Wk+4+Sept+20-24


 * Mon. Sept 20, 2010**

As my 4th week of Internship starts, my supervising teacher has been giving more feedback. This week, I pick up all the kids for every 30 minute segment/class we have and also take them back to their classroom. Here's some my supervising teacher's feedback which most I already know and need to consistently practice:

Always set expections. (I thought I already do but I suppose she needs to notice it more)


 * Teacher sets the tone. (Use CHAMPS Beh System)
 * Teach Over-Correction
 * Be firm, classroom management needs improvement.

I need to learn how to be firm which is a real challenge because I have a naturally caring personality and it's a challenge when students don't really see me as a teacher but know that I'm just an intern. They know I'm not their real teacher. I recognize that no one comes into the teaching profession knowing exactly how to do everything.


 * Tues. Sept. 21, 2010**

I wrote my first set of weekly lesson plans following exactly Bonneville Elementary's lesson plan formats. This is a challenge because I have to get into the server and make sure that our lesson plans are aligned with what the regular ed teachers are doing.

Today, I also got the chance to attend my very first school Open House. According to my supervising teacher, we've never had so many parents show up! The Cafeteria was absolutely overflowing with people. Each teacher had a nice powerpoint presentation about their class complete with handouts on how to specifically get on the Reading and Math websites so that parents and students can access all curriculum materials. My S.T. and I walked around and visited all the classrooms across grades we service each day. We met many parents which is great.

Boy, what a tough day though with it's challenges. I had an impromptu observation from the principal first thing in the morning with our Kinders without my supervising teacher. I hope she doesn't see me unfit to be a teacher as I tried my best to teach this tough bunch.

Later in the afternoon, one 1st grader (who's been held back 1 yr) was crying loudly and profusely, would not walk with our class as I picked them up from his class. He was having a bad day. He cried so loud other teachers came out of their classroom to check out what's happening. I tried to hold his hand to guide him to walk but he wouldn't. And I couldn't drag him to class. We had to call the Behavior Mgmt Specialist at school so I can get on with my class.


 * It's a hard realization to know that I teach some of the toughest groups of kids in the school.**


 * Thurs. Sept. 23, 2010**

I'm having a real hard time with our morning Kinder students. I'm not sure why they don't listen to me. Perhaps they know that I'm not their real teacher. I pick up 2 different group of students from different Kinder classrooms and my difficulty is having them line up and walk properly. Even with much prompting to line up, wait for everyone, and walk nicely, they would try to run down the hallway. I feel embarrassed when other teachers see me with 6 kindergartners that I'm unable to chase after. This class also struggles with following simple 2 step directions. The kids seem to not be in the present. You see them physically but you can tell that their minds are completely somewhere else. It's so exhausting to prompt them every single minute of the 30 minutes we're together. I'll keep looking for ways to re-direct them.

My supervising teacher and I also have been helping our 2nd Kinder class with their Center Time because their regular teacher is overwhelmed with running the class. Staying there cuts into our Planning Time but we stay each day anyway.

My 3rd grade morning class is another tough one. There is a very verbal student with autism who speaks uncontrollably throughout class time. A couple of our students there are not ESE but are just below readers so we service them as well because of Response to Intervention model.


 * Fri. Sept. 24, 2010**

Wow, I'm so proud of my Kindergartners today. This week, as I labored and thought of ways to make them listen to me and line up and walk nicely, I thought that perhaps, I should **bring my reinforcement** (bag of colorful Trix) with me to motivate them in the proper walking and lining up behavior. I also made a very good move by **asking for their teacher's help**. I spoke with both kindergartner teachers and they **firmly set the procedures WITH consequences** that will happen if those procedures are not followed. We transitioned so smoothly with lots of reinforcement and specific praise. It was almost like a miracle. And for the first time in 4 wks, I was proud that the other teachers who always seem to be walking towards us, **saw that the kindergartners were walking nicely in a line for once!**

First thing this morning, I went to see the 2nd and 3rd grade teachers to ask how our students we pull or push in did in their test. The 3rd graders did great, however, the 2nd graders need more intervention.

In Math, the main Reg Ed teacher was absent so my supervising teacher and I had to conduct the lesson for that day. Thankfully, the Reg Ed teacher prepared us in advanced.

At the end of the day, my supervising teacher and I both sat down and **prepared the lesson plans** for next week. Two heads is always better than one! Eventhough I stayed until 7pm on a Friday night, I'm so glad that I ended the week on a **positive note!**