It feels like a lifetime ago since I last blogged. Things have definitely picked up for me. Each week I am taking more and more over. This week: math. I feel like I am pretty prepared for this subject. It was one of my favorites all through school. The week after that is guided reading and thematic work. Beginning the first full week in October I begin my full take over. I will be doing everything from morning sheets and bathroom breaks to thematic units and recess duty. Last week my mentor teacher threw a curve ball at me she says, 'Miss Higgins, did you realize that next Friday is your halfway mark for your student teaching?' My response, 'No, no I didn't.' I have just begun realizing that I am actually student teaching and now its almost half way over! When did that happen? Can this be real? Am I just dreaming? Why does time have to go so fast? I think it might take a lifetime to figure that question out.
The 5th week of school was pretty normal for a change. Nothing out of the ordinary happened. One story that I do have actually is something that happened to me. I was on my way back from the copy room and had just walked into the classroom. My mentor teacher looks up and says 'Wow, look at you! It looks like your confidence is growing.' :) It brought a smile to my face. Apparently just the way I was walking showed that I was confident in what I was doing. I didn't realized it showed. :) I am feeling more confident as I go about classroom and the school building. I am on good terms with a lot of the teachers, my ideas are being heard, teaching is going well. I couldn't have asked for anything better.
Important things that have happened lately include the taking of the APT test (Assessment of Professional Teaching) and my first seminar on campus. The APT test occurred Sept. 10. We were given 5 hours to complete 120 questions and 2 constructed response questions. I think I did good on it, but I will find out on Oct 7 (as that is when the official scores are posted) for sure. So fingers crossed and lets hope for the best! I am at least glad that I was able to de-stress with a best friend because we rode down together and back. It was nice having somebody to talk to. As for my first seminar, we had meetings on classroom management, how to interview, how to incorporate theater into the classroom, and most importantly what we have to do for our new and should I mention *not finalized* assessment. Overall, the seminar wasn't that bad, a little boring in parts, entertaining in others but it was a good experience with lots of valuable information. The instructions for our assessment is 30 pages long. It seems daunting right now, but I think once I get to working on it, it won't be so bad. A happy thing also occurred this weekend because I got to see my boyfriend and numerous other friends while at campus. It was a delight to actually get to see them again after being away for so long. It brought back memories from the past couple of years. Sometimes it actually felt strange being on campus again like things have been changing around you, but you didn't realize it. There are so many improvement projects going on that parts of campus seemed new to me because I didn't know what was being built or done. I guess that is a part of growing. Things change and there is nothing I can really do about it.
As for this week, I am starting several new things in the classroom. First of all I created name sticks so I can use them to call on students so everybody will have a chance to answer and not just ones that raise their hands all the time. The second thing that is new this week is a daily target chart. I will be putting up two behavior targets like 'I will stand quietly in line' and ' I will wait for my name to be called before I answer.' My mentor and I feel like the students are having a hard time figuring out when they can talk and when they shouldn't like getting ready for specials, during stories, and so forth. I will also be putting up one learning target such as ' Name the 4 parts of a tree' also. The third new thing is a new seating arrangement! :) I get to rearrange the desks tomorrow morning. I am also working on two bulletin boards for the near future. One will be up in about a week and then the other one towards the middle of October. Our themes are apples/trees and pumpkins for the latter one. I have several ideas now, but any suggestions would be wonderful! :)
As I am working on bulletin board ideas, one that came up during my research was 'Fall'ing in love with school. It made think about why I love school and I am sure my reasons are different than what the students would say. So until next time, think about why you love your job may it be teaching, a cubicle position, working in the great outdoors or working in a library. Is it because of the people you work with? The fabulous location? What you do for a living? So many people don't have the luxury to find a job that they love, but its more of a 'I have to work to provide for my family.' Maybe another thing we take for granted? Could be, but I don't know. So what are your reasons? I know mine!
Miss Higgins, the Inspirer
I love school because I can inspire students to be anything they want to be when they grow older.
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Patience
Breathe in one, two, three. Hold. Breathe out one, two, three. A lesson I have learned this week is to stay calm and be patient. Even though we are starting our fourth week this week, we are still at the beginning of the school year. Routines are still being set in place and figured out. Yes, we are doing things out of order (due to the extended day), but you will be okay. Just breathe.
Upon entering the first grade, it would be a miracle if every student was at the exact same level. But we know that could only happen in a perfect society. A part of my patience lesson this week comes in the form of shoe-tiers. Yes, it may seem strange, but I think we take for granted our abilities to tie our own shoes. Precious minutes are spent in class re-tying shoes and I think to myself sooner or later they will reach that stage where they will be able to do it fast, but for right now they need to slow it down to make sure its done properly. There are so many things that the students are just learning to do (like tying shoes if they don't know already) that will be valuable lessons for the future though it may seem hard to find them so now.
Patience this week has also come in the form of sitting down and waiting. A new trick I have discovered is to wait the students out. They now have a morning recess for 15 minutes, but if they don't get their work done then we have to stay inside to complete it. If the students are being in one of their talkative states (and me not willing to yell above them), I simply walk over and pull up a chair in the front of the room and sit down, cross my arms, and wait. Pretty soon the students realize that their attention needs to be on me and we move on in a quieter level. The students realize that if they meet their targets for classroom behavior, then they will get to do the things that they want like go to recess. I simply tell them its their choice on whether or not they want to go outside to play. They typically do, so they quiet down and listen to instructions. :)
Now one a completely random note, a lot of things have been happening this week. First of all, we did not have school on Monday due to it being Labor Day. Yesterday was our first full day of school and confused the students terribly. Today we welcomed another new student into our classroom so she makes 21, and lastly tomorrow is picture day. I am also videotaping my calendar math lesson tomorrow so I can complete my first improvement paper for my ELED class. So I breathe in and out and I count to three (or a higher number if need be) because even though there are so many things to get done, I know that they will just in their own time. Just like with students, be patient in the tasks that you have created for yourself like designing lessons. There is no need to rush through them and then not have them planned out to the fullest. Instead work on little bits of it here and there and eventually it will all get done. Patience: when the world seems overwhelming, step back, breathe, and know that everything will be alright.
Until next post, think of the little things that took you the longest time to do whether it may be tying your shoes or learning how to tie a tie. Now thing about something that you are struggling with now (like improving keyboarding skills) and know that with patience and time even that will become easy.
Miss Higgins
Upon entering the first grade, it would be a miracle if every student was at the exact same level. But we know that could only happen in a perfect society. A part of my patience lesson this week comes in the form of shoe-tiers. Yes, it may seem strange, but I think we take for granted our abilities to tie our own shoes. Precious minutes are spent in class re-tying shoes and I think to myself sooner or later they will reach that stage where they will be able to do it fast, but for right now they need to slow it down to make sure its done properly. There are so many things that the students are just learning to do (like tying shoes if they don't know already) that will be valuable lessons for the future though it may seem hard to find them so now.
Patience this week has also come in the form of sitting down and waiting. A new trick I have discovered is to wait the students out. They now have a morning recess for 15 minutes, but if they don't get their work done then we have to stay inside to complete it. If the students are being in one of their talkative states (and me not willing to yell above them), I simply walk over and pull up a chair in the front of the room and sit down, cross my arms, and wait. Pretty soon the students realize that their attention needs to be on me and we move on in a quieter level. The students realize that if they meet their targets for classroom behavior, then they will get to do the things that they want like go to recess. I simply tell them its their choice on whether or not they want to go outside to play. They typically do, so they quiet down and listen to instructions. :)
Now one a completely random note, a lot of things have been happening this week. First of all, we did not have school on Monday due to it being Labor Day. Yesterday was our first full day of school and confused the students terribly. Today we welcomed another new student into our classroom so she makes 21, and lastly tomorrow is picture day. I am also videotaping my calendar math lesson tomorrow so I can complete my first improvement paper for my ELED class. So I breathe in and out and I count to three (or a higher number if need be) because even though there are so many things to get done, I know that they will just in their own time. Just like with students, be patient in the tasks that you have created for yourself like designing lessons. There is no need to rush through them and then not have them planned out to the fullest. Instead work on little bits of it here and there and eventually it will all get done. Patience: when the world seems overwhelming, step back, breathe, and know that everything will be alright.
Until next post, think of the little things that took you the longest time to do whether it may be tying your shoes or learning how to tie a tie. Now thing about something that you are struggling with now (like improving keyboarding skills) and know that with patience and time even that will become easy.
Miss Higgins
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Hugs make the world go round
Day 13 of school. Day 13.... boy how time is flying! I can't believe it. Tomorrow will be the end of my 3rd week. I will officially be 1/4 of the way done with student teaching. Is that possible? 9 weeks left and then its done? Finished? Completed? It is definitely hard to imagine. I know I may talk about or mention it all the time, but I am still in shock. Am I really in the midst of student teaching right now? Am I really teaching half the day right now? Someone please pinch me! But I guess this is it. I am doing it and I will be graduating in December. Its hard to fathom that my Bachelors degree is so close, but it still seems far away. The light is growing brighter and brighter every day though.
Ok, enough of my moans and groans and sentimental feelings. School today was extremely hot! I walked in the classroom this morning and it was 88 degrees. At the end of the day the thermometer read 93 degrees and that is with 7 fans running all day! The kids were all in heat moods like I like to call them. They are just purely uncomfortable with all the heat and humidity which makes for short fuses throughout the day. All in all it was not a bad day. We received a new student into our classroom and everybody seems to like her! :) The other teachers in the building are actually getting to know me now so I'm becoming not only so and so student teachers but Miss Higgins. They recognize and acknowledge me now which is kinda a big deal in my opinion. I'm beginning to feel like a somebody who is a member of the teaching team. I have even gotten asked my opinion at a problem solving committee because of my library background. :) This week our main worry has been on RtI time ( Response to Intervention) and who is going to be in what group and who will lead that group. My mentor told me today that I will have my own group right off of the bat starting next week (when we start having RtI time) and I will be responsible. My mentor teacher says she is sure that I can do it. She will plan the first 3 weeks worth of lessons and then from there on it will be up to me (which is very exciting and nerve wracking because the students have to learn these skills; their education depends on it!). But I do know that the people around won't let me fail. I feel like I have a such a great support team that failing seems impossible. I have been so blessed to say the least to have had the mentors that I have had.
But the students also receive credit for inspiring me too. The backgrounds of some of the students just makes my heart break. . They may not be thinking about their futures right now, but I see them graduating and continuing their education, climbing out of the situations that they are in now. But the thought that struck me today was that it starts now. If students don't really like school in the elementary levels then they probably have a greater chance of dropping out in high school because they think they can't do it. Now, I haven't done research of any sort on it, but I just feel that its the truth. Few students succeed if they don't have the self-confidence and encouragement from the people in their lives, and teachers are in their lives. Which brings me to the title of this post 'hugs make the world go round.' Hugs are encouragement both for student and teacher alike. I hug given freely to a teacher is a silent thank you in my opinion for being there in their lives and caring about them enough to want to teach them. A hug freely given to a student in return for his/her hug is a silent form of encouragement. It says 'I will be here for you. I want you to succeed.' Students need teachers and teachers need students to remind them why they are teaching. Each day that I can put a smile on a students face or give a hug, I am truly reminded why I do what I do.
Until next post, cherish the people in your lives. You never how you impact a person.
Miss Higgins
Ok, enough of my moans and groans and sentimental feelings. School today was extremely hot! I walked in the classroom this morning and it was 88 degrees. At the end of the day the thermometer read 93 degrees and that is with 7 fans running all day! The kids were all in heat moods like I like to call them. They are just purely uncomfortable with all the heat and humidity which makes for short fuses throughout the day. All in all it was not a bad day. We received a new student into our classroom and everybody seems to like her! :) The other teachers in the building are actually getting to know me now so I'm becoming not only so and so student teachers but Miss Higgins. They recognize and acknowledge me now which is kinda a big deal in my opinion. I'm beginning to feel like a somebody who is a member of the teaching team. I have even gotten asked my opinion at a problem solving committee because of my library background. :) This week our main worry has been on RtI time ( Response to Intervention) and who is going to be in what group and who will lead that group. My mentor told me today that I will have my own group right off of the bat starting next week (when we start having RtI time) and I will be responsible. My mentor teacher says she is sure that I can do it. She will plan the first 3 weeks worth of lessons and then from there on it will be up to me (which is very exciting and nerve wracking because the students have to learn these skills; their education depends on it!). But I do know that the people around won't let me fail. I feel like I have a such a great support team that failing seems impossible. I have been so blessed to say the least to have had the mentors that I have had.
But the students also receive credit for inspiring me too. The backgrounds of some of the students just makes my heart break. . They may not be thinking about their futures right now, but I see them graduating and continuing their education, climbing out of the situations that they are in now. But the thought that struck me today was that it starts now. If students don't really like school in the elementary levels then they probably have a greater chance of dropping out in high school because they think they can't do it. Now, I haven't done research of any sort on it, but I just feel that its the truth. Few students succeed if they don't have the self-confidence and encouragement from the people in their lives, and teachers are in their lives. Which brings me to the title of this post 'hugs make the world go round.' Hugs are encouragement both for student and teacher alike. I hug given freely to a teacher is a silent thank you in my opinion for being there in their lives and caring about them enough to want to teach them. A hug freely given to a student in return for his/her hug is a silent form of encouragement. It says 'I will be here for you. I want you to succeed.' Students need teachers and teachers need students to remind them why they are teaching. Each day that I can put a smile on a students face or give a hug, I am truly reminded why I do what I do.
Until next post, cherish the people in your lives. You never how you impact a person.
Miss Higgins
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