MyReflections

__Summative Assessment II A- __



February 15, 2009

Reflecting on Domain 1a- Demonstrating Knowledge of Content and Pedagogy I feel a little un sure of myself. As a second year teacher I don't know that I could say I have extensive knowledge of the content and structure of the discipline. Doesn't that come with years of teaching? or Does it? How will I know I have gotten to the point of extensive? I work on increasing my knowledge of content by thinking about what students might need to know before I teach them a new concept. During my math lesson on multiplication tables of 2, 5 and 10 I would have to review counting by 2's, 5's and 10's to help students make an easy transition into the times tables. I do find myself daily critiquing my instruction, adjusting it whenever I get the sense that even three students have not understood the instructions. I'm trying to remember a specific moment today where I caught myself adjusting a lesson in my mind after making a quick assessesment on where the students were I thought it would be a good move. I wish I could remember what that was.Hmm!!!

In Domain 1b- Demonstraing Knowledge of Students, I think I definitely need to work on actively seeking knowledge of students' backgrounds, cultures, skills, interests and special needs from a variety of sources. I remember planning in my mind an activity where I could learn a little more about my students interests by doing a survey on what kinds of books they enjoy reading but I never really thoroughly went through the process. Instead I just asked for a show of hands based on the kinds of books I knew were already available in the class library. When students shared other options I never made it my mission to ensure that all the suggested choices became a part of our library. I know this is terrible. I should make it one of my goals for next year. I think I have learned students cultures and backgrounds over time but I didn't take the time to plan it so it is part of my curriculum.

February 16, 17 & 18 When students come to class after break they read for 10 to 15 minutes quietly at their tables. I noticed some students spending most of their time out of their seats picking a book after every 2 minutes. I wasn't pleased with the way some students were using their reading time and decided I had to come up with a different plan. If I remember correctly I was reading an educational leadership magazine and an article in there talked about having students picking their reading books on the first day of the week. I was so happy to read this and thought I should make a book box or magazine holder for each students to place their reads for the week. This will eliminate out of seat time and increase their reading time. I have already tracked down some magazine holders for each student and will begin this the following week.  This week it also became very obvious to me that students were having a hard time sitting and listening to the explanations to each center. I felt that since it is only one day that I take to make sure students will know what to do and be able to work independently I should take the time to go through the centers explicitly. But I am starting to question if there might be a better way to do this.

My students have been doing much better during centers. They have reduced the number of times they interrupt me while I am working with students on guided reading or writing. I would like to know if it is possible to get students to stop interrupting my conferencing and guided instruction time completely.

This week seemed to overflow with students telling on eachother and I usually am able to contain a trickle of complaints. The floods were harder to manage and I felt lost for strategies.

Another realization I had this week was to think up a better tracking system for completion of assignments during learning centers. At the moment I am using a folder with a list of all the centers which students check off when they are done. I then look at it on Tuesday to see which students need to finish which centers. Since Wednesdays is our finish up day I have students names under the name of the center on the white board. When they finish their work they erase their names off the board. It works sometimes and then it doesn't. Is the system a bad one or is it just a matter of being consistent with it. The other option I thought of would be to have a folder where students could place all their finished work.

February 21

I came across an article titled, Deepening the Meaning of Heritage Months by Deborah J. Menkart, which talked about having a heritage day or cultural traditions day to help students become aware of their own cultures and get rid of stereotypes of other cultures. It would be a good way for students and staff to learn about and appreciate cultures within the school community. I think I might just organize a Heritage day for my class and invite parents to attend. Maybe if that works out well we could do a school wide one. As a teacher I think it would enrich my planning, instruction and students learning experience in turn.

March 6, 2009 __// Summative Assessment IIB //__

March 17, 2009 __//Summative Assessment IIC//__ April 5, 2009

__//Professional Portfolio//__

Go to Domain 4 and see elements within each component that have astericks.