• 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.