Tic Tac Toe Spelling Review

Using this SmartBoard I created, I broke students up into two groups. Students wrote their spelling words on a dry erase board. Teams took turns placing X's and O's on the board! Interesting and engaging for students! 

Mighty Mustache!

Mighty Mustache! We all know that mustache's are very popular right now. To improve classroom behavior, if a student is being exceptionally good that day/week, allow them to stick a mustache above their lip and get to wear it all day. These mustache's are $2 on eBay! The class and school will learn that this symbol stands for good behavior! Just something fun to do and can help with troublesome students!

Finished Bulletin

Here is the finished bulletin board without the students work.

Bulletin Board

One of my assignments was to create a bulletin board. I'm starting a science lesson soon so I created it around that!

1/17/2014 Journal

DAR Journal

1/17/2014

Describe

            Today was Friday and casual day. If teachers wished to dress casual, they could pay $3 which went to a fundraiser. The day started off like any other day, witch students entering. Students came in and got to work on their spelling review wish was a word scramble. After students worked through their word scramble, the morning announcements came on. After the announcements, I reviewed spelling words with students. Then I began their spelling test. I read over the words and used sentences. After students were finished with their spelling tests, I graded them. The majority of students did well on these tests.

            After spelling, students had an SRI (Scholastic Reading Inventory) Lesson. Students walked down to the computer lab and worked on these assessments. Students answered a few questions about a passage. These questions produced a Lexille score for each student.

            After SRI, students returned to the classroom and my mentor teacher read through a Martin Luther King Jr. book due to the upcoming holiday. Students asked questions and my mentor teacher held a mini classroom discussion on Martin Luther King Jr. Students seemed to be interested in this story.

            After reading through the story, my mentor teacher moved on to math. Here, students reviewed coins and counting them again. After a brief review, students took a quiz. While some students mastered adding up coins, other students still struggled. One student in particular was struggling. I moved with her to the back table and we worked on her math quiz. She was getting extremely flustered and confused. I tried my hardest to persevere with her, but she was getting to the point where she wasn’t working. As the class lined up to head to P.E., I saw that the student was getting frustrated, so I thought it best to allow her to take a break from the quiz and head to P.E. The math quiz would be finished an another time.

            After P.E. students headed to lunch and then recess. When student got back to recess, they returned to the classroom for a brief period of time. In this time, it was enough time for students to get a drink of water and line up for art class. While students were waiting in the hallway, I had to play the quiet game where one student comes out of line, and picks the next quietest person. If at least 4 students get selected for being quiet, they get to do something fun the following day such as extended recess.

            When students returned from art, they watched a Martin Luther King Jr. video about him as a leader and why we celebrate him in January. Students were well behaved during this video and seemed to enjoy it. I only had to quiet down a few students. All in all it was a good Friday!

Analyze

            Once again I witnessed excellent classroom management. Students knew what needed to be done, and for the most part they did it. With the exception of specific students, it was a good day as far as behavior goes.

            Each and every day I am enjoying student teaching more and more. As I take on more responsibilities and learn each of the students, I look forward to coming. The students responded well to me during the spelling test and remained quiet. During the afternoon, my mentor teacher left and I was practically in charge of the class with the assistance of a resource teacher. I enjoy doing this, because it makes me seem like a solo teacher.

Reflect

            Ending my second full week of student teacher I remain to have a positive attitude. Yes, I am exhausted, but I still am enjoying it. There are a few moments during the day when I grow bored, but I know that I will need to take value during these downtime moments, for when I take on more responsibilities, I will wish I had more downtime. I'm continuing to mesh well with my mentor teacher. I will begin implementing science lesson starting next week. I am eager to begin these lessons!

Educreations

This is one of the iPad apps I mentioned in my previous journal entry.  It's a really cool app that allows students to be creative with their presentations.  Students can draw, type, and even share photos while recording their voices.  They can put on a presentation for the entire class!  I definitely encourage you to check this out...best of all, it's free!!!

Journal for 1/16/2014

Journal

1/16/2014

Describe

            The day started out like a normal day. Today was C day. This means double specials in the afternoon. The day started out as normal, students arrived and filled out their agenda's. I circulated the room and initialed agenda's and check spelling homework. After the announcements, students sat and waited quietly for the spelling lesson to begin. Due to a slow computer, it took a while for the SmartBoard activity to load. For the spelling review, I did a word scramble. The students seemed to enjoy this activity. Toward the end students were beginning to get restless and bored. I had students stand up and stomp as they spelled out the words. The idea was to get the students up and moving for a brief period of time. 

            After spelling, students moved on to reading. In reading, student read through a passage on making inferences. With this passage, students were assigned a journal entry and had to form inferences with their responses. Most of the students worked well with this activity. Students transitioned into their Daily 5s. Student began to get really loud during their Daily 5s.

After students worked on their Daily 5, the mobile book bus was parked outside the school. This was an opportunity for students to visit the library. Students checked out books from the library. I assisted with this, making sure students were acting appropriate on the bus. After the mobile bus, students came back into the classroom and reviewed counting with counts and adding them together. Some students grasped the idea of counting with coins, while others were still struggling and getting frustrated.

            After math, students lined up and headed to lunch. Some of the students were treated with lunch with the teacher. After lunch, students returned to the classroom for indoor recess. Once again, there was too much water outside on the playground for students to be outside.

            After recess, students lined up and it was time for music.  As music progressed, I started looking at potential science lessons I could teach to my students in the next few weeks.  When students returned from music, my mentor teacher reviewed money and went over the math homework for that night.  I was given the opportunity to work with a student on his spelling test, for he was going to be absent tomorrow and needed to complete the spelling test.  After the test wrapped up, I returned with the student back to the class.  There was just enough time for students to pack up and head home for the day.
            After the student left, I was informed that there would a meeting with the 2nd grade team on technology.  I attended this meeting and learned about two new apps that could be used on iPads within the classroom.  They were great for incorporating technology into the classroom and allowing for hands-on experience for the students.  Hopefully, I will be able to incorporate this technology into one of my science lessons.

Analyze

            Today was a great day overall.  The students seemed very unmotivated today and were not so well behaved.  A few students were sent to the office for their behavior card had been flipped over so many times.  I was given the opportunity to perform a spelling lesson that I thought went over well.  When working through the lesson, I witnessed students were beginning to become bored and unmotivated with the lesson.  So I simply asked the students to stand up, and clap and stomp through their spelling words.  I think this allowed students to get up out of their seats and get some blood flowing.

            I enjoyed being included in the short technology meeting after school.  I learned about two new apps that can be used with the students in the classroom.  I immediately downloaded these apps when I got home.  Within the next week, I will be most likely taking over science and I'm considering using one of these apps within one of my science lessons.

Reflect

            Today was a great day.  I'm exhausted though.  Students were out of control today.  Not sure why, but perhaps it's because the weekend is drawing near.  I had several students go to the office because of behavior.  I'm struggling with keeping students motivated and quiet.  Students are continually complaining and whining about doing independent work.  Mere threats of taking away recess are not working.  I have discussed a few options with co-teachers and my mentor teachers, so perhaps within the next few school days, I will implement some of these ideas and one will work.