Week Sixteen

Wow, I can’t believe how far I have come already in student teaching. This week was very different from any other week so far at Carl Sandburg. I taught a full day on Monday and I was able to start a new unit on Life cycles for my science classes. My teacher brought us in fertilized eggs to take care of. I have never seen our students so excited. On Tuesday and Wednesday, the school had Plan test and the ACT testing. Since our students take the IAA, our students did not have to come to school on Wednesday. On Tuesday we met in the “Little Theater” and put on a movie for the students. While they were watching the movie, I would pull them out to test them on what they wanted to do with their futures. It was a test on what interests them. Also during this time, I was able to complete an IEP on my own, on the program Easy IEP. My teacher then looked over it and I will be presenting it on May 4^th.

On Wednesday, all the special education teachers met at Andrew high school to discuss the curriculum for the next school year. I was able to see this process for Science, between my cooperating teacher, a teacher from Stagg and the last from Andrew. This group completes the district for the special education teachers that teach a science class. They pulled up a layout and made sure that all of their objectives lined up with the state standards. I was able to be their scribe on the computer and to take part in this process.

On Thursday we took a Field Trip to the “Children’s Farm,” in Orland Park. We took this field trip to see the plant and animal life cycle in process. When we got there, we were given a hay ride and then we warmed up by the camp fire and ate s'mores. After that we were taken around the farm to look at plants in the farm’s gardens and to see the animals. The students were able to go into the barn and touch and feed a variety of animals. They were able to see chicks, ducklings and baby rabbits. It was great being in the outdoors with my students and to interact with them, other than in the classroom.

Next week is my last week of full time teaching. On Wednesday, I will be going into Elim to observe a classroom and to see if I want to take the offer of teaching there. It will only be part time but I think it will be a great step to my future as a special educator.

Week Fifteen: Carl Sandburg

I just completed my fifteenth week in my student teaching clinical. At the moment I am having the bitter-sweet feeling of almost completely my four years at Trinity Christian College. One thing that really hit me this week is that I could be teaching on my own in a matter of months. My teacher gave me many different responsibilities this week and there were some days I felt like it was too much to handle. What always calms me down is that I was put into a placement that was already half way done with its school year so certain things are out of my control and I wasn’t able to be there for the beginning of the experiences.

My teacher is allowing me to write an IEP on one of my students and to be the speaker for the meeting on May 4, 2012. I am excited my teacher trusts me with something this important and that I will be able to get more experience with not only IEP’s themselves but also the program, “Easy IEP.” One thing that I am concerned with is finding the time to complete all that needs to be done. As much as I want the experience with the IEP and that one day it will be a big part of my career, I know that when I am teaching that I will have more time just to focus on my IEP’s. At this point in my college career I am winding down to the last assignments in my classes and finding it to be a challenge in order to complete it all. I just wished I could have worked on the IEP earlier so that I could focus on rather large projects on top of my planning for student teaching. I am feeling very overwhelmed at the moment but if I can make it through these last two weeks I believe I can handle any type of work or deadline as a professional.

This week, I was able to create my own assessments for many of my classes. In my instructional science I was able to take what we learned from our textbook (on level for high school) and adapt it for my students in order for them to succeed. I also found ways in order to help my students study. Instead of just living my students a study guide for them to study off of, I created a matching worksheet with all the key terms that they are expected to know on the test. Once they completed this independently (were able to use their books or notes) I explained to them that they would be able to use it on the test. I was able to see how my students learned and how they reacted to my test. It was great creating this type of assessment because I was given direct feedback from my students as well as their grades and scores.

Also this week we were given the opportunity to go to Sandburg’s art show. This was such a great experience because three of my students had art work in the show. Carl Sandburg is a very large school so it was a very special honor for a student’s work to be chosen in the show and then sent into different shows in Illinois to be graded. It was wonderful to see my student’s art and figure out what their thought process might have been or what motivated them. I was very proud of them and took all my students to go see the show to help support their peer. I loved the fact that both general and special education were in the show together and that both are capable of creating something so beautiful.

Schmidt Chapter Seven: Community in the Classroom

I love the idea that Schmidt relays on “Community in the Classroom.”  While reading chapter seven it explains ways to have community based learning in our classrooms. The author gives us eight ways in which community based learning has to offer our students. They are: Community-based projects put kids in the drivers seat, Community-based projects are academically and socially rigorous, Community-based learning requires different ways of knowing, Community-based learning is active, Teaching and learning are shared, Life and learning are fused, Student work has meaning in the world beyond, and Projects take on a life of their own. By having my students partake in community based learning they can take what they are learning in the classroom and infuse it into their everyday life. By having my students be part of the community it will create meaning in their learning that what they are doing is not only for the classroom but for what are outside the walls as well. This type of project also allows for students to be independent. “Our students will be co-teaching the curriculum as it evolves. With a bit of guidance, students organize themselves to work groups with a clear purpose, creating a pool of talent and drive.” (Schmidt, 142).

Being in Special Education, there are many opportunities for me to use Community-based learning. I am currently student teaching at Carl Sandburg high school in a multi-needs classroom. During my third hour I am teaching a class called “Daily Living Skills.” In this class we take the time to help our students to become citizens in the community and how we should act socially appropriate. Every Monday, the students and I decide on a recipe that we would like to make as a class. We also have a unit that we work on every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. The unit we are currently working on is “How to run a household.” My students are learning how to cook, clean, handle money and to learn to live independently. Every Tuesday we create a grocery list and walk over to Jewel to pick up our supplies. Each student (with guidance if needed) will go off independently in source for their specific items. They have learned to look at the aisle signs or who to ask when they are having trouble find a certain food or supply.

Also during my sixth hour, I am teaching a vocational class. In this class we learn how to be good employees. They will do work around the classroom and school in order to work for “Sandburg dollars” that they can use to buy things from me (candy, chips, homework pass, movie day, ECT). After they finish working they then have to fill out a time sheet and have me sign it. This type of class prepares my students for when they have to hold a job outside school. Many of our students are then chosen to work through Sandburg at places around Sandburg like a bakery down the street or even at Palos Hospital. This type of learning helps my students to use what they are learning in school to their real life. Without this class many of our students would struggle in how to handle a job in the correct way.

Week Fourteen: Carl Sandburg

There are always many things that happen while student teaching. During this week, I video tapped myself teaching. There are many things I realized about my students, classroom and about my teaching by looking back at these videos. The room that I teach in is almost like the “head quarters” for the special education department. Both teachers and assistance will come in our room during the breaks and lunches.

Because of this there are so many distractions in our room that I sometimes over looked. In my first hour class there were seven aides in the back of the classroom talking and doing things on the computer. I also have trouble with one student on keeping his attention and now I can truly see why. With so much talking and movement its no wonder my students have a hard time paying attention to what I am teaching. I noticed the same thing during my third hour class. We were doing a cooking lesson and I had other aides walking through the video and doing things in the kitchen. This experience has showed me how to be flexible and how to lead my class even though there are things around me that I can’t control (It is not my place as a student teacher to change the situation of my classroom). What I learned is to more my class to a set part of the room while I am teaching or to do things that others will take notice on how the students need it quieter for them to learn. I have been teaching many things with Active Inspire that calls for the nights to be off or for students to be reading or interacting with the white board. By doing more interactive lessons, it proves to keep the learning in focus.

Week Thirteen: Carl Sandburg

There are many things that happened this week during my student teaching at Carl Sandburg High School. For the past year I have kept all my documents and lessons on my HP flash drive. On Monday, I left my flash drive in the computer and it was broken by one of my students. I lost everything I have done in my senior year including the week’s lessons, assessments, flipcharts and power points.

There were some positives from this experience. I learned how to literally think on my feet in putting together my week with my students. I am so happy that I had planned ahead to know what I expected and what I wanted to teach to my students. 

This also happened to be the week that I was being observed. Since I felt like I was constantly going, I completely forgot that she was coming in so she was able to see me off guard which ended up being a great thing. Professor Powell was able to see how I will be a teacher on a daily basis because there are going to be days where I don’t have much time to put into planning.

This week I was able to do record many videos of myself teaching. I think this is the best learning experience for me. It makes a huge difference when I watch myself to see both my positives and negatives. I noticed that in one lesson that I felt like I didn’t talk at my students level and that I had to raise or lower that in some areas. As for a positive I was happy to see how comfortable I look teaching my classes.  In Standard 10 it states that “The competent teacher is a reflective practitioner who continually evaluates how choices and actions affect students, parents, and other professionals in the learning community and actively seeks opportunities to grow professionally.” I have shown this my reflections on my lessons and how I would change or keep parts of it the same. I know that by watching the videos and even just reflecting on previous lessons that it will help me to grow professionally and be the teacher my student’s deserve.

This placement has shown me how I truly want to be a special education teacher. I have heard from other majors on how they are unsure of if this is what they can do for the rest of their life but I think I could be happy waking up everyday working with students like I have at Sandburg. I cannot wait to graduate and be a full time teacher with incredible staff, aides and students.

Week Twelve: Social Justice

“A general definition is Social justice is the view that everyone deserves equal economic, political and social rights and opportunities.” This is so important to be aware of in the classroom. Everyone deserves to be treated fairly no matter what their ability or disability might be. As a teacher I am the leader who implements who the classroom will run and the flow of things. I need to be a role model for my class and show them how to treat each other. There are going to be days that are going to be harder than others but I need to make sure that each day I come with an open mind and a clean slate for each student.

Being in my student teaching placement, observing and doing novice teaching has really shown my how diverse my students might be in my future classroom. I need to recognize and understand my student’s backgrounds to better under my student’s as a person. In Standard two it states that the “The competent teacher understands how individuals grow, develop, and learn and provides learning opportunities that support the intellectual, social, and personal development of all students.” As their teacher I will be my student’s mentor and support system to help them to grow, develop, and to provide learning opportunities that every child can learn from.

Week Eleven: Carl Sandburg

I found this week at Carl Sandburg to be the most difficult. I have now taken over all the classes from my cooperating teacher. What was the most difficult was not the class load but my student’s behaviors. I think many of my students were showing their “other side” because of how close we were to spring break and they needed that week to defuse. On Monday, I had one of my most behaved students lose it because I started a unit on in Daily Living class on how to run a household. My student has a fear of growing older and he was outraged that he had to create a budget for how to live on your own and how to find an apartment. I lost him in the first five minutes of class. I took what I learned in Education classes that instead of feeding into the behavior, I should give him a choice in what he wants to do. I told him that he could finish the budget that we were working on, read through a “house and design magazine” or to lose his lunch and to work with me then. This way I am still having my student pick a choice that keeps them working but they have a say in the matter as well. Lucky for me he decided to do this when I was being observed so Professor Powell was not only able to see my lesson but my behavior management as well.

On Thursday I had another behavior problem during my functional science class. I have a student who will work hard until it comes to reading longer than a paragraph and he does not like to write at all. I try to call on him to read the shorter paragraphs or to keep the writing to small amounts but this day in particular was our test over our unit on Plants. He was allowed to use his study guide on both the vocabulary section as well as the multiple choice (I thought the multiple choice offered a better alternative than writing short answers). He ended up ripping up every copy I gave him and started breaking all his pencils. On top of that he was name calling and saying many things about me since I was making him take his test. I am glad that I was taught to stay cool and relaxed during this episode. I made sure to explain each of my reasons like “If you rip this paper up, I can always print you a new one,” so that he understands that by tearing it isn’t and will never get him out of doing a test. I also made a point to give him my pen since he wasn’t ready to use his pencils yet. Once he realized this wasn’t working he decided to throw his desk. At this point I realized that me talking me through the situation wasn’t making it better so I looked in my student’s folder on what was done in the past and I called one of our school cops to come and have a talk with my student. Once our officer talked to my student I was able to talk him into taking his test again. It was a long class period but I was happy to know that I stood my ground and showed that I wouldn’t waver from what I said.

I experienced the same issues with two other students on Friday. My teacher left school early and I was in charge of my class for only sixth period and then at our school assembly. I asked my aide to watch two of my students as I rounded up the rest of my class to make sure everyone was accounted for. When I came back I saw my aide in tears explaining how the students treated her and would not listen to her. My students decided they didn’t want to sit with our class (which is a rule at assemblies) and sit in the highest point in the bleacher. She was able to coax one student back down but I saw my second student at the very top. I knew that if left her alone to sit up there that I could lose my chance for her to see me as a teacher and authority figure. I went to the top and made all the students stand up until I could get my student out from the middle of the group. Once I did this she came out straight away and came to sit with our class. Since they were so disrespectful to their aide who was in charge of them we decided to give them both a write up. It was my first time dealing with this type of behavior and I was able to meet with their deans on what would be the consequences. By looking at Standard 10, it states that “the competent teacher is a reflective practitioner who continually evaluates how choices and actions affect students, parents, and other professionals in the learning community and actively seeks opportunities to grow professionally. “ This was important for me to do because I want to make sure that I handle my students in the correct way that is both respectful to them and myself. I made sure to call my teacher after school to see what steps she would have taken and then relate them to back to what I did. This helped show me how I am growing professionally and how to handle myself (or make things better) in the future when similar situations arise.