It's been a while...

Next week is the end of October...just let that sink in for a minute.


These past few weeks off from blogging have given me a chance to focus on some other assignments that I have had due, and also I was able to enjoy my fall break! As we are approaching the end of October, I can't help but keep thinking that, that means we are getting SO close to student teaching!

Since my last blog there has been so much that has gone on, I have been actively involved in my school. I have been able to be there most days and also I was able to teach another lesson on multiplying and dividing fractions. One thing I need to work on while teaching is time management. I am struggling really bad with keeping track of the time while I am engaging in my lesson. I've noticed this because this past lesson was on multiplying and dividing fractions and we had a scavenger hunt to do in the lesson. But, before we were able to start the activity we had to go over their warm-ups and homework. In the end, I lost track of time and they were only able to do 20 minutes of the scavenger hunt so they were not able to finish it. This was a big learning experience for me, because I was able to see first hand the exact thing I need to work on to improve.

Also, during the past couple of weeks I have been able to interact more with the students during the class time instead of just observing. I was super excited when my CE asked if I wanted to get more involved with the class. Of course I said yes! I usually help out during Guided/Independent practice.

Over the course of this coming week, I plan to continue being involved in my school and prepare for teaching my next lesson. I really enjoy sitting down and talking my lesson out with my CE before teaching because she's always so willing to help me, and put her input into my lesson plans. It makes me happy teaching these students, I'm developing a relationship with them and they are learning me just like I am still learning them. Being able to walk into the school and immediately get asked by one of my students "Miss Freeman are you teaching today? I enjoy class when you teach." really makes my day, and it just gives me conformation that I am in the right field.

This blog is one of my extremely shorter ones, because I wasn't able to go a lot the week of fall break. But, while I was in the school I was able to see my CE demonstrate NCTCS 4c: Teachers use a variety of instructional methods. From using the Smart Board for our visual learners, just talking the steps out with the auditory learners, to using different manipulative's for out kinesthetic learners. Being able to be involved in my CE's classroom before I take over gives me a lot of peace and comfort for when I take over in January, and that day keeps getting closer! :)

Nothing more tired than "Teacher Tired"...

Woah, it's already the 4th week of school...it's gone by so fast, next thing I know I'll be student teaching. Even though there is nothing more tired than "Teacher Tired," I don't think I could've picked a more rewarding career path to pursue. Seeing the students in my class grow in knowledge everyday, there's not a more rewarding sight than seeing a child get their "aha moment." I am glad I was finally able to be there for most of the day on Wednesday, and was finally able to experience what my CE goes through on a day to day basis. This week I was most proud that I was able to assist the students with learning the distributive property. At first most of the students had a negative attitude going into the lesson, and it was a struggle to constantly, constantly, constantly remind them that if they go into the lesson with that attitude that they have already convinced themselves that they can't do it, knowing good and well that they can! This weeks struggle, was trying to keep up with all my course work, be at my clinical almost everyday, and also fit sleep in the schedule somewhere, but sleep is for the weak, right? I am super excited that this Friday I will be able to attend a Co-Teaching Workshop with my CE, so I am stoked that I will be able to gain a vast amount of knowledge on something I don't know a lot about!

This week's outside learning came from my CE's planning period. I was walked through, a little more in depth, with the new system that they are using for their Gradebooks. I was also shown how my CE makes all of her test, quizzes, homework assignments, and worksheet that she uses in class, and it's all on a software that the school provides. I'm so glad that I was able to become familiarized with these softwares early in the year, so that I can keep learning more information, so that I am able to utilize it when I teach.

This first tweet, matches up with NCTCS 1 based on being a leader in our school system. We need to be leaders for our students to look up to, and we need to be the voice for  our students. Communication is key, whether it's staying in touch with our principal, or colleagues if we don't have communication we don't have anything. Also, we need to be there for each other, be supportive of our colleagues, stay close to them because it's easier to conquer tasks together than by yourself.

My next tweet matches up great with NCTCS 2a, teachers provide an environment in which each child has a positive, nurturing relationship with caring adults. Our classroom needs to be a "safe haven" for our student. We need to develop a relationship with each one of them, and build trust so that they know they can come to us. 

Coming up this week, I have to dissect NCTCS 1d, 1e, and 2a and so far I have gained so much more knowledge and understanding of the Standards then I ever could. I am excited to share what I have learned with my classmates next week!

Week 3

This week I was able to go into the school during my CE's planning period to talk about different topics and to begin scheduling what days I will be teaching my lessons. The first day I went to her "planning period," we had to go to a meeting that is mandatory for all teachers and it is known as "Tech Tuesday." This meeting consisted of teaching the teachers how to use the new Grade book system that the school is enforcing them to use this year. This meeting was very informal, because I was able to learn and become familiar with a system that I am going to have to be using next semester.

During the next meeting that I had with my Clinical Educator, we were able to talk about the different things that happened during the first week of school, and how she's going to change some things and what things are going to stay the same. She also let me shadow her while she was making a test. This was a huge thing for me to be able to watch her make this test because she has three different classes; and inclusion class, an accelerate class, and a regular class. She practiced NCTCS 2d, she was able to collaborate with the 7th grade EC teacher so that she could apply differentiation to the test that she was giving the regular class. Differentiation is such a big part in school systems today, just knowing that you have the power to meet the needs of other students is just amazing. She also practices NCTCS 3a, every day when the kids walk into the classroom she has the standard that she will be teaching on laminated on a piece of paper and hanging on her board, so that the students know what topic they will be learning that day.

This method will definitely be applied in my future classroom, as I have to work with my colleagues on differentiating for the students in my class. I will be able to practice the standards that I have stated throughout this blog, so that I may be able to meet every student in my classroom's needs. I can't wait until I have my own classroom and can put these methods into practice!!

Week 2

Yay, we made it through our first full week of school!! This week was hectic, to say the least...but we somehow managed to get through it. I was only able to meet with my clinical educator twice this week, but during that time there was a lot of material that she was having to cover. The first week of school at CMS is really just going over the different rules that you have to follow, and explaining in great detail the Code of Conduct. My CE demonstrated NCTCS 1 and NCTCS 3 very well within the classroom this past week and it was super inspiring the way she was so confident about what she was teaching at all times, and she wasn't afraid to mess up because it allowed for the students to be able to catch her doing something wrong and understand that even she makes mistakes, so it's okay if they do every once in a while.

I'm excited about the upcoming week going into my CE's classroom! This week we are starting small groups within the classroom, and I am going to be able to interact with the students and also help out my CE with teaching some of the class and tutoring some students who need a little extra help, so I'm stoked!!!

This school year so far is looking very promising and I'm so excited about what else lies ahead. I'm so excited that I have a wonderful CE who allows me to get involved with the students before I am able to teach them myself. So to say the least, I am super super excited! :)