On the plus side, I am getting to know their names and that makes engaging them easier because I can call on them by name to add to the discussion.
I was pleased that I could include a couple of shorter activities to extend the poem into their own lives; there was a free write about their favorite place one day and a humorous video connected to Wordsworth’s passion for nature another day. They were able to think about and discuss our call from God when it comes to nature, and they also answered some homework questions that asked them to tie the poems to modern culture or give their reaction.
As I move into the next weeks, the main areas I’m thinking about are:
- Keeping more students participating. The nightly homework reflects that these students do have answers, and some of them have really thorough answers, to the questions about the poems. I want to hear more of that in class.
- Is it possible for me, in less than two weeks, to transition into having the students really holding the discussion among themselves? Right now, it’s mostly me posing questions and they’re giving answers. I try to stick to questions, which I think is good if I want to remain mostly the facilitator and give them ownership of their learning. But it’s still me in control as far as moving the discussion forward, especially in 6th hour. It’s a tall order for me to change their discussion tendencies in less than two weeks, in the second semester. I’ll do what I can to remain the questioner and the facilitator, but I don’t know for sure that they will get to the point of commenting and building on one another with me having limited say before I leave.
- I want to continue to find little ways to get the students to connect the nineteenth century poems with their lives. A lot of this comes through assignment questions and questions posed in class, and I have some plans already in place, so I hope that these plans go over successfully
The freshmen
We are nearly to the point of drafting our papers, so not too far off track from the original plan before the past 4 snow days. However, there is an array of points of completion across the class. The majority of students are right where they’re supposed to be, doing no more nor no less; others have nearly 40 note cards, or had an outline drafted at the start of the week and have begun to write the paper; and others have only just begun the research. It’s an interesting position to be in, and one I know I will navigate again and again as a teacher. To an extent, it’s on the students; I can’t do the work for them. But it’s also about me -- how do I keep the students who are behind on task? How far do I extend deadlines for students who are behind because of sickness? And for those who are ahead -- how do I keep them challenged? How do I make sure they’re still doing the work correctly when I have so many other students who are behind them? This next week will be an interesting one, as I work with students at all of these levels, who are either ready or not ready to draft their paper.
As I move forward with this class, the main areas of focus include:
- Keeping students on task, especially if they’re in the group that haven’t been sick but are still behind. I’ll also have to focus on those students who were sick, and re-teach the elements they may have missed or still don’t understand.
- Making sure what we’ve already learned is still being understood and used as they move into writing the paper
- Getting the students all the information they need, and remaining a support to students -- even those who don’t explicitly ask questions, because they may be those who need the support
Remembering that I’m leaving after 9 more school days in this school is really sad. I would absolutely love to stay at NorthPointe. I feel like I’m just getting to know some of the seniors, I don’t want to leave behind my freshmen, and the teachers are such wonderful people to work with. I am going to make the most of the rest of my time in this supportive environment.
Well, it was an almost full week at NorthPointe. Wednesday marked the 6th snow day since I’ve been there. My units are pretty much down to the wire, and I’m just hoping no more cancellations will happen as I finish the last 9 days I have at the high school. By the time I become a certified teacher, I will definitely be well-practiced in rethinking my plans when unexpected cancellations or shortened classes occur!
I taught both the seniors and freshman all week. Teaching-wise, it was kind of a mixed bag week. I had good and rough lessons. The students were tracking with me some classes and other classes they were pretty out of it. But that’s also the life of student teaching; some things don’t always work out.
A quick review of the week:
The seniors
We got through Wordsworth, so still have four more poets to look at before the test. We had okay discussions on Blake and three of the Wordsworth poems, but "Tintern Abbey" was rough in both classes. The cooperating teacher told me he doesn’t usually assign it as homework, but works through the poem in class instead, or at least gives them a paraphrase of the poem. It gave me something to consider for the future; how can I challenge them appropriately and yet still support them? When I get my own class, I may be able to gauge this fine line better, knowing them from the beginning of the year and sticking with them year-long. On the plus side, I am getting to know their names and that makes engaging them easier because I can call on them by name to add to the discussion.
I was pleased that I could include a couple of shorter activities to extend the poem into their own lives; there was a free write about their favorite place one day and a humorous video connected to Wordsworth’s passion for nature another day. They were able to think about and discuss our call from God when it comes to nature, and they also answered some homework questions that asked them to tie the poems to modern culture or give their reaction.
As I move into the next weeks, the main areas I’m thinking about are:
- Keeping more students participating. The nightly homework reflects that these students do have answers, and some of them have really thorough answers, to the questions about the poems. I want to hear more of that in class.
- Is it possible for me, in less than two weeks, to transition into having the students really holding the discussion among themselves? Right now, it’s mostly me posing questions and they’re giving answers. I try to stick to questions, which I think is good if I want to remain mostly the facilitator and give them ownership of their learning. But it’s still me in control as far as moving the discussion forward, especially in 6th hour. It’s a tall order for me to change their discussion tendencies in less than two weeks, in the second semester. I’ll do what I can to remain the questioner and the facilitator, but I don’t know for sure that they will get to the point of commenting and building on one another with me having limited say before I leave.
- I want to continue to find little ways to get the students to connect the nineteenth century poems with their lives. A lot of this comes through assignment questions and questions posed in class, and I have some plans already in place, so I hope that these plans go over successfully
The freshmen
We are nearly to the point of drafting our papers, so not too far off track from the original plan before the past 4 snow days. However, there is an array of points of completion across the class. The majority of students are right where they’re supposed to be, doing no more nor no less; others have nearly 40 note cards, or had an outline drafted at the start of the week and have begun to write the paper; and others have only just begun the research. It’s an interesting position to be in, and one I know I will navigate again and again as a teacher. To an extent, it’s on the students; I can’t do the work for them. But it’s also about me -- how do I keep the students who are behind on task? How far do I extend deadlines for students who are behind because of sickness? And for those who are ahead -- how do I keep them challenged? How do I make sure they’re still doing the work correctly when I have so many other students who are behind them? This next week will be an interesting one, as I work with students at all of these levels, who are either ready or not ready to draft their paper.
As I move forward with this class, the main areas of focus include:
- Keeping students on task, especially if they’re in the group that haven’t been sick but are still behind. I’ll also have to focus on those students who were sick, and re-teach the elements they may have missed or still don’t understand.
- Making sure what we’ve already learned is still being understood and used as they move into writing the paper
- Getting the students all the information they need, and remaining a support to students -- even those who don’t explicitly ask questions, because they may be those who need the support
Remembering that I’m leaving after 9 more school days in this school is really sad. I would absolutely love to stay at NorthPointe. I feel like I’m just getting to know some of the seniors, I don’t want to leave behind my freshmen, and the teachers are such wonderful people to work with. I am going to make the most of the rest of my time in this supportive environment.
Saturday, February 1, 2014
The 2-day Week
**student teaching week 4**
This placement sure is teaching me flexibility! I thought I had a plan and then school was cancelled... for three days in a row. So everything had to shift, and I had to figure out how to still get everything accomplished in a decent time -- and, most of all, before I go back to Illinois! Once I did get back to school, the lessons in flexibility didn’t stop. I’m learning to bend as assemblies intrude, or when I might’ve a been a touch over-ambitious in the assignment. Being a girl who always has a plan, I think it’s good that I’m being forced to reorganize my thinking and go with the flow. It’s definitely a characteristic that’s needed when I have my own classroom next year.
Since we had three snow days, I only taught two days this week. But they sure were a full two days! Thursday, I taught for 5 periods -- both in the freshman and senior classes. The freshman learned about taking notes on their research and evaluating the sources, while the seniors got some of their introduction to one of my favorite literary periods -- Romanticism. Friday was less of structured teaching; the seniors were taking a test on the previous unit and the freshman worked on their research. Despite not having a structured lesson for the freshmen on Friday, I was still doing a lot of teaching. I was doing a lot of walking around, answering many questions, but I actually loved that. I got to talk to students one-on-one that I haven’t interacted with much. I was able to it “click” for some students. Writing is the area I feel most comfortable in, and feel I am strongest in teaching how to write papers. I hope that at the end of the unit, the final products come out strong and show evidence of a good ground-level of writing ability, as these students will continue to encounter more and more writing as they continue on in school.
Monday, barring another snow day, nothing stands in my way of full-time teaching. The 12th graders have officially finished their unit, and it’s Romanticism time. The 9th graders continue researching and writing. As I begin this full-time teaching, I know there are things I want to work on and grow in. The main area is classroom management. It’s always been my weaker area, and I know these classes will challenge me to grow and develop in this area. It isn’t always about keeping the chaos at a minimum either. It’s also about seeing who’s participating, and who’s tuning me out in one way or another. This is what I need to work on, in both grades.
Also, my goal for the senior classes is engagement. Unlike the 9th graders, they don’t have a project they’re working on. I do have some time planned to give them a brief lecture, mostly on the background of some of the authors or poems, but I want to see them participating too. A lot of my lessons hinge on the discussion portion. My goal is to really have the students leading the discussion, bouncing ideas back and forth, while I act as more of a facilitator. I don’t know if they’re used to that, so it may not get there right away, but I hope at the end of these three weeks they're closer to that point. Furthermore, I want to connect this material to students’ lives. “Romantic” already probably turns people off. I want to show those guys who hunt, or play sports, that this isn’t just some mushy, gushy, love poetry -- Romanticism actually doesn’t really relate to that connotation of the word. I want them to see what is interesting about it, and to at least participate in discussions about it. I want to make this unit have at least a little fun sprinkled into every lesson. Some people may think I’m hoping for too much -- this is poetry, after all, and these are seniors who just want to graduate. Call me weird, but it’s my goal to peak their interest in something I say or do in class, and in turn in some of the poetry itself.
So I’m looking at Monday, again with the anticipation of jumping in with both feet. I’m also hoping for no more snow days; I may be working on flexibility, but with only three weeks to go, I still have to abide by time’s laws and get it all in!
This placement sure is teaching me flexibility! I thought I had a plan and then school was cancelled... for three days in a row. So everything had to shift, and I had to figure out how to still get everything accomplished in a decent time -- and, most of all, before I go back to Illinois! Once I did get back to school, the lessons in flexibility didn’t stop. I’m learning to bend as assemblies intrude, or when I might’ve a been a touch over-ambitious in the assignment. Being a girl who always has a plan, I think it’s good that I’m being forced to reorganize my thinking and go with the flow. It’s definitely a characteristic that’s needed when I have my own classroom next year.
Since we had three snow days, I only taught two days this week. But they sure were a full two days! Thursday, I taught for 5 periods -- both in the freshman and senior classes. The freshman learned about taking notes on their research and evaluating the sources, while the seniors got some of their introduction to one of my favorite literary periods -- Romanticism. Friday was less of structured teaching; the seniors were taking a test on the previous unit and the freshman worked on their research. Despite not having a structured lesson for the freshmen on Friday, I was still doing a lot of teaching. I was doing a lot of walking around, answering many questions, but I actually loved that. I got to talk to students one-on-one that I haven’t interacted with much. I was able to it “click” for some students. Writing is the area I feel most comfortable in, and feel I am strongest in teaching how to write papers. I hope that at the end of the unit, the final products come out strong and show evidence of a good ground-level of writing ability, as these students will continue to encounter more and more writing as they continue on in school.
Monday, barring another snow day, nothing stands in my way of full-time teaching. The 12th graders have officially finished their unit, and it’s Romanticism time. The 9th graders continue researching and writing. As I begin this full-time teaching, I know there are things I want to work on and grow in. The main area is classroom management. It’s always been my weaker area, and I know these classes will challenge me to grow and develop in this area. It isn’t always about keeping the chaos at a minimum either. It’s also about seeing who’s participating, and who’s tuning me out in one way or another. This is what I need to work on, in both grades.
Also, my goal for the senior classes is engagement. Unlike the 9th graders, they don’t have a project they’re working on. I do have some time planned to give them a brief lecture, mostly on the background of some of the authors or poems, but I want to see them participating too. A lot of my lessons hinge on the discussion portion. My goal is to really have the students leading the discussion, bouncing ideas back and forth, while I act as more of a facilitator. I don’t know if they’re used to that, so it may not get there right away, but I hope at the end of these three weeks they're closer to that point. Furthermore, I want to connect this material to students’ lives. “Romantic” already probably turns people off. I want to show those guys who hunt, or play sports, that this isn’t just some mushy, gushy, love poetry -- Romanticism actually doesn’t really relate to that connotation of the word. I want them to see what is interesting about it, and to at least participate in discussions about it. I want to make this unit have at least a little fun sprinkled into every lesson. Some people may think I’m hoping for too much -- this is poetry, after all, and these are seniors who just want to graduate. Call me weird, but it’s my goal to peak their interest in something I say or do in class, and in turn in some of the poetry itself.
So I’m looking at Monday, again with the anticipation of jumping in with both feet. I’m also hoping for no more snow days; I may be working on flexibility, but with only three weeks to go, I still have to abide by time’s laws and get it all in!
Sunday, January 26, 2014
Almost teaching time!
**Student teaching week 3**
The week began like every week at NorthPointe -- with small group prayer time with the other teachers. It’s such a blessed way to begin my week; not only do I get nourished through prayer, I get to know the other teachers and their hearts for the Lord in a particular way as I pray for and with them. It’s these moments that are set apart from my other field placements that remind me how much I was blessed to grow up in Christian education and how I still love it today. It’s two chapels a week, with singing and speakers who make the real world connections to the teenager’s lives as Christians. It’s student-organized and student-led Wednesday morning worship, because these kids really want to have some extra time to worship the Lord. It’s being able to ask my students to include a section of their research paper that ties in the Christian perspective, or asking students to compare the piece of literature to what the Bible says. It’s knowing that in all I do, I’m working for Christ, and asking my students to do the same. I’m prepared for and comfortable in a public school setting; I have no objections to teaching in a public school during my career and am fully aware I can let my light shine in that setting. But there’s something about Christian education that holds my heart, and I’m grateful to once again be in that setting.
There isn’t too much to report from the classroom when it comes to my teaching this week. Monday, the 27th, I’ll be teaching full time, both the 9th and 12th grade units. This week I was still mostly observing as the semester drew to a close. I have almost all the names of the students in all three 9th grade sections memorized, but 12th grade is harder mostly because there’s no seating chart for me to study. I know some of the students who participate a lot, but I’m going to have to think of something creative to learn all of their names.
That being said, I did actually start some teaching this week! The 9th grade finished their unit, and I started the research paper unit on Friday. However, the beginning to the unit ended up being a strange start. I was on my 1st hour plan period, making copies of my materials, and contemplating what I might add into the lesson to lengthen it; as I reviewed it, I realized I might have some extra time to fill, and didn’t want it to turn into social hour. As I was thinking about this, the announcement was made that we would be releasing early because there was a blizzard coming; therefore, all classes would last 25 minutes. It actually worked out well, and I was able to get in what I needed to say. Some adjustments were made -- a short assignment was added because we didn’t have time to do it in class, and one activity’s writing portion became just a conversation portion -- but overall it went well and I still feel confident it was successful.
As far as my teacher’s support as I transition into managing the classes, they each are supportive but have different plans for being present (or not) in the classroom early on. In 9th grade, my teacher has said she’ll remain in the class to support me for the beginning, and then ease out of the classroom eventually to give me full control. In 12th grade, the teacher believes it will be beneficial for me if I’m in control of the class without his constant presence; he plans to sit in on half of the classes the first week to see how I’m doing, but transition out rather quickly so I can really have full management control. I feel okay about both approaches, and think each are appropriate for the different grades I'm working with. Either way, this will be the first time I’m left completely in control of a class on my own. It’s exciting, because I can hardly wait to be a teacher, but also nerve-wracking. We’ll see how it goes!
I also got a new toy to help me teach lessons this week... a Macbook! First of all, NorthPointe has a one-to-one initiative they just began, so all of the 9th graders have Macbooks. So it’s also beneficial that I have a computer I can use to view their work (like on a shared drive) and so I’m familiar with the system they’re operating. Moreover, these classrooms don’t have classroom computers; rather, they have an Apple tv projector that syncs with Apple products and displays that screen on the projector screen in the classroom. Thus, in order to show the videos, slides, and pictures I hope to include in lessons, I needed my own Macbook. I was lent one from the school just for the remaining time I’m here, but it’s felt like I have to relearn technology because I’ve never worked on a Mac before. Even so, it’s fun and a good learning experience for me, and just goes to show how integral technology has become in education. I’m very grateful I was given this opportunity to be trusted with school property, and it does make me feel included in the teaching community at NorthPointe.
It was a good week, overall. It was a week with a little more participation, but still allowing me to be an outside participant. However, now it’s the real deal. My teaching begins tomorrow, Monday, and continues daily until I return to Illinois to start over in a new placement. The overall feeling? I’m pumped; I’ve been planning for so long, and now I get to apply it. know not every day will be fantastic, but I love what I do and can’t wait to do some more of it.
The week began like every week at NorthPointe -- with small group prayer time with the other teachers. It’s such a blessed way to begin my week; not only do I get nourished through prayer, I get to know the other teachers and their hearts for the Lord in a particular way as I pray for and with them. It’s these moments that are set apart from my other field placements that remind me how much I was blessed to grow up in Christian education and how I still love it today. It’s two chapels a week, with singing and speakers who make the real world connections to the teenager’s lives as Christians. It’s student-organized and student-led Wednesday morning worship, because these kids really want to have some extra time to worship the Lord. It’s being able to ask my students to include a section of their research paper that ties in the Christian perspective, or asking students to compare the piece of literature to what the Bible says. It’s knowing that in all I do, I’m working for Christ, and asking my students to do the same. I’m prepared for and comfortable in a public school setting; I have no objections to teaching in a public school during my career and am fully aware I can let my light shine in that setting. But there’s something about Christian education that holds my heart, and I’m grateful to once again be in that setting.
There isn’t too much to report from the classroom when it comes to my teaching this week. Monday, the 27th, I’ll be teaching full time, both the 9th and 12th grade units. This week I was still mostly observing as the semester drew to a close. I have almost all the names of the students in all three 9th grade sections memorized, but 12th grade is harder mostly because there’s no seating chart for me to study. I know some of the students who participate a lot, but I’m going to have to think of something creative to learn all of their names.
That being said, I did actually start some teaching this week! The 9th grade finished their unit, and I started the research paper unit on Friday. However, the beginning to the unit ended up being a strange start. I was on my 1st hour plan period, making copies of my materials, and contemplating what I might add into the lesson to lengthen it; as I reviewed it, I realized I might have some extra time to fill, and didn’t want it to turn into social hour. As I was thinking about this, the announcement was made that we would be releasing early because there was a blizzard coming; therefore, all classes would last 25 minutes. It actually worked out well, and I was able to get in what I needed to say. Some adjustments were made -- a short assignment was added because we didn’t have time to do it in class, and one activity’s writing portion became just a conversation portion -- but overall it went well and I still feel confident it was successful.
As far as my teacher’s support as I transition into managing the classes, they each are supportive but have different plans for being present (or not) in the classroom early on. In 9th grade, my teacher has said she’ll remain in the class to support me for the beginning, and then ease out of the classroom eventually to give me full control. In 12th grade, the teacher believes it will be beneficial for me if I’m in control of the class without his constant presence; he plans to sit in on half of the classes the first week to see how I’m doing, but transition out rather quickly so I can really have full management control. I feel okay about both approaches, and think each are appropriate for the different grades I'm working with. Either way, this will be the first time I’m left completely in control of a class on my own. It’s exciting, because I can hardly wait to be a teacher, but also nerve-wracking. We’ll see how it goes!
I also got a new toy to help me teach lessons this week... a Macbook! First of all, NorthPointe has a one-to-one initiative they just began, so all of the 9th graders have Macbooks. So it’s also beneficial that I have a computer I can use to view their work (like on a shared drive) and so I’m familiar with the system they’re operating. Moreover, these classrooms don’t have classroom computers; rather, they have an Apple tv projector that syncs with Apple products and displays that screen on the projector screen in the classroom. Thus, in order to show the videos, slides, and pictures I hope to include in lessons, I needed my own Macbook. I was lent one from the school just for the remaining time I’m here, but it’s felt like I have to relearn technology because I’ve never worked on a Mac before. Even so, it’s fun and a good learning experience for me, and just goes to show how integral technology has become in education. I’m very grateful I was given this opportunity to be trusted with school property, and it does make me feel included in the teaching community at NorthPointe.
It was a good week, overall. It was a week with a little more participation, but still allowing me to be an outside participant. However, now it’s the real deal. My teaching begins tomorrow, Monday, and continues daily until I return to Illinois to start over in a new placement. The overall feeling? I’m pumped; I’ve been planning for so long, and now I get to apply it. know not every day will be fantastic, but I love what I do and can’t wait to do some more of it.
Sunday, January 19, 2014
Observing the Mustangs
**student teaching week 2**
The
beginning of the week was filled with the hype of the “big game.”
I heard a couple senior guys my first day of being in the classroom
discussing the opposing team. There were flyers spread over the halls
declaring the “neon out” the students would participate in for
the game. There was announcements at the end of the day about it.
Even in Tuesday morning's chapel, they briefly discussed positive
cheering versus negative, the negative example being a chant of
“Calvin sucks!” (meaning they would not cheer that way). Ms.
Straayer glanced back at me during that chant, giggling. Later, she
asked,
"When
should we tell them where you graduated from?"
I
graduated from Calvin Christian, the school NorthPointe now claims to
be a big rival.
“I'll wait until after the game.”
“I'll wait until after the game.”
Being my first week in the actual classroom, this week was focused mostly on observation and getting familiar with the students. Attending the game – in neon – was one of the ways I worked to integrate myself into the life of the school and form a connection to the students. Also this week, I attended a rehearsal for the school play. Ms. Straayer is the director, and since I've involved in theatre for 8 years and already miss it, I eagerly picked her up on her offer to attend any rehearsal I wished. I also attended a night set aside for parents thinking of coming to NorthPointe, spending time in the classroom with my teacher as parents and prospective students toured the school. Though my focus is on what goes on in the classroom, I want it to be evident I'm interested in students' lives outside of the school day as well.
Inside the classroom, I took note of my teachers' teaching methods and management techniques. Though both have given me some permission to take some liberty with how I teach, it's important that I observe these methods because a) these are veteran teachers, and I can learn from them and b) I want to produce a good learning environment, and thus if certain routines work I don't want to shake it up too much.
Since I was observing, the majority of my time was again spent planning. I have to say I'm pretty excited and pleased with it. I have multiple lessons written for both classes, and a rough calendar written out that I just have to put into formal lessons. I've gathered pictures, videos, and websites that will enrich the lessons. Both of these units are on topics I love, so I look forward to sharing them with the students. However, as I plan, I've realized something important - I have to remember what it was like to be in high school when creating an assignment schedule. While reading five poems that are more than three or four verses is no big deal to me, to high school students, even seniors, it may be a bigger deal. I don't want to underestimate the students, but I don't want to push them away by giving them too much either. With this awareness, I've revised my original schedule a couple different times. In my pressing full-steam ahead, I am reminding myself to be flexible and always have a back-up plan on how to revise as needed.
There are also some challenges I foresee. The 9th graders are very talkative, so classroom management (one of the areas I'm working to improve) is going to be key. 12th grade does not seem as rambunctious, but their age itself may pose the biggest issue. I have a brother who is only a year older than them, and I am only 4-5 years older. Though I know this may help form connections, I have to be sure that the line between student and teacher is still apparent.
In the midst of all this observation and planning, I did end up getting to (unexpectedly) lead classes for both teachers a little this week. It all happened on Thursday, actually. In 9th grade, I was asked to lead the students through 2 pages of reading before they started an activity finding colloquialisms; being that was the only instructional time for the period, I was really the main instructor at the time. In the senior class, the teacher had to be home for the afternoon unexpectedly, so I was asked to step in for his last three classes. The seniors had already been scheduled to watch a video of “Gulliver's Travels,” so I just started and stopped the video and kept them all in line. I was also asked to lead an honors course for juniors during his last hour, where they were to work independently on something they started the day before. There was another teacher next-door who was aware of the situation, and who I could have gone to with any problems. However, no problems arose, and it became a fun experience for me. I got to interact with the seniors a little before beginning the movie, chatting casually with them and sharing a little bit about myself (including where I went to high school). In last hour, I got to interact with students I won't see very often, as I'll be teaching a final section of 9th grade on most days during last hour; that became a fun way to end the day. The students finished relatively quickly, and since I wasn't aware of what they are studying, I came up with a not-so-educational-but-still-entertaining activity to do for the final ten minutes (a game I played with the Pathfinder campers). Even though I may not have been teaching them, even building those connections and allowing myself to show my personality was good for me to do. The whole day allowed me to be flexible and think on my feet, which is useful when looking to become a teacher.
Overall, the week was productive and useful. I have a good head-start on planning, which also allows time to revise as I learn about students needs and learning styles. I'm being incorporated into the staff well. I'm starting to get to know students. I even got involved in attending some extra-curricular activities, showing my interest in student life (and they were also fun for me to do). As I look into next week, there will be some more observation as both classes finish up their units before I start mine. I hope that I will be able to lead the class more this week, though, even for brief periods. Most of all, as I look ahead, I feel confident and eagerly anticipate what's to come. It won't be easy, but I seriously love what I'm doing, and hope I can make an impact in the life of these students before I return to Illinois.
The First Day
**Week 1 of student teaching**
It was the first day of going to high school again.
Well, sort of. It was my first day of student teaching, which is at a high school. The fact that I am 22 and going to teach high school for these 7 weeks, not attend, didn't stop my parents from taking the “first day of school picture” before I left that morning.
So, here I am, off and running on this student teaching adventure. For the first seven weeks (ending February 21) I'll be at NorthPointe Christian High in Grand Rapids, Michigan. It's a private school on the smaller side, around the same amount of students at the high school I attended. After being at schools for previous placements with multiple stories, even when they only have three grades, a smaller school was a welcomed change.
I'm working with two teachers at NorthPointe, and teaching two grades - 12th grade for two sections, and 9th grade for three sections, with two planning periods. Though it's a bit of a jump, I'm excited to work with both of these groups. As planned with my teachers, I'll be teaching one unit on writing research papers to the 9th graders, and a unit on the Romantic period in literature to the 12th graders. Both of these units really excite me, because they're both topics in English that I am very familiar with and truly enjoy studying, explaining, and teaching.
This week, however, was different for NorthPointe. Not only did they not begin right away due to two snow days, but it was also j-term. All the students pick three 2-hour classes to take for the day, each of which is teaching on a topic that is not a normal piece of the curriculum. Fun for them, but not so great when you're trying to observe teachers, since they aren't actually doing a whole lot of typical teaching. Also, being that my desk (yes, I get a desk) is in Ms. Straayer's room, and she wasn't teaching a course this week, I spent the most time with her so didn't see many classes.
However, I did have a somewhat productive week in other ways than observation. The two teachers and I discussed a plan for the seven weeks, what units I'm teaching, and when I will start teaching full time - in about 2 weeks or less! I also got to know my teachers, and the other teachers in the school, by spending a lot of time chatting in a relaxed manner. I did attend three of the courses that I thought would be interesting, so got to know other teachers and some of the students that way. Furthermore, with extra time on my hands at school, I've started getting a headstart on my planning, completing a rough outline of how long I expect the unit to take and writing two lesson plans! So, though it may not have been a traditional week, I feel very good about it as I now already feel more comfortable in the school.
I can already tell this is going to be a wonderful fit for me. It's nice being back in a Christian high school, a setting I am initially quite comfortable in, but it's also a very welcoming staff and students. I look forward to meeting my classes this week and observing both of my teachers as they teach and care for these students.
It was the first day of going to high school again.
Well, sort of. It was my first day of student teaching, which is at a high school. The fact that I am 22 and going to teach high school for these 7 weeks, not attend, didn't stop my parents from taking the “first day of school picture” before I left that morning.
So, here I am, off and running on this student teaching adventure. For the first seven weeks (ending February 21) I'll be at NorthPointe Christian High in Grand Rapids, Michigan. It's a private school on the smaller side, around the same amount of students at the high school I attended. After being at schools for previous placements with multiple stories, even when they only have three grades, a smaller school was a welcomed change.
I'm working with two teachers at NorthPointe, and teaching two grades - 12th grade for two sections, and 9th grade for three sections, with two planning periods. Though it's a bit of a jump, I'm excited to work with both of these groups. As planned with my teachers, I'll be teaching one unit on writing research papers to the 9th graders, and a unit on the Romantic period in literature to the 12th graders. Both of these units really excite me, because they're both topics in English that I am very familiar with and truly enjoy studying, explaining, and teaching.
This week, however, was different for NorthPointe. Not only did they not begin right away due to two snow days, but it was also j-term. All the students pick three 2-hour classes to take for the day, each of which is teaching on a topic that is not a normal piece of the curriculum. Fun for them, but not so great when you're trying to observe teachers, since they aren't actually doing a whole lot of typical teaching. Also, being that my desk (yes, I get a desk) is in Ms. Straayer's room, and she wasn't teaching a course this week, I spent the most time with her so didn't see many classes.
However, I did have a somewhat productive week in other ways than observation. The two teachers and I discussed a plan for the seven weeks, what units I'm teaching, and when I will start teaching full time - in about 2 weeks or less! I also got to know my teachers, and the other teachers in the school, by spending a lot of time chatting in a relaxed manner. I did attend three of the courses that I thought would be interesting, so got to know other teachers and some of the students that way. Furthermore, with extra time on my hands at school, I've started getting a headstart on my planning, completing a rough outline of how long I expect the unit to take and writing two lesson plans! So, though it may not have been a traditional week, I feel very good about it as I now already feel more comfortable in the school.
I can already tell this is going to be a wonderful fit for me. It's nice being back in a Christian high school, a setting I am initially quite comfortable in, but it's also a very welcoming staff and students. I look forward to meeting my classes this week and observing both of my teachers as they teach and care for these students.
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