Week 4

This weeks class was very different but I enjoyed it!! Not that I didn't miss Mrs Terri during because I KNOOWWW she must be enjoying herself on her vacay BUT I enjoyed it because we logged in and we listened to the recording she so graciously pre-recorded for us and got to watch it on our own time and own pace which is VERY helpful as a mom when trying to wrestle a young baby around...speaking of...my baby turned ONE today!!! Bittersweet moment!! 

Anyway, (wiping away tears),  what I took away from class Wednesday was the readers theater the kids had done. I love readers theaters and I loved watching it with a third grade class I observed a few years ago. They did a theater on Coyote and Rabbit and it was a cute story! Readers theater is giving each students a script to read from and they either take turns reading a part or act the part alone. Readers read from a "script" and reading parts are divided among the readers. No memorization, costumes, blocking, or special lighting is needed. Presentations can easily be done in a k-3 classroom. Scripts are held by the readers. Though they don't use props, I think it would be a nice addition to make the reading more interesting especially for students. It would help them feel more the character and create more emotion while they read. 

Word Walls

I had an emergency with my daughter on Wednesday so I was unable to stay for class, but, after reading a few blogs from Wednesday we had fun talking about word walls! I LOVE word walls! This first word wall is my favorite if I had to choose which one to do for my classroom. I would also choose a different place for the current sight words of the week on a different word wall and have this become my yearly word wall. It's colorful and organized.

This word wall is the same idea but is less organized and looks more confusing. Maybe just because the color is too bright and some of the words overlap the lines so I would be a bit distracted that way rather than looking at the words. I would also like word walls for different subjects. Like have math terms on one wall, English vocab on another, and so on.  

Week 2 Blog 2

Looking through the vocabulary for chapters 1-3, I used just a few from chapter 1. The "Look-say" method, the Zone of Proximal Development and anecdotal record keeping. The Look-Say method as stated in the textbook is a phonics approach that requires a child to learn as sight words which means that these words need to be memorized so they are recalled on sight. All of this makes total sense but I had just never heard it called that before.


The next word is the Zone of Proximal Development. I had heard of this before but never knew the meaning until I read through the chapter. This is a "zone"of what children can do on their own and their ability to solve problems. Going outside that zone is where they're learning something new that is out of their comfort zone and it challenging to them.

Lastly, I chose the anecdotal record keeping. It was listed under the types of formal assessment measures. It is used as a note taker/recorder for teachers to keep track of a students behavior or actions throughout the year. It keeps track of individual students' academic work, interests as well as their behavior. Whenever a students card becomes full, it will go into their personal portfolio. I really like this idea to keep throughout the year because I am terrible at remembering things and this tool will be perfect to look at at the end of the year to see how far a student has come academically and as a student.

Next weeks assignment will be to write the 100 DOK questions.

Class Wednesday 5/3

Class on Wednesday night was a very busy night for me but I am excited to be in this class this summer! I am looking forward to "meeting" new people and getting touch with previous classmates. Our first assignment is the scope and sequence and let me say, when I first heard of a scope and sequence, it frightened me! I first had to create on in my Teaching science to elem students class with Mrs. Haven and it turned out NOT to be as scary as it looks. It took a little time to put everything together but it turned out to be pretty simple. I'm hoping that the rubrics follow closely together, that way I wont be so overwhelmed if they're not.
Also, I still have my blog set up from 338 class with Mrs. Wright and we had fun with blogs! So, I am looking forward to getting to use them again.

Two truths and a LIE

SO here is my first blog post for our summer EDUC 337 class and we are to write Two truths and a lie: 


1. I won state in basketball in high school and played in college for three years and went to nationals.
2. I once went to an Eric church concert and he held my boot up on stage while he sang. 
3. I have been been to Florida 5 times in my life. 

Which are which?! 

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.