Highlight
Personal Highlight: I get to work with a social studies
teacher as well as the English teacher now. Yay for principals and things
working out!
I think a highlight for this week for me is getting the opportunity
to watch students improve. Although I hate the redundancy of the practice tests,
I am watching students who couldn’t do certain things last week do it without effort
this week. It is interesting to see students progress over the quarter. I know
of one student who is also working with a reading strategist outside of the classroom
is improving a lot fro when I first met him in 8th grade to where he
is now. So seeing 8th graders mature and learn, that is a definite
highlight.
Something that
happened
Something that happened that made me think about education
was getting the opportunity to start the class on my own and then teach. My cooperating
teacher usually introduces me, but she let me start the class this week and be
more in control of the room. In third period, it was bumpy and I had some management
issues. In fourth period, as the students trailed in from a math class where
they had been rambunctious, apparently, the math teacher wished me “good luck”
and had a good natured chuckle. But then fourth period was amazing, they were
awesome and on task, and focused for me. So I guess what this made me realize
is you can’t have solid expectations with students, whether they be negative or
positive. Sometimes students surprise you, and flexibility is job requirement.
One practice or
approach
My practice this week is honesty. North Pines students are doing
constant MSP practice tests, and sometimes they are given an explanation as to
why. So when I worked with third period on Monday, I just gave them the assignment
and said “this is what we’re doing.” It did not go smoothly, and I think part
of it is the students feel like their time is being wasted. So in fourth
period, I started out by saying I knew they were sick of practice tests, and I understood.
I then said we wanted them to be comfortable with the test so that next week they
would not get stressed out on the actual MSP.
I see my cooperating teacher give her rationale often and
address issues. I think it is ok to sympathize with your students and just be
honest, but then give your reasons and go through with your curriculum or
plans.
Conflicts
One conflict I faced was with a student who seems to be having
some medical/emotional issues that is somewhat getting ignored in my class. I
noticed last Friday, this student told my cooperating teacher that he was
having problems with his medication and was off. She didn’t do anything, and he
failed the test. Then on Monday, the same student was fine. Today, he was
clearly having an “off day” and was working alone in the hallway, but not seeming
to focus on anything. I don’t know if my teacher is aware of the issue and I am
worried about this student, but am scared to step on her toes by bringing it
up.
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