Today I learned that grading is harder than I expected; it’s so hard not to be biased, to give constructive criticism, not rewrite their issues to make it how it should be, give positive feedback, and not get frustrated over the few completely off submissions. I found myself constantly but subconsciously comparing students work; the thought “well John’s paper was definitely more insightful than Jane’s, but has less description than Kyle’s…” popped into my head on almost every paper. I also found my bias in knowing the students, their capability and their efforts: “John is so sweet thought and I know he tried really hard on this assignment.” I was, however, grading on mastery, thus their effort doesn’t necessarily matter if they didn’t include the elements of their assignment. Needless to say, I STRUGGLED.
Also, my students are in day 3 of playing the "What's your first name" game. I feel like they're going to test me and start calling me by my actual name instead of Ms. Lackey or something like that if I tell them. Has anyone run into this problem?
I feel your pain with grading! It is definitely not easy!! Especially if your host teacher has a different view on grading than you do. With the first name thing, I haven't had any students really ask for my name this semester. Last semester, a group of girls were determined to figure it out and they did. They never called me by my first name, so I think if they figure it out, you should be fine. Just call them out on it if they do figure out your name and try to use it!
Yes I've run into the first name problem. My 7th period would not leave me alone about my first name, so I had to tell them or else I would be bombarded by it for the rest of my time there. So every now and then they call me by my first name and I joke like I'm mad. Honestly I feel like it's just something we've got to get used to, because when we become teachers, our first name will be everywhere. It's just different now because we are "student" teachers so they still see us as different than their actual teacher.
Welcome to the life of an English teacher! Grading is entirely subjective and you just have to go with what you think will work out best. I struggle with it, too! I don't think you can ever grade an essay and not feel that subjectivity monster rear its ugly head. You'll get it! :)
First name- I don't think it's really a problem if you tell them. I started out not wanting them to know but then I did a little slideshow of my pictures from France and didn't realize my name was on it. They saw it, struggled to pronounce it, and then that was that. They haven't tried to call me by my first name.
Grading- I FEEL YOUR STRUGGLE! When they took their test, I was grading them as they turned them in. I noticed some students left things blank or did an entire section wrong so I gave them the opportunity to fix it, even though the instructions were clear on the page. But even after giving them the generous chance to fix it, they just did the same thing again. So, as much as it hurt me, I had to just take the points off.
They have my first name, and I did it accidentally. One of my students go by a different name than his first (he's also a favorite) so when he mentioned that, "I said, hey, that's my name too!" So that went out the door. Grading is tough, what I've done is put together a plan to keep it more objective by taking off this many points for this or that. I'm tempted to write down where they went wrong but rarely do that. But if they're on the right track I give hints on where they should go. But I had an essay test this week, grading 60+, and I'd guess it took 5-6 hours, most of it grammatical errors. I have a goal and that is to return all tests the next day which I'm still 100% on, but it can be a struggle. And its clear what mood, how tired or miserable you may be, how spaced out, has an effect on their grades. What I decided to do was take a water break after this many tests and start fresh. Really helped.
I have been struggling with kids talking while I am talking a little bit during discussions. I have one student in particular who really thinks she knows everything. I try not to get annoyed, but I have learned to just sit quietly, stare, and wait for them (especially her) to be quiet. They do usually quiet down, but she will start talking again a little later. She's told me it's because if she doesn't say what she's thinking she will forget it. I told her to write it down and she says she does, but she still talks under her breath. Loudly. Do y'all have any advice?
That seems really difficult. Maybe keep reminding her to write it down and then raise her hand when she wants to say what she's thinking. Maybe make the whole class start raising their hands, that way she won't feel like she's being targeted. I know that might change what they're used to, but it will hopefully help the class run more efficiently.
I have been struggling with the same thing! This is a really big problem and it can be hard to get students to be quiet or stay on task. Keep me updated if you find any solutions!
I think that maybe you should make the discussion into small group discussions so that she will have more of an opportunity to speak. IDK how big this class is, but maybe that would kind of help her get it all out in a way thats not distracting to everyone else.
Monday: It was especially meaningful to have my host teacher give me feedback for my US class. The students had worked in groups and during the review they were talkative and not paying attention. So my host teacher suggested getting them back into their original seats, facing the front, so that everyone would have an opportunity to listen.
I understand your struggle! It is always nice to have someone who has been teaching a while see your frustration and be able to say hey, why not try this? A lot of times the strategies we're using are super complex and innovative and we forget that sometimes keeping it simple is the best. I know I do! My host teacher also hardly ever gives me feedback, so it's nice to have him say when something is or is not working.
I was trying to facilitate a more respectful, open mindset in my pilot class today. To do this, I placed the students in heterogenously grouped pods and this time the groups were not gender neutral. The students were asked to interact with peers outside of their normal social circle and I can honestly say that I noted more depth and breadth in their conversations. They felt a need to really sell themselves and it worked.
Also, one of my male students felt comfortable enough to write me a letter during Reading Workshop asking for advice because his friends say he likes this girl and he doesn't. The sheer fact that he took the time to write me a letter and felt comfortable sharing it with me only showcases the importance of building and maintaining student relationships.
That's so sweet! It's encouraging to see how much your kids respect and love you! It's the best thing to have as a teacher - your students' love and respect!
I feel as if middle school is an interesting age, and that awesome that the student felt comfortable writing you a letter about his relationships. Regardless of whether or not the student actually likes the girl, teasing seems to rear its ugly head more frequently than I would like in the classroom. For a student to take the time to tell you about his situation provides you with an opportunity to reach not only that student but the students who he has been influenced by, as well. Also, I feel as if having heterogenous groups that are specifically intended to have students interact with their peers has worked in the visual arts classroom, too. I've seen some of the more shy and reserved students come out of their shell to contribute to the group discussion, if they are paired with students who like to encourage other students and take a position of leadership. Do you think that your students will continue to interact with peers that are outside of their social circle for the remainder of the semester?
Last Friday I had a bad experience with my third period. They were just being rowdy and disrespectful. When third period started today, I felt that they had the same vibe as last week. So before I started teaching, I took a moment to talk to them briefly about my expectations of them. We came to an agreement (I literally made them all say the words “I agree” if they agreed) to certain classroom rules, mostly about talking. They received this little classroom meeting very well, and I was very pleased with their behavior for the rest of the class. If they started to get talkative, I would stop and ask them, “What did you agree to in the beginning of class?” and they would stop. I think it worked to hold them accountable.
This is a good strategy that I might use for myself. My fourth block has been having behavioral problems lately too. I have addressed them in several different ways, but holding them accountable for a verbal agreement may get them to view the situation differently.
I think that perhaps I should try this strategy because my students in my 6th period are always very rowdy. Glad it worked for you! Also, my 6th period was not at all impressed by the games I came up with for stations and so on their pre-assessment for this next chapter, I'm having them rank the games they want to play so that hopefully they will be happier and more engaged. Kind of the same idea
Setting high expectations at the beginning of class seems to work well. Maybe your students knew the expectations already, but your having a conversation that confronted them about their behavior was more effective. Something that I did on our Professional Learning Day was create an expectations sheet that would be posted in our room. I think that it would be good for your students to have a visual reference in the room, too. Hopefully there would be a positive response.
Katherine, I think you are killing it! Just remember to be clear in your expectations of your students and I always tell my babies to, "Be honest, but be kind." Having a cardinal rule is half the battle and you have established and built a foundation for respect that they will latch onto. Keep up the good work! You rock! :)
A student who has never used the pottery wheel wanted to make something that only an expert could do. It was a challenge getting him to understand that it takes practice and time to make what he wanted. I could see his frustration because he wants things to be done instantly. I believe this is a student with autism. I remember my host teacher mentioning it to me. He is lacking social skills and a hard time seeing others perspective on things. Which is why I think he was having a hard time understanding what I was trying to tell him. I asked him to make practice pots on the wheel. He soon began to see that it wasn’t easy to make them but the more he made the better he got.
Have any of you taught students with disabilities? What kinds of things do you guys do to get them to understand you, especially when they have a hard time seeing someone else's point of view?
My biggest accomplishment today would have to be classroom management. My fourth block class has recently had some behavior problems. I have been struggling, trying to find the reason for the spike in talking, rudeness, and lack of attention. Today was my first day implementing a new seating plan. Several of the students complained and tried to bargain to sit with their friends, but I stood firm and explained that this wasn't a punishment. Instead it was a way to get us back on track as a class since the disruptions and distractions have been hurting the student’s grades. The result was a significant improvement in behavior once class actually got started.
That is great to hear that they are improving! I like how you explained to them that it wasn't a punishment because I feel like students always feel like it is, even if you looking out for their best interest. I feel like you had a really good approach to handling the situation!
I really like your explanation too! I'm definitely stealing that one for when I need it! My first period got a new seating arrangement this week too, but my host teacher introduced it as a punishment and told them that once they started acting better it could go back to the way it was. I did not like that at all because the kids are just overall pissy now. Even my good kiddos.
Personally, I was focusing on being lively and energetic, especially when teaching elementary students. There are times when I find myself getting tired, but I remind myself that I need to be the best teacher that I can be for these students. I am typically very calm, but I am working on being louder, in a non-obnoxious way, and having a fun presence around the students. My host teacher has given me a lot of good advice and one of the things she told me was to have fun with the students. She said that they love when the teacher can laugh and have a good time, so I am working on doing that. It is hard to get a good balance because I am always so focused on making sure I am teaching the content correctly, but I will continue to focus on this and improving this aspect of my teaching as much as possible.
I can relate to this. It can be difficult creating rapport with your students when you are so focused on what you are trying to teach. I have been attempting to work on this too, and embody a "warm demander." I suppose it all comes down to balancing the "warm" and "demanding" parts, which can be a lot more difficult than it sounds.
I can relate sooo much! I do not have a loud voice. I have also had to remind myself to not be so uptight. When working with older kids I want to make sure that they are taking me seriously so I didn't want to seem too young by laughing and playing around with them but I think I was going a little extreme. I have to learn how to be fun at the right times.
Girl, you are killing over there at JMA! I love that you are getting to experience all ages. That's going to pay off so much. Having fun is the reason why I wake up every single morning. My kids even ask what I am going to be teaching that day or if it is one of my host teacher's lessons because, "Ms. Miller is all about having fun." Learning should be a blast! Do not be afraid to experiment and experiment heavily! Let yourself have fun and be enthusiastic and energized. Your kids feed off of your attitude. Sell it! :)
Today in general I was just focused on getting smoothly through my lesson plan. I had a lot of activities packed into the available time so I was worried that I wouldn’t get to everything and I did end up having to skip a couple of planned parts to make time for others. In all of the classes I had planned to show an interdisciplinary example of each type of expository writing, but I just didn’t have time so I ended up only showing one or just skipping them all together. I think that those articles were the best thing to cut out though because they were just extra examples and not practice or discovery activities
I've had to make a lot of modifications to my lesson plans this week, too. It's kind of frustrating but my host teacher advised me to recognize that having a lot of details may not be the best for my students. My tendency is to cram a lot of information into one lesson, but I've found it more beneficial to simplify the information that is given. (This will depend on the age group that I am teaching, of course, but it has worked well).
Don't be afraid to build in A LOT of activities and chunk them if necessary. If you know that something is not "necessary," just roll with it! Teaching is all about adapting and being flexible. I've learned that no matter how much you plan, it never goes perfectly. That's the beauty in it. :)
1. One thing that my host teacher pointed out to me (and that I’ll be thinking about over the weekend) is classroom management. We have some great kids in terms of behavior. Their biggest issue is talking – they talk a LOT. My last classes in particular give me trouble. Third period can be hit or miss, but fourth is consistently difficult to reel in. On the one hand, it’s great that they want to talk and be a part of the class; on the other, we can’t have twenty kids speaking at one time. I need to find something that works for me in terms of managing that chattiness. Otherwise, I risk not making progress where I need to with those students (and my students in the future). I don’t want to simply threaten them with consequences like silent lunch or points on their record, but I’m struggling to think of something that will be successful with a large group.
I'm having the same issue, particularly in getting their attention and getting them to stop talking once they get to do TPS or anything where they get to talk a little. My host teacher uses the "clap once if you can hear me" trick, but I do not think it is that effective and I don't find that natural. Have you found any other tricks that work better? Or has anyone else come across something?
This may be too simple, but I was thinking about having some sort of signal that the students know means that they need to get quiet (like putting one hand in the air, or dabbing, or turning the lights out). Explain that it's awesome how much they want to share, but they also need to be able to reel it back in and move on.
Today was the play, and I was put in charge of my host teacher’s class. I had to make sure that they were all accounted for, make sure they all made it on the bus, and then I also had to monitor before, during, and after the play to make sure that all of the students were behaving. Most of the teachers sat in the row behind the students, but myself and two other teachers walked around to monitor and make sure everything went smoothly. I only had one issue that I had to deal with. At the theater, we were the only group of middle schoolers. The rest were all elementary school students, which I knew might be an issue as soon as I saw them starting to come in. I did not want my middle schoolers harassing them and I have some boys who are particularly apt to try things they should not even know about yet with these kiddos. (We’ve had some issues this year when it comes to “adult” stuff like that.) Well, some very mature looking fifth grade girls sat right across the aisle from some of my rowdy boys, of course. As soon as I saw them talking and flirting back and forth (and making obscene gestures) I went and stood between the rows to physically block them. The boys said “Ms. K” in that drawn out tone, but I told them that they were big kids and I needed them to show everyone else how to behave. I also said that they were more than welcome to talk to their fellow middle schoolers but there would be no cradle snatching on my watch. They obliged, but those girls! Despite me standing there, which made my boys automatically face forward and quiet down, these girls kept trying to egg on the boys. I turned and gave them my teacher look, but I really did not know what I could do in this situation. They were not my students and none of their teachers were up monitoring. I did not want to leave my post between them to go and hunt down one of their teachers, so I was really torn on what to do. I just focused on keeping my fellas in check, which they did very well considering how obstinate the girls were being. Every time they would look over and try to talk back they would see me raise an eyebrow and look forward. When I was giving the teacher look to the girls, I did hear one of my guys mutter “cock block,” but I could not tell which one said it. I’m with 7th graders! What in the world?!? I was not even remotely thinking about anything like that at their age! I told another teacher from my school (one of the other two that were walking around monitoring) what was going on to see if she had any insight. She just gave a very frustrated groan and said that boys could not be taken anywhere. Honestly, I thought my boys behaved decently, in that they at least listened to me and would not disrespect me enough to ignore my presence, despite the provocation of the girls. What in the world do I do in this kind of situation?
Dang, that is a complicated situation, but I feel like you handled it really well! You did all that you could to keep your students in line, not much you can do about those girls since they weren't yours. I guess you could have told them something like "I'm sure your teacher will be upset when I tell her how you girls are acting right now" but that may not have made a difference.
It's crazy that 7th grade boys say those things? I definitely think they're thinking about that stuff, but I always thought that middle schoolers were more apt to keep it in there heads while high schoolers would talk about it openly. I guess kids are just "maturing" faster these days.
My 7th graders blow my mind too with the things they say. Personally, in that situation, I'd of grabbed the kid who said "cock block" or spoke in his ear how inappropriate that was. As for the other class, as student teachers we are sort of like lame ducks ... I think when we're at our permanent schools next fall, instead of just being plopped here or there, we'll feel more comfortable asking for another teacher to help control his/her class. I agree w/ Casey though, I think you did the best you could do, which is all we can hope for at this juncture.
This week really hit home that parenthood and the psychology theories about nature versus nurture provide a basis for how to start understanding our student's behavior in the classroom. Although my host teacher and I have laid down some ground rules for what student behavior should look like in the visual arts classroom, the biggest challenge for me has been understanding that I can not control every aspect of my student's behavior. I believe that our Special Education and teaching pedagogy courses have helped me to prepare for teaching, but when it comes to having a further understanding of how the mind of a middle school child works, this can only be obtained through studying child development theories and knowing my students. Having encountered some emotional distress amongst my students, I've been communicating with my host teacher and other faculty about how a disability could contribute to disruptions in the classroom. In middle school, a child with an undiagnosed disability may not be able to identify certain behaviors that are inappropriate for the classroom. According to IDEA, a child can be tested and evaluated on the RTI tier system. However, some parents have not allowed their children to undergo testing or be properly diagnosed by a psychologist. I panic sometimes thinking about: What does an educator do if they cannot provide a child with adequate accommodations in the classroom if the student does not have a 504 plan or IEP?
My previous research on undiagnosed disabilities on the autism spectrum has shown that this situation can lead to further emotional and environmental stressors for students. I think that it will be good to take time this weekend and research and talk to more experienced educators about how to differentiate instruction, classroom management, and providing appropriate accommodations for these students.
This week I have learned that I have been really hard on myself and a little uptight. I taught Thursday and it was such a good feeling. I had a chance to model some vocabulary instruction for my students. My students were excited about me teaching and they really enjoyed our lesson. I had been so concerned with perfecting my unit and making it flawless, that I lost the fun in it all. I talked to my host teacher about some of my concerns and he continuously encouraged me. I feel so great right now. I had begun doubting myself and feeling a bit insecure in my teaching. The best reminder I had this week was that it is okay to make mistakes.
Hold on to that good feeling! If I've learned anything in the past few weeks, it's that student teaching is a roller coaster. I can quickly go from feeling confident to feeling like I have no idea what I'm doing. I'm so glad you had a positive experience, I think those are necessary in order to get us through the next 8 weeks. Good job!!
You are amazing! Don't ever forget that! I agree with Katherine compeltely; student teaching is a roller coaster. It is so difficult because it's not really your classroom and you can't do what you really want to do. Sometimes I really wish that it was more of a baptism by fire and that we really got our own classroom instead of really having to keep with the style and room of your host teacher (especially if they are completely opposite of you and your style). I am so glad that you are having good moments like that! It is so encouraging!
This week I concluded my first full unit of teaching the lesson plans that I created. The students took their test and it was kind of a hit or miss. Many students got As or high Bs. But then there were also abysmal grades. It made me feel very conflicted. Is my instruction terrible? But then some students did very well. So now as I go into my next unit I am really trying to focus on how to better support the students who completely failed the previous test. I am also still struggling with an entire class. I find that what keeps the other classes entertained and engaged, does nothing for this class. So that is difficult for me.
This is awesome, and such an accomplishment! I know exactly what you mean about feeling conflicted when some students do well and others not so much. I definitely take it personally and think I didn't do something right when kids fail. However, I think when we're teaching students at the high school level, we have to hold them accountable for their actions as well. Some students would make As even if you did absolutely nothing all day, and others would still fail even if you had the most engaging lessons in the world. Of course we should always have planned supports for students who need it, but I don't think we can take it too personally when it still doesn't work, even if that's hard to do.
Congrats on your first full unit being done! That's so exciting. I think that, like Katherine said, some students will do well or poorly no matter how good your lessons are. I think that this gives you a great opportunity to really figure out how to plan supports for the class that is not engaged and just try out different ideas and see what works. This is the time to experiment, right? I'm sure that you'll find something that'll work =)
Congrats on your first full unit being done! That's so exciting. I think that, like Katherine said, some students will do well or poorly no matter how good your lessons are. I think that this gives you a great opportunity to really figure out how to plan supports for the class that is not engaged and just try out different ideas and see what works. This is the time to experiment, right? I'm sure that you'll find something that'll work =)
Since there isn't a week up for this week, I'm just putting my blog post here!
Instead of teaching my gifted kids, this week, I taught the three AP students in 4th block. It was interesting getting to know them. It was strange to only teach three students at a time. It felt more like tutoring or a book club than teaching a class. It was also a strange week because my host teacher changed the content of what I was teaching for the whole week one hour before class started. Luckily, I had planning so I had some time to throw some lessons together. While it was super stressful, it helped me learn how to go with the flow and make a pretty decent lesson within a short time frame.
That's a really cool experience for you! I am glad that you had the opportunity to experience a small group, college like setting. It is always nice when you can think on your feet and it just goes to show that you are prepared for the upcoming year. :)
I am always excited to try out new things in the classroom and it excites me even more that my host teacher has just about completely let go and is letting me make all of the decisions about preparing the students for the upcoming Georgia Milestones Assessment. I loved walking into school and, prior to teaching my pilot class, having my host teacher walk over to me and be like, “What are we doing today?” I guess it’s a good thing I have it altogether or we would both be lost.
The first time you teach a lesson, you work out all the kinks. I sure do hate it for that first class, though. They do not always get shortchanged, but by the third time I have taught the same lesson, it is flawless. I love that you get that sense of perfection with practice over time and I also love that students do not notice when you are adapting and differentiating to fit their needs.
I was very much looking forward to today. In one of our teaching history books, one of the first chapters has a k-w-l exercise that really stood out to me. This one in particular had a painting of the black death called The Triumph of Death. The author recommended beginning the class period by having it projected on a wall, projector, or in my case a SmartBoard. Then asking students to pick three things they saw, and write down their thoughts, questions, reflections, whatever came to mind. This is a particularly gruesome painting with dogs eating people, people being stabbed with lances, skeletons. Then students would discuss what they wrote and their thoughts. I thought this was a great way to get students engaged as soon as they walked in the door. So I started my day with this, but without k-w-l, because I didn’t think there was time which proved right. My projection was a photo of a nuclear shadow taken in Hiroshima since today’s EQ was was the US justified in using atomic weapons. The picture shows what looks like a girl playing jump rope next to a fire hydrant, with her nuclear shadow cast on the wall, along with what looks like a tiny memorial which had flowers in front of it. Students are also encouraged to come up to the projection, look closer, see more clearly. They had some very interesting thoughts when I asked them what they saw, and saw things I never noticed. When I told them how these shadows came to be they were both saddened and amazed. I went on to a brainpop exercise which is a handy tool for teaching 7th graders which sort of summed up the bomb and added some material that I hadn’t covered Mon. They were encouraged to take notes on that as well which many did. Next, my host teacher helped in making groups of 4-5 after we’d asked if they were for the bombing or against it. Based off of that, and after moving the desks into position, I gave them roles (recorder, presenter, etc). It took some work but they eventually put their head’s together and did very well presenting. The last two classes even had somewhat of a heated debate which was fun to watch. The next day I noticed at lunch they were still talking about which side was right/wrong.
In Spanish I, the students watched a video about family life and culture in Honduras. Honduras is a very poor country and the students showed a lot of compassion towards the circumstances of the people living there, which I found to be especially beautiful. I asked them how life in Honduras is different from their lives in the United States and one of the students said, “Students in Honduras don’t have SMART boards, projectors, or water bottles.” It was a funny comment but I thought it was really true. It was cool to see the students empathizing with people in other countries and they said it made them feel grateful for what they have.
My biggest challenges with teaching have been revealed during the past three weeks. Middle school students are very much human, their human development is a testimony of spitefulness, greed, and anger. There were more discrepancies between the work that students produced and the behavior that they exhibited at the beginning of each week. One can blame the full moon, but the truth is that students at the middle school age do not think being courteous and respectful of their peers as much as themselves. However, I believe that my students and I gain understanding when I point out how they are treating each other and the students have discussions about how to address them before the negative behaviors start poisoning their behavior.
A demonstration of how students have taken action to address their negative behavior has been through a written contract of how they will choose to behave in a particular situation. If the students were in close proximity to a student that they did not get along with, it was best not to sit by them or play into the other student’s bantering. I often found that the agitation within a child was exhibited first in their body language, second in their speech, and third in their actions. The student’s peers would either encourage them to stop or egg the “student in question” to act upon their feelings. I used the school’s policies for classroom management and behavior to address the situations: a point on their record, instructing the student to stop their behavior, having the parties involved to write an account of their actions and the situation, contacting the student’s parents or guardians, and sending the student to In School Suspension. There were a lot of things to report to my host teacher this week, and I hope that this negative behavior will lesson as students are having to collaborate on projects and performance tasks on a regular basis. Community is being built through these interactions in and outside of the classroom (including lunch).
Week of Feb29-March4 I don't know where else to post so I'm posting this weeks here. Today Dr. Alby came in to observe. Overall I think it went great. There was s couple of students who where of task. They were in their phones and not participating. I tried to get them involved and would go talk to them. They would try participating for a bit but then go back to what they were doing in their phones. I felt so bad cause I was being observed but I also thought that it was strange that they were doing this. These students don’t usually get of task like they did today. Dr. Alby recommended CPS. Have you guys had something like this happen to you?
That's a bummer! Usually, my kids actually act better when they know another person is in the room observing me. Did you tell them beforehand you were being observed? If not, they might not have known it was important to stay on task. I'm sorry! I think CPS would help!
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Today I learned that grading is harder than I expected; it’s so hard not to be biased, to give constructive criticism, not rewrite their issues to make it how it should be, give positive feedback, and not get frustrated over the few completely off submissions. I found myself constantly but subconsciously comparing students work; the thought “well John’s paper was definitely more insightful than Jane’s, but has less description than Kyle’s…” popped into my head on almost every paper. I also found my bias in knowing the students, their capability and their efforts: “John is so sweet thought and I know he tried really hard on this assignment.” I was, however, grading on mastery, thus their effort doesn’t necessarily matter if they didn’t include the elements of their assignment. Needless to say, I STRUGGLED.
ReplyDeleteAlso, my students are in day 3 of playing the "What's your first name" game. I feel like they're going to test me and start calling me by my actual name instead of Ms. Lackey or something like that if I tell them. Has anyone run into this problem?
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DeleteI feel your pain with grading! It is definitely not easy!! Especially if your host teacher has a different view on grading than you do. With the first name thing, I haven't had any students really ask for my name this semester. Last semester, a group of girls were determined to figure it out and they did. They never called me by my first name, so I think if they figure it out, you should be fine. Just call them out on it if they do figure out your name and try to use it!
DeleteYes I've run into the first name problem. My 7th period would not leave me alone about my first name, so I had to tell them or else I would be bombarded by it for the rest of my time there. So every now and then they call me by my first name and I joke like I'm mad. Honestly I feel like it's just something we've got to get used to, because when we become teachers, our first name will be everywhere. It's just different now because we are "student" teachers so they still see us as different than their actual teacher.
DeleteWelcome to the life of an English teacher! Grading is entirely subjective and you just have to go with what you think will work out best. I struggle with it, too! I don't think you can ever grade an essay and not feel that subjectivity monster rear its ugly head. You'll get it! :)
DeleteFirst name- I don't think it's really a problem if you tell them. I started out not wanting them to know but then I did a little slideshow of my pictures from France and didn't realize my name was on it. They saw it, struggled to pronounce it, and then that was that. They haven't tried to call me by my first name.
DeleteGrading- I FEEL YOUR STRUGGLE! When they took their test, I was grading them as they turned them in. I noticed some students left things blank or did an entire section wrong so I gave them the opportunity to fix it, even though the instructions were clear on the page. But even after giving them the generous chance to fix it, they just did the same thing again. So, as much as it hurt me, I had to just take the points off.
They have my first name, and I did it accidentally. One of my students go by a different name than his first (he's also a favorite) so when he mentioned that, "I said, hey, that's my name too!" So that went out the door. Grading is tough, what I've done is put together a plan to keep it more objective by taking off this many points for this or that. I'm tempted to write down where they went wrong but rarely do that. But if they're on the right track I give hints on where they should go. But I had an essay test this week, grading 60+, and I'd guess it took 5-6 hours, most of it grammatical errors. I have a goal and that is to return all tests the next day which I'm still 100% on, but it can be a struggle. And its clear what mood, how tired or miserable you may be, how spaced out, has an effect on their grades. What I decided to do was take a water break after this many tests and start fresh. Really helped.
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DeleteI have been struggling with kids talking while I am talking a little bit during discussions. I have one student in particular who really thinks she knows everything. I try not to get annoyed, but I have learned to just sit quietly, stare, and wait for them (especially her) to be quiet. They do usually quiet down, but she will start talking again a little later. She's told me it's because if she doesn't say what she's thinking she will forget it. I told her to write it down and she says she does, but she still talks under her breath. Loudly. Do y'all have any advice?
ReplyDeleteThat seems really difficult. Maybe keep reminding her to write it down and then raise her hand when she wants to say what she's thinking. Maybe make the whole class start raising their hands, that way she won't feel like she's being targeted. I know that might change what they're used to, but it will hopefully help the class run more efficiently.
DeleteI have been struggling with the same thing! This is a really big problem and it can be hard to get students to be quiet or stay on task. Keep me updated if you find any solutions!
DeleteI think that maybe you should make the discussion into small group discussions so that she will have more of an opportunity to speak. IDK how big this class is, but maybe that would kind of help her get it all out in a way thats not distracting to everyone else.
DeleteMonday: It was especially meaningful to have my host teacher give me feedback for my US class. The students had worked in groups and during the review they were talkative and not paying attention. So my host teacher suggested getting them back into their original seats, facing the front, so that everyone would have an opportunity to listen.
ReplyDeleteI understand your struggle! It is always nice to have someone who has been teaching a while see your frustration and be able to say hey, why not try this? A lot of times the strategies we're using are super complex and innovative and we forget that sometimes keeping it simple is the best. I know I do! My host teacher also hardly ever gives me feedback, so it's nice to have him say when something is or is not working.
DeleteI was trying to facilitate a more respectful, open mindset in my pilot class today. To do this, I placed the students in heterogenously grouped pods and this time the groups were not gender neutral. The students were asked to interact with peers outside of their normal social circle and I can honestly say that I noted more depth and breadth in their conversations. They felt a need to really sell themselves and it worked.
ReplyDeleteAlso, one of my male students felt comfortable enough to write me a letter during Reading Workshop asking for advice because his friends say he likes this girl and he doesn't. The sheer fact that he took the time to write me a letter and felt comfortable sharing it with me only showcases the importance of building and maintaining student relationships.
That's so sweet! It's encouraging to see how much your kids respect and love you! It's the best thing to have as a teacher - your students' love and respect!
DeleteI feel as if middle school is an interesting age, and that awesome that the student felt comfortable writing you a letter about his relationships. Regardless of whether or not the student actually likes the girl, teasing seems to rear its ugly head more frequently than I would like in the classroom. For a student to take the time to tell you about his situation provides you with an opportunity to reach not only that student but the students who he has been influenced by, as well.
DeleteAlso, I feel as if having heterogenous groups that are specifically intended to have students interact with their peers has worked in the visual arts classroom, too. I've seen some of the more shy and reserved students come out of their shell to contribute to the group discussion, if they are paired with students who like to encourage other students and take a position of leadership.
Do you think that your students will continue to interact with peers that are outside of their social circle for the remainder of the semester?
Last Friday I had a bad experience with my third period. They were just being rowdy and disrespectful. When third period started today, I felt that they had the same vibe as last week. So before I started teaching, I took a moment to talk to them briefly about my expectations of them. We came to an agreement (I literally made them all say the words “I agree” if they agreed) to certain classroom rules, mostly about talking. They received this little classroom meeting very well, and I was very pleased with their behavior for the rest of the class. If they started to get talkative, I would stop and ask them, “What did you agree to in the beginning of class?” and they would stop. I think it worked to hold them accountable.
ReplyDeleteThis is a good strategy that I might use for myself. My fourth block has been having behavioral problems lately too. I have addressed them in several different ways, but holding them accountable for a verbal agreement may get them to view the situation differently.
DeleteI think that perhaps I should try this strategy because my students in my 6th period are always very rowdy. Glad it worked for you! Also, my 6th period was not at all impressed by the games I came up with for stations and so on their pre-assessment for this next chapter, I'm having them rank the games they want to play so that hopefully they will be happier and more engaged. Kind of the same idea
DeleteSetting high expectations at the beginning of class seems to work well. Maybe your students knew the expectations already, but your having a conversation that confronted them about their behavior was more effective. Something that I did on our Professional Learning Day was create an expectations sheet that would be posted in our room. I think that it would be good for your students to have a visual reference in the room, too. Hopefully there would be a positive response.
DeleteKatherine, I think you are killing it! Just remember to be clear in your expectations of your students and I always tell my babies to, "Be honest, but be kind." Having a cardinal rule is half the battle and you have established and built a foundation for respect that they will latch onto. Keep up the good work! You rock! :)
ReplyDeleteWednesday
ReplyDeleteA student who has never used the pottery wheel wanted to make something that only an expert could do. It was a challenge getting him to understand that it takes practice and time to make what he wanted. I could see his frustration because he wants things to be done instantly. I believe this is a student with autism. I remember my host teacher mentioning it to me. He is lacking social skills and a hard time seeing others perspective on things. Which is why I think he was having a hard time understanding what I was trying to tell him. I asked him to make practice pots on the wheel. He soon began to see that it wasn’t easy to make them but the more he made the better he got.
Have any of you taught students with disabilities? What kinds of things do you guys do to get them to understand you, especially when they have a hard time seeing someone else's point of view?
My biggest accomplishment today would have to be classroom management. My fourth block class has recently had some behavior problems. I have been struggling, trying to find the reason for the spike in talking, rudeness, and lack of attention. Today was my first day implementing a new seating plan. Several of the students complained and tried to bargain to sit with their friends, but I stood firm and explained that this wasn't a punishment. Instead it was a way to get us back on track as a class since the disruptions and distractions have been hurting the student’s grades. The result was a significant improvement in behavior once class actually got started.
ReplyDeleteThat is great to hear that they are improving! I like how you explained to them that it wasn't a punishment because I feel like students always feel like it is, even if you looking out for their best interest. I feel like you had a really good approach to handling the situation!
DeleteI really like your explanation too! I'm definitely stealing that one for when I need it! My first period got a new seating arrangement this week too, but my host teacher introduced it as a punishment and told them that once they started acting better it could go back to the way it was. I did not like that at all because the kids are just overall pissy now. Even my good kiddos.
DeletePersonally, I was focusing on being lively and energetic, especially when teaching elementary students. There are times when I find myself getting tired, but I remind myself that I need to be the best teacher that I can be for these students. I am typically very calm, but I am working on being louder, in a non-obnoxious way, and having a fun presence around the students. My host teacher has given me a lot of good advice and one of the things she told me was to have fun with the students. She said that they love when the teacher can laugh and have a good time, so I am working on doing that. It is hard to get a good balance because I am always so focused on making sure I am teaching the content correctly, but I will continue to focus on this and improving this aspect of my teaching as much as possible.
ReplyDeleteI can relate to this. It can be difficult creating rapport with your students when you are so focused on what you are trying to teach.
DeleteI have been attempting to work on this too, and embody a "warm demander." I suppose it all comes down to balancing the "warm" and "demanding" parts, which can be a lot more difficult than it sounds.
I can relate sooo much! I do not have a loud voice. I have also had to remind myself to not be so uptight. When working with older kids I want to make sure that they are taking me seriously so I didn't want to seem too young by laughing and playing around with them but I think I was going a little extreme. I have to learn how to be fun at the right times.
DeleteGirl, you are killing over there at JMA! I love that you are getting to experience all ages. That's going to pay off so much. Having fun is the reason why I wake up every single morning. My kids even ask what I am going to be teaching that day or if it is one of my host teacher's lessons because, "Ms. Miller is all about having fun." Learning should be a blast! Do not be afraid to experiment and experiment heavily! Let yourself have fun and be enthusiastic and energized. Your kids feed off of your attitude. Sell it! :)
DeleteToday in general I was just focused on getting smoothly through my lesson plan. I had a lot of activities packed into the available time so I was worried that I wouldn’t get to everything and I did end up having to skip a couple of planned parts to make time for others. In all of the classes I had planned to show an interdisciplinary example of each type of expository writing, but I just didn’t have time so I ended up only showing one or just skipping them all together. I think that those articles were the best thing to cut out though because they were just extra examples and not practice or discovery activities
ReplyDeleteIt seems like there is never enough time! That is good that you were able to figure out the best activity to cut out.
DeleteI've had to make a lot of modifications to my lesson plans this week, too. It's kind of frustrating but my host teacher advised me to recognize that having a lot of details may not be the best for my students. My tendency is to cram a lot of information into one lesson, but I've found it more beneficial to simplify the information that is given. (This will depend on the age group that I am teaching, of course, but it has worked well).
DeleteDon't be afraid to build in A LOT of activities and chunk them if necessary. If you know that something is not "necessary," just roll with it! Teaching is all about adapting and being flexible. I've learned that no matter how much you plan, it never goes perfectly. That's the beauty in it. :)
Delete1. One thing that my host teacher pointed out to me (and that I’ll be thinking about over the weekend) is classroom management. We have some great kids in terms of behavior. Their biggest issue is talking – they talk a LOT. My last classes in particular give me trouble. Third period can be hit or miss, but fourth is consistently difficult to reel in. On the one hand, it’s great that they want to talk and be a part of the class; on the other, we can’t have twenty kids speaking at one time. I need to find something that works for me in terms of managing that chattiness. Otherwise, I risk not making progress where I need to with those students (and my students in the future). I don’t want to simply threaten them with consequences like silent lunch or points on their record, but I’m struggling to think of something that will be successful with a large group.
ReplyDeleteI'm having the same issue, particularly in getting their attention and getting them to stop talking once they get to do TPS or anything where they get to talk a little. My host teacher uses the "clap once if you can hear me" trick, but I do not think it is that effective and I don't find that natural. Have you found any other tricks that work better? Or has anyone else come across something?
DeleteThis may be too simple, but I was thinking about having some sort of signal that the students know means that they need to get quiet (like putting one hand in the air, or dabbing, or turning the lights out). Explain that it's awesome how much they want to share, but they also need to be able to reel it back in and move on.
DeleteToday was the play, and I was put in charge of my host teacher’s class. I had to make sure that they were all accounted for, make sure they all made it on the bus, and then I also had to monitor before, during, and after the play to make sure that all of the students were behaving. Most of the teachers sat in the row behind the students, but myself and two other teachers walked around to monitor and make sure everything went smoothly. I only had one issue that I had to deal with. At the theater, we were the only group of middle schoolers. The rest were all elementary school students, which I knew might be an issue as soon as I saw them starting to come in. I did not want my middle schoolers harassing them and I have some boys who are particularly apt to try things they should not even know about yet with these kiddos. (We’ve had some issues this year when it comes to “adult” stuff like that.) Well, some very mature looking fifth grade girls sat right across the aisle from some of my rowdy boys, of course. As soon as I saw them talking and flirting back and forth (and making obscene gestures) I went and stood between the rows to physically block them. The boys said “Ms. K” in that drawn out tone, but I told them that they were big kids and I needed them to show everyone else how to behave. I also said that they were more than welcome to talk to their fellow middle schoolers but there would be no cradle snatching on my watch. They obliged, but those girls! Despite me standing there, which made my boys automatically face forward and quiet down, these girls kept trying to egg on the boys. I turned and gave them my teacher look, but I really did not know what I could do in this situation. They were not my students and none of their teachers were up monitoring. I did not want to leave my post between them to go and hunt down one of their teachers, so I was really torn on what to do. I just focused on keeping my fellas in check, which they did very well considering how obstinate the girls were being. Every time they would look over and try to talk back they would see me raise an eyebrow and look forward. When I was giving the teacher look to the girls, I did hear one of my guys mutter “cock block,” but I could not tell which one said it. I’m with 7th graders! What in the world?!? I was not even remotely thinking about anything like that at their age! I told another teacher from my school (one of the other two that were walking around monitoring) what was going on to see if she had any insight. She just gave a very frustrated groan and said that boys could not be taken anywhere. Honestly, I thought my boys behaved decently, in that they at least listened to me and would not disrespect me enough to ignore my presence, despite the provocation of the girls. What in the world do I do in this kind of situation?
ReplyDeleteDang, that is a complicated situation, but I feel like you handled it really well! You did all that you could to keep your students in line, not much you can do about those girls since they weren't yours. I guess you could have told them something like "I'm sure your teacher will be upset when I tell her how you girls are acting right now" but that may not have made a difference.
DeleteIt's crazy that 7th grade boys say those things? I definitely think they're thinking about that stuff, but I always thought that middle schoolers were more apt to keep it in there heads while high schoolers would talk about it openly. I guess kids are just "maturing" faster these days.
My 7th graders blow my mind too with the things they say. Personally, in that situation, I'd of grabbed the kid who said "cock block" or spoke in his ear how inappropriate that was. As for the other class, as student teachers we are sort of like lame ducks ... I think when we're at our permanent schools next fall, instead of just being plopped here or there, we'll feel more comfortable asking for another teacher to help control his/her class. I agree w/ Casey though, I think you did the best you could do, which is all we can hope for at this juncture.
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DeleteThis week really hit home that parenthood and the psychology theories about nature versus nurture provide a basis for how to start understanding our student's behavior in the classroom. Although my host teacher and I have laid down some ground rules for what student behavior should look like in the visual arts classroom, the biggest challenge for me has been understanding that I can not control every aspect of my student's behavior. I believe that our Special Education and teaching pedagogy courses have helped me to prepare for teaching, but when it comes to having a further understanding of how the mind of a middle school child works, this can only be obtained through studying child development theories and knowing my students.
ReplyDeleteHaving encountered some emotional distress amongst my students, I've been communicating with my host teacher and other faculty about how a disability could contribute to disruptions in the classroom. In middle school, a child with an undiagnosed disability may not be able to identify certain behaviors that are inappropriate for the classroom. According to IDEA, a child can be tested and evaluated on the RTI tier system. However, some parents have not allowed their children to undergo testing or be properly diagnosed by a psychologist.
I panic sometimes thinking about: What does an educator do if they cannot provide a child with adequate accommodations in the classroom if the student does not have a 504 plan or IEP?
My previous research on undiagnosed disabilities on the autism spectrum has shown that this situation can lead to further emotional and environmental stressors for students. I think that it will be good to take time this weekend and research and talk to more experienced educators about how to differentiate instruction, classroom management, and providing appropriate accommodations for these students.
This week I have learned that I have been really hard on myself and a little uptight. I taught Thursday and it was such a good feeling. I had a chance to model some vocabulary instruction for my students. My students were excited about me teaching and they really enjoyed our lesson. I had been so concerned with perfecting my unit and making it flawless, that I lost the fun in it all. I talked to my host teacher about some of my concerns and he continuously encouraged me. I feel so great right now. I had begun doubting myself and feeling a bit insecure in my teaching. The best reminder I had this week was that it is okay to make mistakes.
ReplyDeleteHold on to that good feeling! If I've learned anything in the past few weeks, it's that student teaching is a roller coaster. I can quickly go from feeling confident to feeling like I have no idea what I'm doing. I'm so glad you had a positive experience, I think those are necessary in order to get us through the next 8 weeks. Good job!!
DeleteYou are amazing! Don't ever forget that! I agree with Katherine compeltely; student teaching is a roller coaster. It is so difficult because it's not really your classroom and you can't do what you really want to do. Sometimes I really wish that it was more of a baptism by fire and that we really got our own classroom instead of really having to keep with the style and room of your host teacher (especially if they are completely opposite of you and your style). I am so glad that you are having good moments like that! It is so encouraging!
DeleteThis week I concluded my first full unit of teaching the lesson plans that I created. The students took their test and it was kind of a hit or miss. Many students got As or high Bs. But then there were also abysmal grades. It made me feel very conflicted. Is my instruction terrible? But then some students did very well. So now as I go into my next unit I am really trying to focus on how to better support the students who completely failed the previous test. I am also still struggling with an entire class. I find that what keeps the other classes entertained and engaged, does nothing for this class. So that is difficult for me.
ReplyDeleteThis is awesome, and such an accomplishment! I know exactly what you mean about feeling conflicted when some students do well and others not so much. I definitely take it personally and think I didn't do something right when kids fail. However, I think when we're teaching students at the high school level, we have to hold them accountable for their actions as well. Some students would make As even if you did absolutely nothing all day, and others would still fail even if you had the most engaging lessons in the world. Of course we should always have planned supports for students who need it, but I don't think we can take it too personally when it still doesn't work, even if that's hard to do.
DeleteCongrats on your first full unit being done! That's so exciting. I think that, like Katherine said, some students will do well or poorly no matter how good your lessons are. I think that this gives you a great opportunity to really figure out how to plan supports for the class that is not engaged and just try out different ideas and see what works. This is the time to experiment, right? I'm sure that you'll find something that'll work =)
DeleteCongrats on your first full unit being done! That's so exciting. I think that, like Katherine said, some students will do well or poorly no matter how good your lessons are. I think that this gives you a great opportunity to really figure out how to plan supports for the class that is not engaged and just try out different ideas and see what works. This is the time to experiment, right? I'm sure that you'll find something that'll work =)
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ReplyDeleteSince there isn't a week up for this week, I'm just putting my blog post here!
ReplyDeleteInstead of teaching my gifted kids, this week, I taught the three AP students in 4th block. It was interesting getting to know them. It was strange to only teach three students at a time. It felt more like tutoring or a book club than teaching a class. It was also a strange week because my host teacher changed the content of what I was teaching for the whole week one hour before class started. Luckily, I had planning so I had some time to throw some lessons together. While it was super stressful, it helped me learn how to go with the flow and make a pretty decent lesson within a short time frame.
That's a really cool experience for you! I am glad that you had the opportunity to experience a small group, college like setting. It is always nice when you can think on your feet and it just goes to show that you are prepared for the upcoming year. :)
DeleteI am always excited to try out new things in the classroom and it excites me even more that my host teacher has just about completely let go and is letting me make all of the decisions about preparing the students for the upcoming Georgia Milestones Assessment. I loved walking into school and, prior to teaching my pilot class, having my host teacher walk over to me and be like, “What are we doing today?” I guess it’s a good thing I have it altogether or we would both be lost.
ReplyDeleteThe first time you teach a lesson, you work out all the kinks. I sure do hate it for that first class, though. They do not always get shortchanged, but by the third time I have taught the same lesson, it is flawless. I love that you get that sense of perfection with practice over time and I also love that students do not notice when you are adapting and differentiating to fit their needs.
That's really cool!! It's nice to get so much experience now during student teaching!! :)
ReplyDeleteI was very much looking forward to today. In one of our teaching history books, one of the first chapters has a k-w-l exercise that really stood out to me. This one in particular had a painting of the black death called The Triumph of Death. The author recommended beginning the class period by having it projected on a wall, projector, or in my case a SmartBoard. Then asking students to pick three things they saw, and write down their thoughts, questions, reflections, whatever came to mind. This is a particularly gruesome painting with dogs eating people, people being stabbed with lances, skeletons. Then students would discuss what they wrote and their thoughts. I thought this was a great way to get students engaged as soon as they walked in the door. So I started my day with this, but without k-w-l, because I didn’t think there was time which proved right. My projection was a photo of a nuclear shadow taken in Hiroshima since today’s EQ was was the US justified in using atomic weapons. The picture shows what looks like a girl playing jump rope next to a fire hydrant, with her nuclear shadow cast on the wall, along with what looks like a tiny memorial which had flowers in front of it. Students are also encouraged to come up to the projection, look closer, see more clearly. They had some very interesting thoughts when I asked them what they saw, and saw things I never noticed. When I told them how these shadows came to be they were both saddened and amazed. I went on to a brainpop exercise which is a handy tool for teaching 7th graders which sort of summed up the bomb and added some material that I hadn’t covered Mon. They were encouraged to take notes on that as well which many did. Next, my host teacher helped in making groups of 4-5 after we’d asked if they were for the bombing or against it. Based off of that, and after moving the desks into position, I gave them roles (recorder, presenter, etc). It took some work but they eventually put their head’s together and did very well presenting. The last two classes even had somewhat of a heated debate which was fun to watch. The next day I noticed at lunch they were still talking about which side was right/wrong.
ReplyDeleteIn Spanish I, the students watched a video about family life and culture in Honduras. Honduras is a very poor country and the students showed a lot of compassion towards the circumstances of the people living there, which I found to be especially beautiful. I asked them how life in Honduras is different from their lives in the United States and one of the students said, “Students in Honduras don’t have SMART boards, projectors, or water bottles.” It was a funny comment but I thought it was really true. It was cool to see the students empathizing with people in other countries and they said it made them feel grateful for what they have.
ReplyDeleteMy biggest challenges with teaching have been revealed during the past three weeks. Middle school students are very much human, their human development is a testimony of spitefulness, greed, and anger. There were more discrepancies between the work that students produced and the behavior that they exhibited at the beginning of each week. One can blame the full moon, but the truth is that students at the middle school age do not think being courteous and respectful of their peers as much as themselves. However, I believe that my students and I gain understanding when I point out how they are treating each other and the students have discussions about how to address them before the negative behaviors start poisoning their behavior.
ReplyDeleteA demonstration of how students have taken action to address their negative behavior has been through a written contract of how they will choose to behave in a particular situation. If the students were in close proximity to a student that they did not get along with, it was best not to sit by them or play into the other student’s bantering. I often found that the agitation within a child was exhibited first in their body language, second in their speech, and third in their actions. The student’s peers would either encourage them to stop or egg the “student in question” to act upon their feelings. I used the school’s policies for classroom management and behavior to address the situations: a point on their record, instructing the student to stop their behavior, having the parties involved to write an account of their actions and the situation, contacting the student’s parents or guardians, and sending the student to In School Suspension. There were a lot of things to report to my host teacher this week, and I hope that this negative behavior will lesson as students are having to collaborate on projects and performance tasks on a regular basis. Community is being built through these interactions in and outside of the classroom (including lunch).
Week of Feb29-March4
ReplyDeleteI don't know where else to post so I'm posting this weeks here.
Today Dr. Alby came in to observe. Overall I think it went great. There was s couple of students who where of task. They were in their phones and not participating. I tried to get them involved and would go talk to them. They would try participating for a bit but then go back to what they were doing in their phones. I felt so bad cause I was being observed but I also thought that it was strange that they were doing this. These students don’t usually get of task like they did today. Dr. Alby recommended CPS. Have you guys had something like this happen to you?
That's a bummer! Usually, my kids actually act better when they know another person is in the room observing me. Did you tell them beforehand you were being observed? If not, they might not have known it was important to stay on task. I'm sorry! I think CPS would help!
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