This week went by so quickly! In fact, all of student teaching seems to be flying by. This week we finally wrapped up fractions. I think my students were as ready for that as I was. We did lots of review in preparation for their fraction test on Friday. On Monday we just did a general review of multiplying, dividing, adding, and subtracting fractions and then finished up some word problems I had had them paste into their word problem spirals. Then, on Tuesday we played the fly swatter game. The math specialist brought in giant fly swatters and I posted possible answers on the board. I split the class into two teams, posed division problems to them and their team representative had to hit the correct answer on the board once they saw everyone on their team had the correct answer. If they got it correct, the representative had to teach the class how their group got their answer. It was a fun game and the beset part was seeing each student be able to defend how they got their answers at the end of the game. On Wednesday and Thursday we played a Jeopardy game that I made on a website. The game included multiplication and division problems as well as one simplifying final question. Their test was on Friday and I was for the most part pleasantly surprised by their grades. I gave many meets for the standards included.
A link to the jeopardy game I made: https://www.superteachertools.net/jeopardyx/jeopardy-review-game.php?gamefile=1423449463#.VNgjP2M5BMs
This week I started teaching Science. I started the pulley system unit. It was not as difficult as I thought it might be. I follow a set curriculum for this so it is not too hard to figure out what to say for my explanations and I follow the investigation packet guide to instruct them in their investigations. This week they learned how to set up a single fixed and a single moveable pulley. I think they are really loving how hands on science is. We started to really get far in the Social Studies projects. I cannot wait to see their final trailers for their colonies. They are really getting into making catchy slogans to convince me to time travel to their colony. My favorite so far is "Stop, Drop, Plant Crops!"
For Literacy, they are finishing up their research/informational papers. I cannot wait to read these! I think the best part about that assignment is that they wrote about things they love so I am learning a lot about them through my conferences with them about their writing. We also read William Joyce's Autobiography in their Harcourt text and I have been reading supplemental texts by William Joyce that my cooperating teacher rented from her library. I think that the students really enjoy him as an author and are inspired by him for their young author writings. One thing that really excited them about William Joyce is that he wrote Rolie Polie Olie- which was on the Disney Chanel- so they were already familiar with his work.
We also had a fire drill this week, yearbook pictures, and a Valentine's Day party (which included a blow up obstacle course in the gym) so this week was a little crazy, but a whole lot of fun! I do have 2 students who are really annoying each other and starting to bully one another and then tattling immediately after so I did have to have some stern conversations with them. These two boys give me a run for my money sometimes. One of them lies to me constantly and I have to balance giving him trust and pushing him to tell me things honestly. The other cries easily so I have to balance being stern and yet comforting all at once. They both use inappropriate language quite frequently and I have a hard time disciplining for that when I know the sort of environments they grow up in and how they have that modeled to them on a regular basis. A lot of times I struggle with discipline because I don't always feel like it is my place. Yet, I know they are not getting it at home and I must be that loving disciplinary figure in their lives. It is a battle for me, but I am getting lots of practice!
Next week is a short week because of President's Day and a SIP day, so I do not have a lot to plan, but I am excited to start the decimals unit in math (although nervous because it is a tough area of math for me). I plan on making standard 2I my goal. I don't have a text to follow for decimals and they can be confusing to me so I need to really take time in evaluating teaching resources and materials for appropriateness as related to curricular content and the student's needs. I cannot be comfortable teaching something until I am comfortable with the material. I am fortunate to have an awesome cooperating teacher who took extra time on Friday to help me with some of my explanations of decimals. It is a tricky concept to explain and I am glad I have her years of experience in explaining them to support me as I try it out for the first time!
I like your Jeopardy game - nice site.
ReplyDeleteI think a key to the way you are dealing with your problem students is "loving." If you keep in mind that these students are God's children, despite how annoying they are to you, you will be much better able to not only tolerate them but reach them. It sounds like you are doing things the right way. You may not get the thanks you deserve, but you are probably having a bigger impact than you realize.