Last POST!!

I actually enjoy writing blogs :) I may start this for fun!! HAHA!

My, oh, my how fast this session has gone. It's hard to believe that we have already went through this class so fast! I've learned so much, thanks to an amazing teacher and great classmates! It has made the past eight weeks a breeze! I will be going into the summer with two classes this summer (one for each session) one in the early fall, two late fall and finally STUDENT TEACHING in the SPRING!!! I cannot wait!! The light at the end of this very long tunnel is getting bigger!

It is hard to say what has really been the most helpful thing I've learned this session. I have gotten better at creating lesson plans and I have a bigger closet full of strategies, hooks and closures now!! The biggest thing that has been my rock for taking these teaching class has definitely been working as a teachers aide. There is so much more I see on a day to day basis that I wouldn't have as just a observation student or just subbing (not saying these aren't also helpful). If I had to give advise to future education students I guess on how to survive these methods courses I would say get a job in the school, as an aide or para. I have learned how to, not only create my own lesson plans but I have also been a part of creating a curriculum for first grade. This week is also the start of MAP testing week here at Wheatland. I had to watch a training video on how to administer the MAP test to my students (I just had to read the manual with instructions and watch them throughout the sessions). The weeks leading up to MAP testing is so stressful to teachers and students sense it!! I swear they do! I couldn't tell you how many kids have been sent to ISS because of behavior (that and the teachers have no patience left for their nonsense) when other students are trying to learn. Once MAP is over, May is basically a month filled with field trips :)

Week 6!!

Two weeks left everyone!! I try to do as much homework as I can while I am at work since I do not get my new computer until Saturday. BUT, I have my observation this Friday and I will be teaching a lesson over the Underground Railroad. I have a great strategy to use for their activity and I cant wait to see how it turns out. I will be using a web research chart for them to use for their activity. I will be showing them a 45 min movie on the UGRR on Thursday so maybe it can activate any prior knowledge about the Civil War and the events that contributed to the UGRR and Civil War. I will ask questions like "Who was Harriet Tubman and why was she important to the UGRR?" or "How did the UGRR contribute to the Civil War?" These types of questions are questions they can use in their web organizer. Here is an example of how it should look. 

I hope for them to be engaged in HOW nearly 100,000 slaves escaped slavery to their freedom and managed to not get caught. Some did, I am sure. But that is what I want them to think about. I want them to make relations about what they already know about slavery and the important people that were involved. If anyone has any closure activities for this, let me know! I think my hook will be discussing the important people/parts of a train station. 

Blog Post 4

So I have finished lesson 5, 6, and 7 and let me tell ya. These lessons seem to come quickly but they're getting easier to pull together when time is limited. I was speaking with another classmate a few nights ago and I was explaining to her that being a new mom, working a full time job, AND being a full time student THIS close to graduation is TOUGH and stressful! And being a new mom, comes with a perk, breastfeeding. TMI for the men in class who read this...I spilled breast-milk on my laptop after I had pumped one day at work and it has ruined my laptop keys....needless to say I no longer have a working computer to do my schoolwork. I have my iPad mini and my cell phone but it is hard to type papers...and blogs...and any kind of work on a small iPad and cell phone. THE STRUGGLE IS REALLLLL. I purchased a new desktop computer and will be able to pick it up Saturday!!!

I have been working on my classroom observation lesson plan that I presented on Monday. I'm still not satisfied with it because I want it to be engaging for such a "blah" subject. I think it is interesting but to a 4th grader...not so much. So I am on the hunt for the perfect hook for the Underground Railroad.