Week 12

Week of Reflection: (list the date of the Friday for week just completed)- 

Week 12- Week of 4/10-4/14

  

Rate your overall experience of the week: 1-Very difficult | 5 – Great week

5-It was another great week full of learning and experiences. This was my last week in my classroom and was very bittersweet for me. I learned so much from the observations I have completed at other schools and in different grade levels this week and last. I have also learned by watching my CE this week. It is so interesting how everyone has their own way of teaching and I really admire the way that she teaches. I also noticed that I have picked up many of her methods of teaching that I have found work well, as I stepped back and watched her it came full circle for me how much I have actually learned from her, this experience, and how much I will take with me from it. 

Seven questions to end your week:

Observe: What pleasant surprises / accomplishments did I achieve this week?

 A pleasant surprise for me this week was how well my students transitioned back to having my CE as their full-time teacher. I worked hard to maintain high expectations for students and to keep the guidelines in place. I was worried about the transition but I can tell that my CE and I have worked hard to prepare these students for this transition. I am also feeling accomplished about how ready they are for first grade! At this point, this whole experience feels like the most important accomplishment I have achieved yet in life!

Reflect: What lessons did my work/experiences teach me that I will build upon next week?

This week, I learned how to be flexible and to make a transition even when it seems scary. I will take this with me as I go to teach in my own second grade classroom. It is going to be new and seems intimidating but I feel confident this experience has adequately prepared me. 

Focus:  How are my short-term efforts and my long-term goals still aligned?

My short-term goal of continuously reflecting and learning right up to the very end of this experience has been aligned to my long-term goal of maintaining a growth mind set as an educator. I never want to stop learning and growing. 

Be Productive: What could I have spent more or less time doing?

I can spend less time worrying about the things that can seem overwhelming at times and more time just looking at each step that is going to lead me to success. I can focus on one thing at a time. 

Have Courage:  How did apprehension and indecision impact what I did and didn’t do?

I felt no need for apprehension this week and I really had no time for it. I just have to be confident that my efforts and what I have learned have been enough to help me be successful! 

Begin Anew: What is the first logical step(s) for next week? What mental clutter can I clear?

My first logical step is to tie up the loose ends of my portfolio, turn it in and prepare to finish this experience strong! 

Adapted from: Cernoff, M. (2013, August 7). 7 Questions to End Your Week With. . Retrieved July 21, 2014, from http://www.marcandangel.com/2013/08/08/7-questions-to-end-your-week-with/

What were some data you analyzed this week and how did it help inform your instructional decisions?

This week, I analyzed the progress monitoring data for my small intervention group. I based my next steps off of that data and am focusing on the sounds they exclusively need help with and blending. 

What is one piece of advice you can share with other student teachers?

I would advise other student teachers to pay attention to every single small detail of the experience and how it is helping you grow as a teacher! At the end, it all comes together kind of like a puzzle and you see how each day of this experience has lead you to the end result! Keep your head up and continue to push forward even when it seems hard. 

NC Teacher Candidate Standards: This week I feel I grew in the following areas of the NCTCS: 

Standard 1d- Teachers advocate for schools and students- This week, I was able to attend a school improvement team meeting in which we discussed ways to get parents more involved and to establish stronger partnerships with parents. It was a good learning experience for me and allowed me to see how much all of the teachers and administrators really emphasize improving learning experiences for students as much as possible. 

Standard 2e- Teachers work collaboratively with the families and significant adults in the lives of their students- This week, we had a parent involvement activity which gave me the opportunity to engage in conversation with parents about their child’s learning and growth throughout this semester.  

3a- Teachers align their instruction with the NCSCOS- As I spent time in other classrooms this week, I was able to see how what they were teaching in upper grade levels was built upon the foundation that we are laying in Kindergarten. Just from becoming so well acquainted with the NCSCOS this semester, I was able to see the standards these teachers were covering and how their instruction was relevant to what students need to know in the content area they were teaching. 

4d.- Teachers integrate and utilize technology in their instruction- This week, I was purposeful about watching the ways in which other teachers in other grade levels used technology to enhance their instruction. I walked away from my observations with lots of new tools and ideas! 

5a- Teachers analyze student learning- I was able to look with my CE at my student’s benchmark writing this week and compare it to where they started in January! I was so proud to see the growth and progress they have made. My CE used this benchmark to guide her next step with literacy and writing instruction. 

What components of your portfolio have you started to complete?

Every component is almost complete! My very last piece is my video! 

What support does your clinical educator need from your university supervisor?

My US has been great about answering my CE’s questions quickly and my CE and I feel completely comfortable with going to her when there is something we are questioning or concerned about. 

What support do you need from your university supervisor?

I only ask for continued support until the end which I know I will get because she has been so great up to this point!

Week of Reflection: (list the date of the Friday for week just completed)- 

Week 11- Week of- April 3rd-7th 

  

Rate your overall experience of the week: 1-Very difficult | 5 – Great week

5-It was a really great week! Next week is my last week with my students and this week my CE took back over math instruction and small-group literacy rotation. I watched her really carefully as she picked back up these subjects and I had already thought of some questions as guidelines as I observed so that I could be thoughtful about reflecting during this time. I was happy with the way my students took the transfer of subjects between my CE and myself and I was thrilled to see that as she began a new module in mathematics, my students picked up the skill very quickly. It was using a number path to add and subtract and my CE told me I had done a really good job laying those foundational skills and she was pleased with how quickly they were picking up a new concept! As I observed her, I got to see a different style of teaching than my own and I really respect the way she teaches and it is great to step back and notice things in a way that I would not have before, it is like this experience has given me a new set of eyes! 

Seven questions to end your week:

Observe: What pleasant surprises / accomplishments did I achieve this week?

 A pleasant surprise for me this week was how much my students have learned between the time that I was observing them in January and the time that I am spending observing them now! They have grown so much and it really great to see hard work pay off- I could not be any more proud of this class! We have learned an exponential amount from each other. 

Reflect: What lessons did my work/experiences teach me that I will build upon next week?

As I complete my last week this coming week, I will have more time to take a step back and observe. I am going to be thoughtful about my observations and have some guiding questions for reflection so that I can document what I have learned and potentially even use the overall reflection for my portfolio. 

Focus:  How are my short-term efforts and my long-term goals still aligned?

My short term goal of continuously learning and growing until the very end is still aligned with my overall goal of finishing this program as well-prepared and confident as I can be to go make an impact in my own classroom. I want to finish strong and never stop growing as an educator. 

Be Productive: What could I have spent more or less time doing?

I now can spend no time worrying about making my lesson plans just right (I am a touch of a perfectionist) and I can spend all of my time making sure my portfolio is everything I want it to be and more (especially my video). 

Have Courage:  How did apprehension and indecision impact what I did and didn’t do?

This week, I have a newfound confidence in myself especially as I watched my CE and saw she does the a lot of the same things that I do- I have learned so much from her and my University supervisor, there is really no need to be apprehensive anymore. 

Begin Anew: What is the first logical step(s) for next week? What mental clutter can I clear?

My first logical step for next week is to make sure I am well-planned and prepared to begin my last week! I also need to make sure I bring home anything I might need for 

Adapted from: Cernoff, M. (2013, August 7). 7 Questions to End Your Week With. . Retrieved July 21, 2014, from http://www.marcandangel.com/2013/08/08/7-questions-to-end-your-week-with/

What were some data you analyzed this week and how did it help inform your instructional decisions?

This week, I analyzed the progress monitoring data for my small intervention group. I based my next steps off of that data and am focusing on the sounds they exclusively need help with and blending. 

What is one piece of advice you can share with other student teachers?

I would advice other student teachers to It is so important. do your portfolio requirements as quickly as possible and reflect, reflect, reflect! 

NC Teacher Candidate Standards: This week I feel I grew in the following areas of the NCTCS: 

Standard 1c. Teachers lead the teaching profession- I go to meetings every week and collaborate with my colleagues in order to improve myself and for us to improve as a whole. This week, my colleagues and I looked at the Math standards for Kindergarten and collaborated with administration to determine how well they aligned to the math program we are currently utilizing. We looked for gaps and sent our instructional coaches an overview of the standards we feel we are struggling to cover using our math program. As a team, we decided ways we could make sure these standards are covered ourselves outside of the math program. I felt that my understanding of the NCSCOS, after having to unpack so many of the standards throughout my college career, was really helpful in the meeting and I walked away with so many ideas and a better understanding of how i could make sure there are no gaps in my classroom. 

Standard 2C- Teachers treat students as individuals- I am becoming more and more understanding of exactly how to foster growth in each of my students and it is exciting for me to see differentiation becoming more and more second nature to me as I finally just feel like I know these students and what they need. 

3d- Teachers make instruction relevant to students- This required me to really think this week as I tied the continent we were learning about to students. I started with this is what we do, now what do others do? They like finding the connections and they like finding the differences between them and other people in the world. 

4d.- Teachers integrate and utilize technology in their instruction- This week, I worked hard to put the technology in students hands in a way that impacted their learning. They were able to read stories from around the world that I did not have copies of because I was able to make a QR code for them to scan the story and they loved taking their iPads and going to a different part of the world (in the room) to read the story. 

5a- Teachers analyze student learning- I was able to take their benchmarks and pinpoint the skills that these students need to continue to develop to answer these questions so I can target those skills in my lessons. It is a good feeling to know what I do will directly affect their growth and it is worth taking them time to really look closely at exactly what they can and cannot do. 

What components of your portfolio have you started to complete?

My technology tools are complete as well as my write on the school improvement plan and behavior management! 

What support does your clinical educator need from your university supervisor?

My US has been great about answering my CE’s questions quickly and my CE and I feel completely comfortable with going to her when there is something we are questioning or concerned about. 

What support do you need from your university supervisor?

Right now, I feel fully supported and I get very prompt and thorough feedback which helps me tremendously. I know this will continue so I have no worries at the moment! I am so excited to be at the finish line and am happy to be finishing strong! 

Week 10-3/31

Week of Reflection: (list the date of the Friday for week just completed)- 

Week 10- Friday, March 31st 

  

Rate your overall experience of the week: 1-Very difficult | 5 – Great week

5-Great Week! This week felt like a whirlwind, it went really fast but it was full of good experience. I am finding myself feeling sad that this experience is almost over- I feel attached to this class and this school and it is going to be sad to leave. I also feel a certain sadness about slowly handing the class back over, I have loved teaching this class and enjoyed it more than I ever have anything in my life. However, I know it is ending for a good reason. So, I can have my own class and I am just thankful for the great experience I did have with this class and I will soak in these next couple of weeks. I know there is so much I can still learn by taking a step back and watching my CE take back over and in the observations I will have in different schools and grade levels. 

Seven questions to end your week:

Observe: What pleasant surprises / accomplishments did I achieve this week?

A pleasant surprise for me was how well some of my students grasped concepts that I really thought would be hard for them. We began talking about Asia and learning all about the continent as well as reading a story that comes from Asia and comparing it to the continent of Europe which we have already covered. I was amazed to see what students remembered about Europe and how well they grasp all of the information. I think it is because it is really intriguing to them to learn about other places especially when I can I can tie the information to them. I am excited to see them collaborate again on a project about Asia and the story we are reading from Asia! 

Reflect: What lessons did my work/experiences teach me that I will build upon next week?

This week, I took from my experience on what I know my students know and can do in order to really continue to take the content and make it relevant to them. We are honestly having a blast because they are so interested and excited about what they are learning. I built upon what I know interests them and what I know about my learners in order to really get on their level and make the content meaningful. I will continue this in the weeks to come and I know it can only get better. 

Focus:  How are my short-term efforts and my long-term goals still aligned?

 My short term efforts of making sure I can experience all that I can and learn all that I can each day in this experience is still aligned with my long-term goal of having the most impactful student teaching experience all around that I can. This is going to help me so much as i begin my teaching career and I will keep this mindset as I know i will continue to learn everyday. 

Be Productive: What could I have spent more or less time doing?

Now, I can spend a little less time worrying about my plans as my CE takes back over  subject next week and more time making sure I have to best portfolio possible. I am really excited about it because it feels like a reflection of my journey which is making me feel really proud and nostalgic. 

Have Courage:  How did apprehension and indecision impact what I did and didn’t do?

This week, I did not allow apprehension to impact me. I trust myself as a teacher and I know that being apprehensive is a waste of my time which is really precious to me know. 

Begin Anew: What is the first logical step(s) for next week? What mental clutter can I clear?

My first logical step for next week is to make sure I am well-planned and prepared to begin my last couple of weeks. 

What were some data you analyzed this week and how did it help inform your instructional decisions?

This week, I analyzed writing benchmark questions based on a story we had read. The questions are designed to resemble the types of questions students will have to answer in order to move up to the next level in their mClass assessments. It was beneficial for me to see how well my students can answer these questions and help those that are struggling. 

What is one piece of advice you can share with other student teachers?

I would advise other student teachers to make these last few weeks of the student teaching experience just as impactful as the first. Don’t be in a rush to be finished and take in every ounce of knowledge and experience you can, there is so much that can be learned still!

NC Teacher Candidate Standards: This week I feel I grew in the following areas of the NCTCS: 

Standard 1c- Teachers lead the teaching profession- I go to meetings every week and collaborate with my colleagues in order to improve myself and for us to improve as a whole. This week, my colleagues and I looked at the Math standards for Kindergarten and collaborated with administration to determine how well they aligned to the math program we are currently utilizing. We looked for gaps and sent our instructional coaches an overview of the standards we feel we are struggling to cover using our math program. As a team, we decided ways we could make sure these standards are covered ourselves outside of the math program. I felt that my understanding of the NCSCOS, after having to unpack so many of the standards throughout my college career, was really helpful in the meeting and I walked away with so many ideas and a better understanding of how i could make sure there are no gaps in my classroom. 

Standard 2c- Teachers treat students as individuals- I am becoming more and more understanding of exactly how to foster growth in each of my students and it is exciting for me to see differentiation becoming more and more second nature to me as I finally just feel like I know these students and what they need. 

3d- Teachers make instruction relevant to students- This required me to really think this week as I tied the continent we were learning about to students. I started with this is what we do, now what do others do? They like finding the connections and they like finding the differences between them and other people in the world. 

4d.- Teachers integrate and utilize technology in their instruction- This week, I worked hard to put the technology in students hands in a way that impacted their learning. They were able to read stories from around the world that I did not have copies of because I was able to make a QR code for them to scan the story and they loved taking their iPads and going to a different part of the world (in the room) to read the story. 

5a- Teachers analyze student learning- I was able to take their benchmarks and pinpoint the skills that these students need to continue to develop to answer these questions so I can target those skills in my lessons. It is a good feeling to know what I do will directly affect their growth and it is worth taking them time to really look closely at exactly what they can and cannot do. 

What components of your portfolio have you started to complete?

I finalized my PD log and found 3 more technology tools to utilize and capture videos of for my student teaching video this week. I am also going through all of the footage I have to find the parts that best emphasize me as a teacher and it is hard because I have recorded EVERYTHING it seems but it is a process that is worth it. 

What support does your clinical educator need from your university supervisor?

My US has been great about answering my CE’s questions quickly and my CE and I feel completely comfortable with going to her when there is something we are questioning or concerned about. 

What support do you need from your university supervisor?

Right now, I feel fully supported and I get very prompt and thorough feedback which helps me tremendously. I know this will continue so I have no worries at the moment! 

3/26

I cannot believe that week 9 is officially in the books. The crazy thing is I still feel like I am learning just as much at week 9 as I was in week 1. It is just a different type of learning. Now, I feel like I have learned all of the major things that make a classroom run smoothly and I have learned my school and my student. I feel as if I can focus on the smaller details now that really contribute to effective teaching such as knowing the way in which each of my students learn. The point is, I am still learning. I think we will all always be learning, that is just a part of this career field and I think it is essential that we continually learn and grow.

A pleasant surprise for me this week was how smoothly my second Kindergarten field trip went! I am SO nervous taking my class places because I am responsible and I feel like I always need to be extra cautious and aware! However, on this field trip I made a system for making sure I knew exactly where everyone was at any given moment and that really contributed to the field trip going smoothly and the students and I had a great time. We visited the Catawba Science Center and I highly recommend it- it was a good learning experience for my students and the nocturnal animals exhibit was awesome!

My short term goals are still aligned to my long term goals as I work toward completing some elements of my portfolio successfully each week. My long term goal is to have a portfolio that truly represents me as a teacher in the best way possible! Getting each element complete is also a great reflective practice as I look back on this semester and all that I have learned!

Next week, I will spend more time working on getting more footage for my video! I have some but I want more footage of my students using technology tools so that is my goal for this upcoming week! 

This week, I didn’t let apprehension hold me up as much. I did not let it stop me from enjoying the field trip or enjoying my teaching experience. As week pass, I feel much more confident and I feel like I am finally leaving apprehension in the past. 

My first logical step for next week is to look at my plans and make sure I have everything I need and am prepared for the week. Also, I want to tab any parts of my plans that will be good to record for my videos. 

This week, I analyzed lots of math data. We had a mid-module assessment to see where students are in this point of the module. I was able to see that word problems are holding some of my students up so now I have focused even more on math vocabulary- especially the key words found in these word problems. If they cannot read them, they cannot solve them so this has been a major focus for me!

My one piece of advice for other student teachers this week is to start putting your portfolio video together super early. You don’t want to feel nervous or rushed about it towards the end! 

I also feel that I grew in the following elements of the NCTCS standards this week: 

1b. Teachers demonstrate leadership in the school-I am feeling more and more like a leader in the school as I take part in any of the school’s extra activities, work with my grade level and administration in meetings, and collaborate with my teammates and parents. 

2c. Teachers treat students as individuals-I am really working on my differentiation and that is helping me to grow in this standard, specifically, each week! 

3d. Teachers make instruction relevant to students-As we do our “Around the World” unit, I have had to work hard to make sure it doesn’t go far beyond what the students understand. In order to do this, I have had to make the instruction relevant to them. 

4d. Teachers utilize and integrate technology in their instruction- I have been using Genius Scan, Doodle Buddy (for math stories) and Spelling Magic (for word building) a lot over the last couple of weeks. It is amazing what Kindergarteners can really do when you put the technology in their hands. 

5b. Teachers link professional growth to their professional goals-Completing my PD log really helped me with this. I wrote a lot about how each PD opportunity really impacted me and how I will use what I learned. This was a great reflective practice where I was able to learn a lot about myself as a professional. 

It is a great feeling to have edTPA complete as well as my PD log and my educational philosophy (almost complete!) 

As of now, my CE and I feel fully supported! I love the continued support with the completion of elements of portfolio and I appreciate Dr. Suttle’s constant support and advice! 

3/17f

This was another week full of learning and experiences for me and I cannot believe it is the end of week 8! I am feeling more comfortable than ever in my classroom and in my role as a leader. I was felt so much trepidation at first about teaching Kindergarten because I was unsure of how I would fill the role of a nurturer and teacher. I can say that I absolutely LOVE Kindergarten. 

A pleasant surprise for me this week was the amount of growth I am seeing in my students in their mClass data. Many of them made growth especially in their sight word recognition which is something I have been working on with them each week in small groups. When we were discussing growth in our grade level meeting this week, the other teachers on my team told me how proud I should be of showing growth. It is a collective effort between everyone on the team but I do feel really proud of my students! 

As I am working towards meeting the goals on my PDP and building artifacts to have in my portfolio, my short term goals are still aligned to my long term goals. 

Next week, I have to spend more time getting my artifacts together for my portfolio so I can get my video made and out of the way! I really want it to encompass this experience and my teaching style. It is really important to me that it be a true reflection of this experience and who I am as a teacher. I am anxious to get it done and excited to see what the end product will be! 

This week, I didn’t let apprehension hold me up any. I have worked hard to overcome feeling apprehensive and I finally have accepted this is a growing experience and everyone does not expect me to get everything exactly right, as long as I take what I have done, reflect on it, and grow. That is what really matters to me. 

My first logical step for next week is to look at my plans and make sure I have everything I need and am prepared for the week. Also, I want to tab any parts of my plans that will be good to record for my videos. 

This week, we analyzed student data as a grade level from mClass and DIBELS assessments. We made sure our RTI groups are targeting the skills students need to show continued growth and we set a goal for the growth we would like to see by the end of the year. 

My one piece of advice for other student teachers this week is to start putting your portfolio video together super early. You don’t want to feel nervous or rushed about it towards the end! 

I also feel that I grew in the following elements of the NCTCS standards this week: 

1b. Teachers demonstrate leadership in the school-I feel really great about my connection with my grade level. We work really well together with student achievement as our overall goal. It is really going to be sad to me to go to my job (in 2nd grade at a different school). I am excited but at the same time I feel really close to the people I have been working with and extremely close to my students. 

2c. Teachers treat students as individuals-I am really working on my differentiation and that is helping me to grow in this standard, specifically, each week! 

3d. Teachers make instruction relevant to students-I am really growing to love this standard. Making the instruction relevant to students challenges me to think of ways that the standards and the content relate to them and it’s really given me the opportunity to take what I have to teach and make it more engaging/fun. 

4d. Teachers utilize and integrate technology in their instruction- I am working hard to put the technology in the students’ hands even more and more each week. I was nervous at first but my students are doing so well with this! I learned all you have to do is make your expectations clear and tell them exactly what you expect when you are working with technology. 

5b. Teachers link professional growth to their professional goals- I was able to attend 5 classes in my county for professional development and I left those classes feeling so excited and motivated. I know I am going to take those ideas and suggestions with me into my classroom and I am especially thankful for the opportunity to learn how to analyze MAP scores and use the scores to inform my instructional decisions. 

My PD log is almost complete for my portfolio as well as my edTPA portion- I will be SO relieved when that is finished! 

As of now, my CE and I feel fully supported! Any questions we have had have been answered and any concerns have been addressed! I only ask for continued support!

This was another week full of learning and experiences for me and I cannot believe it is the end of week 6! The time is really flying but it have learned so much in such a short amount of time. I think back to week one and were I was when I started and how afraid I was and now I look at myself and the confidence I have in the classroom and I am so proud of the journey! I would rate this week as a 5 because everything went smoothly and I genuinely feel like I am still learning and growing with my students each week. 

A pleasant surprise for me this week was the growth I am seeing in my students in math. I have finally put my finger on exactly what my students need and I am finally understanding exactly how to differentiate to meet their needs. I was pleasantly surprised in their work that they turned in for math this week and how well they did especially considering I was introducing subtraction which I was nervous about. 

Since differentiation is really finally clicking for me, I will be able to build upon that next week to continue to meet the needs of my individual students. 

As I am working towards meeting the goals on my PDP and building artifacts to have in my portfolio, my short term goals are still aligned to my long term goals. 

I need to be spending more time ensuring my portfolio will be where I want it to be by the end of the semester. Since I have gotten my planning down and I don’t have to put as much time into it because it is coming easier to me now, I will be able to devote more time to ensuring my portfolio is the best it can be. 

I am overcoming my apprehension a bit with planning, I have stopped overthinking it. I am becoming more and more confident with my understanding of the NCSCOS and building lessons that meet the standards. It is a good feeling to not feel so apprehensive with lesson planning and can enjoy this experience a little more without so much worry. 

My first logical step for next week is to make sure I have everything I need printed and gathered (materials wise). Then, I want to take a look back at this week’s reflections. I want to use these to guide my next steps. 

This week, I was able to sit down with our data coordinator at the school to analyze mid-year scores for all of Kindergarten. I found out what percentage of our Kindergartners are where they need to be at this point in the year and we set a goal for the percentage we want to see at the end of the year. We discussed what students are struggling with the most and talked about what we could do to solve the issues and I got some ideas from other Kindergarten teachers to further support my students with number bonds which is such an important skills in mathematics because it builds the foundation for number sense.  

My one piece of advice for other student teachers is to make use of the resources you have available to you. All of the staff at the school have a different perspective and can be an asset for you. I have found they are willing to help, you just have to ask and take what they tell you with an open mind!

I also feel that I grew in the following elements of the NCTCS standards this week: 

1b. Teachers demonstrate leadership in the school- I was able to collaborate this week with the other Kindergarten teachers along with our lead teacher to track the progress of our RTI groups and make sure our students are showing growth as well as determine our next steps. 

2c. Teachers treat students as individuals-I am really working on my differentiation and that is helping me to grow in this standard, specifically, each week! 

3d. Teachers make instruction relevant to students- Specifically with global awareness, I am working to make sure I don’t take the instruction to far out of my students understanding. It has to tie to them for it to be meaningful so I am working hard to ensure they can make connections. 

4d. Teachers utilize and integrate technology in their instruction- I am utilizing the tools available to my students in the classroom and am finding ways that it can really make an impact on their learning. 

5b. Teachers link professional growth to their professional goals- This week, I had another opportunity for professional development and I also picked out 5 professional development opportunities from my county to attend in 2 weeks that are tailored to my weak areas as a professional (in my opinion).  I am excited to be able to grow in those particular areas. 

My PDP log is going well as well as my classroom website. I am also working hard on behavior management for my portfolio and I feel very positive about it!

As of now, my CE and I feel fully supported! Any questions we have had have been answered and any concerns have been addressed! I only ask for continued support!

2/24

This week felt like the week that everything really clicked more for me. I finally feel like I know my students really well after working with them so much so I am finding myself making all of my instructional decisions based upon what I know they need and the standard course of study. It is a really good feeling to finally feel like I am really getting somewhere with them and meeting the needs of each individual student. I am feeling much more confident in myself and proud of my students as they are growing. 

I would rate this week as a 5 because it truly was a great week, I left everyday feeling fulfilled and I arrived each day with a newfound confidence in myself and in my students. I think that’s what this experience is really all about! 

A pleasant surprise for me this week is how smoothly things really went. My Kindergartners finally have transitions mastered, they know what I expect and they are looking more and more like first graders each day. I have been very proud of the whole class this week. It feels like a big accomplishment to have a good routine established with them where I don’t have to constantly remind them of things which makes me really proud! 

As I am realizing the distinct needs of each of my students on a deeper level, I will  be able to build upon those experiences even further for next week. I am finally sure of the best way to differentiate even for independent work to make sure I am meeting each students needs and I know I will be able to build upon this for my plans for next week as well as during instruction next week. 

My short-term efforts are still aligned with my long-term efforts because I am working now to work towards meeting the goals I know I will have to have met by the end of this semester. My PDP goals are in the works now as well as the things I can implement in the classroom that will help me meet my long term goal of a successful portfolio presentation. I am building in more and more technology, parent communication and global awareness now so I can have evidence in my portfolio. 

This week, I could have spent more time documenting data so I don’t forget after the lesson and less time doing things that I could have my assistant do. For example, handing out materials. I could save myself valuable instructional time by having her take that responsibility. I am glad I am realizing this now though because I feel it is really going to be beneficial to myself and my students. 

That ties into a little but of my apprehension for this week because I am often uncomfortable asking people to do things for me. I always think I need to be able to do things myself. However, I don’t want that to adversely affect my instructional time so I am willing to get over that apprehension! 

My first logical step for next week is to make sure I have everything I need printed and gathered (materials wise). Then, I want to take a look back at this week’s reflections. I want to use these to guide my next steps. 

This week I analyzed all sorts of data because I always do for each content area to know what my next steps are. The data that stood out to me the most was the writing data this week. I have worked in first grade for years so I am accustomed to the type of writing and the amount of writing that we do in first grade. So, when looking at my KIndergartner’s writing I am always keeping in mind what I know they need to be able to do. I build in many opportunities for writing and after analyzing data this week, I am aware of the differentiation I need to have in order to meet the needs of each student in writing. I am also adding a writing center to my literacy stations and in my writing station, there will be vocabulary cards that tie to the stories we have been reading what we have focused in on in science and social studies and even some math vocabulary. I am going to allow students to use these cards to write about different topics. I think this will be very beneficial for them. 

My one piece of advice for other student teachers is to always think ahead. Look ahead on what you will be teaching and it will be easier to find ways that it all ties together across content areas and you will be so much more confident if you know what’s coming! 

I also feel that I grew in the following elements of the NCTCS standards this week: 

1b. Teachers demonstrate leadership in the school- I was able to collaborate this week with the other Kindergarten teachers along with our lead teacher to track the progress of our RTI groups and make sure our students are showing growth as well as determine our next steps. 

2c. Teachers treat students as individuals- I am finding I am getting better at seeing each student as na individual and realizing that while I have high expectations for everyone, I also have different needs to meet for everyone. 

3d. Teachers make instruction relevant to students- This week, I worked hard to make sure I tied instruction to students-  I found myself constantly asking how this could apply to their everyday lives and experiences. It really is so much more meaningful for them if we can make those connections!

4d. Teachers utilize and integrate technology in their instruction- This is one of my PDP goals and I am being very intentional about putting the technology in their hands! This week, I was able to do this during literacy instruction and I am building it into my math instruction for next week as well. 

5b. Teachers link professional growth to their professional goals- This week, I had another opportunity for professional development and I also picked out 5 professional development opportunities from my county to attend in 2 weeks that are tailored to my weak areas as a professional (in my opinion).  I am excited to be able to grow in those particular areas. 

I have started my PDP log for my portfolio as well as my classroom website. I don’t want anything sneaking up on me at the end as far as the portfolio is concerned so I am focusing heavily on all of the requirements right now. 

As of now, my CE and I feel fully supported! I feel like the experience is going really well and I am ecstatic to see what the next couple of weeks hold!