For this blog posting, please provide us with feedback on the Practicum Plan. It would be really helpful to know how useful it was in keeping you organized throughout the semester and in helping you make progress toward personal learning goals that you identified. When you comment on your partner's blog, please note any ideas that you feel had merit and caused you to reflect further on your feedback.
Sine the Practicum plan was not set in stone I did not look at it often. It was confusing to look at with all the other papers and information attached to it. My mentor teacher and I looked at the checklist to make sure we were staying on top of what we needed to during the semester. It would have been more helpful if I knew what the assignments I put on the Practicum Plan were. I would add an assignment for subjects such as Education 401, but not know what to do for the assignment until a week before it was due. The date that I wanted to get the assignment done by no longer mattered. I couldn't complete the assignment if I didn't understand how to complete it or what I had to do in the first place.
Instead I used my agenda book. I would look at the following week to see what was due and then plan from there. It was easier for me to just think about one week at a time. There were so many assignments to get done this semester, that I would have drove myself crazy trying to think about everything at once.
I think this Practicum Plan would work better if it was in a calendar format. Next years participants could look at the calendar week by week and decide if they had time to do that assignment; if not they cold erase it and write it somewhere else. The due date for an assignment would be in red pen, and the anticipated date would be in pencil. I think the plan would also work better if all the professors and teachers knew about it and worked with the plan in class. They could explain each assignment in full and talk about when would be best to complete the assignment; or which assignments need to be done in the PDS and which ones do not.
Friday, April 15, 2011
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Spring 2011: Post Three
Please select two Characteristics that are different from the ones you discussed in your earlier post. (If you have not reflected on Characteristic 3, please include this as one of your selections. I've targeted this one as it has proven challenging to interns when they put together their final portfolio. I'm hoping this will give you a chance to begin thinking about it early.) In your posting, describe one artifact that you think illustrates each Characteristic you've selected. Tell why.
Characteristics of a Novice Teacher
Characteristic 3: We believe that the novice teacher should recognize that teaching is a professional, moral, and ethical enterprise, should understand moral issues and ethical practices in educational environments, and should have developed ethical frameworks which facilitate effective teaching.
Description: Teachers are looked up to in many ways. A teacher should try not to be bias and force opinions on students. The teacher needs to be professional at all times; even outside of the classroom. Teachers actions and attitudes towards a subject affect student interest and opinion.
Artifact: My character education plan reiterates how to be honest, both inside and outside the classroom. I included a clip from a commercial most students would be familiar with. The Geico commercial explains honesty in a humorous way.
In order to have a comfortable environment in your classroom, a teacher must have a good behavior management plan. The behavior management plan that I will be creating in my Educ 401 class, will explain how my future classroom will be set up in order to obtain a comfortable classroom for my students.
Characteristic 6: We believe that the novice teacher should have in-depth knowledge of content.
Description: Teachers should be a master in their specialty as well as in Education. They should have knowledge of texts, and strategies that work in their content. The teacher should have a broad range of existing resources in their content. They should have the resources needed to learn new information and how to apply it to the classroom.
Artifact: My C&I 424 portfolio includes artifacts from my college career that meet state standards. Each standard includes a rational on why I included the artifact(s) I did as well as one or more artifact.
Characteristics of a Novice Teacher
Characteristic 3: We believe that the novice teacher should recognize that teaching is a professional, moral, and ethical enterprise, should understand moral issues and ethical practices in educational environments, and should have developed ethical frameworks which facilitate effective teaching.
Description: Teachers are looked up to in many ways. A teacher should try not to be bias and force opinions on students. The teacher needs to be professional at all times; even outside of the classroom. Teachers actions and attitudes towards a subject affect student interest and opinion.
Artifact: My character education plan reiterates how to be honest, both inside and outside the classroom. I included a clip from a commercial most students would be familiar with. The Geico commercial explains honesty in a humorous way.
In order to have a comfortable environment in your classroom, a teacher must have a good behavior management plan. The behavior management plan that I will be creating in my Educ 401 class, will explain how my future classroom will be set up in order to obtain a comfortable classroom for my students.
Characteristic 6: We believe that the novice teacher should have in-depth knowledge of content.
Description: Teachers should be a master in their specialty as well as in Education. They should have knowledge of texts, and strategies that work in their content. The teacher should have a broad range of existing resources in their content. They should have the resources needed to learn new information and how to apply it to the classroom.
Artifact: My C&I 424 portfolio includes artifacts from my college career that meet state standards. Each standard includes a rational on why I included the artifact(s) I did as well as one or more artifact.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Spring 2011: Post Two
Consider one or more of your learning goals and what progress your making toward those goals.
While looking over my practicum plan, classroom management stuck out to me. I have already completed the 2 weeks of my mentor's lessons, and am not working on my own lessons. My mentor has left the classroom while I was teaching to make copies, talk to another teacher, or today, count all the prom court votes. She has not problem leaving her 10th graders with me, even though they can be a little disruptive sometimes. Today I read them a short story. Knowing they may talk, or get off track I made a deal with them. I told the students I would read the whole time if they participated in class discussion and didn't talk while I was reading. If they began to talk, I would have them read the short story. This strategy worked well. They like it much better when I read, because it does not mess up the flow to the story. Today, since my mentor teacher was working on prom count votes, I had to get the students to put back their desk where they belonged early after completing a group worksheet. They packed up there materials without me having to address it a second time. I brought them to the pizza line, where I had to facilitate the student scanner (this is how they pay) and had them wait with me until the bell rang.
After being up in front of this particular class for 3 weeks now, I think the students are use to listening to me and give me respect. I try to make learning fun for them, and help them out as much as I can. I am interested to see if the 11th graders will show the same respect after taking a week off from being in front of the class.
Talk about what changes you've made to your plan as you've moved through the semester so far - what things you may have added or removed.
Honestly, the only changes I made to my practicum plan were the ones that needed to be made in revision. I write everything in my planner and have been on top of everything in my PDS as far a teaching goes, that I don't even bother to look at the plan. I think this was a good activity for the mentor teacher, but so many of the lessons and activities on the plan overlap that it is confusing to think of them all as individual units or assignments.
How would you evaluate your own progress in relation to completing the activities you've listed on the plan?
My mentor teacher and I have been pretty good about keeping up with what I have to get done in the classroom. However, with teaching her lessons and my lessons it is hard to discuss some of the items like her behavioral plan and special needs. Even with a planning period, I feel like we are rushed for time and have no extra time to talk about some of the topics I need to cover for my 401 class. I have completed her 2 weeks of lesson plans. This week I am doing my lesson plans with the 10th grades, next week I will be teaching my lessons with the 10th and 11th graders, and the following week I will just be doing my lessons with the 11th graders. I am trying to incorporate every area I need to during these 3 weeks, such as diversity, and the video taping. The participants held a seminar for the tutors, I attended the EFHS talent show, and also saw a few minutes of a freshman basketball game. I plan to attend more school activities, and keep up with the work for seminar.
While looking over my practicum plan, classroom management stuck out to me. I have already completed the 2 weeks of my mentor's lessons, and am not working on my own lessons. My mentor has left the classroom while I was teaching to make copies, talk to another teacher, or today, count all the prom court votes. She has not problem leaving her 10th graders with me, even though they can be a little disruptive sometimes. Today I read them a short story. Knowing they may talk, or get off track I made a deal with them. I told the students I would read the whole time if they participated in class discussion and didn't talk while I was reading. If they began to talk, I would have them read the short story. This strategy worked well. They like it much better when I read, because it does not mess up the flow to the story. Today, since my mentor teacher was working on prom count votes, I had to get the students to put back their desk where they belonged early after completing a group worksheet. They packed up there materials without me having to address it a second time. I brought them to the pizza line, where I had to facilitate the student scanner (this is how they pay) and had them wait with me until the bell rang.
After being up in front of this particular class for 3 weeks now, I think the students are use to listening to me and give me respect. I try to make learning fun for them, and help them out as much as I can. I am interested to see if the 11th graders will show the same respect after taking a week off from being in front of the class.
Talk about what changes you've made to your plan as you've moved through the semester so far - what things you may have added or removed.
Honestly, the only changes I made to my practicum plan were the ones that needed to be made in revision. I write everything in my planner and have been on top of everything in my PDS as far a teaching goes, that I don't even bother to look at the plan. I think this was a good activity for the mentor teacher, but so many of the lessons and activities on the plan overlap that it is confusing to think of them all as individual units or assignments.
How would you evaluate your own progress in relation to completing the activities you've listed on the plan?
My mentor teacher and I have been pretty good about keeping up with what I have to get done in the classroom. However, with teaching her lessons and my lessons it is hard to discuss some of the items like her behavioral plan and special needs. Even with a planning period, I feel like we are rushed for time and have no extra time to talk about some of the topics I need to cover for my 401 class. I have completed her 2 weeks of lesson plans. This week I am doing my lesson plans with the 10th grades, next week I will be teaching my lessons with the 10th and 11th graders, and the following week I will just be doing my lessons with the 11th graders. I am trying to incorporate every area I need to during these 3 weeks, such as diversity, and the video taping. The participants held a seminar for the tutors, I attended the EFHS talent show, and also saw a few minutes of a freshman basketball game. I plan to attend more school activities, and keep up with the work for seminar.
Spring 2011: Post One
Characteristics of a Novice Teacher
Characteristic 5: We believe that the novice teacher should have in-depth knowledge of pedagogy.
Description:Teachers should have an understanding of their content area and how to implement their working knowledge of practice and strategies in the classroom. They should be familiar with their students, knowing how they learn, and all learner needs.
Artifact: The Special Education toolkit I completed for Sped 360 last semester is a good representation of my in-depth knowledge of pedagogy. The artifact includes various strategies and activities that can be used throughout the classroom along with a detailed rational. The rational explains how to use these tools, and specific examples of when the tool can be implemented. The toolkit includes 10 different strategies/activities. These activities can be used cross-curriculum and address different learner needs in the classroom
Characteristic 7: We believe that the novice teacher should effectively integrate content and pedagogy.
Description: Content knowledge and pedagogical knowledge link in an effort to create an effective classroom. Practice is carried out through the class lessons, and units. The knowledge learned throughout the learning process is put into effect.
Artifact: This semester, as a Participant, I designed a Of Mice and Men unit. The reading is done solely in class, while independent thinking questions and strategies are done at home, or during the time allotted for reading. Discussion plays a key role, but the students fill out the DOK worksheets and answer some questions independently. This style promotes independent learning and thinking. A power point introduces the novel's background, author, and setting. Included are various vocabulary terms. The students asked my mentor teacher and I to expand their vocabulary, so we decided it was key to include the vocabulary throughout the book in their learning and discussion. The unit was started this week, so some items and areas may change according to student need and each individual class.
Characteristic 5: We believe that the novice teacher should have in-depth knowledge of pedagogy.
Description:Teachers should have an understanding of their content area and how to implement their working knowledge of practice and strategies in the classroom. They should be familiar with their students, knowing how they learn, and all learner needs.
Artifact: The Special Education toolkit I completed for Sped 360 last semester is a good representation of my in-depth knowledge of pedagogy. The artifact includes various strategies and activities that can be used throughout the classroom along with a detailed rational. The rational explains how to use these tools, and specific examples of when the tool can be implemented. The toolkit includes 10 different strategies/activities. These activities can be used cross-curriculum and address different learner needs in the classroom
Characteristic 7: We believe that the novice teacher should effectively integrate content and pedagogy.
Description: Content knowledge and pedagogical knowledge link in an effort to create an effective classroom. Practice is carried out through the class lessons, and units. The knowledge learned throughout the learning process is put into effect.
Artifact: This semester, as a Participant, I designed a Of Mice and Men unit. The reading is done solely in class, while independent thinking questions and strategies are done at home, or during the time allotted for reading. Discussion plays a key role, but the students fill out the DOK worksheets and answer some questions independently. This style promotes independent learning and thinking. A power point introduces the novel's background, author, and setting. Included are various vocabulary terms. The students asked my mentor teacher and I to expand their vocabulary, so we decided it was key to include the vocabulary throughout the book in their learning and discussion. The unit was started this week, so some items and areas may change according to student need and each individual class.
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Fall 2010, Post Two: Mentorship
Reflect on your work in your PDS this semester. How have you benefitted from the mentoring relationship you have with your mentor teacher? What actions have you taken to be sure that the mentoring relationship is beneficial to you both? When commenting on your partner's posting, reflect on your prompt and your partner's prompt, then discuss what you plan to do next semester to ensure that this mentoring relationship is successful.
My mentor relationship this semester has been a positive one. I have gained a lot, from teaching techniques to worksheets for the classroom. As a future teacher, I have become more confident in myself, and do not get as nervous in front of the classroom. My mentor has worked with me to design lessons that fit in with her curriculum, and has taught me to change up a lesson to need the demands of the students.
At first, I thought being in an inclusive classroom would be difficult. A little less than half the students in one of my classes have IEPs. I was afraid I was not going to be able to meet these students' needs, or even help them understand the lesson in general. Instead, this semester, I have had the opportunity to work closely with these students, tweaking lessons as I went along.
This semester, the students seemed to be grateful I was there, and often addressed me as a second teacher. Being in the classroom twice a week really does show the students that you ARE serious, and it becomes easier to gain respect as well as their attention.
During my experience, I have talked to my mentor teacher about incorporating different lessons. We discussed what works best for her classroom and why. I feel I offered new ideas, and she brought forth an insiders pass into an everyday classroom. Next semester, I will be with a different mentor; however I would still like to maintain the same communication line as this semester. I know that if I needed help or had questions, I could always contact my mentor from this semester.
My mentor relationship this semester has been a positive one. I have gained a lot, from teaching techniques to worksheets for the classroom. As a future teacher, I have become more confident in myself, and do not get as nervous in front of the classroom. My mentor has worked with me to design lessons that fit in with her curriculum, and has taught me to change up a lesson to need the demands of the students.
At first, I thought being in an inclusive classroom would be difficult. A little less than half the students in one of my classes have IEPs. I was afraid I was not going to be able to meet these students' needs, or even help them understand the lesson in general. Instead, this semester, I have had the opportunity to work closely with these students, tweaking lessons as I went along.
This semester, the students seemed to be grateful I was there, and often addressed me as a second teacher. Being in the classroom twice a week really does show the students that you ARE serious, and it becomes easier to gain respect as well as their attention.
During my experience, I have talked to my mentor teacher about incorporating different lessons. We discussed what works best for her classroom and why. I feel I offered new ideas, and she brought forth an insiders pass into an everyday classroom. Next semester, I will be with a different mentor; however I would still like to maintain the same communication line as this semester. I know that if I needed help or had questions, I could always contact my mentor from this semester.
Friday, October 8, 2010
Fall 2010, Post One
The East Fairmont High School blog that the other participants and I created was a great way to get to know the school. We learned a lot about history, and what the school has to offer. I think all of us wanted a way to become more involved in the school since we have been there this year and last. While working on the Wiki, we decided to go to the East-West football game to cheer on the Bees! Most of the staff has been very welcoming and answered any questions we had while completing the Wiki.
As part of the assignment my group and I looked up the Westest scores. Some of the results surprised me, but so did not since I have seen, first hand, what goes on in the classrooms. I feel we have a better understanding of these scores because we are looking from the outside in.
I had a great time working on the Wiki assignment. I think this would be a good project to start as a Tutor and continue on as a Participant by adding certain side bar, even adding our own blogs. It would be a place where all information is kept, instead of having to go to a few different websites.
As part of the assignment my group and I looked up the Westest scores. Some of the results surprised me, but so did not since I have seen, first hand, what goes on in the classrooms. I feel we have a better understanding of these scores because we are looking from the outside in.
I had a great time working on the Wiki assignment. I think this would be a good project to start as a Tutor and continue on as a Participant by adding certain side bar, even adding our own blogs. It would be a place where all information is kept, instead of having to go to a few different websites.
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Semester Two- Final, Blog 3
The following post was written on March 3rd in Education 400. The posting was about the individual lesson that we have made a Backwards Design Template for; I will be teaching part of this lesson either this week, or next.
1. Describe your current ideas about the individual lesson that you'll be teaching at your PDS.
Since I am at my PDS while my host teacher is in a history classroom I will be teaching a lesson about the War of 1812. It was hard for me to come up with something creative to have the students do while learning about the war because I had forgotten about ever learning about it myself. When I was reading online articles about the war I was easily distracted because it wasn't something I was interested in as an english student. I think that by having students complete a journal/diary entry from one of the soldiers or a letter to one of the soldiers from a loved one would be an interesting insight to see if the students really did grasp the concepts. In my backwards design I wrote that I would have the students complete a time line. This time line will be done in class so that the studets can self assess themselves in class. They will not be able to use notes for this and will complete the time line as best as they can. I think this is important because the students need to understand some of the main ideas in a war such as, when the British took over our trade, when the war started, when the Star Spangled Banner was written, when the peace treaty was singed, and when the war ended. Students also need to understand why the war happened in the first place. British citizens were in American for 30 years after the American Revolution.
2. What concepts have you considered in relation to a personal educational philosophy?
I have considered self educating. I think it is important for teachers to keep studying education and their specialty area. Students change and learn different ways and teachers need to find how they learn and make their lesson appeal to the student. Today, it is through technology. WV has a strong foundation and certain CSO's to cover this technological need. As a teacher I will familiarize myself with texts and technology they are dealing with at the time.
The wondering I had, and wrote about in my Exit ticket had to do with special education students in the mainstream classroom. I wondered how to test this students accurately and if placing them in an inclusive classroom helps their scores. Branching off my Education 400 post I wonder what is the best way to keep things "fresh" for students. Does a good and effective teacher attend conventions and try to keep up with young adult literature? And is it hard to keep up with the technology that students use when you are an older teacher?
Nicole
1. Describe your current ideas about the individual lesson that you'll be teaching at your PDS.
Since I am at my PDS while my host teacher is in a history classroom I will be teaching a lesson about the War of 1812. It was hard for me to come up with something creative to have the students do while learning about the war because I had forgotten about ever learning about it myself. When I was reading online articles about the war I was easily distracted because it wasn't something I was interested in as an english student. I think that by having students complete a journal/diary entry from one of the soldiers or a letter to one of the soldiers from a loved one would be an interesting insight to see if the students really did grasp the concepts. In my backwards design I wrote that I would have the students complete a time line. This time line will be done in class so that the studets can self assess themselves in class. They will not be able to use notes for this and will complete the time line as best as they can. I think this is important because the students need to understand some of the main ideas in a war such as, when the British took over our trade, when the war started, when the Star Spangled Banner was written, when the peace treaty was singed, and when the war ended. Students also need to understand why the war happened in the first place. British citizens were in American for 30 years after the American Revolution.
2. What concepts have you considered in relation to a personal educational philosophy?
I have considered self educating. I think it is important for teachers to keep studying education and their specialty area. Students change and learn different ways and teachers need to find how they learn and make their lesson appeal to the student. Today, it is through technology. WV has a strong foundation and certain CSO's to cover this technological need. As a teacher I will familiarize myself with texts and technology they are dealing with at the time.
The wondering I had, and wrote about in my Exit ticket had to do with special education students in the mainstream classroom. I wondered how to test this students accurately and if placing them in an inclusive classroom helps their scores. Branching off my Education 400 post I wonder what is the best way to keep things "fresh" for students. Does a good and effective teacher attend conventions and try to keep up with young adult literature? And is it hard to keep up with the technology that students use when you are an older teacher?
Nicole
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