Monday was a pretty normal day, if you call a day "normal" in a second grade class. It amazes me that even though teachers have free time while the students are at specials, its not really free time. I know that every time our students go to specials we are doing something. Monday I had the opportunity to stand at the copier, making copies of homework for the next two weeks. My CE and I stood there talking like we always do when we are alone. We began to talk about math curriculum in the classroom, and how I am to do it when I begin to student teach.
My CE explained to me that in one of her meets last year that they discussed with all of the second grade teachers to follow the pacing guide and not to worry about mastery. As I hope all of you would feel I was somewhat concerned. Many times we have been told to modify our teaching instruction so that it may reflect what our students need to grow. She told me that they were to follow the pacing guide, and they were told that the students would catch up. My CE then explained that this meeting took place because they were going back and focusing on mastery and not completing the pacing guide that had been planned for them.
As I said this concerns me because it has been drilled in us to make sure the students are picking up what we are throwing out. I explained to my CE that I would have to make sure that mastery is happening in the classroom, as well as following the pacing guide. Standard one of the NCPTS explains that we take responsibility for all students' learning. My CE told me that the people that created the pacing guide that work in the main office have not been in a classroom for a long time, and do not understand that Common Core is so much more in depth than what they were probably teaching in the classroom.
I am reminded of a quote by Ernest Hemingway, "When people talk, listen completely. Most people never listen." Hopefully some of you other student teachers are gaining the knowledge needed to get you through student teaching, so that you are able to apply it to your career. I know now that I am going to have to create lesson plans that not only follow the pacing guide, but remain with what I have been taught and making sure that the students are mastering the skill that is being taught.
Tuesday, October 13, 2015
Wednesday, October 7, 2015
Behavior Savior!
Oh, the joys of misbehavior in the classroom. Don't get me wrong I have a wonderful class with only sixteen students, but even these "angels" have their bad days. I just want to tell you about the experiences that I have had the pleasure of being apart of while being in the classroom. This past week has seemed to present many obstacles concerning behavior for my students.
Situation 1:
Students were working on their research for the bulletin board, and two of the girls are the "Alpha Female", both of them have their correct way of doing things, and everyone else is wrong. We had a struggle over the pencil and who would write down the information about their farm animal. I had the girls to take turns on writing sentences for the information that they had gained.
Situation 2:
The students were playing a compound word game that are paper fly swatters and bugs. The students started to smack each other in the face with the fly swatters. Starting a ripple affect of being loud, and rambunctious. I had to make a rule that the students must leave their paper fly swatters on the table. I stressed this rule three times, and after the third time and one of the students wanted to see how firm I would stay with the rule, I made him clip down. The students seemed to learn from this action and they were able to complete the game with mastery.
Situation 3:
A group of above-grade level students were participating in a Contraction Bingo game. The students were doing well, and I was reading with a student in need, and my CE was working with another group. When I looked over to check on the group on student was propped up against the wall with her hands on her head and seemed to be having a hard time. I walked over to the group and sat in the floor with them and everyone got quite. I asked the group what was going on, and that opened up the flood gates. I finally gained intel that two of the girls in the group were mad at each other and one was wanting to fight the other. Of course the girl denied, and I had to reiterate to them that if we don't have anything nice to say we shouldn't say anything at all. Once the girls apologized to each other I told them that if this happened again that I would have to resort in having them stay at their desk during groups, and reading the whole time. This seemed to curb their desire to be uncooperative.
I have found while being in the classroom that there are many times that we have to think on our feet as teachers when it comes to behavior. We cannot send a child to the principal's office after every infraction. We must become the "Behavior Savior" of our classrooms. We are preparing students that will one day be apart of this big world, and we must be fair but consistent when dealing with behavior in the classroom. We want to make productive citizens that follow the rules and excel in everything they are involved in. We shouldn't let behavior hinder their learning because we fail to address it properly.
Situation 1:
Students were working on their research for the bulletin board, and two of the girls are the "Alpha Female", both of them have their correct way of doing things, and everyone else is wrong. We had a struggle over the pencil and who would write down the information about their farm animal. I had the girls to take turns on writing sentences for the information that they had gained.
Situation 2:
The students were playing a compound word game that are paper fly swatters and bugs. The students started to smack each other in the face with the fly swatters. Starting a ripple affect of being loud, and rambunctious. I had to make a rule that the students must leave their paper fly swatters on the table. I stressed this rule three times, and after the third time and one of the students wanted to see how firm I would stay with the rule, I made him clip down. The students seemed to learn from this action and they were able to complete the game with mastery.
Situation 3:
A group of above-grade level students were participating in a Contraction Bingo game. The students were doing well, and I was reading with a student in need, and my CE was working with another group. When I looked over to check on the group on student was propped up against the wall with her hands on her head and seemed to be having a hard time. I walked over to the group and sat in the floor with them and everyone got quite. I asked the group what was going on, and that opened up the flood gates. I finally gained intel that two of the girls in the group were mad at each other and one was wanting to fight the other. Of course the girl denied, and I had to reiterate to them that if we don't have anything nice to say we shouldn't say anything at all. Once the girls apologized to each other I told them that if this happened again that I would have to resort in having them stay at their desk during groups, and reading the whole time. This seemed to curb their desire to be uncooperative.
I have found while being in the classroom that there are many times that we have to think on our feet as teachers when it comes to behavior. We cannot send a child to the principal's office after every infraction. We must become the "Behavior Savior" of our classrooms. We are preparing students that will one day be apart of this big world, and we must be fair but consistent when dealing with behavior in the classroom. We want to make productive citizens that follow the rules and excel in everything they are involved in. We shouldn't let behavior hinder their learning because we fail to address it properly.
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