• Rate your overall experience of the week: 1 - Very difficult | 5 - Great week. 

I would rate my overall experience of the week at a 3. This was my first week of taking everything on and although I had some good experiences with teaching, I also experienced times where I see I need to improve.  Time is one of the biggest challenges I have encountered. Luckily, we have a pretty solid schedule out of necessity but making sure your lessons fit within that time was sometimes a challenge. Some of my lessons were spot on but a couple ended up being too long or too short, so I was left with the challenge of what is a priority or how to fill the extra time. I know this will get better over the next few weeks, but for this week it was exhausting.

• Seven questions to end your week:

1. Observe: What pleasant surprises/ accomplishments did I achieve this week?

I would say my accomplishment for this week would be making it through my first week of teaching having had planned everything and teaching everything as well.  I have been in the position where I have worked as a substitute teacher and I followed the teacher's plans but planning and teaching are rewarding, satisfying, and exhausting all at the same time. 

2. Reflect: What lessons did my work/experiences teach me that I will build upon next week?

The lesson that my experiences taught me this week that I will build upon next week is that I need to have a few notes for prompting my lessons. Even though I have flip charts they can be very vague, so to ensure I cover the material I need too I will need to have some notes to jog my memory.

3. Focus: How are my short-term efforts and my long-term goals still aligned?

My short-term efforts of looking over assessments and seeing what students need support in learning will align my long-term goals of planning lessons that will enable students to succeed to the best of their ability.

4. Be Productive: What could I have spent more or less time doing?

I could have spent more time preparing notes to ensure my lessons were completely covered. I can't say I should spend less time doing anything because I feel that all I do is try to prepare and write lesson plans.

5. Have Courage: How did apprehension and indecision impact what I did and didn't do?

I think apprehension keeps me from teaching as well as I possibly can. I tend to get nervous at times and I am praying that this part of teaching will improve for me.

6. Begin Anew: What is the first logical step(s) for next week? What mental clutter can I clear?

My first logical step for next week is to learn from my mistakes this week to improve going forward. The mental clutter I can clear is to not dwell upon my mistakes and beat myself up over them but to remember I am learning and this is the process in which I can improve my teaching skills.

What were some data you analyzed this week and how did it help guide your decisions?

Some data I analyzed this week was report card assessments. This information helped to guide my lesson plans for our intervention time.  

• NC Professional Teaching Standards             

1. Pick an element from standard one of the evaluation tools and explain some activities/strategies you implemented this week to increase your rating for the element.

1a. Teacher lead in their classroom.

I feel I have reviewed some good data this week to help guide my instruction moving forward, especially during individualized intervention times.

2. Pick an element from standard two of the evaluation tool and explain some activities/strategies you implemented this week to increase your rating for the element.

2c. Teachers treat their students as individuals.

I think developing an individualized intervention plan for students is proof that teachers see their students as individuals and meet the student where they are to build on necessary skills.

3. Pick an element from standard three of the evaluation tool and explain some activities/strategies you implemented this week to increase your rating for the element.

3d. Teachers make the instruction relevant for students.

In our classroom, we utilize turn and talk to build leadership, people skills, collaboration, and cooperation.

4. Pick an element from standard four of the evaluation tool and explain some activities/strategies you implemented this week to increase your rating for the element.

4c. Teachers use a variety of instructional methods.

This week I used technology, writing, and art within one lesson to engage students.

5. Pick an element from standard five of the evaluation tool and explain some activities/strategies you implemented this week to increase your rating for the element.

5c. Teacher functions effectively in a complex, dynamic environment.

I will take what I learned this week about teaching and my students and make changes moving forward to improve my teaching in the following weeks.

• Other: 
• What components of your portfolio have you started to complete? specialist log, data folder, 
• What support does your clinical educator need from Mrs. Suttle? none at the moment
• What support do you need from Mrs. Suttle? none at the moment

 

• Rate your overall experience of the week: 1 - Very difficult | 5 - Great week. 

I would rate my overall experience of this week at a 3.  It was great to be back in the classroom after being out since before Christmas due to household exposure to Covid-19. I missed my students and I was so happy to see them and they seemed to have missed me as well.  I taught phonics which went fairly well and I am excited to say that I successfully was able to video all four lessons of my edTPA on Thursday and Friday. I chose a 3 for this week because I was also faced with some yucky feelings of inadequacy. Thankfully I work with some great ladies who encouraged me to look past those feelings, hold my chin up, and press on.  

• Seven questions to end your week:

1. Observe: What pleasant surprises/ accomplishments did I achieve this week?

I would say that my biggest accomplishment for this week was that I was able to video all four edTPA lessons within two days.

2. Reflect: What lessons did my work/experiences teach me that I will build upon next week?

Lessons that my work/experiences taught me that I will build upon next week is to ask questions often and have more confidence in my abilities as a teacher.

3. Focus: How are my short-term efforts and my long-term goals still aligned?

I would say that my short-term efforts to plan grade-appropriate lessons aligned with the NCSCOS will support my long-term goals in covering and exposing my students to the content that is age and level appropriate which is required by the state.

4. Be Productive: What could I have spent more or less time doing?

I could have spent less time stressing over my inadequacy feelings and more time asking questions to better my instruction.

5. Have Courage: How did apprehension and indecision impact what I did and didn't do?

Apprehension impacted my lesson planning for the week and threw me behind on time.

6. Begin Anew: What is the first logical step(s) for next week? What mental clutter can I clear?

My first logical step for next week is to be confident in my abilities to be a good teacher and be organized and ready to teach. Mental clutter I can clear is that I have caught up on my EC information assignment, post-observation reflection, and my blog now it is not looming over my head.

• What were some data you analyzed this week and how did it help guide your decisions?

Data that I analyzed this week was MAP testing results.  All of our students took the MAP test for the second time this school year. All but one student showed growth in reading and all showed growth in math.  This will guide me in continuing to stay on track with the grade level pacing guide and support the student who didn't show growth in reading through individual intervention time.

• NC Professional Teaching Standards             

1. Pick an element from standard one of the evaluation tools and explain some activities/strategies you implemented this week to increase your rating for the element.

1d. Teachers advocate for schools and students. 

I have chosen this standard for this week because I met with the EC specialist and the Speech Therapist about students in my classroom and ways I can support them throughout my student teaching experience.

2. Pick an element from standard two of the evaluation tool and explain some activities/strategies you implemented this week to increase your rating for the element.

2d. Teachers adapt their teaching for the benefit of students with special needs. 

We work really hard during lesson instruction and individual intervention time to meet the needs of all students. 

3. Pick an element from standard three of the evaluation tool and explain some activities/strategies you implemented this week to increase your rating for the element.

3c. Teachers recognize the interconnectedness of content areas/disciplines. 

One of the math lessons I planned for the coming week will incorporate literacy. I chose a book about measurement to support students in understanding the different forms of measurement before they themselves will compare objects with a peer.

4. Pick an element from standard four of the evaluation tool and explain some activities/strategies you implemented this week to increase your rating for the element.

4a. Teachers know the ways in which learning takes place, and they know the appropriate levels of intellectual, physical, social, and emotional development of their students. 

While teaching my edTPA lessons this week, I would circulate as students completed their independent practice to support them in a review of directions, the material we covered and sounding out words to spell.

5. Pick an element from standard five of the evaluation tool and explain some activities/strategies you implemented this week to increase your rating for the element.

5a. Teachers analyze student learning. 

I analyzed the learning of my students through the assessments they completed at the closure of each of my lessons.

• Other: 
• What components of your portfolio have you started to complete? post-observation
• What support does your clinical educator need from Mrs. Suttle? Non at the present
• What support do you need from Mrs. Suttle? Non at the present.

 

• Rate your overall experience of the week: 1 - Very difficult | 5 - Great week.

I would rate this week's overall experience at a 4. I feel pretty good about my first observation being behind me and I am looking forward to my return to the classroom on Monday. I was able to submit my lesson plans for the week along with my plans to teach edTPA on Thursday and Friday of next week. I was able to spend some time tweaking my task 1. I also received some really good feedback from my ce and Dr. Suttle about improving my lesson plans moving forward.

 Questions to end your week:

1. Observe: What pleasant surprises/ accomplishments did I achieve this week?

My accomplishment for this week would have to be that I was able to submit a videoed lesson and made it through my first observation.

2. Reflect: What lessons did my work/experiences teach me that I will build upon next week?

The lesson my work taught me this week was to stay in tune with where my students are academically and build on their prior knowledge.

3. Focus: How are my short-term efforts and my long-term goals still aligned?

My short-term efforts of planning lessons that align with the standards and using the curriculum will aid in growing my students which is the ultimate goal.

• NC Professional Teaching Standards             

1. Pick an element from standard one of the evaluation tool and explain some activities/strategies you implemented this week to increase your rating for the element.

1e. Teachers demonstrate high ethical standards. Teachers demonstrate ethical principles including honesty, integrity, fair treatment, and respect for others. Teachers uphold the Code of Ethics for North Carolina Educators (effective June 1, 1997) and the Standards for Professional Conduct adopted April 1, 1998 (www.ncptsc.org).

I think forcing ourselves to think week after week about differentiation in the classroom is an ethical standard that is essential. Providing education for all students shows respect and fair treatment.

2. Pick an element from standard two of the evaluation tool and explain some activities/strategies you implemented this week to increase your rating for the element.

2d. Teachers adapt their teaching for the benefit of students with special needs. Teachers collaborate with a range of support specialists to help meet the special needs of all students. Through inclusion and other models of effective practice, teachers engage students to ensure that their needs are met.

Throughout my planning this week and prior weeks I am always searching for new ways to plan appropriately for all students and differentiate instruction to meet all of their needs. This may include having to dictate for students who are not strong in writing or allowing them to answer verbally to gauge for understanding.

3. Pick an element from standard three of the evaluation tool and explain some activities/strategies you implemented this week to increase your rating for the element.

3d. Teachers make instruction relevant to students. Teachers incorporate 21st-century life skills into their teaching deliberately, strategically, and broadly. These skills include leadership, ethics, accountability, adaptability, personal productivity, personal responsibility, people skills, self-direction, and social responsibility. Teachers help their students understand the relationship between the North Carolina Standard Course of Study and 21st-century content, which includes global awareness; financial, economic, business, and entrepreneurial literacy; civic literacy; and health awareness.

In my edTPa plans, I submitted this week I used a preassessment and interest survey to guide my instruction and help in my planning process. This allowed me to better understand the prior knowledge and interest of my students.

4. Pick an element from standard four of the evaluation tool and explain some activities/strategies you implemented this week to increase your rating for the element.

4b. Teachers plan instruction appropriate for their students. Teachers collaborate with their colleagues and use a variety of data sources for short and long-range planning based on the North Carolina Standard Course of Study. These plans reflect an understanding of how students learn. Teachers engage students in the learning process. They understand that instructional plans must be consistently monitored and modified to enhance learning. Teachers make the curriculum responsive to cultural differences and individual learning needs.

 After communicating with my ce this week about my lesson plans for next week she was able to guild me in a more appropriate direction in planning for our students.

5. Pick an element from standard five of the evaluation tool and explain some activities/strategies you implemented this week to increase your rating for the element.

5a. Teachers analyze student learning. Teachers think systematically and critically about student learning in their classrooms and schools: Why learning happens and what can be done to improve achievement. Teachers collect and analyze student performance data to improve school and classroom effectiveness. They adapt their practice based on research and data to best meet the needs of students. 

Once my ce explained to me how to adapt the curriculum we are required to use in teaching phonics, I made adjustments to my plans that will be taught next week that will be more appropriate for our students.