March 29

Today in class the students were reviewing the long 'i's and 'e's. They did an activity that when the teacher read a word the student had to decide whether the sound was a long e or i. Then they had to color it its appropriate color. Afterward since the students were going to an assembly about the Ringling Bros. the teacher used the last ten minutes to have them color a circus elephant. The best color-er would get a prize. After the assembly of magic tricks the students got to stay in their homeroom to do some math. The kids were working on Subtraction. I mostly helped one boy in particular who after doing the problems with me a couple of times started to get the hang of it. That is always a good feeling, when you have felt that you actually taught something and someone understood.It was almost time to go home for the day. The teacher read to the students a book by Shel Silverman. There was alot of rhyming and lot of patterns. Soon the students started chanting the rhymes along with the teacher. They really seemed to enjoy the book!

March 26

I could have not come today but the students were having jump rope for heart. I have never heard of this so I decided to come anyway. It is sort of like field day but it is indoor. It is little stations with activities. Some were, hula hoops, jump roping, hop skotch, helicopter, etc. All really fun games that got the children's heart pumping. After wards the students had a good-bye party for the intern who was now switching to an upper grade. Then we watch Ant Bully. It was all play and mostly no work. Oh....wait...there was a spelling test before jump rope for heart.

March 25

Today was picture day for students! First we started off this Thursday by going over long Os. The students completed a worksheet that tested what they learned about long Os. Next the students split up into their reading groups. I helped the lower level group with the reading. I helped them read but I did not read for them. At time the students would get off task and start to talk about other things but I tried my best to lead what they were saying right back into the book. As we were reading the students had to answer some questions about the reading. After going over the questions, the students went to their special. When the students go to special it gives me the chance to talk to my mentor teacher and get to know her better. She is pregnant and is having a boy! Right after the special students took their usual bathroom break and then go to another special ( 2 in one day!). After that special the students take their pictures. After that is the class photo. Once in the class the intern did a little science for the students. He talked about the earth and the different layers. He then passed out a worksheet where the kids had to label the layers of the earth and color them in. It was not much inquiry based but at least they were exposed to it.

Friday March 19

Today I worked alot on helping the students complete some questions with a story that the teacher read with them. This was good because I got to converse and get to know the students alot more. Afterward the students went to their special, music. That gave me the chance to talk to my mentor teacher about upcoming lessons I would like to teach. I also got a chance to check with her if my science questions for my science conversation was alright. My mentor teacher also let me decide who I could choose. I chose the ELL who I am doing a study for in language arts, I chose a lower level student, and a higher level student. When the students got back from special I met with three students in the back of the classroom. I wanted to do the conversation somewhere more private but my mentor teacher wanted it to be done in the classroom. It was a little hard because she was teaching as I was trying to converse with the students, her voice is in the recording. I got the children talking about trees. It lasted about 20 minutes. One of my students kept talking about killing squirrels that around trees and it was hard trying to get her back to the subject of just talking about trees. Overall, it was a success. Afterward the children and the teacher played a sequence game to help them understand the importance of sequence. After that was complete I got to see a little bit of science. The intern talked about different land features and the difference between a hill and a mountain. They got to use clay to show the different lands.

Friday 12, 2010

Today was a good day at school. It was the day before spring break and I was determined to get my mentor teacher to give me something that I could work with for any of my method classes. Mission accomplished! My mentor teacher and I talked about her only ELL learner in which I need to do a case study of for language arts. I also got all the questions for my science conversation with my mentor teacher answered. She also told me that I can have a conversation with the children on during lunch next time I go in. I also got the topic of my lesson for science. I will be teaching the class about trees! I also got my reading interview done! I would say today was a success. I got to do all this while the children were at P.E. During this time I learned that science and social studies in their class is done durinf the later part of the day...if they can! The intern was telling me that he teaches the science and that most of the time it is anything science and nothing really organized. A big problem for science is that a lot of the materials needed are not there. Same goes with social studies. It was sad to hear that because I think science is so much fun and social studies is my favorite subject. Its sad that students can not always enjoy these cool subjects. Afterward the students came back had to do their monthly desk clean out. After the students broke into their reading groups and they answered questions until lunch/recess time.

Week 2

This was my second week at Prince St. Elementary. I was glad to see that alot of the students remembered me. Today students off by taking a spelling test. Since they took a spelling test last Friday I can assume that they always have spelling tests on Fridays. Today my mentor teacher's intern was doing most of the teaching because my mentor teacher was busy resolving some issues going on with bullying in the classroom. The Intern started off by going over possessive words. Afterwards the students went to media, their special of the day. As they were in there my mentor teacher, her intern, and I helped ourselves to some delicious food in the teachers lounge. Every month teachers bring food to the lounge to share with everyone else. Kind of like a potluck. This gave me a chance to talk to my teacher about her class and the different things I need to get done for my method courses. We talked a little about science but not to much. I felt as though she had too much on her mind to worry about me so I did not push it. I figure I can stay a little longer the following Friday when she is not so busy to talk to her about science, reading, and language arts. After the students got back I got to work with two of the lower leveled students in reading. They were the type of children that needed the question asked to them and needed to be kept on track. I think I did that successfully. I asked questions so that I could feel like they got to the answer on their own. Afterwards the students had another test and that took up the rest of the time that I was there. Even though my mentor reassures me that I will get everything done that I need for my method courses I am still a little worried. I am so worried I am considering coming in on the Friday of Spring Break. We shall see.