Student Teaching Reflection

Combining student teaching while also running my own 2nd grade classroom was incredible hard and exhausting. It was also insightful, empowering, and eye-opening. I learned so much from my on-site supervisors and professor. I was giving constructive feedback that I accepted and learned from. Instead of becoming defensive, I took all the feedback and used it. I had to watch myself teach and it was horrifying. I don't like to watch videos of myself, however, it was empowering to sit with that uncomfortability, push it aside, and watch. I learned that I tend to rush through directions at times and don't give my students ample time to think through a question. In a teacher's world, a second can feel like an hour. It was incredibly insightful. I learned to mimic what I expect from my students and to dig deep when I am at my wit's end and my patience is gone. If I want my stations to be more quiet, I need to speak in a soft voice EVEN when I am barely keeping it together. I learned that I need to really sit down and pay attention to all assessments. These go a long way and I need to work on time-managing that with a big classroom. It is time consuming and draining, but essential for student growth. Above all else, I learned that it truly takes a village to raise a teacher. You must work together to share ideas, vent about things not going right, and picking each other up when we need it. You can not teach alone.

Student Motivation

I have a tough love approach in my classroom. I am very motivating and helpful, but will also not put up with misbehavior and disrespect. I am there to motivate and teach, but not pull my students' weight for them. I believe motivation is crucial to a successful classroom environment as long as it's partnered with feedback. To elaborate further, I motivate my students by first mentioning a positive thing about their answer. I then follow up with a suggestion or advice to enhance their answer. Even better, I hope to motivate a deeper thinking by having them ask more questions and fix their own answer. This is one way I motivate my students...find the positive, suggest different ideas, and give advice on what will work best. I also motivate by giving them one-on-one time. It's hard to give one child in a class of 25 students ample one-on-one time but even two minutes of direct eye contact and asking about their weekend goes a long way. Every morning, I acknowledge every student that walks in my door, I have them check in, and I strike up a mini-conversation. These few minutes are precious to both of us and builds a positive relationship. This is where true motivation lies...in healthy, positive relationships.

Differentiate Instruction

Renowned educator and speaker Carol Ann Tomlinson has said that differentiation means giving students multiple choices for taking in information. Differentiating instructions means that you observe and understand the differences and similarities among students and use this information to plan instruction. Scholastic states that the following are key principle of laying a successful foundation for differentiated instruction: 1. Ongoing, formative assessments. 2. Recognizing diverse learners. 3. Group work. 4. Problem solving. 5. Choices In my classroom, my differentiation happens the most in my Guided Math and Guided Reading Stations. In my math stations, I have four rotations with various strategies and techniques to work that day's skill. My class is split into four math levels based on academic, social, and behavior levels. Here is a breakdown of my math stations: 1. Meet with Teacher: This is where I can meet with a small group for a more personalized lesson. I use interactive notebooks at this time. My students love this! 2. At your seat: This is an independent activity. It is normally a review worksheet or a Math Box page from our math series. This helps them learn how to work quietly and on their own. I also use the worksheets as an assessment tool. 3. Technology: They play a math fluency game called Reflex Math. 4. Hands-On: This could be a game or an activity with math manipulatives. For example, our station this week is Playdoh Pizza Fractions. I believe strongly in differentiation to offer more choices for my students. They love stations and look forward to it everyday! It is more work to set up, but it is worth it in the long run. By giving them choices and movement, they are more engaged in the classroom. It's important to note that differentiation can backfire if it's obvious that groups are broken down based on levels. I don't make a point to say that one group is doing harder work or say to the lower group that they can't do it because it's too hard. I DO make a point to encourage each and every one of them. I DO make a point to tell them this is what they need to succeed...that what I chose for their group is exactly what they need to do their very best in the classroom.

Behavior Problems

These past few weeks I learned some valuable information to help with classroom management and behavior problems. I just finished reading my feedback from my professor over my first submitted Video Observation Assignment. I still remember over twenty years ago when I had my first evaluation. It came from my store manager when I was 17. I was taking a Marketing class in my Senior year of High School and employer evaluations were part of my grade. That day, my manager said the only improvement needed was for me to stop being defensive when corrected at work or shown new ways. I immediately snapped back at him, saying that I wasn't defensive. He immediately snapped back and said, "Perfect example." I ran in to him a few years later and told him that day changed my life. I now seek out feedback and guidance. One gives you authentic feedback because they care. You can't learn and grow until you become vulnerable and willing to listen to advice. I listened this past few weeks from feedback from two teacher mentors: my professor and on-site supervisor/teammate. My professor gave me great advice to keep my class engaged which would help with behavior management. She told me to ask "higher-order" questions instead of only telling the answers. Even better, she suggested spelling out a word associated with our lesson to get them to their seats quickly and quietly HELLO?! So simple, yet so genius! My on-site supervisor said to tackle behavior during my Library Guided Reading Station and to keep them on task, I should only allow them to choose books from a book bin collection of my own choosing. This way they are not just flipping through the same book day after day and only wasting time until the next rotation. Sound and solid advice that boosts my students' academic performance, but also maintains a positive, calmer classroom environment.

Self-fulfilling prophecy

When I first read my topic for this blog post, I immediately giggled and thought of all the superhero movies that my children love. It sounds so epic and mysterious. It doesn't sound like a real-life situation, but I know it is. I just haven't thought that hard about it until now. I started practicing yoga over ten years ago and always dreamed of becoming a yoga teacher. I envisioned my classes and how I would structure them. I would think of awesome playlists and think about how I could connect my real-life situations to a class "feel" or intention. Little did I know, but I would fulfill this dream but in a different way. Two years ago, I was deep into my Master's in Elementary Education program and a local studio offered a children's yoga teacher training weekend. I never thought about teaching yoga to children one day. My dream was to always teach yoga to adults in the future. When I was told about the training weekend, my prophecy flipped and ignited. I loved teaching children in a classroom setting. I loved practicing yoga. Why not combine the two?! I took the training and it changed my life. I was hooked. Last April, I began my 200 yoga teacher training and graduated in August. I took this to better equipped to teach teenagers. I also have found my way along this path with family yoga. This has become my "thing". I love every second of it. Yoga has transformed my classroom teaching philosophy and has opened new doors and passions. I started the very first public school yoga club in Berkeley County and have introduced calming strategies to my students. My prophecy to teach yoga to adults never was fulfilled, however, it led to another one that makes my life and career feel complete and right. As for my observation video, I have a very hard time watching myself. I get very insecure and tear myself apart. It wasn't easy and I hope to get better and more comfortable with this.

Student Teaching Expectations and Goals

I have been teaching long-term substitute positions for the past three years while completing my Master's in Elementary Education. On February 5, 2018, I being the final process of Student Teaching. I am fortunate to have my own 2nd grade classroom on this journey. I have so much more to learn and always ready for advice and criticism. I am looking forward to extra guidance from my professor and two amazing colleagues as I take on this amazing, yet grueling world of teaching. Here is what I hope to accomplish during my student teaching: I need to learn more on how to differentiate for my students' needs. I have 25 students with a wide-range of capabilities. How do I manage my time wisely? How do I stay sane and not get burnt out? How do I give them everything that they need without compromising my own family's needs?A big goal is to find out what differentiation method works best for me. In turn, what works best for me will work best for my students because I believe in it. This follows many of the objectives stated in our syllabus, but with a twist. I want to learn what methods and implementations work best for my students, BUT also for myself. I have to find teaching ways that are my own and unique to my classroom. That is where the magic of teaching comes in. Yes, we have state standards that we must meet, but we also have our own brains and creativity to make those standards are own. On a different note, I have very high expectations of my students and I often question myself if it's too high. I look forward to tackling that persona teaching trait. Overall, I feel very comfortable and ready to have my own classroom next year. That being said, I am ALWAYS open for suggestions and ideas. I love getting advice and can handle criticism. My goal is to simply learn as much as I can and gather up as much advice as I can from three different women: my professor and two on-site teacher supervisors. They are all different women and I am lucky to have a wealth of knowledge and patience waiting for me.