During the Student Teaching semester, you must do what is called "Lead-Teaching" for two weeks at each placement. This means that you are the head teacher from beginning to end of the day for two weeks straight. It allows you to be in the teacher's shoes and build up your stamina to last an entire day. My lead teaching starting last Monday and ended today.
We had just gotten back from Berlin the night before I was going to teach and we were on the start of a big snow storm that was moving through Europe. Well, this snow storm delayed my morning shuttle bus by 40 minutes and I did not get to school until 8:10 (I am supposed to get the students at 7:55am from the buses). Needless to say, the first day didn't feel like I was the lead teacher. The rest of the week went okay, the students really had to adjust to coming to me with all of their questions and I had to quickly implement many classroom management strategies. The first week was also Read Across America Week and that Friday consisted of an all day program with different sessions throughout the school centered around Dr. Seuss with a giant assembly and dance at the end of the day. It was a very fun day and the kids enjoyed it, but it also got them out of routine.
My first observation was Social Studies. Since my university didn't want to pay to send a supervisor over to Germany, the school's principal is assigned to be my supervisor. I decided to have her observe me teach the other 5th grade class (we switch for Science and Social Studies) because they get more time and they are a very fun group to work with. However, my classroom management wasn't quite up to par yet and it was only my second day teaching to those kids so they were still adjusting to me. The principal offered good suggestions for me to work on with a class that is that lively and wild at most times.
Active Graphing on the SMART Board
Writing up the KWL Chart
We talked about how to earn game time: walking quietly in the hallway, getting compliments on behavior from other teachers, doing things without being asked, and everyone turning their homework in on time. Then we voted on what weekly goal we wanted to attain.
"Give Me Five" Poster displayed in the classroom.
Wednesday, of the second week of lead teaching, was a very tough day. We have been studying fractions since I got to the classroom and I have been teaching everything from simplest form to multiplying and dividing fractions and mixed numbers. We had a test on Wednesday and we had two different review strategies (a flip book to write notes for each process and a multiplication/division bingo game). The students did fantastic on both activities and I was feeling very confident about the test the next day. Well we get to the test and it felt like they had forgotten everything. They were constantly asking me questions and couldn't tell me how to solve the problem. It was very frustrating and upsetting that the retention just wasn't lasting. It also didn't help that we had a practice standardized test just shortly before. I couldn't change the day or the timing of the test so we just had to go for it. It also didn't help that the kids were being stinkers for the majority of the day. I went home, worked out, had a doner (delicious and fattening German pork sandwich), and then had a lot of Oreos and went to bed early. Thursday was a complete 180 from the day before. When you are a teacher, you just have to accept what happened the day before and make the next day better.
I also had my second supervisor visit and it went wonderfully. It helps that my students are generally pretty quiet and I have been working with them much longer. She LOVED my bingo review game, my classroom arrangement, and my new management strategies.
What we are learning about and projects we are doing:
What we are learning about and projects we are doing:
1. Social Studies: Louisiana Purchase and the Louis and Clark Expedition. We did a webquest and the students are working in groups of four to accomplish a timeline of events in any form they choose.
Classroom Bulletin Board
Researching for our webquest
Working on our timelines/visual representations
Finishing up our posters
Presenting the final product
2. Reading: Finishing up The Cricket in Time Square by writing a book review for the New York Times and also reviewing main idea, skimming and scanning, reading out of the curriculum book, and doing our Spelling Packets and Grammar Packets
Using the template to type up our reviewed drafts
Final products are displayed outside of the classroom
3. Math: Finishing up Fractions to include Fraction Flip Books and Bingo. Also working on taking notes in math and multi-step processes. We also spent Friday reviewing some geometry stuff that they have to at least have some knowledge about before their standardized test next week. That is as much "teaching to the test" as I will do.
The Fraction Flip Book--Review of each operation and how to find an answer to the problem
Working with Geometric Shapes and Nets today. Also, we talked about surface area and volume
Reviewing reflection, rotation, and translation
1. Having a fun nickname given to me by the students. I am Ms. Yoshi (like the Mario Brother's character) because they thought that's what my named sounded like when they first met me.
2. Having "Yoshi Powers" that help the students learn concepts
3. Enthusiastic kids who love learning and being creative--also being able to make them happy by giving them choice and freedom to be creative
4. When my IEP student finally connects dividing fractions and the multi-step process that goes with it and has the self-esteem to consistently raise his hand and speak confidently in front of his classmates repeatedly in a 30 minute time frame and then asks if we can keep studying dividing fractions because he loves them so much. :)
5. My other IEP student who we usually have to badger about writing or typing voluntarily does it and asks to do more. Also, doesn't throw a fit to write on the math test. Then, when I tell him that I am so proud of him and happy with his work, he actual smiles which hardly ever happens!
5. My other IEP student who we usually have to badger about writing or typing voluntarily does it and asks to do more. Also, doesn't throw a fit to write on the math test. Then, when I tell him that I am so proud of him and happy with his work, he actual smiles which hardly ever happens!
5. Rapping "Thrift Shop" with my 5th graders
6. The other 5th grade class finding out the date that I leave: "WHAT!?! How could you leave us like this!?" "That's jacked-up Ms. Yoshi"
7. When my management strategies work: Me: "5th graders, give me five *holds up hand*" 5th grade boy: "Hey 5th graders! Give her five! Or should I say 1st graders!!!" Hahaha I just about died laughing.
8. Getting wonderful drawings from my kids: "Mrs. Yonash rock's! She help's me learn. There's the princess. She's the steps to being smart" I still feel like we need to work on contractions...
I am definitely in the right profession and it will be such a bittersweet moment when I have to leave them. My next placement has a lot to live up to. :)
