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! 

I almost forgot about my blog, that was a close one! I would rate this week as a four, it was good but it was BUSY! With it being the 100th day of school this week, valentine’s day, a brand new student entered my classroom, and four confirmed cases of the flu- I would say it has just been a little bit chaotic! However, the chaos provided me with new experiences I hadn’t had before- I have never had a new student just show up in the middle of a day but I really have enjoyed this student so far. He is very sweet and with it being Kindergarten, my sweet students have taken the time to take him under their wing and are excited to have him too, it has been very enlightening to witness. In between my usual instruction in my class, I also took time to acknowledge the 100th day of school with as many small. educational activities as I could. We did lots of ten frame organizing activities and I found out that 100 fruit loops on a necklace is no easy feat- I am still finding fruit loops in random places in my classroom! I am learning that Kindergarteners and the flu don’t mix and I am disinfecting like a crazy person trying to keep it from spreading much further. I have finally learned these students well enough to where I can look at them and tell something is wrong and sending them to have their temperature checked has led to us discovering 3 out of the 4 cases once they were sent home and taken to the doctor! I am really hoping none of our teachers and no more my students get it! 

This week, I was pleasantly surprised to see some of my students showing growth. I see growth a lot in Kindergarten but this week has stood out for me because of one group in particular. I have a small group in the afternoons for RTI that are the lowest in Kfngarten as far as their foundational reading skills are concerned. I love these students and I so badly want them to get the skills we are covering. After a few weeks of feeling like I was getting nowhere I was feeling discouraged about the group. After talking with my university supervisor about it and my CE, I was reminded that I might not always see growth quickly- sometimes it is just small steps overtime. Well, I am finally seeing growth in this group and as I am seeing them recognizing more and more sight words and using their segmenting and blending strategies and FINALLY picking back up the first sound when they blend, I felt so accomplished and SO proud of them this week, I could have cried! That doesn’t mean we don’t still have a long haul ahead of us to get these students where they need to be but this tiny sign of progress was big for my little group. I have also switched up the activities we do and tried to make it more engaging and I am seeing a difference with that too. So, I was really pleasantly surprised with my RTI group this week. 

I will build upon this lesson next week. I will continue to target those skills they need but in the most engaging way that I can. I won’t get discouraged or frustrated and I will continue to work to motivate these students and provide them with positive reinforcement because I can tell they need these and so benefit from it. 

My short-term efforts are still aligning with my long-term efforts as I am entering into week 5. I am finding my short-term PDP goals are aligning with my long-term goal of being an effective educator. As I make small steps to meet the goals of my PDP, I am seeing how this is going to benefit me in the long run as a soon to be educator. 

I am wanting to spend more time working on my portfolio next week- I don’t want any of those requirements to overwhelm me as we get closer and closer to the end, it is time to really buckle down with this. I am hoping to spend less of my weekend time trying to prep and plan for the next week (I am finding lesson planning is becoming more and more second nature and is taking less and less time) and spend more time working on my portfolio requirements. 

I am finding each week I am becoming less and less apprehensive. Students pick up on a lack of confidence in what you are teaching and saying so I am learning that I can’t afford to be apprehensive. I just have to trust what I know and learn from each experience to better prepare me for the next. I am finally starting to overcome apprehension and it has really had a positive impact on me in the classroom this week. 

For next week, my first logical step is to be well-prepared. I will look over my lessons to make sure I know exactly what I need and can be prepared for what I am teaching. 

My piece of advice for upcoming teachers this week is to always be OVER PREPARED. If you walk into your classroom without proper planning and preparation- the students know it, everyone knows it, it is chaos and you will be miserable and will feel like nothing has been accomplished. It is best to be over prepared ahead of time, trust me!

This week, I have really been working hard on number bonds with my students. Any little extra piece of time we had, we would work to find the missing parts in sets of number bonds. I analyzed every activity we did, making sure I had evidence because I needed to know who had it and who didn’t so I could determine my next steps. I knew I couldn’t move on until the large majority of my students had it for sure. So, I analyzed lots of my math data this week and really targeted this skill based on the data I was analyzing. There are just a few students left who need my assistance but can get it as we talk through it so I am still building the practice into my lessons! 

This week, I also worked on developing myself as a professional in the following areas: 

1c. Teachers lead the teaching profession- I was able to collaborate and work closely with several of the teachers in my school that I had not previously had the opportunity to as we worked together to make our Bingo for Books night a success- It is a free event where students and parents play Bingo for free books! 

2a. Teachers provide an environment in which each child has a positive, nurturing relationship with caring adults- This week when I received a new student, I was really able to put this into practice in a new way. He was afraid and I was nervous but I remembered how important my role is as his teacher to make him feel welcome, comfortable and positive about our school. 

3c.Teachers recognize the interconnectedness of content areas/disciplines- This week I was intentional about building in science and social studies standards into my literacy groups so I can connect more of the content areas

4d. Teachers integrate and utilize technology in their instruction- I was also more mindful of putting the technology into my students hands this week- they we're able to use their iPads for several learning activities! I am still trying to grow even more in this area. 

5a. Teachers analyze student learning- I found myself constantly analyzing student data this week (especially in mathematics) to determine my next steps! 

This week, for my portfolio, I worked on professional development. I took a course on academic vocabulary and am so EXCITED my county is offering an entire day of professional development they are going to let me participate in- I get to take 5 classes- I picked the 5 I felt I needed the most development in and one is on literacy instruction which I am SUPER excited about because it is so important in Kindergarten! I also worked on my parent communication as I was intentional about writing positive notes about behavior! I also got to attend 2 parent meetings this week and development more of a partnership with these parents as we determined what the next steps are for their child this school year. 

I am feeling fully supported by my university supervisor and I know my CE is too. I seriously could not ask for more! I am so thankful for my supervisors constant advice and how she tells me how I can be better in a way that lets me know she really cares about me and my success! I cannot think of any areas where I need more support at the moment! 

I would rate this week as a 4, it was good week but we had a lot of sickness going around the classroom this week which I think is to be expected this time of year but it is hard on the Kindergartners when they don’t feel good! There were some tears, upset stomachs, and lots of runny noses! I hate it when they are sick and I found myself wishing there were more I could do to help them feel better but I am hoping by next week, we will all be on the mend! 

This week, I was pleasantly surprised to see how engaged my students were in phonics. It is admittedly my lease favorite subject to teach but it is very important they get it because it is essential to their reading skill development. I found this week that it is really all about how I approach it though! If I seem excited about it, they are excited about it and I worked to build in activities and hooks that would make the content more engaging. They did so well with it and were excited to do phonics so that was a big accomplishment for me this week! 

That was an important lesson that I will build upon next week. As I am getting more and more comfortable with planning lessons, I am finding it easier to build in engaging and interesting hooks and actives that will catch their interest. That really is so important because if they are not engaged, I might as well be speaking a different language because without engagement, they are not getting what I want them to out of the lesson! I will build upon that next week, as I work to build in even more opportunities for engagement- I am especially focusing on my RTI group with this because the skills we practice in that group everyday can seem so redundant! 

My short-term goals and my long-term goals are definitely still aligned. I am working on improving myself in each area of the NCTCS each week so that my long-term goal of being a well-rounded, effective educator are still aligned. Each little step that I take each week gets me one step closer to the goal! 

This week, I will spend more time analyzing data from my students and less time over-thinking my plans! I am finally feeling more confident in my ability to plan for a successful week so if I spend less time over-thinking while planning, then I can spend more time analyzing data to see exactly what each of my student’s need. That ties into apprehension as well because my apprehension with my planning tends to have a negative effect on me and can be time-consuming. I am making a conscious effort not to be apprehensive about planning and if I feel unsure about something, I will reach out more to the resources I have available to me-such as my university supervisor. 

My first next logical plan for next week is to go ahead and look over my plans and make sure I have all of the materials and resources that I need ready- I have learned that in Kindergarten, you really can never be too prepared!

This week I was able to analyze progress monitoring data for my RTI group. Those students are not in my classroom but I have them for an hour for targeted instruction in the areas that they need in reading. They were progress monitored this week and I was able to see the areas that we saw the most improvement in and the areas where they improved the least. This let me see what I need to continue to target in my group. 

My best piece of advice right now for upcoming teachers is to go ahead and be focusing heavily on the teaching candidate standards and each element of the standards- there is a lot that goes into each standard and you want to make sure you are covering each area! This week I worked on improving myself in the following areas: 

1b. Teachers demonstrate leadership in the school- I was able to sit down with my Kindergarten colleagues this week and look at the math standards that our school system is looking at adjusting and implementing into our standard course of study. It was a great opportunity for me to collaborate with my colleagues and get some of their insight of the standards. 

2e. Teachers work collaboratively with the families and the significant adults in their lives- This week I was able to be a part of several conferences to let parents know exactly where their student stands at this point in the school year. Some of the conferences were harder than others but it was an excellent learning experience. 

3d. Teachers make instruction relevant to students- This week I worked hard to put technology in my students’ hands and to give them some time to work collaboratively with partners in order to foster their 21st century skills.

4b. Teachers plan instruction appropriate for their students- Collaborating wit my colleagues in order to analyze student data and plan for small group allowed me to develop this area this week. 

5b. Teachers link professional growth to their personal goals- Reflecting on my strengths and weaknesses as a teacher in order to develop my PDP was very impactful for me and helped me in this area of the standard. 

This week, I was able to work on my behavior management portion of my portfolio as well as the technology requirement- I am working on compiling a list of technology resources to implement in my lessons each week that will have an impact on student learning. 

At this point, my CE and I feel very supported by my supervisor. I cannot think of any extra support we need at the moment!

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

  

Friday- 2/3/17

Can you believe it is already February and we are chugging right along with our student teaching experiences? It is really moving so much faster than I ever imagined it would but I am finding there is so much that happens in such a short span of time- a week can be so full of experiences and opportunities to learn!

I would rate this week as a 4, it was a good week but a little bit chaotic trying to get students adjusted back to our normal schedule. This has been the first week the students have been in school for a full five days in three weeks so I knew it was going to be an adjustment. Also, we started our RTI intervention groups which are an hour a day and so building that in with everything else I need to teach presented a new challenge for me but it is a good challenge because I know my students are going to benefit from interventions tailored to their individual needs. It was my first week of seeing what it is like to just have to be completely flexible. Sometimes, we had to finish work or lessons past the time I had blocked off and I just learned to go with it this week. Most days, the schedule is going to change a little bit and I have learned to be accepting of that while still finding time to fit everything in!

This week, I was surprised by some things. I started a unit on symbols. I started with symbols that students see everyday in the environment and I build in some symbols in the first lesson that I knew they had seen before and they could correctly identify. As we moved into harder symbols that I did not think they would have been exposed to, they really surprised me not only with how well they could identify the symbols but also how they could tell me exactly what the symbol met. It turns out Kindergartners are WAY more interested in symbols than I ever thought. So, we took a couple of days and moved into national symbols. I started with our country- the students were so interested in our national symbols. They LOVE the bald eagle- we even watched some live in the nest. They also want to know exactly why we have the national symbols we do which lead to some really good teachable moments for me. I loved seeing them so engaged in a topic that I really thought might be complex for them. It felt like a really good accomplishment. We also have moved into other countries- it blew their minds that other countries have completely different symbols than we do, one student even proclaimed “WHY wouldn’t they want the bald eagle?!” The quote of the week for me was when I was showing students the national symbols for Canada and when I got to a picture of a beaver, one student said “Canada picked a HAMSTER as their national symbol??” I had to bite my cheek not to laugh but we talked about the reasons why Canada chose a beaver, not a hamster, as one of their symbols and it was a good learning experience. 

My experiences this week taught me a lot about what I need to be doing in the near future. I was able to take what I am seeing and experiencing with my students and letting that decide exactly what works as my next steps with them. I am really starting to see how each student learns and I am getting a god understanding of things they are getting and not getting as we go. I know what we can continue with and what we need to re-focus on and that makes me feel really proud. I knew that was something I would pick up on as I spent more and more time with them but it feels really great to be able to build on what I am experiencing and it be meaningful and helpful to my students. This keeps my short-term and long-term efforts aligned as I am working to see growth in each of my students and prepare them for the first grade. 

I think next week I need to maybe spend a little more time sleeping. I do not feel like I really have much time for it but I am finally starting to see that rest is actual an important component of successful teaching. If I go to bed late because I am up working on something, I see a direct impact on my ability to focus and my ability to teach. It will be a challenge but I am going to set a time for myself to put everything away and rest at night. That way, I won’t be drained and I can keep my immune system up- I certainly do not have time to be sick! I will spend more time resting at night and less time worrying! 

My next logical step for next week is to go ahead and get as many of my materials together as I can- I am implementing lots of manipulative for math and I can go ahead and get lots of my activities for small groups next week- I am still at the school now so this will be easy! I can clear out my mental clutter by writing down exactly what I need for each lesson. I am finding it helps me to have a list of what I need attached to each lesson with bullets for what I  need and then I check them off and I get the materials together-that helps me to feel much more prepared for the week!

This week- I was able to look at progress monitoring data for my small groups. I can see where there is growth and where this is little growth. That is helping me to target the areas my small group needs the most. They did really well with letter recognition on their progress monitoring and got most of their sounds. They showed the least growth in segmenting and blending. I am finding this is struggle for many Kindergartners and my small group in particular, can say most of the sounds in the word accurately but when they put it back together, they put the last sound first. For example, a student will say /t/ /o/ /p/ and then blend it as pot which is incorrect. I am trying some different approaches and activities next week with my small group and seeking advice from the other teachers on my team. The data was very helpful with letting me know exactly what I need to target. 

For other student teachers, I would advise you to spend as much time as you can learning exactly how assessment data is gathered, what it means, and how it guides your next steps. That has been such an important part of my learning process and really is an essential aspect of effective teaching. 

I am working on increasing my rating in the following elements of the NCTCS- 

1c. Teachers lead the teaching profession- I worked with my county’s professional development coordinator in order to obtain even more professional development opportunities in my county- she is willing to help me to get into the courses that certified employees are being offered. She has been a really great resource for me to develop even further professionally. 

2d. Teachers adapt their teaching for the benefit of students with special needs- For my lessons this week, I worked on implementing strategies that are research-based and are much more specific to the needs of my individual students. 

3a. Teachers align their instruction with the NCSCOS- This week, I worked on integrating literacy instruction into other content areas (specifically math) which is something I was not doing before. My students and I have focused on the vocabulary in the math concepts we are learning and I am developing a math word wall for my classroom to solidify those connections. 

4d. Teachers Integrate and utilize technology in their instruction- This week, I am worked to give my students more experiences with technology that will actually enhance and impact their learning. I am putting the technology in their hands and getting creative with ways that we can use it to make our learning more engaging and effective. 

5b. Teachers link professional growth to their professional goals- I am seeking as many professional development opportunities as I can- I signed up for a webinar today on how we can make academic vocabulary stick for students! I am excited about it as I am working to expand my students vocabulary everyday which is important in Kindergarten. 

I have worked on assessing myself and developing my PDP this week which really has an important role in many parts of my portfolio. I am also watching the other teachers complete their PDP’S which are due this week and it is very similar to what I am doing. I am hearing many of them say, “Why did I ever set this goal? What was I thinking?” I don’t want that to be my thoughts at the end of this process so I am being very intentional about the goals I set for myself. 

I am fining that many of the tips and advice my university supervisor gives me are tips that my CE is taking to heart as well. I tell her all of the suggestions I get and how I am going to implement what my supervisor suggests and she’ll say “I never thought about it that way” or  “that is a really great idea!” and then she helps me to come up with the bets ways to use the advice in the classroom. It has been really great to have everyone working together so well. My CE was especially on board with helping my students to start thinking about their futures, high school, and college even in Kindergarten. We are designating a spot in our classroom to display when they graduate from high school and their thought on their plans after that. It was so sweet to see how many of them already have an idea of what career they might want- I am excited to build on this as time goes on! I am thankful for all of the support I have gotten so far and cannot think of any other additional support I need at the moment! 

It has been such a great week, it is the first week I am rating as a 5 and that makes me really happy! I was so afraid of being in full control this week- I had it in my mind that whatever could possibly go wrong, would. However, that was just not the case. The kids transitioned into me being in full control so much better than I ever thought that they would. I really could not ask for a better group of students and for that I am grateful. 

I was pleasantly surprised at how well this first week went with a few minor hiccups here and there. I really have ended this week feeling so happy and content with my students, my classroom, and my colleagues. Of course, there is always room for it get better! For next week, I am working on even more detailed differentiation- I am addressing specific students and their needs in my plans. This is to help them and to help me to know what I need to be doing for them everyday. I also am working on seamlessly integrating other content areas- my supervisor suggested vocabulary cards in math instruction and I think that is going to be really great for my students. They are always hearing all of these big math terms but never really seeing them so what better way to integrate both, right? 

My short-term efforts are still aligning with my long-term goals to be proficient in all areas and have a successful student teaching experience. I am really enjoying seeing the ways in which I can grow in all areas each week. It is amazing to me how actually being in charge of a classroom allows you to make such a huge amount of growth and change within yourself as a professional. I am extremely grateful for the experience- it has been so wonderful so far!

I need to spend less time overthinking what I am doing and be confident in what I am doing. Overthinking and being hesitant at times is really wasting my time and is not doing me any good- I am working hard to address them. I can’t be a quick thinker and decision maker if I am overthinking and I think those are important traits in an effective educator which is definitely my overall goal. I will not let apprehension, overthinking, or indecision affect me next week because I have realized we simply do not have time for it and it does no good. We just need to be confident in our abilities and what we are doing! 

I would advise student teachers next semester to always be planning ahead! Get a good, early start on you lesson plans because they can be time-consuming and start edTPA early so that you have time to actually enjoy the process and grow from it without feeling really stressed and strained for time!

I feel I have developed in each of the following areas this week: 

1a. Teachers lead in their classroom- I have found, this week especially, how important leadership is in a Kindergarten classroom. Without leadership, you have chaos. I have worked hard to make sure I embody the leadership skills my CE has and it is paying off. I am having little to no behavior issues so far (fingers crossed it stays this way) and they are transitioning without trouble which is huge for students this young. They are responding to my positive behavior praise and I am feeling really confident in this area of the standards!

2a. Teachers provide an environment in which each child has a positive, nurturing relationship with caring adults- I knew I need to be a strong authoritative figure in the classroom this week because they were already so established in my CE having having that role. However, I made it a priority to not do that in a negative way. I praise them and highlight the things that they do right. I have found they really want this praise and are responding well to it. I am making sure each student feels comfortable and wants to be in my classroom!

3b. Teachers know the content appropriate to their teaching specialty-  I was able to take what was laid out for me in the Math Instructional Framework and Literacy Instructional Framework this week and make it fit the needs of my students. I still followed the standards and the content was there but I worked on making it more engaging and sparking their curiosity. I am finding hands-on mathematics instruction is working really well for my students as well as making text-to-self connections as often as I could. 

4c. Teachers use a variety of instructional methods- As I get more comfortable with teaching on my own, I am getting more comfortable with thinking outside of the box. I am using as many different methods as I can to reach all of my learners- I am finding modeling, partner activities, and hands-on explorations to be really beneficial for my students. 

5c. Teachers function effectively in a complex, dynamic environment-I am working every week to  continue to be flexible- you literally can never predict what will happen in a classroom full of students. It is all about making quick decisions and knowing what is best for your students! I really feel I am getting better at this week to week. 

I have been working on my PDP and attending as many professional development opportunities as I can- these are so essential and I have learned so much up to this point! My CE and I have had so much support from my supervisor already- the first visit went so well, there really is no reason to be nervous about it! It was a wonderful learning experience and I love knowing what I need to improve myself professionally. I am so thankful for a great week and so much support!