This was my last week of teaching on my own at my first placement. There were definitely some rough days this week.. Two of my students had a few difficult days, and they were not easy to handle. Those were the days when I thought, "I hope tomorrow is better!" One of the students had missed almost the whole week before, and I think he was having trouble readjusting to being back at school. The other student's mom was coming at the end of the week for a surprise baby shower for my cooperating teacher. I think this was making her very anxious, and that is why she was acting out all week. When students have bad days, I think it is really important that I try to understand why they had a bad day. If I can figure out why they are acting the way they are, it might help me prevent behaviors or more bad days in the future.
One of our weekly activities is going to the library every Wednesday. It is one of our favorite things to do as a class, and the students look forward to it every week. We take a bus to the Tinley Park Public Library for a few hours in the afternoon, and if it is nice out, we go to the park afterwards. It is a lot of fun for the students, and it gives them a chance to be out in the community. We are able to teach them how they should act in a library, and how to check things out. The students can check out books, movies, CDs, and even video games, but my teacher puts a limit on movies and video games. The kids have a lot of fun deciding what they are going to check out, and it gives them the opportunity to make choices on their own. The Illinois Professional Teaching Standards state that, "The competent teacher uses strategies and techniques for facilitating meaningful inclusion of individuals with disabilities" (6M). My students are almost teenagers so it is good for them to practice going out in the community, and making decisions on their own. Not only do they need instruction in the classroom, but they also need to learn how to be a member of society. Going on field trips to the library, grocery store, or movie theater give the students an opportunity to be out in the community. The students have fun doing this, and they are also learning a lot.
I have two more weeks at this placement, and this week my cooperating teacher will start taking over the class again. I've had a lot of fun teaching my students, and I have learned so much. I already know that it is going to be extremely hard leaving them in two weeks, but we'll cross that bridge when the time comes.. Until then, I will continue to learn from my cooperating teacher and my students, and I will enjoy the last weeks of my time at St. Coletta's!
Sunday, September 30, 2012
Sunday, September 23, 2012
Week 4
This was the first week that my teacher left the room, and I actually taught the class. The entire week, all by myself! And it went wonderfully! I have one more week of teaching by myself, and then my teacher starts to take the class over again. That means I am over half way done with my first placement, which seems crazy! I am already in contact with my second cooperating teacher, and we are planning a day when I can go meet her and the students. Wow! Time really does fly when you're having fun teaching, doesn't it?! :)
Like I said, my week went really well! At the beginning of the week, my students kept asking, "Where's Ms. Kelly?" "Is Ms. Kelly here today?" Which is completely understandable because they are so used to having her in the classroom all the time. But they definitely got used to it by the end of the week which was really good. I'm not sure if I have mentioned this, but Ms. Kelly is having a baby, and she is actually due the day before I leave St. Coletta's! She is taking this time to get things ready for the substitute teacher, and it is also good for the students to get used to someone else teaching the class. I'm just hoping she lasts until I leave! She helps me so much! I know, I know.. it's not really up to me, but I can be hopeful right? I am just so thankful for Ms. Kelly and all that she does for me.
On Tuesday, I got the opportunity to sit in on a phone conference about a student that was supposed to come to St. Coletta's at the beginning of the year but ended up not coming. There is a lot to the story, but basically, this student was not asked back to his previous school so his district wanted to send him to St. Coletta's. The parents decided they wanted to home school their son because he has behaviors at school. This boy has not been in school at all this year, and his parents are not home schooling him so he is getting no academic instruction. The parents did not want to come in for a conference so they decided to have a phone conference that I was able to participate in. The people at the conference were the district representative, the principal of St. Coletta's, my cooperating teacher, the two behavior specialists, and then the parents of the student on the phone. It was really interesting to listen to the things being said, and how they went about everything. I have never been a part of an IEP meeting or a conference about a student so I really learned a lot. It was a great experience to see all of these people come together and collaborate with each other. They figured out a plan to try to get the boy back in school, and it was very evident that everyone at this meeting had the student's needs in mind. The Illinois Professional Teaching Standards say that the competent teacher, "understands roles of individuals with disabilities, parents, teachers, and other school and community personnel in planning individualized education programs for students with disabilities" (9G). The people at this meeting understood the concerns of the parents, and they were able to work together to come up with a plan for the student. Collaboration is such a huge part of special education, and it was great that I was able to experience it firsthand.
I had a great week, and I am looking forward to another week with my students! I have already learned so much at this placement, and I know that I will continue to learn a lot from my teacher and other adults as well as my students.
Like I said, my week went really well! At the beginning of the week, my students kept asking, "Where's Ms. Kelly?" "Is Ms. Kelly here today?" Which is completely understandable because they are so used to having her in the classroom all the time. But they definitely got used to it by the end of the week which was really good. I'm not sure if I have mentioned this, but Ms. Kelly is having a baby, and she is actually due the day before I leave St. Coletta's! She is taking this time to get things ready for the substitute teacher, and it is also good for the students to get used to someone else teaching the class. I'm just hoping she lasts until I leave! She helps me so much! I know, I know.. it's not really up to me, but I can be hopeful right? I am just so thankful for Ms. Kelly and all that she does for me.
On Tuesday, I got the opportunity to sit in on a phone conference about a student that was supposed to come to St. Coletta's at the beginning of the year but ended up not coming. There is a lot to the story, but basically, this student was not asked back to his previous school so his district wanted to send him to St. Coletta's. The parents decided they wanted to home school their son because he has behaviors at school. This boy has not been in school at all this year, and his parents are not home schooling him so he is getting no academic instruction. The parents did not want to come in for a conference so they decided to have a phone conference that I was able to participate in. The people at the conference were the district representative, the principal of St. Coletta's, my cooperating teacher, the two behavior specialists, and then the parents of the student on the phone. It was really interesting to listen to the things being said, and how they went about everything. I have never been a part of an IEP meeting or a conference about a student so I really learned a lot. It was a great experience to see all of these people come together and collaborate with each other. They figured out a plan to try to get the boy back in school, and it was very evident that everyone at this meeting had the student's needs in mind. The Illinois Professional Teaching Standards say that the competent teacher, "understands roles of individuals with disabilities, parents, teachers, and other school and community personnel in planning individualized education programs for students with disabilities" (9G). The people at this meeting understood the concerns of the parents, and they were able to work together to come up with a plan for the student. Collaboration is such a huge part of special education, and it was great that I was able to experience it firsthand.
I had a great week, and I am looking forward to another week with my students! I have already learned so much at this placement, and I know that I will continue to learn a lot from my teacher and other adults as well as my students.
Monday, September 17, 2012
Week 3 is Complete!
I'm really getting used to this teaching thing. There has yet to be a morning where I have thought, "I just don't want to go to school today!" Which I think is a very good sign. I have a feeling of affirmation that this is exactly what God wants me to be doing. And let me tell you, it is an awesome feeling. No matter how busy I am with school and coaching, and how much time I don't get to spend with my friends and family, I still find comfort in the fact that I'm doing what God has intended for me to do.
I had a great week of school! I taught quite a few lessons this week so the students are used to me when I take over the class on Monday! A lot of the lessons went really well, and then there were some that didn't go as well. According to the teaching standards, "The competent teacher knows techniques for modifying instructional methods, materials, and the environment to facilitate learning for students with disabilities and/or diverse learning characteristics" (6E). In a special education environment, I have to constantly be thinking of ways to modify lessons or worksheets for my students. I always have to have my students in mind, and I have to know each of their capabilities.
While looking back on the lessons that didn't go well, I realized that it was because one or two of the students were having behaviors during the lesson. Like I've said before, sometimes you can prevent a behavior, but other times you can't. Since I am teaching three or four other students, I cannot really stop what I am doing to help that student so the aides really help a lot when the students have a behavior. At the beginning, it was hard for me to stay focused on what I was teaching while a behavior was going on, but what I have figured out is that if I do my best to stay focused, there is a better chance that the other students will stay focused as well. When a student won't stop yelling or swearing, staying focused is not the easiest thing to do, for me or the other students. Like I said last week, my students set each other off so if one is acting up, chances are another student will too. That is why it is important for me to stay focused on the lesson, in hopes that my students will do the same.
On Friday, my cooperating teacher had to leave around lunch time. That meant that I was the only teacher for the second half of the day. I have taught many lessons in the past three weeks, but Ms. Kelly was always in the room or at least down the hall. This was the first time I was alone with the students and aides. I was a little bit nervous about whether or not the students would act up, but for the most part I felt pretty confident. When I was teaching science, one of my students that has echolalia, was repeating every single word I said. At first I was very distracted by it, but I got used to it. He was actually doing his work (which doesn't always happen) so I was thinking, "Hey, I'll deal with the repeating, at least he's doing his work!" I've learned that especially in this type of environment, you really have to celebrate each success, even if it is very small.
Starting this week, I am completely taking over the class for two weeks. I am really excited, and honestly, I thought I would be a lot more nervous. (Hopefully that doesn't change.) What I really need to focus on in these next two weeks is controlling the things that can be controlled, and appropriately handling the things that go wrong. If I am able to do this, I think it will really help things go smoothly.
I had a great week of school! I taught quite a few lessons this week so the students are used to me when I take over the class on Monday! A lot of the lessons went really well, and then there were some that didn't go as well. According to the teaching standards, "The competent teacher knows techniques for modifying instructional methods, materials, and the environment to facilitate learning for students with disabilities and/or diverse learning characteristics" (6E). In a special education environment, I have to constantly be thinking of ways to modify lessons or worksheets for my students. I always have to have my students in mind, and I have to know each of their capabilities.
While looking back on the lessons that didn't go well, I realized that it was because one or two of the students were having behaviors during the lesson. Like I've said before, sometimes you can prevent a behavior, but other times you can't. Since I am teaching three or four other students, I cannot really stop what I am doing to help that student so the aides really help a lot when the students have a behavior. At the beginning, it was hard for me to stay focused on what I was teaching while a behavior was going on, but what I have figured out is that if I do my best to stay focused, there is a better chance that the other students will stay focused as well. When a student won't stop yelling or swearing, staying focused is not the easiest thing to do, for me or the other students. Like I said last week, my students set each other off so if one is acting up, chances are another student will too. That is why it is important for me to stay focused on the lesson, in hopes that my students will do the same.
On Friday, my cooperating teacher had to leave around lunch time. That meant that I was the only teacher for the second half of the day. I have taught many lessons in the past three weeks, but Ms. Kelly was always in the room or at least down the hall. This was the first time I was alone with the students and aides. I was a little bit nervous about whether or not the students would act up, but for the most part I felt pretty confident. When I was teaching science, one of my students that has echolalia, was repeating every single word I said. At first I was very distracted by it, but I got used to it. He was actually doing his work (which doesn't always happen) so I was thinking, "Hey, I'll deal with the repeating, at least he's doing his work!" I've learned that especially in this type of environment, you really have to celebrate each success, even if it is very small.
Starting this week, I am completely taking over the class for two weeks. I am really excited, and honestly, I thought I would be a lot more nervous. (Hopefully that doesn't change.) What I really need to focus on in these next two weeks is controlling the things that can be controlled, and appropriately handling the things that go wrong. If I am able to do this, I think it will really help things go smoothly.
Sunday, September 16, 2012
Schmidt Chapter 2: Eptness
When I first started reading this chapter, I was not completely sure what "eptness" was. As I continued reading, I gathered that the word "eptness" refers to a classroom environment that encourages student learning in every possible way. It is the teacher's job to make sure this happens in the classroom, and in order for this to happen, students need to feel safe in their environment. In a culture of eptness, according to Schmidt, students expect to play the roles of the learner as well as the teacher. The students also share in making decisions about their learning, they understand connections between their classroom and the real world, and they feel they are an asset to the class. Schmidt says that, "Great teachers consistently use strategies that convey their passionate belief that every child is capable of learning, teaching, leading, and becoming an expert" (25). I want to make sure that I create a culture of eptness in my classroom because I believe that every student deserves to learn in a safe environment.
In this chapter, it talks about ten teacher behaviors that promote eptness. One of the behaviors that is talked about is expectations. A lot of teachers form expectations very early in the year, and a lot of the time, it is not based on academic ability. I am going to make sure that I do not judge my students, but instead, get to know them for who they really are. Once I know my students well enough, I am going to set high expectations for each and every one of them, and by doing this, they will know that I believe in them.
Another behavior that is addressed in this chapter is encouragement. Encouragement is something that comes very naturally to me. I have always been there to encourage my friends, family, teammates, and students. I feel that through encouraging others, I also lift myself up. When I encourage my students, they will know that I have confidence in them. I hope that my students, knowing that I believe in them, will have confidence in themselves. I encourage my students with verbal praise, high fives, or even just a thumbs up and a smile. This is a constant reinforcer to them that they are capable of so much, and that they can do anything.
Schmidt also talks about how teachers should model being a learner. Sometimes students think that teachers have all the answers to everything. As a teacher, I need to make sure my students know that I am still learning just like them. I will do this by bringing in books that I am reading, or talking to my students about something I just learned. If my students know that I am still learning, then hopefully they will want to continue to learn as well.
In this chapter, it talks about ten teacher behaviors that promote eptness. One of the behaviors that is talked about is expectations. A lot of teachers form expectations very early in the year, and a lot of the time, it is not based on academic ability. I am going to make sure that I do not judge my students, but instead, get to know them for who they really are. Once I know my students well enough, I am going to set high expectations for each and every one of them, and by doing this, they will know that I believe in them.
Another behavior that is addressed in this chapter is encouragement. Encouragement is something that comes very naturally to me. I have always been there to encourage my friends, family, teammates, and students. I feel that through encouraging others, I also lift myself up. When I encourage my students, they will know that I have confidence in them. I hope that my students, knowing that I believe in them, will have confidence in themselves. I encourage my students with verbal praise, high fives, or even just a thumbs up and a smile. This is a constant reinforcer to them that they are capable of so much, and that they can do anything.
Schmidt also talks about how teachers should model being a learner. Sometimes students think that teachers have all the answers to everything. As a teacher, I need to make sure my students know that I am still learning just like them. I will do this by bringing in books that I am reading, or talking to my students about something I just learned. If my students know that I am still learning, then hopefully they will want to continue to learn as well.
Monday, September 10, 2012
Short (but long) Week
Although we had Monday off, the week actually felt longer than usual. If you did not know, most kids in special education are very dependent on routines. I think having no school on Monday really threw my students off. A mixture of that and their teenage hormonal changes called for a week packed with behaviors. I just keep telling myself, "They're not going to grow out of this in the next 5 weeks so get used to it, Mel!" Hopefully I am good at taking my own advice..
Like I said, my students all have strict routines, and they do not stray from these routines very often. St. Coletta's goes to school year-round, but in the summer, they have a more relaxed schedule. They go on more field trips, and they do weekly activities like go to the movies on Tuesdays and go to the water park on Fridays. Their summer schedule has come to an end, and they are getting back into the swing of the actual school year. This includes less field trips and more academic instruction, and the students also are getting homework unlike the summer. All of these things are changes that the students have to get used to because, obviously, they all enjoyed their relaxed and fun summer schedule (I know I would).
Last week (which was my first week) was the first week of the new school year. I thought they did great that week, and there were definitely not as many behaviors as there were this week. Maybe they are just realizing that they actually have to do more work than they did in the summer. A lot of my students are not too fond of doing school work so sometimes it is a struggle to get them to do their work. It could also be that they are 11-14 years old, and they are just being teenagers. What ever the case may be, it is giving me some great experience, and I feel that this is helping prepare me for so much.
Since I've never been in a placement like this before, the physical restraints are all very new to me. Unlike all of the teachers and aides in my school, I have not been trained to do physical restraints. I'm really glad that the aides will handle the restraints as needed, and that I can feel safe in my classroom. The Illinois Professional Teaching Standards says that, "The competent teacher knows strategies for intervening in situations to prevent crises from developing or escalating" (5G). I am still learning from my teacher and my aides when and how to intervene when a student is having/about to have a behavior. It is very important that I get to know the students because it will be easier for me to know when they are going to have a behavior. Different things set my students off, and sometimes the behavior is preventable, but sometimes it is not. One thing that I know from observing my students is that they set each other off. If one student starts to have a behavior, it is very likely that at least one or two others will also start having behaviors. That is why it is really important (but not always possible) to prevent behaviors from happening by catching it before it escalates.
Although it was a tough week, it was still a good week because I was able to start teaching a few lessons. I will be starting my third week on Monday, and I will begin to teach a few more lessons this week. I will be completely taking over for my teacher my fourth and fifth week. So before I start teaching all day, I want to really make sure my students get used to me. Hopefully that will happen soon! :)
Like I said, my students all have strict routines, and they do not stray from these routines very often. St. Coletta's goes to school year-round, but in the summer, they have a more relaxed schedule. They go on more field trips, and they do weekly activities like go to the movies on Tuesdays and go to the water park on Fridays. Their summer schedule has come to an end, and they are getting back into the swing of the actual school year. This includes less field trips and more academic instruction, and the students also are getting homework unlike the summer. All of these things are changes that the students have to get used to because, obviously, they all enjoyed their relaxed and fun summer schedule (I know I would).
Last week (which was my first week) was the first week of the new school year. I thought they did great that week, and there were definitely not as many behaviors as there were this week. Maybe they are just realizing that they actually have to do more work than they did in the summer. A lot of my students are not too fond of doing school work so sometimes it is a struggle to get them to do their work. It could also be that they are 11-14 years old, and they are just being teenagers. What ever the case may be, it is giving me some great experience, and I feel that this is helping prepare me for so much.
Since I've never been in a placement like this before, the physical restraints are all very new to me. Unlike all of the teachers and aides in my school, I have not been trained to do physical restraints. I'm really glad that the aides will handle the restraints as needed, and that I can feel safe in my classroom. The Illinois Professional Teaching Standards says that, "The competent teacher knows strategies for intervening in situations to prevent crises from developing or escalating" (5G). I am still learning from my teacher and my aides when and how to intervene when a student is having/about to have a behavior. It is very important that I get to know the students because it will be easier for me to know when they are going to have a behavior. Different things set my students off, and sometimes the behavior is preventable, but sometimes it is not. One thing that I know from observing my students is that they set each other off. If one student starts to have a behavior, it is very likely that at least one or two others will also start having behaviors. That is why it is really important (but not always possible) to prevent behaviors from happening by catching it before it escalates.
Although it was a tough week, it was still a good week because I was able to start teaching a few lessons. I will be starting my third week on Monday, and I will begin to teach a few more lessons this week. I will be completely taking over for my teacher my fourth and fifth week. So before I start teaching all day, I want to really make sure my students get used to me. Hopefully that will happen soon! :)
Monday, September 3, 2012
First Week: Check!
My first week of student teaching is done! It was a great week, and I am really excited for the weeks to come. But I definitely have to get used to this full-time job thing.. I was absolutely exhausted on Friday! No more naps every day for this girl. (They will be greatly missed.) I have also learned that coffee is a wonderful invention. But if I don't invest in a coffee maker soon, Dunkin Donuts is going to quickly burn a hole in my wallet. I am addicted to their French Vanilla Iced Coffee. Try it sometime, it's delicious!
But anyways.. Aside from adjusting to my new lifestyle as a full-time teacher (kind of), I am loving my placement! I am at St. Coletta's in Tinley Park which is a special education school. There is also an adult program in the same building, but it is technically separate from the school. I only have seven students in my class, and almost every one of them have a one-on-one aide. There are six aides in my class, and they are all very good. They help out so much, and it wouldn't be possible to get things done without them. My students all have different disabilities, and they are all at different levels. The Illinois Professional Teaching Standards state that the competent teacher "understands and identifies differences in approaches to learning and performance, including different learning styles, multiple intelligences, and performance modes" (3D). My teacher does this on a daily basis by putting the students together in three groups according to their learning abilities and styles. Ms. Kelly, my cooperating teacher, is awesome, and she is teaching me so much. She has been at St. Coletta's for about 5 years now, and she has had some of the same students for the entire time. This means that she knows the students extremely well, and she seems to know exactly what to do in every situation. When a student is having a behavior, she knows whether or not to address an issue or just ignore it. Some of my students act up in class because they try to get a reaction out of someone. For example, one of the boys bolts out of the room every so often. What he wants is someone to chase him so the staff learned that if they do not chase him, he will come right back. There are so many things like this that I am trying to learn because I want to do everything correctly. I know that I am going to make mistakes, especially at the beginning, so I just need to learn from them. But the more I can learn before I start actually teaching, the better it will be.
One of the best things about my first week was getting to know the students. On my first day, they were all a little shy towards me because they did not know who I was. At the beginning of the week I would jump around from student to student, and I would observe each of them while they were working with their aide. By the middle of the week I was working one-on-one with the students so I could learn even more about them, and so they could get used to working with me. While the students were taking a break or transitioning from one activity to another, I would have conversations with them about their families or what they do after school or on the weekends. My teacher and I also eat lunch with the students so I talk with them during that time as well, and I think this is really helping the students warm up to me. My students have a very set routine so having an "outsider" come into their classroom definitely takes some getting used to. I already have some students asking, "Can Ms. Melanie work with me today?" Talk about an awesome feeling! It is just so reassuring that the students want to work with me!
I am so excited for another week with this awesome class, and I cannot wait to start teaching lessons this week! I get observed on Friday so I will be teaching a few lessons during the week to prepare for that. Before I know it, I'll be teaching all day! (AHH!) How exciting! :)
But anyways.. Aside from adjusting to my new lifestyle as a full-time teacher (kind of), I am loving my placement! I am at St. Coletta's in Tinley Park which is a special education school. There is also an adult program in the same building, but it is technically separate from the school. I only have seven students in my class, and almost every one of them have a one-on-one aide. There are six aides in my class, and they are all very good. They help out so much, and it wouldn't be possible to get things done without them. My students all have different disabilities, and they are all at different levels. The Illinois Professional Teaching Standards state that the competent teacher "understands and identifies differences in approaches to learning and performance, including different learning styles, multiple intelligences, and performance modes" (3D). My teacher does this on a daily basis by putting the students together in three groups according to their learning abilities and styles. Ms. Kelly, my cooperating teacher, is awesome, and she is teaching me so much. She has been at St. Coletta's for about 5 years now, and she has had some of the same students for the entire time. This means that she knows the students extremely well, and she seems to know exactly what to do in every situation. When a student is having a behavior, she knows whether or not to address an issue or just ignore it. Some of my students act up in class because they try to get a reaction out of someone. For example, one of the boys bolts out of the room every so often. What he wants is someone to chase him so the staff learned that if they do not chase him, he will come right back. There are so many things like this that I am trying to learn because I want to do everything correctly. I know that I am going to make mistakes, especially at the beginning, so I just need to learn from them. But the more I can learn before I start actually teaching, the better it will be.
One of the best things about my first week was getting to know the students. On my first day, they were all a little shy towards me because they did not know who I was. At the beginning of the week I would jump around from student to student, and I would observe each of them while they were working with their aide. By the middle of the week I was working one-on-one with the students so I could learn even more about them, and so they could get used to working with me. While the students were taking a break or transitioning from one activity to another, I would have conversations with them about their families or what they do after school or on the weekends. My teacher and I also eat lunch with the students so I talk with them during that time as well, and I think this is really helping the students warm up to me. My students have a very set routine so having an "outsider" come into their classroom definitely takes some getting used to. I already have some students asking, "Can Ms. Melanie work with me today?" Talk about an awesome feeling! It is just so reassuring that the students want to work with me!
I am so excited for another week with this awesome class, and I cannot wait to start teaching lessons this week! I get observed on Friday so I will be teaching a few lessons during the week to prepare for that. Before I know it, I'll be teaching all day! (AHH!) How exciting! :)
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)