All Done

I have been finished with student teaching for 5 days and  I still don't know what to do with myself. Every time I look at the clock I think about what I would be doing with my students right then. 9:00 - writing, 11:30 - math drills, 1:45 - centers. I miss them. A lot.

However, it is now time for me to get my own job and my own classroom. I have interviewed at 4 different schools, two of which seem promising. I haven't been offered a job yet (or an open contract - which I think is unfair. Not because I didn't get one, but it makes all involved feel bad. My best friend got one and she felt bad because she didn't understand why  she got one and her friends didn't. I felt bad because I don't know what I did wrong. Regardless of the side one it on, feelings of uncertainty linger.) All well. I know that the perfect job is waiting for me and what ever school hires me will get a kick-ass teacher!!!

Three Weeks and Counting!

I have only three weeks of student teaching left. It is bitter sweet because I am very sad to leave my students and not see them through to the end of the year but I am very ready to be done! April will be spent polishing my resume, portfolio, interview skills, etc. I will be interviewing for Granite district, Salt Lake District and Jordan District. I am not really sure where I want to teach, but I do know that I want to be able to have my son come to the school I work at and it must be a Title 1 school for my scholarship.

I had a screening interview with Granite District already. I have screening interviews with Jordan and Salt Lake next week.

Then graduation!

Here is what I've learned so far.

I have just completed my fourth week of student teaching full time. I have learned a few things:

1. Wear comfortable shoes. No matter how cute they may be, your feet will punish you if they are not comfortable. My shoe of choice? Red Chuck Taylors. Love them and they let me express my personality in a fun way. 
   
2. Don't stay up late! Even if you are a victim of a Netflix addition, don't give in on school nights. Morning comes way to early and you will regret it all day.
   
3. Enter grades as you go. Don't wait until the end of the term. Luckily I took this advice at the begining of each term and I have not had loads of grades to enter right before report cards are due. With that said, so record things on paper as well. I was witness to a breakdown by another teacher because all the grades he had entered disappeared. 
    
   
   
4. Plan, plan, plan and then be ready to change everything! Things don't always go the way to want them to and that's OK but if you don't plan you will be floundering in the water. I created my own plan book because the one I got from the teacher store was just not OCD enough for me. I needed it to be exactly how I wanted it to be and not a generic calendar.
   
    I found a really cute lines journal and transformed it into a personalized teacher planner.
   
   
   
   I created monthly pages that show only school days, that way I had more room for the days I would be using the planner for. I assigned different color washi tape for different activities. Pink is for teaching requirements, yellow is for university assignments, and so on. 
   
   
   
    Just like the generic teacher planner, I included a weekly view broken into time slots. This is for a quick and easy look at the week, but not a lot of room for details. (That is what is wrong with the generic teacher planners).
   
   
   
    I also included a detailed section of before and after class "to do" sections. This gives me a place to plan out m time before and after school, so I know when I can get things done. Turns out this is a little redundant and I probably wont include this in my next planner. 
   
   
    
   Lastly, I have the daily page. This is exactly what I wanted for each day of the week. I have a page with the day broken into time slots with room for more detail but I also have a place for daily reminders, notes about the lessons of the day as well as a section to plan my centers, tech and homework. 
   
   
   The planner took me all of winter break to make and I know that it is unpractical to make one like this for an entire school year, so for next year I plan on making it digitally and then printing it out. But this is PERFECT for right now. I have had so many complements on it from other student teachers as well as in-service teachers. Maybe when I perfect my layout, I can offer it to others. :) 
   
   
5. Correct homework each night. I know that sounds like a lot but if you wait and let it pile up you will kick yourself, hard. Be forewarned. A little every night is better than an entire weekend.  
    
   I found a grade article on homework and have implemented into the classroom, so I don't have so much homework to correct. Check it out here. 
6. And lastly, take time for non-school related stuff, like your family. I love being in the classroom and all that entails but I love my son so much more and the time I spend with him is priceless. Make time to have fun and do what you like. I spend time with my chickens and I can't wait until the weather allows me to play in the garden and spend more time outside. 

Take the time for yourself. You deserve it!!

Mrs. H.

So Close!!!

Well, I have almost made it through this crazy roller coaster of a program! I thought that I would have time to keep this blog updated...HA! Nope, I don't have time to pee, let alone write musings of a student teacher, But here I am. Two weeks of Fall semester to go and it's a fun ride through Spring.

I love teaching! I can't believe that I have waited this long to get to where I have always known I should be. No matter, I'm almost there. My heart is smiling!

Mrs. H.

Almost there...

This week is finals week for summer semester and I have so much to do...but the end is in sight. In less than one month, I will be in my student teaching classroom, with my students, working with my host teacher and learning so many new things.

Wow, that is all I have to say: Wow!

Mrs. H.

Questioning my reasons

Today I had a conversation with an instructor of mine about what is needed in an interview session. What I need to have at the ready when I interview for a teaching job.

It all started with an assignment on writing good multiple choice questions. The instructor gave us a standard and objectives from the 7th grade core regarding electricity. Well, I am not a 7th grade teacher, nor a subject specific teacher, nor an electrician, so I know very little about flow and restriction of energy. So after fumbling our way through coming up with a good question and a lively discussion with my classmates, the class was over and we were walking to our car.

The instructor, myself and two other students were continuing the conversation about what makes a good multiple choice question when I told him that I was not an electrician and maybe I would create better elementary multiple choice questions. He told me that I can't say that in an interview. I was taken back by this because the fact still remains that I am NOT an electrician.

So the conversation continued and I was told that I needed to either know every subject matter question and be able to answer it on the spot or become very familiar with the diagnostics of test results.

I know that I need to work on my interview skills but I do not have all the answers to subject related questions, nor do I know how to decode test results and create an individualized lesson on the spot.

The next year will open my eyes to the world of day to day teaching and working with diverse students and coming up with individualized lessons based on the results of different types of assessment given to my students.

This one class, this one instructor does NOT have all the answers,not does he call all the shots on whether I get hired or not. Regardless I know that I need to work on how to interview. I will put that on my list of things to do...

Mrs. H.

Science Ideas

For the Love of Science!

Had a great class tonight in my Science Methods. He had some great ideas that I want to incorporate into my classroom.

Activity 1: Use Your Senses

On the first day of class pass out film canisters with cotton balls saturated with essential oils and on each table have one large canister with one scent per table. The students must use their sense of smell to determine their canister scent and match it to the correct table. Tell them they are not using their speaking abilities but their sense of smell.

Needed:
Film Canister (one per student)
Large Canister (one per table)
Cotton Balls
Essential Oils (one per table)

You can per-assign the canisters to the student by putting their name on the top or you can do it randomly and have them pick one as they walk it.

Classroom Management Strategy 1: Earning the Materials

When doing an activity that consists of collecting materials, it can become a mad house quickly if it is a free for all when gathering their materials. A great way to get around this and slow things down, is requiring the students to write a grant explaining why they want the materials.

For a science activity, have the students write a hypothesis and experimental design BEFORE they can collect the materials needed for their experiment.This will help students think before they jump into the activity, to plan what it is they want to do, develop writing skills, use of scientific terms (great assessment to gauge where your students vocabulary and ability to articulate a desired result).

When the "grant" is completed, you (teacher) reads it and determines if it warrants receiving the materials of if they need to go back and refine the application.  It doesn't have to be perfect but it is a great way to calm things down and have your students Think!

Mrs H.