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1. How did you spend your time this week? What responsibilities did you have?
This was a partial week, intended for setting up the classroom prior to the actual start of
school this coming week. Based on this, I did not have a lot of responsibilities, but I did help my
mentor teacher to set up a lot of her classroom. I hung a lot of posters, wrote out nametags for
various aspects of the classroom, and accomplished any other tasks my mentor teacher asked me
to (such as cutting, laminating, printing, etc.). On Thursday, I had the pleasure of attending the
West Des Moines Community Schools Welcome Back to School event. It was very cool to hear
from school board members as well as current high school students about their visions for the
school year and what they were looking forward to for the year. There was also a flashmob done
to a teacher version of One Day More that was particularly exciting. Later on Thursday was
Back to School Night so I got to meet almost all of the students as well as their parents. It was
very exciting, as well as slightly intimidating, to meet all of the students and parents but it
definitely made me excited for the remainder of my time in the classroom! The only other unique
part of this week was the fact that there was a staff meeting on Friday so that I was able to be
introduced and meet most of the staff that I had not met already. All in all, the meeting was not
particularly informative for me but it was cool to see how the new principal of the school
welcomed everyone back and addressed the concerns that they had for the rest of the school year.
2. What were your most satisfying experiences? What were your most challenging
experiences?
The most satisfying experience that I had this week was definitely having the chance to
meet all of the students that I had the chance to and to see how my mentor teacher interacts with
the students, both past and present. There were so many students that my mentor teacher has had
previously who came to visit her and talk with her. She had a great relationship with all of them
and I can tell that the students really look up to her. However, this experience was also my most
challenging for the week. I was not entirely sure how involved I was supposed to be in Back to
School night or how upfront and aggressive I needed to be in regards to introducing myself
and talking with the students and parents. I definitely know that as the classroom teacher I would
need to initiate the conversations, but as the student teacher I did not really know what my role
ought to be. I know that I will not have something that I need to really learn from this
experience, considering that I will never be in this same position again, but I do know that this
was a real challenge for me and Ill need to overcome my intimidation moving forward.
3. What are the plans for the upcoming week?
Since this upcoming week is the first week of school, there arent too many super solid
plans for the week. The first few days of the week will be mostly filled with introductory
material, both introducing the students to each other as well as reintroducing basic subject
matter. Starting on Thursday, the three fifth grade classrooms will begin to switch
teachers/classes for three subject areas (writing, history, and science). Im sure those first few
days of switching classes will be a bit confusing for the students, this will be the first time they
will experience it at school, but I think it is important for them to have the experience as well.
beforehand. I also prepared the Writing Process lessons that will begin to be taught next week. A
couple days this week, my mentor teacher also asked me to teach a couple of the writing lessons.
These were also lessons that I did not prepare for ahead of time, I didnt know about them until
about 10 minutes before, but I did my best. My teacher also had me pick up and drop off the
students at almost every special class this week, minus a few.
2. What were your most satisfying experiences? What were your most challenging
experiences?
The most satisfying experience that I had this week was the reception that I received from
the students when I did teach lessons. They did a lot better listening than I expected, based on the
fact that I am the student teacher, and some of the students even told me that they thought I
would be a good teacher (something I did not expect to hear, particularly not this early in my
student teaching experience). The most challenging experience that I had this week was in
regards to teaching some of my mentor teachers lessons. There were several times when she
actually interrupted me to input some of her own opinions which I wasnt sure how to react to.
3. What are the plans for the upcoming week?
For this upcoming week, we really havent discussed how much I will be teaching. I know that I
am teaching the lessons regarding the writing process, but I dont know exactly when that will
start. I also will continue to teach the reading mini lessons this week. With the week being
shorter than normal, Im not sure exactly what will be happening, but I hope that Ill be able to
teach even more lessons this week.
Week: 4 (September 8 - 11)
1. How did you spend your time this week? What responsibilities did you have?
This week, I continued to teach the reading mini-lessons as well as prepared Fridays
writing lesson entirely on my own (rather than simply teaching what my teacher had already
done). A couple times this week, I also took over the writing lesson that my teacher had given
previously. I also tested every student in the class based on the San Diego Reading Assessment (I
believe thats the name) in order to help determine their current reading level.
2. What were your most satisfying experiences? What were your most challenging
experiences?
The most satisfying experience that I had this week was also the most challenging
experience that I had this week. I have been trying to help my teacher to work with one of the
girls in the class named Rachel. Rachel is extremely smart but also rather lazy and with no
concept of social skills. Dealing with her in the classroom has been a real challenge because
there isnt enough time in the day to focus on just one child. However, that was really my focus
this past week. On Friday, I worked with her one-on-one with her math assignment and had to
talk her down from crying and getting upset multiple times. Talking calmly with her seemed to
work wonders, but it was certainly a test on my patience. However, later in the day, I was talking
with some other girls in the class when they noticed Rachel hiding behind some bushes nearby.
They were a little weirded out but I explained that Rachel was probably trying to see if they
wanted to play with her. One of the girls, Natalie, walked over to where Rachel was and asked if
she wanted to play. Rachel immediately jumped up and shouted YES! with the biggest smile
on her face. Seeing that smile made everything that I had done this week seem worth it and I feel
ready to continue to work with Rachel.
3. What are the plans for the upcoming week?
For this upcoming week, I will continue to teach the mini reading lessons. I am also
teaching all three class periods of writing for the entire week. As I will start full-time teaching
next week, I am not sure if I will start math as well this week or not, but it is possible that I will
teach one or two of the math lessons at the end of this week.
Week: 5 (September 14 18)
1. How did you spend your time this week? What responsibilities did you have?
This week, I continued to teach the reading mini-lessons as well as began teaching all of
the writing classes. I taught the new vocabulary words (Word Work) as well as gave the spelling
tests. I had various grading to do throughout the week. I also prepared all of the Friday Folders
for the students which contained work they had done during the past week as well as an
evaluation of how their week had gone. I was also in charge of selecting the options for the next
read-aloud and led the vote for determining the final book. I then began doing the read-aloud
itself the next day.
2. What were your most satisfying experiences? What were your most challenging
experiences?
The most satisfying experience that I had this week was the response that the students
had to the books that I had selected for the read-aloud. I brought several books that I had really
enjoyed reading as a student, either around their age or when I was a little bit older, and the
students got really into the selections that I brought. I had not expected such a response,
considering that the students seem to tune out the read-alouds for the most part. I also had the
students listening attentively every time I read, something I honestly had not been expecting.
The most challenging experience that I had this week was in regards to the same child
who rolled in dog poop a few weeks back. This week, we learned that he had not taken his
medication in about a week. On Wednesday, it became very obvious that he had not taken his
medication and he just slowly continued to build up to a freak out until he exploded. Throughout
the day, he was chewing on various things (paper, pens, his chair, etc.) which was a sign that his
medication was either wearing off or he hadnt taken it at all. Finally, when I was teaching the
writing lesson, he started freaking out (for lack of a better term) and was unable to focus or write
anything at all. My teacher took him out into the hall to take him to the counselor. She told me
later that he started shaking his head violently and mumbling to himself. While walking there, I
guess he also started scratching the wall and eat pieces of his shorts. To be honest, Im still not
entirely sure what happened or if there was anything I, or my teacher, could have done
differently. But it was an all-around trying experience.
3. What are the plans for the upcoming week?
For this upcoming week, I will slowly take on full-time teaching. My teacher is only just
now ready to start math and reading groups so she will be explaining how to do those and then I
will begin leading the class. On Monday, we have a staff development day so I will be in the
meetings for that as well.
Week: 6 (September 21 25)
1. How did you spend your time this week? What responsibilities did you have?
This week, I attended a staff development day in which the first half of the day was spent
with the 5th grade PLC and the second half was spent learning how to implement the new science
curriculum/lessons. I also continued to teach all of the writing lessons for the rest of the week as
well as did the read alouds and mini-reading lessons for the week. I also was able to spend some
time with some of the reading and math small groups, which was a little bit of a challenge
considering that this was the first week that the small groups were implemented so the students,
and I, needed to learn how they were going to work.
2. What were your most satisfying experiences? What were your most challenging
experiences?
The most satisfying experience that I had this week was more of a feeling than a
particular experience. Throughout this week, I just ended up feeling as though I really was a
teacher. From teaching to the PLCs to my mock interview with the principal, I just ended up
feeling as though I can actually do this.
The most challenging experience that I had this week was just realizing how difficult it
can be to keep three different classes, when they have various amounts of time per class, to stay
approximately at the same point in a writing lesson. Not that I think it is imperative to have all of
the classes at the exact same point, but it can be really challenging to figure out what can actually
be cut from lessons in order to make a lesson cohesive and complete in half as much time as the
previous lesson. Theoretically, each lesson should become progressively better but the time just
really seemed to get in my way this week.
3. What are the plans for the upcoming week?
For this upcoming week, I will actually be teaching full-time! I will be in charge of
everything, including math finally. Since Ill be teaching everything, there really isnt much else
to say about the plans themselves.
graders I worked with ever were. The students in my new class were also way more excited
about learning, although I havent yet determined if that is a cultural or an age thing. I also had
the pleasure of working with a Year Four (2nd grade) class for about an hour. I have already
fallen in love with all of the students in both of these classes.
The most challenging experience that I had this week was simply trying to get a handle
on understanding the differences between Northern Ireland and America. One of the things that
first threw me was the fact that my mentor teacher had separated out the tables the students sit at
by ability group, and every single child definitely knew that this was the case. Then, when we
were preparing to move outside the room, the girls had to stand in one line and the boys in
another. Finally, the fact that the school day has some parts that are extremely openly Christian
(example: praying before lunch) really surprised me. I am sure that by the end of my time here,
these will seem fairly common place, but it was a little bit of a shock to me this week. The
transition between places was obviously quite challenging but then the transition between ages
simply compounded on those challenges.
3. What are the plans for the upcoming week?
For this upcoming week, I will be in the classroom Tuesday Thursday but I will still be in the
observation phase. I will not be teaching a lesson for a couple more weeks still, something that I
think is actually good to hold off on for now.
Belfast Week: 2 (October 19 23)
1. How did you spend your time this week? What responsibilities did you have?
On Monday, I attended a class regarding difference in the classroom. Tuesday through
Thursday, I was actually in my classroom and helping my mentor teacher out as much as
possible. On Thursday, the classroom assistant was sick so I was able to be more involved in the
classroom than I had been previously. I spent a lot of time this week working with the lowest
ability group, the Hedgehogs, as well. On Friday, we had another class which was extremely
useful because we talked about how to lesson plan for Northern Ireland.
2. What were your most satisfying experiences? What were your most challenging
experiences?
The most satisfying experience that I had this week was the connection that I was able to
make with the new Slovakian student, David. David came to the country about two weeks ago
now, so he does not speak any English whatsoever. Working with him has been a challenge, but
this week he started using some English words (such as I want) and responding to positive
feedback. I received lots of smiles as he was able to write several sounds (letters) correctly, even
though he didnt necessarily know what the meaning of those sounds were.
The most challenging experience that I had this week was in regards to the fact that we
were not able to attend the parent interviews (parent-teacher conferences) that were happening
this week. I needed to stay at the school until 4 even though the students were done at 1:45.
Therefore, I had to find somewhere else to go for 2 hours and I did not get to experience
conferences, either in Ireland or in the States. So that is a little bit stressful for me because I have
not seen how conferences actually work which means I will not have experience in this area
before actually becoming a teacher.
3. What are the plans for the upcoming week?
For this upcoming week, I will actually be in Italy. However, the following week, I will be
teaching a reading lesson each day of the week.
Belfast Week: 3 (October 26 30)
1. How did you spend your time this week? What responsibilities did you have?
On Monday, I visited Venice and traveled to Florence. On Tuesday, I visited Florence
and got some great views of the city. On Wednesday, I traveled to Rome and walked around to
many of the biggest tourist attractions. On Thursday, I spent most of the day in Vatican City
and then walked around Rome some more to get a few night pictures. On Friday, I traveled to
Naples and then spent the day in Pompeii.
2. What were your most satisfying experiences? What were your most challenging
experiences?
The most satisfying experience that I had this week was simply the opportunity to travel
around Italy and experience an entirely different culture. I had to work on my abilities to
communicate with people who do not have the same language as me, which truly was a
challenge. But, by the end, I felt like I was generally able to get my meaning across fairly
quickly (considering the fact that I didnt know any Italian) using hand gestures and several
words that are at least similar or known in various countries. I also loved being able to
experience the history of Italy, particularly that of Rome. I think teaching World History
(something I am sure I will have to teach at some point) will be greatly enhanced by my firsthand
knowledge of several of the places that are taught about. I remember learning about the Coliseum
when I was in elementary school and now I have actually been there! I think that that can show
students that they can truly apply what they have learned in school to their real life. It also gives
me the opportunity to share my pictures and personal experiences with my students, which will
provide me the ability to make better connections with my future students.
The most challenging experience that I had this week was dealing with one of my travel
companions, a 19 year old from Hong Kong who I just met about a week before we left for Italy.
Although I wont go into too much detail, lets just say it was truly a struggle to continue to be
polite as I continued to get more and more annoyed with him as the week went on. However, I
think this was a truly beneficial experience for me because I know that there are students that I
am going to have to deal with that I may not always get along with. I realized that it is possible
for me to wake up each day and not hold whatever happened the day before against a person (a
little bit more challenging when spending every hour of every day with a person but definitely
still possible). I have realized that I will be able to keep my mind clear (as far as I know) and to
treat each of my students with the respect and understanding that they deserve, no matter the
circumstances that have brought them into my classroom.
that actually is on Tuesday), and helping students to sequence Cinderella on Thursday. I will
also have my first Stranmillis observation on Thursday.