Day Off Day for Reflecting

So I sit here at my computer in my pjs still on thinking about yesterday at school. I have handed the students a book project and they have to read a mystery. Many of them are not excited because most don't like mystery and I thought to myself, I didn't either. So I took some advice and I am going to read with the students and complete the assignment for myself so that they don't feel I am trying to torture them. Yesterday the we brought the classes to the library so that they could find a book for their project as well as work on an assignment that went along with the short story they read. Just watching them get through the dido reminded of when I was their age and how bored I was with just answering questions. I decided that with the next story I will take a completely different step and really have the students engaged in the reading. In my methods class we were told to buy this book Reading and Writing in the Classroom. I thought it was going to be another book that we never opened but to my surprise it has been the guideline for my teaching. There is a chapter that deals with students interacting with the text before, during, and after. I am very excited because this is what I am going to base my first lesson on. I want the students to be engaged and curious about the story or poem they are going read next. There is and activity call "The Tea Party" and in this activtiy, the teacher picks out lines from throughout the story and writes them down on index cards. Then these cards are passed out to the students and in groups they are supposed to get together and make predictions about the text just by reading the lines given to them. This encourages students to become more involved in the text than just reading it. I plan on implimenting this activity for Monday. I am very excited to begin teaching and really have a feel for what strategies work for me and what doesn't. I think every day the students warm up a little more and I smile a lot! I hope that when they see I am working with them that they feel more motivated to get things completed in class. My cooperating teacher has been more than helpful and supportive of my ideas and contributions to the class. It is these rare moments that remind me why it is I would ever think of quiting this gig? I am also glad that I have some time to prepare a well thought out lesson plan and be completly on the ball for Monday morning.

One thing I wanted to point out was I observed that students cannot focus well and have a hard time answering simple questions, or what I feel are simple questions. I also cannot stand the laziness that these students have. The assignments are not hard but they just don't want to do it. Laziness is becomming a slight pet peeve.

0 members like this

Comment by Bonnie Kaplan on September 16, 2007 at 5:03pm: Love that Sheridan Blau! I think it's great to keep putting yourself in their shoes and finding ways for them to engage in their own learning. Remember your right answer doesn't have to be theirs. Try not to fish. THey know you are doing that. Sheridan believes that their are no right answers and that we all bring meaning to the texts we read as long as there's a logic to the thought and facilitation from the teacher.
Your goal should be to move out of the center as much as possible. You don't want to be seen as a all-knowing expert. Your job is to help them find their own meaning and ownership in their learning. What do you want them to be left with when you leave?
And that's enough from me. How was your 4 day vacation? Remember I'm leaving for Israel next Saturday and I won't see you this WEdnesday. But I will always be just an email away.
BOnnie

Comment by Jacqueline Marien on September 17, 2007 at 4:44pm: Bonnie, I want them to be left with the thought of "Remember that student teacher we had Ms. Marien and what she taught us." I don't want to be the student teacher that no body remembers because I had many in my high school career and don't remember half of them. That's what I want them to remember. As far as my four day vacation it was spent working on lesson plans as well as reading and working. Oh and I also spent time with my sister and her fiance. That is about the extent of it. Enjoy Israel. See you when you get back.

Comment by Bonnie Kaplan on September 17, 2007 at 5:11pm: So that's a great challenge, Jackie to be remembered. What qualities did you appreciate about teachers that you remember? That's a critical piece. A true challenge.
Bonnie

Comment by Jacqueline Marien on September 18, 2007 at 2:46pm: The qualities that I appreciated about my teachers is that they were also enthusiastic about the material they were teaching. They were warm to and with their students always lent a helping hand. They were passionate about the material as well. Of course all of those qualities led to one thing: inspiring me to be a teacher modeled after them. I want to be a good teacher yet I feel there is so much to learn. I also find it is difficult teaching in a class that already knows you are not going to be there all year. I am not their permanent teacher so I am suffering with discipline problems instead of being able to teach the class. It's fustrating and straining. But I hope at one point, in my own classroom and even in student teaching I can hold those great qualities and be the teacher I want to become.

Comment