This week I taught my first week with 100% of the teaching load. I really enjoyed the entire week, even with how tired I was each day. A few things I need to work on are not losing one of main goals of teaching- which is to have fun. I want the students to have fun, and I want to have fun also. I feel a few times this past week I did not have enough planned and even though I was quick and found activities to complete, this should not have happened. I want to continue to work to go above and beyond what I think we may get to and have games, activities, and fun learning things to do for anytime we need a transition activity or time filler.
I also want to work on making sure I keep the needs of my students at the front of my mind. I found myself becoming the teacher who started to rush through activities because we had so much to complete in one day instead of remembering that these students are 7, 8, and 9 years old and need a few fun breaks every once in awhile. In the weeks to come I will try to remember to make sure I have times for the students to be able to get up, stretch, and have some fun while learning. I also want to make sure I keep special needs in my mind also. This week I started having the students stretch before we do calendar math to help everyone wake up (including me). During this time a student with autistic tendencies refused to participate and would say "I can't do it, I can't do it". I ignored it and decided it was just something he did not want to participate in. On Friday morning, during the activity he simply asked me "What was the first thing you did, and the second, etc." I told him that I first reached up, then to the side, then out front, and then touched my toes. All of the sudden a smile broke across his face and he said "Oh, I get it, and I can do it!". Routine. I forgot about how he likes to know the routine before he does it. The whole week I just brushed this problem under the rug, when all I ever needed to do was explain the order in which we stretch. This was definitely a light bulb moment for me. I hope to continue to try to look for the reason behind student's behaviors.
Finally I taught a diversity unit this week, in which we traveled to India and Russia. Even though this seemed somewhat rushed and just a taste of all I could have done with this unit I feel the students enjoyed themselves and I had fun while teaching them a few words in Hindi and Russian.
Next week I again teach 100% and it is Halloween week. We have a 3hour early dismissal, field trip, a fall party, and I have begun working on my dinosaur action research unit.(you can find my reflection on this in the Action Research section of this blog) I predict a hectic and fast paced week. But I will listen to my mentor teacher's advice and make sure to stay flexible.
This week I taught my first week with 100% of the teaching load. I really enjoyed the entire week, even with how tired I was each day. A few things I need to work on are not losing one of main goals of teaching- which is to have fun. I want the students to have fun, and I want to have fun also. I feel a few times this past week I did not have enough planned and even though I was quick and found activities to complete, this should not have happened. I want to continue to work to go above and beyond what I think we may get to and have games, activities, and fun learning things to do for anytime we need a transition activity or time filler.
ReplyDeleteI also want to work on making sure I keep the needs of my students at the front of my mind. I found myself becoming the teacher who started to rush through activities because we had so much to complete in one day instead of remembering that these students are 7, 8, and 9 years old and need a few fun breaks every once in awhile. In the weeks to come I will try to remember to make sure I have times for the students to be able to get up, stretch, and have some fun while learning. I also want to make sure I keep special needs in my mind also. This week I started having the students stretch before we do calendar math to help everyone wake up (including me). During this time a student with autistic tendencies refused to participate and would say "I can't do it, I can't do it". I ignored it and decided it was just something he did not want to participate in. On Friday morning, during the activity he simply asked me "What was the first thing you did, and the second, etc." I told him that I first reached up, then to the side, then out front, and then touched my toes. All of the sudden a smile broke across his face and he said "Oh, I get it, and I can do it!". Routine. I forgot about how he likes to know the routine before he does it. The whole week I just brushed this problem under the rug, when all I ever needed to do was explain the order in which we stretch. This was definitely a light bulb moment for me. I hope to continue to try to look for the reason behind student's behaviors.
Finally I taught a diversity unit this week, in which we traveled to India and Russia. Even though this seemed somewhat rushed and just a taste of all I could have done with this unit I feel the students enjoyed themselves and I had fun while teaching them a few words in Hindi and Russian.
Next week I again teach 100% and it is Halloween week. We have a 3hour early dismissal, field trip, a fall party, and I have begun working on my dinosaur action research unit.(you can find my reflection on this in the Action Research section of this blog) I predict a hectic and fast paced week. But I will listen to my mentor teacher's advice and make sure to stay flexible.
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