What I Believe About
The importance of discipline...
Culturally sensitive discipline...
Criteria for evaluating my discipline plan...
Preventative discipline...
Establishing classroom rules...
Underlying causes of misbehavior...
Asking for parent cooperation...
Positive discipline methods...
There is so much to say about discipline in schools that it's hard to figure out where to start. Discipline is obviously important, but the goal is to establish classroom rules in such a manner that you are able to prevent disciplinary issues from being a problem. Establishing rules is the first thing you should do in a classroom, right along with establishing a rapport with your students and developing routines.
I can't say I necessarily have my own discipline plan yet. Right now, during these field experiences, I simply enforce the disciplinary plans that my mentor teachers already have in place. I also haven't given very much specific thought to culturally sensitive discipline since I don't know who my students future students will be or what they will need. Finally, I do know it is important to consider underlying causes of misbehavior--students act out and misbehave for a variety of reasons, some including misunderstanding scripts for classroom behavior, desire for attention, desire to escape a class or assignment, problems at home, etc.
------
In what ways, if any, has the chapter changed my beliefs about discipline?
I feel like I'm usually saying this, but the chapter didn't really change my beliefs on anything. It just offered lots of new ideas and strategies for me to think about when I'm teaching. The nonverbal and low-key interventions on p. 89 really confirmed a lot of what I try to do in the classroom I'm in now, which is good to hear. One thing that I struggle with is that a lot of the remedies for dealing with bad behavior including spending more individual time with the student, and I'm not sure how to do that when I'm supposed to be teaching a class of 30. I'd love to get to sit down with each of my students individually and get to know them and their needs, but it's just not practical.
Questions I Still Have...
Can I pull it off? I'm not very loud or strict yet. I know that's something I'll have to work on as I get more comfortable in the classroom.
Saturday, October 13, 2012
Sunday, September 23, 2012
Chapter 8: Working with School Personnel
What I Believe About:
Getting to know my school and surrounding community...
Working with my principal...
Working with other teachers...
Working with paraprofessionals and paid aides...
Preparing for substitute teachers...
This chapter ties in to almost everything I'm doing in the other education classes I am taking this semester. One of my classes is about school-family partnerships and the importance of understanding the community, and the special education class I am in is currently focusing on relationships with other adult supports. Because of that, I'm not going to get into what I believe about these things too deeply. Some highlights are that the community can be a great resource for the classroom, creating partnerships throughout the school is critical to a happy and healthy work environment, paraprofessionals are great sources of support but can sometimes isolate the students they serve, and subs will love you forever if you have clear plans laid out for them.
---
In what ways, if any, has the chapter changed my beliefs?
I can't really say that this chapter changed any of my beliefs, but it definitely elaborated on some that I already held. My favorite thing about this book is how practical everything is. All of the advice and strategies are explicit enough that I can easily figure out how to apply them. I'm also a big fan of lists, which this text offers plenty of, so I know this will be a book I refer to a lot in my first few years.
This is a really short blog post both because I feel more comfortable with these topics and I don't think I learned anything completely novel from the chapter and because I have my first day with my students tomorrow! I will mostly be observing, but I will also have the opportunity to help facilitate peer editing groups and some other activities. I'm excited to finally meet the classes I'll be teaching this semester, and I'm looking forward to meeting with my mentor teacher again and getting to know her better.
Wish me luck!
Getting to know my school and surrounding community...
Working with my principal...
Working with other teachers...
Working with paraprofessionals and paid aides...
Preparing for substitute teachers...
This chapter ties in to almost everything I'm doing in the other education classes I am taking this semester. One of my classes is about school-family partnerships and the importance of understanding the community, and the special education class I am in is currently focusing on relationships with other adult supports. Because of that, I'm not going to get into what I believe about these things too deeply. Some highlights are that the community can be a great resource for the classroom, creating partnerships throughout the school is critical to a happy and healthy work environment, paraprofessionals are great sources of support but can sometimes isolate the students they serve, and subs will love you forever if you have clear plans laid out for them.
---
In what ways, if any, has the chapter changed my beliefs?
I can't really say that this chapter changed any of my beliefs, but it definitely elaborated on some that I already held. My favorite thing about this book is how practical everything is. All of the advice and strategies are explicit enough that I can easily figure out how to apply them. I'm also a big fan of lists, which this text offers plenty of, so I know this will be a book I refer to a lot in my first few years.
This is a really short blog post both because I feel more comfortable with these topics and I don't think I learned anything completely novel from the chapter and because I have my first day with my students tomorrow! I will mostly be observing, but I will also have the opportunity to help facilitate peer editing groups and some other activities. I'm excited to finally meet the classes I'll be teaching this semester, and I'm looking forward to meeting with my mentor teacher again and getting to know her better.
Wish me luck!
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Introduction to my Field Experience
I met with my mentor teacher for my pre-professional seminar's field experience today. She seems awesome, and I'm really excited to work with her. She's been teaching for four years, so she still remembers her student teaching experiences clearly enough to have sympathy for me. I'll be teaching at least one of her 10th grade English CP classes (American Lit II: 1914-present) and potentially some lessons for her theatre elective.
My first unit is going to be on Death of a Salesman, and then after that I get to work on poems by Robert Frost. The scary thing is that I realized I have no idea how to teach. I have to create classroom lessons for this entire unit, and I have no idea how to even begin. She suggested I start with an introduction on the concept of the American Dream, so I'm working on that right now, but I also have to find time within the first day to teach drama terms... we'll see what happens.
In the meantime, if anyone has any great suggestions for things to include in my Death of a Salesman unit, let me know!
My first unit is going to be on Death of a Salesman, and then after that I get to work on poems by Robert Frost. The scary thing is that I realized I have no idea how to teach. I have to create classroom lessons for this entire unit, and I have no idea how to even begin. She suggested I start with an introduction on the concept of the American Dream, so I'm working on that right now, but I also have to find time within the first day to teach drama terms... we'll see what happens.
In the meantime, if anyone has any great suggestions for things to include in my Death of a Salesman unit, let me know!
Sunday, September 9, 2012
Chapter 9: The First Day
What I Believe About
Preparation for the first day...
Assigning seats and learning names...
Meeting parents on the first day...
The first day's activities...
I've been dreaming up different ways to conduct the first day of the school year for years now. The first day is crucial for setting the tone for the year, but I still have to figure out how that fits with who I want to be as a teacher and what exactly I will do to set that tone. Will I focus more on classroom routines? Or will I jump right into instruction to show them I don't want to waste any time? Is there a way to successfully mix the two?
Other questions I worry about are how far in advance will I get my curriculum? When do I get to set up my classroom? Will I even have my own classroom or will I be a floater?
I already know I will assign seats, but not alphabetically. I just don't know what layout the seats will be in, yet. Learning names as quickly as possible is critical for credibility. The first few days, students will have to say their names before they speak, to help me remember them and to remove any questions about proper pronunciation.
I don't think I will likely meet any parents on the first day of class--I can't think of any reasons why I would. This seems like something that would be more likely for an elementary school teacher.
And the activities will depend on the curriculum. I know that my exit slip for the first day, though, will be asking the students for suggestions about places I should go and things I should do around town, since when I am teaching for TFA, I will be new to the Newark area. Others I have considered are autobiographical poems based on the personal info cards I ask them to fill out about themselves, asking them to make assumptions about me (teaching inference skills), and expectations setting (me of them, them of me, them of each other).
----
In what ways, if any, has the chapter changed my beliefs?
I hadn't realized how looked down upon assigned seating is. I had been planning on assigning seating, but this chapter has me questioning whether or not that is necessary. It suggests that allowing students to choose their own seating is one way to put the responsibility for the education in their own hands. I am struggling to remember what my own teachers did when I was in high school. I'm sure different teachers had different ways of handling it.
Questions I Still Have . . .
Will I be able to pull it off?
Lots of others...
Preparation for the first day...
Assigning seats and learning names...
Meeting parents on the first day...
The first day's activities...
I've been dreaming up different ways to conduct the first day of the school year for years now. The first day is crucial for setting the tone for the year, but I still have to figure out how that fits with who I want to be as a teacher and what exactly I will do to set that tone. Will I focus more on classroom routines? Or will I jump right into instruction to show them I don't want to waste any time? Is there a way to successfully mix the two?
Other questions I worry about are how far in advance will I get my curriculum? When do I get to set up my classroom? Will I even have my own classroom or will I be a floater?
I already know I will assign seats, but not alphabetically. I just don't know what layout the seats will be in, yet. Learning names as quickly as possible is critical for credibility. The first few days, students will have to say their names before they speak, to help me remember them and to remove any questions about proper pronunciation.
I don't think I will likely meet any parents on the first day of class--I can't think of any reasons why I would. This seems like something that would be more likely for an elementary school teacher.
And the activities will depend on the curriculum. I know that my exit slip for the first day, though, will be asking the students for suggestions about places I should go and things I should do around town, since when I am teaching for TFA, I will be new to the Newark area. Others I have considered are autobiographical poems based on the personal info cards I ask them to fill out about themselves, asking them to make assumptions about me (teaching inference skills), and expectations setting (me of them, them of me, them of each other).
----
In what ways, if any, has the chapter changed my beliefs?
I hadn't realized how looked down upon assigned seating is. I had been planning on assigning seating, but this chapter has me questioning whether or not that is necessary. It suggests that allowing students to choose their own seating is one way to put the responsibility for the education in their own hands. I am struggling to remember what my own teachers did when I was in high school. I'm sure different teachers had different ways of handling it.
Questions I Still Have . . .
Will I be able to pull it off?
Lots of others...
Saturday, September 1, 2012
Chapter 4: Classroom Organization and Management
What I Believe About
Designing my classroom environment (furniture grouping, accessories, bulletin boards, etc.)...
Establishing classroom climate...
Establishing routines and procedures (exits, entrances, materials use, bathroom, wastebasket, water, etc.)...
Using monitors...
There are so many variables in a classroom. I feel pretty confident about my ability to establish a classroom climate, and in my methods and other courses we have discussed classroom procedures at length. Out of these topics, the actual physical organization of the desks is probably what I am least certain about. I have no idea what types of desks or tables I'll be given. I know that I want to do a circle discussion one a week or once every other week on Fridays, but that doesn't help me for the rest of the week. My guess is that the first year will be a lot of trial and error, and hopefully I have students who are patient with me.
----
In what ways, if any, has the chapter changed by beliefs?
I really appreciated a lot of the organizational advice from experienced teachers in this chapter. The ideas of having color coded work and binders for different periods is a great way to stay organized. I'm fond of binders, so I think that procedure will come naturally to me.
I already have some posters and things that I want to hang in my classroom, but the idea of actually doing themed bulletin boards (almost like those I'm used to doing as an RA!) wasn't something I had considered. Bulletin boards in classrooms, in my mind, are for announcements, hanging student work, class rules, etc.
The checklist for the furniture layout is great, and I will definitely use that when I am actually figuring out how I want my students desks to be set up.
Questions I Still Have . . .
Can I really have a pet in my class? I'll have to ask my administrators about that...
If I have room for a small reading center in my class, how do you determine who gets to use it since all the students couldn't fit together?
What are my personal beliefs about bathroom passes/water breaks? How much will those procedures depend on the age of my students?
Designing my classroom environment (furniture grouping, accessories, bulletin boards, etc.)...
Establishing classroom climate...
Establishing routines and procedures (exits, entrances, materials use, bathroom, wastebasket, water, etc.)...
Using monitors...
There are so many variables in a classroom. I feel pretty confident about my ability to establish a classroom climate, and in my methods and other courses we have discussed classroom procedures at length. Out of these topics, the actual physical organization of the desks is probably what I am least certain about. I have no idea what types of desks or tables I'll be given. I know that I want to do a circle discussion one a week or once every other week on Fridays, but that doesn't help me for the rest of the week. My guess is that the first year will be a lot of trial and error, and hopefully I have students who are patient with me.
----
In what ways, if any, has the chapter changed by beliefs?
I really appreciated a lot of the organizational advice from experienced teachers in this chapter. The ideas of having color coded work and binders for different periods is a great way to stay organized. I'm fond of binders, so I think that procedure will come naturally to me.
I already have some posters and things that I want to hang in my classroom, but the idea of actually doing themed bulletin boards (almost like those I'm used to doing as an RA!) wasn't something I had considered. Bulletin boards in classrooms, in my mind, are for announcements, hanging student work, class rules, etc.
The checklist for the furniture layout is great, and I will definitely use that when I am actually figuring out how I want my students desks to be set up.
Questions I Still Have . . .
Can I really have a pet in my class? I'll have to ask my administrators about that...
If I have room for a small reading center in my class, how do you determine who gets to use it since all the students couldn't fit together?
What are my personal beliefs about bathroom passes/water breaks? How much will those procedures depend on the age of my students?
Friday, August 31, 2012
Chapter 3: Materials and Supplies
What I Believe About
Potential sources of teaching materials and supplies (school, district, institutions, colleagues, parents)...
Ordering materials...
Technology in the classroom...
Sources of free or inexpensive materials...
Because I don't yet know what school I will be placed at, there are a lot of questions up in the air about what types of resources will be available. I understand that Teach for America works in schools in under-served communities, so I feel like it's reasonable for me to ask whether or not the school itself will be under-served in the form of facilities, school supplies, technological resources, and even faculty and staff. I would be hesitant to order materials online or from a catalog unless I knew another colleague who used the same thing and could see it ahead of time. I'm wary about making purchases, especially if I am purchasing it out of pocket, without knowing exactly what I will be receiving. Finally, I would be excited to learn about sources of free or inexpensive materials, so I'm hoping this chapter lists some resources of that sort!
------
In what ways, if any, has the chapter changed my beliefs?
I think the chapter helped me understand my own ability when it comes to getting what I need for my classroom. I'm not as "at the mercy" of the school or district as I had previously thought. There are a lot of ways to be creative about getting what I and my students will need throughout the year. Some methods might be more glorious than others, but if it helps me have a successful lesson or unit, it's well worth it.
Questions I Still Have...
This book was published in 2004, and some of the comments about technology prove how dated it is. As much as I hate to admit it, 2004 was eight years ago, and so much has changed since then. With that in mind, I have to wonder how many of the other resources listed in this book (especially those offering free materials to teachers) are also out-dated. I'll have to do some exploring during the year to make sure I have some more current resources, even though much of the advice in this text is exactly what I need.
Potential sources of teaching materials and supplies (school, district, institutions, colleagues, parents)...
Ordering materials...
Technology in the classroom...
Sources of free or inexpensive materials...
Because I don't yet know what school I will be placed at, there are a lot of questions up in the air about what types of resources will be available. I understand that Teach for America works in schools in under-served communities, so I feel like it's reasonable for me to ask whether or not the school itself will be under-served in the form of facilities, school supplies, technological resources, and even faculty and staff. I would be hesitant to order materials online or from a catalog unless I knew another colleague who used the same thing and could see it ahead of time. I'm wary about making purchases, especially if I am purchasing it out of pocket, without knowing exactly what I will be receiving. Finally, I would be excited to learn about sources of free or inexpensive materials, so I'm hoping this chapter lists some resources of that sort!
------
In what ways, if any, has the chapter changed my beliefs?
I think the chapter helped me understand my own ability when it comes to getting what I need for my classroom. I'm not as "at the mercy" of the school or district as I had previously thought. There are a lot of ways to be creative about getting what I and my students will need throughout the year. Some methods might be more glorious than others, but if it helps me have a successful lesson or unit, it's well worth it.
Questions I Still Have...
This book was published in 2004, and some of the comments about technology prove how dated it is. As much as I hate to admit it, 2004 was eight years ago, and so much has changed since then. With that in mind, I have to wonder how many of the other resources listed in this book (especially those offering free materials to teachers) are also out-dated. I'll have to do some exploring during the year to make sure I have some more current resources, even though much of the advice in this text is exactly what I need.
Thursday, August 30, 2012
Chapter 2: Curriculum Planning
Each of these posts will consist of a pre-reading reflection and a post-reading reflection.
What I Believe About
The importance of planning...
Long-range planning...
Standards-based planning...
Thematic instructional units...
Weekly and daily planning...
Planning for diversity...
I am a "type A" person. I know this about myself. Planning and revisiting plans to make them better, more clear, more effective, etc. is something that offers me great comfort. Because of this, curriculum planning is one of the aspects of teaching that worries me the most. The idea of not knowing what to plan or how to plan to most efficiently and effectively reach my students terrifies me. In my program so far, I have written one unit plan and a handful of lesson plans, but my classmates and I understood that they were entirely hypothetical. I have never had to implement any of the lessons I have created, with the exception of the five-minute lesson I presented during my Teach for America interview. I also practiced giving that lesson in its entirety countless times, a luxury I won't have with the six or seven 45-minute lessons I will be teaching daily as a full-time teacher.
Right now, I can't imagine planning lessons for the five weeks I will be teaching during this semester. Trying to imagine planning for an entire year is overwhelming, to say the very least. I know that my excitement to get into the classroom and work with students will help dispel my fears, but I certainly wouldn't mind more instruction about how to plan out my year.
---
In what ways, if any, has the chapter changed my beliefs?
I wouldn't say that this chapter changed my beliefs about planning at all. It emphasized the importance of planning ranging from long-term to short-term. My program does stress individual daily lesson plans more than the author stresses them, and she even noted that would likely be the case. It will be interesting to see what my school actually requires in terms of lesson plans when I get there.
I found it somewhat frustrating that the chapter seemed to focus more on curriculum planning for the elementary grades. I understand that integrating curricula for different subjects is important at that level, but I would have liked to hear more about how to plan for various grades and skill levels surround the same general subject. Related to that...
Questions I Still Have...
How much should I be worried about keeping, for example, two ninth grade college prep classes on the same track?
Should I be on the same schedule with all of my classes, regardless of grade or skill level? For example, should all of my classes be starting a new unit at the same time?
What I Believe About
The importance of planning...
Long-range planning...
Standards-based planning...
Thematic instructional units...
Weekly and daily planning...
Planning for diversity...
I am a "type A" person. I know this about myself. Planning and revisiting plans to make them better, more clear, more effective, etc. is something that offers me great comfort. Because of this, curriculum planning is one of the aspects of teaching that worries me the most. The idea of not knowing what to plan or how to plan to most efficiently and effectively reach my students terrifies me. In my program so far, I have written one unit plan and a handful of lesson plans, but my classmates and I understood that they were entirely hypothetical. I have never had to implement any of the lessons I have created, with the exception of the five-minute lesson I presented during my Teach for America interview. I also practiced giving that lesson in its entirety countless times, a luxury I won't have with the six or seven 45-minute lessons I will be teaching daily as a full-time teacher.
Right now, I can't imagine planning lessons for the five weeks I will be teaching during this semester. Trying to imagine planning for an entire year is overwhelming, to say the very least. I know that my excitement to get into the classroom and work with students will help dispel my fears, but I certainly wouldn't mind more instruction about how to plan out my year.
---
In what ways, if any, has the chapter changed my beliefs?
I wouldn't say that this chapter changed my beliefs about planning at all. It emphasized the importance of planning ranging from long-term to short-term. My program does stress individual daily lesson plans more than the author stresses them, and she even noted that would likely be the case. It will be interesting to see what my school actually requires in terms of lesson plans when I get there.
I found it somewhat frustrating that the chapter seemed to focus more on curriculum planning for the elementary grades. I understand that integrating curricula for different subjects is important at that level, but I would have liked to hear more about how to plan for various grades and skill levels surround the same general subject. Related to that...
Questions I Still Have...
How much should I be worried about keeping, for example, two ninth grade college prep classes on the same track?
Should I be on the same schedule with all of my classes, regardless of grade or skill level? For example, should all of my classes be starting a new unit at the same time?
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