I have had a wonderful first week back! I know that I am where I am supposed to be, doing what I am supposed to be doing! I really have not had any trouble with the exception of trying to figure out who the students are, and what they like and don't like. I am sure this process will go on for quite some time.
I think my greatest success has come from applying the things I have learned this past summer at Great Expectations into my classroom. I have helped guide my students through team work exercises (building a cup pyramid using only a rubber band and yarn as moving tools and creating classroom creeds that they are proud to call their own-see my page on this on my webpage for the school) to setting up their classrooms on the Chromebooks and learning the procedures. I think they have really enjoyed hearing music as I have played it when they are coming in and while they are discussing key ideas that I have asked them to discuss in small group. I feel like I am leaving my classroom today full of success.
Upon reflection, the area of improvement has to be the STAR reading test. I thought that due to the lack of Chromebooks for one of my classes, I should attempt to scaffold testing times. That particular class has 33 students in seats and it can get very noisy in here very quickly. I do not believe the scaffolding worked well for the students and testing will take place all at once in the future after this particular set of tests are completed. I will have a few test on Monday as the remainder of the class is reading silently.
I am currently working to weave MAX teaching into my lesson plans. I am reading the manual and determining which lessons I want to apply the concepts from the manual. I really want my students to be fully immersed into their learning. I do not want to hand feed them the material. They need to develop their own thought processes and stand up for themselves and other around them.
I feel more like a teacher than I have ever before. I feel confident in reaching out to parents, working with my students and the technology we have available. I am excited to see what the year will have to hold!
