The Past Three Days

So, it has been while since I have written only because I have been so busy with completing things for my last week at my first placement. In any case last Friday went extremely well. I gave the students their vocabulary quiz and started them on finishing their mobiles. There was a twist in the day when I came back role palying one of the characters in the story we had been reading. One of the assignments that the students had to do was come up with appropraite questions that they would ask a particular character's mother at a PTA meeting. I came into the classroom with props and asked "Is this Laurie's class." Some of the students laughed and giggled but they were quick to pick up on it. They asked questions some where appropriate while others were not and were addressed as necessary. The students were cute in saying that I looked like their teacher Ms. Marien and if I knew her. They certainly were creative with it. I was more pleased however with their questions and responses for my comments. I was unable to role play for all the periods due to assemblies during the day. The classes that did not have the role play worked on their mobiles. I felt really good on Friday however because the day went so well.

Now yesterday the students finished their mobiles. They worked in groups all period. Some of the students did not finish in class but did come after school in order to get full credit for their work. I was pleased to see that many students did come. One of the things that I found most fustrating was that the students, even after I made my directions clear and repeated them, the students were still asking questions. I get very antsy with this becasue if the students just listened the first time I would not have to repeat myself a thousand times. Regardless of everything thing, there were the students that just let their mobiles as is and that is the grade they are going to recieve. For the inclusion class I allowed an extra day to complete it. Most of the mobiles are hung in the classroom and have defintiley warmed up the room.

Today the students were given a text book hunt in which they had to answer 15 questions that came from all the texts we have read so far this year. There would be a prize for the individual or group who finished before the bell rang. They would recieve extra points to their next exam. Second period worked diligently. Third period I was worried about because my c.t was not there as well as the inclusion teacher. I had all of those students on my own. I gave them their journal for the day and went over the directions. The class was supposed to finish their mobiles today but I said that if I had to ask them to be quiet, not talk back, or cause discipline issues, they would not have the privelage of finishing. There was a crack in someone's mouth and I said thats it and moved on to the next objective. The class was not happy and I even made a student cry. She was so adiment about finsihing because she was doing better in the class. I had to pull her out and explain my reasoning but they would have time on Friday to finish. I also had a student tell me "whats the point of doing work if I am going to fail anyway?" I explain to him the same thing as the other student. I got a little work from both students so I knew I was succussful in that area. The other classes worked well. I had my 5th period work in groups because time was running out and I wanted them to be able to hand something in. The other classes woked independently. I had some student who did not even put their name on the paper. Whatever the case was, I recieved a lot of good answers and was proud that the students were able to finish. It was a successful day all in all.

Tomorrow, the class will be working on the next benchmark assessment for the 8th graders