Wk 4 reflection(reviewed by RC 3-21-2021)

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University of Phoenix *

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Communications

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Apr 3, 2024

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What strategies are you using to effectively manage the classroom and promote positive learning environment? As I’ve always done, I like to try to find a balance between fun and hands-on approaches, and serious time. I have to admit, when I first walked into the classroom, any chance I had, I just wanted to have fun. I wanted to get to know the kids, and get them to a place of comfort, and understanding of who I am, and what I would be bringing. As time has gone on, and I’ve clearly gotten their attention and understanding, I have moved towards more of a serious, but fun approach. Depending on the lesson, is when I think to myself if the lesson has room for fun and inviting material, compared to more serious learning. I’ve learned, when introducing new material, to let a small amount of fun out at first, to get them interested, and drive it home with more serious learning. When it comes to reviews, that is when I’ve found that fun helps. Finding healthy balance of both is crucial, to my personal views. FS recommendations: You have presented excellent insight as to how you manage the classroom. Fun activities relating to the content being taught, friendly, and approachable also are excellent approach and appropriate for the age group you are working with. In addition, having a strong grasp of the subject/content that is being introduce is the foundation of promoting positive learning environment? Take a moment to review the 3 links provided below: 1. http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/sept08/vol66/num01/Seven- Strategies-for-Building-Positive-Classrooms.aspx 2. https://www.educationcorner.com/building-a-positive-learning-environment.html 3. https://blog.planbook.com/lesson-plan-classroom-management/ These are all research base strategies. Each week you may want to refer to and implement these strategies as you are planning and preparing each lesson. It is not expected that you use all at once; however, incorporating those strategies that you can easily learn and do will help you create a positive learning environment for your classroom. Keep these as resources and refer to them as often as necessary. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- What are your challenges in the area of instruction? What resources and strategies might you use to overcome this challenge? My biggest challenge, is taking how I approach life, and learning things, and totally doing something different. What I’ve noticed, is my approach, is that of course I already know how to count, or read, or whatever the situation, so why is it so hard for you to learn it? It is easy right? Taking my thought on that, and then recognizing that these kids simply don’t know, because they haven’t learned it yet, and that is what I am there to do. Teach it. Getting to a place of understanding has been my challenge. My biggest resource, has been Mrs. Bolich. Each time that I get up to teach a lesson, whether it be new, or a review, and regardless of how well I may know the topic, I have prepared by asking her how she would approach it, even if her or I, would approach it a completely different way, due to our ages. She has been really helpful in figuring out ways, and supporting of my ideas to help deliver the instruction. Time has also been a big help to me. The more and more that I am up front teaching, the more comfortable I get with the material, and delivery.

FS recommendation: Your response appeared authentic in that you are identifying your area(s) of weakness. Don’t feel that this is not a typical characterization of an aspiring teacher or even a first-year classroom teacher. However, admitting those challenges is a beginning to finding the answers to those barriers and others as you learn more about your needs. Let me point out to you three common challenges that I have observed during my career. They are as follows: 1. Struggling with classroom management – Not sticking to a plan; structure in the classroom; not setting clear expectation from the beginning; poor planning for transitioning, etc. 2. Burdon by curricular freedom - lack of guidance and resources for lesson and unit planning; spending 10 to 12 hours a day juggling lesson planning; Although such curricular freedom may be welcomed by veteran teachers, it appears to be a burden for new teachers, who have not yet developed a robust repertoire of lesson ideas or knowledge of what will work in their classrooms. 3. Sinking in unsupportive environment – Although, I have no doubt that you have excellent support from the administrative team, Cooperating teacher/mentor, and her network of teachers who are evolved in their teaching profession, some schools, or school districts seldom provide, meaningful feedback to support the new teacher development. Hence, while you are in student teaching training, make use of all of the resources made available to you, i.e. lesson plan guides, recommendations from FS, CT and others that your CT connects you with. Importantly, daily journal those barriers and create a plan of action to overcome them. Choose a lesson you taught this week. What worked well? What will you do differently if you teach that lesson again? One lesson that I taught this week, was spelling. I have taught spelling the last 3 weeks, and one thing that I’ve liked doing, was playing a fun game, the day before the test. The past two weeks, I’ve played a very simple game, that you can kind of tell, some of the kids are bored with. They participate, but there has not been real excitement about it. If they lose, it hasn’t been a real big deal. This week, I decided to pull into my old school memories, and play the game “around the world”. It is typically used with math, but I used spelling. I gave two players a white board, and sharpie marker. On cue, they had to correctly write the word spelled the right way, while also trying to do it before the other person. If they won, they would move onto the next person. This would continue until one person made it through, and successfully beat each other classmate. We did not have enough time to crown a winner, but they loved it. I had more participation interest with that, then anything I’ve tried before. It involved everyone, and was fun. The game turned out well, enough that I was asked to play that again. The only thing I would do differently, is give clearer instruction on how the person who won, would rotate. There was a small hiccup mid game, when the person who had won several times already, lost, and for a minute there was confusion on who was up next. It is not clear what was the lesson. Was it aligned with a reading lesson, math, science? Be sure in the future to identify the content that the spelling activity is connected to. How did you address the hiccup mid game? In your lesson, did it include how the structure of the spelling game would look like? These are the factors one should look for is the organization of the activity. What was the expected outcome of this activity? In as much, you had the experience and it appears that you were enthusiastic in presenting.

Describe how you collaborate with your cooperating teacher. What strategies could you use to further enhance your relationship and resolve any problems should they arise? I speak a lot with Mrs. Bolich. Before every lesson that I teach, I talk with her about how she would do it, and then talk about any new ideas that I had, and run it by her first. She has not yet suggested I not do that, and has been very assuring of everything that I’ve done. I stay after school every day, and talk with her about how I did for the day, and the next day to come. She has been wonderful in assisting me with coming up with lessons. FS recommendation: (respond to the questions) How many lessons are you teaching in week 5 per day? What are you finding to be the most challenging about lesson planning? The most challenging part for me, is putting the lesson plans that she has given me, and turning them into more efficient plans, and plans that meet the requirements of the school. The way I have lived my life, is much the same of how her lesson plans already are. They are shortened, and to the point, and I get that. I understand them, and because of the fact that I speak very often and ask a lot of questions, helps me. I feel more comfortable going off lessons plans of this nature, then I do when they are typed more proficiently. I personally feel that lesson plans, like Mrs. Bolich works off of, is much easier to work around, when something happens that you have to quickly adjust. By writing out the full versions of them, I feel as though you have every second planned out, and as teachers know, you will never have perfection in the classroom. FS Recommendation: This would be considered your burden and barrier that is prohibiting the success need to meet the expectations of this program. I will continue to encourage you to be open to change and standards that apply to UOP and the Department of Education of PA. Describe the behavioral issues of a difficult student to manage in your classroom. What strategies are you using to help this student become a positive member of the classroom? Believe it or not, even in a class of 30, there are no students that are super difficult. The biggest problem that I see, is one particular student, has trouble keeping turned the correct way. This student is often turned around in her seat, or standing up next to their chair, or something similar. This is by placing them, in a specific seat in the class. Their desk is not in the front, where they can be turned around, or directly in the middle of a group. That would distract too many people. They were placed close to the back, so there is not as many other kids being distracted. She is also on the end, so even less people are around her. The other thing we do, is try to include her. I try to get students to help with things, such as passing out papers, or erasing things off the board. We’ve found, and actually found to be true in all things, is that when the students feel like they are important, and have responsibility, are better with their attention span. I make sure to call on this student at least once a lesson, and they are often used with special jobs.

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FS Recommendation: Refer back to the recommendations made earlier in this reflection. Describe how your cooperating teacher collaborates with colleagues and the larger school community? I believe Mrs. Bolich has a very good rapport with her colleagues. She has been at the school for quite some time, so I know there is a lot of mutual respect going around. One thing the school does, is every Tuesday, before school starts, there is a devotional time for teachers. I can clearly see in there the collaboration that goes on, both academically, as well as personally. There is only one 2 nd grade, so there isn’t much to talk about with another 2 nd grade teacher, but she often does talk with the 3 rd grade teacher. She is a former 3 rd grade teacher herself, so they often talk about expectations that come in that grade, and how she can prepare the students, so they have a better chance to succeed in their next year. FS summary: Your reflection for this week presented more of what we have been addressing in the past weeks. I am acknowledging your unwillingness to follow the expectations of this program, sense of confusing as it relates to the four domains we have to cover during this practicum. It is important that you download the link provided below, as it aligns with how managing each of these domains will help you achieve the skills needed in this student teacher practicum. https://pd.madison.k12.wi.us/files/staffdev/MMSD- Danielson-Framework-Example-Artifacts.pdf You have been consistent in that you would rather follow the structure and expectations that does not align with the standards of this program and the Department of Education of PA. However, I am compelled to remind you the evaluation process does not lend itself to your ideas. Further, the Student Improvement plan is active, and all actionable items must be met with “meets standards.” It is my hope to move towards midterm evaluation no later than week 6. To avoid any adjustments to your program we must agree to move forward. Therefore, it is important to commit to a date and time to evaluate your performance in the classroom. Please contact me as soon as you have worked out a schedule for midterm ASAP. Dr. Roger Copeland, Jr. 3-22-2021 Faculty Supervisor

Wk 4 reflection(reviewed by RC 3-21-2021)

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