1. The very first aspect which I found valuable this week was to be able to take the opportunity to learn how to adjust my lessons after having a snow day and then a two hour delay the next day. This has given me a new insight into the teaching field. I had to review a few things on Thurs. of what I had covered on Tues. and then shorten my lesson to cover what I could. All in all, everthing went well and we were able to get most of everything accomplished.
I started a new unit this week on spreadsheets in the 8th grade Computer Concepts class and the students have told me that they are enjoying the lessons and exercises. Also, I have learned more on which students need more assists on the exercises and have been working with them during the class period and activity period.
There have been two students who are now starting to test me and the one asked me how long I was going to be there. The student rolled their eyes when I said thirteen more weeks. I realize that I have my work cut out for me with these two students.
Friday brought a new experience for me. Not only do the students act differently on Fridays, but my coop was out that day too. I had the opportunity to teach three classes of the same subject which are all at different learning levels. This gave me a feel for what I will need to do when I take over the other two classes. To say the least, everything went very well and I look forward to teaching the other two classes.
2. If I had the chance to start the week over I would change my lesson that I taught on Tues. completely on spreadsheets in Computer Concepts (8th grade.) I would have given the students a more of hands on approach to moving around on the spreadsheet and would have changed my questions within the lesson regarding the subject. At the end I learned that I need to keep those students who finish early something more to do, to keep them busy. Also, I needed to have a better bell ringer. This lesson was not my very best and I was very disappointed in it.
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I think we all learned a lot about modifying and adjusting this week because of the snow day and two hour delay.
ReplyDeleteI am glad to hear that your students are enjoying your lessons and exercises. I, too, have a student that has given me problems this week but after learning how to help the student -- getting advice from my coop and the special ed teacher -- it has become easier to deal with the student.
Hats off to you for handling a day on friday all by yourself. I don't think I could handle a whole day without my coop this early. Good job!
I couldn't agree more that this week was a learning experience in how valuable our plans are so that we can adjust and adapt in an ever-changing environment... or, put it in four wheel drive on the fly! I can also relate to trying to teach the same lesson to classes at different levels. We have a class that about 50% (maybe more) of the students have IEPs. The atmosphere is completely different in that class than the others. The day my co-op was out, I used proximity, eye contact, and actually stopped in mid sentence and asked a student if he would be quiet while I was teaching the lesson and afterward I would give them a chance to work together and chat quietly. That didn't really work, he continued to talk and just as I was walking back over, the girl he was talking to got up and moved to a different seat saying "He's rude!" I may not have gotten to him but she obviously wanted to help me out. Go with your insticts, you'll be great!
ReplyDeleteA snow day usually means a stronger review of what was "uncovered" the day before the snow day on the return day. Additionally, that shortens the new lesson time on that return day. It is all a time juggling act in which teachers get very good at doing!
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