Looking at school calendars, it's easy to assume that teachers (like students) have a remarkable number of days off. On this eve of President's Day, however, let me tell you - tomorrow will be no vacation day. Instead, I plan to spend it lesson planning. Currently I am working on both immediate lessons that I will teach this week (two days of math, a literature circle, and possibly a day of social studies), but also looking ahead to my unit plan for what is called our "two week takeover". During that time, we are expected to not only fully lead the class for two weeks, but also to teach a unit of our own design (more on this in another post). Whether adjusting a lesson that my mentor teacher has previously created, or coming up with them on my own, I am beginning to get into a more natural habit of focusing on objectives, assessment, and then activities. This "backward planning" is proving to be valuable in ways I did not initially imagine. In particular, this style of planning has really helped me to focus on the main goal of my lesson such that, when (inevitably) things do not go exactly according to my plan in class and time flies by too quickly, or I get off track temporarily, I can double back to the objective to make sure that at least that came across clearly. For example, I recently led a math lesson on quadrangles during which I easily could have gotten lost in the weeds discussing the vocabulary of each multi-sided figure. However, I had already established, with the help of my CM, that the most important takeaway for the students was that these shapes can appear in many different forms, but that they can be identified by the number of sides and angles that they have and named by their points. During the lesson, we had some fun playing with shapes and their names (rhombus, parallelogram, etc.), but I made sure to bring it back to these main takeaways such that the vocabulary was not the focus.
Another goal of this style of lesson planning is to avoid what I believe is a stereotypically elementary lesson style of "activity-based" learning. That is, "today we cut out snowflakes, because it's winter...oh and maybe they were also practicing symmetry." This is not to say that students shouldn't get to do fun activities to supplement their learning; however, it is essential that the objective drives the activity, not vice versa. I think I'm becoming better at this process, but gosh it sure takes a lot of time! I can't imagine what it is going to be like to plan for an entire year!
Sunday, February 14, 2016
Monday, February 8, 2016
Step 17: Roses, thorns, and buds
Although I have only been training as an elementary school teacher for a short amount of time, I have long been a fan of many of the group games and activities that many associate with the profession. Among my favorites, are "warm fuzzies" (yes, you really can spend time just saying nice things about people), and "roses, thorns, and buds." The latter is a version of "highs and lows" that I think positively provides space to reflect, but also to look forward to what is still to come. At the beginning of this week of student teaching and classes, I'm going to spend some time sharing with you the rose (highlight), thorn (low point), and bud (something I am looking forward to) on my mind.
Rose: I LOVE reading aloud to my kids. I think sharing a story is simultaneously a knowledge-building and community-building activity as well as just calming and fun for everyone. I plan to build a chapter book read-aloud into my classroom's schedule regularly, and I particularly like the idea of it as a way to re-group after lunch recess. In my current class, we do read-aloud once or twice a week, including before lunch on Mondays and my Classroom Mentor has been incredibly generous in handing this over to me! The 30 minutes that I get to spend with the book and the kids is frequently a highlight for me, and today was no different! My students today got particularly excited about making predictions about the story and the direction it was heading.
Thorn: I made a mistake today, and worst of all, rather than just making me look stupid (acceptable, sometimes), it actually made one of my students feel incompetent (NEVER acceptable). What happened was, I planned a number talk for my third graders that began with two, multi-digit addition problems as we have been doing for the past few number talks. The students have been really impressing me with the strategies they share as well as the way that they listen to and build off of their classmates' strategies, and I thought that it might be time to throw in a subtraction problem. I did this, however, without floating the idea by my Classroom Mentor (the "real" teacher in the room), who knows the kids' grasp of subtraction much better than I do. The question did not completely flop - in fact, several students articulated great strategies for solving a subtraction question in their heads; however, I found myself unprepared for clarifying a complete misunderstanding of one student. As I tried, and sought other students' support in helping her out, the whole thing stretched far too long. In the end I needed to wrap it up without this student "getting it". I tried to avoid leaving her with a feeling of hopelessness by saying that we would work more on it and that she would share her solution next time; however I hate that she had to feel under the spotlight for being "wrong", and that the whole lesson dragged on so long that the other students, who were previously engaged, completely lost interest. I believe this flop today demonstrates to me the need to not only plan thoughtfully and carefully, but also to manage time well, too.
Bud: My school has Friday, as well as Monday, off for their "mid-winter break" this weekend, so this Thursday will be our class' Valentines Day celebration. Not only does this mean that I get to try my hand at a pink and red recipe, or two, but best of all IT'S PAJAMA DAY!!!!! I have not had one of these for years, and am so excited I even ordered myself a new pair of PJ's for the occasion! From group bonding games to snacks, crafts, and celebrations, I LOVE elementary school and keep finding many reasons that confirm my choice to pursue this career!
Rose: I LOVE reading aloud to my kids. I think sharing a story is simultaneously a knowledge-building and community-building activity as well as just calming and fun for everyone. I plan to build a chapter book read-aloud into my classroom's schedule regularly, and I particularly like the idea of it as a way to re-group after lunch recess. In my current class, we do read-aloud once or twice a week, including before lunch on Mondays and my Classroom Mentor has been incredibly generous in handing this over to me! The 30 minutes that I get to spend with the book and the kids is frequently a highlight for me, and today was no different! My students today got particularly excited about making predictions about the story and the direction it was heading.
Thorn: I made a mistake today, and worst of all, rather than just making me look stupid (acceptable, sometimes), it actually made one of my students feel incompetent (NEVER acceptable). What happened was, I planned a number talk for my third graders that began with two, multi-digit addition problems as we have been doing for the past few number talks. The students have been really impressing me with the strategies they share as well as the way that they listen to and build off of their classmates' strategies, and I thought that it might be time to throw in a subtraction problem. I did this, however, without floating the idea by my Classroom Mentor (the "real" teacher in the room), who knows the kids' grasp of subtraction much better than I do. The question did not completely flop - in fact, several students articulated great strategies for solving a subtraction question in their heads; however, I found myself unprepared for clarifying a complete misunderstanding of one student. As I tried, and sought other students' support in helping her out, the whole thing stretched far too long. In the end I needed to wrap it up without this student "getting it". I tried to avoid leaving her with a feeling of hopelessness by saying that we would work more on it and that she would share her solution next time; however I hate that she had to feel under the spotlight for being "wrong", and that the whole lesson dragged on so long that the other students, who were previously engaged, completely lost interest. I believe this flop today demonstrates to me the need to not only plan thoughtfully and carefully, but also to manage time well, too.
Bud: My school has Friday, as well as Monday, off for their "mid-winter break" this weekend, so this Thursday will be our class' Valentines Day celebration. Not only does this mean that I get to try my hand at a pink and red recipe, or two, but best of all IT'S PAJAMA DAY!!!!! I have not had one of these for years, and am so excited I even ordered myself a new pair of PJ's for the occasion! From group bonding games to snacks, crafts, and celebrations, I LOVE elementary school and keep finding many reasons that confirm my choice to pursue this career!
Sunday, January 31, 2016
Step 16: The hunt
The topic of job hunting has been at the forefront of my mind this week; so, since I assume you, too, hope to someday find a teaching job, I'll fill you in on the ways that I have been beginning to pursue next steps with help from the Teacher Education Program.
My plans for next year are somewhat complicated right now based on personal arrangements that will be up in the air for another month or so. That said, I am starting to feel the pressure to at least start to polish my resume, begin applications, and network like crazy! On Tuesday, a representative from the School District of Philadelphia (SDP) visited our cohort to present on their application process for new teachers. While my classmates have aspirations across the country, the majority hope to stay here in Philadelphia, and many plan to apply to the district. It was really helpful to put a face to one of the readers in an otherwise intimidating process, and it was encouraging to hear that the District desires to move up the hiring timeline to secure new teachers sooner than they have in the past. SDP operates through a process called "site selection," in which the District screens applications and creates a list of eligible candidates; hiring is then turned over to principals to fill their own schools' openings. From our end, this means that we first must be "approved" by the district, and then convince individual principals that they want us on their teams. In order to facilitate connections between principals and new teachers, the District will host a variety of networking events, the first of which took place on Thursday.
While I am excited about pursuing work in the district, this week I also attended a hiring event for independent schools across the country. I have been grappling for a while with how the idea of working for a private school fits into my larger goal of improving the quality of education available to ALL students, even those whose families cannot pay for it. This spring, I believe that the private school that I am student teaching in is the best place for me to develop my own skills, such that I might be the best teacher for my students in the future. After this year, however, I believe I will still have a lot of learning to do, so I think that I am open to working in any environment where I can be most successful as I work through the multitude of struggles faced by novice teachers. Anyhow, I digress. On Saturday, I had the opportunity to speak with school leaders about my own desires as well as training as a teacher. I was pleased to realize that the curriculum and methods that I have been exposed to in both my student teaching and Penn classes were extremely relevant to what they were looking for. From Lucy Caulkins' Readers' and Writers' Workshop, to Guided Reading and Everyday Math, I was able to describe my own experiences with the programs that they use, and set myself apart as a prepared applicant as a result!
While I still have a long way to go to finding a job, this week did give me confidence that the program is setting me up well for the search. And as a first (necessary) step, I'm happy to report that I passed my credentialing test on Friday, too!
My plans for next year are somewhat complicated right now based on personal arrangements that will be up in the air for another month or so. That said, I am starting to feel the pressure to at least start to polish my resume, begin applications, and network like crazy! On Tuesday, a representative from the School District of Philadelphia (SDP) visited our cohort to present on their application process for new teachers. While my classmates have aspirations across the country, the majority hope to stay here in Philadelphia, and many plan to apply to the district. It was really helpful to put a face to one of the readers in an otherwise intimidating process, and it was encouraging to hear that the District desires to move up the hiring timeline to secure new teachers sooner than they have in the past. SDP operates through a process called "site selection," in which the District screens applications and creates a list of eligible candidates; hiring is then turned over to principals to fill their own schools' openings. From our end, this means that we first must be "approved" by the district, and then convince individual principals that they want us on their teams. In order to facilitate connections between principals and new teachers, the District will host a variety of networking events, the first of which took place on Thursday.
While I am excited about pursuing work in the district, this week I also attended a hiring event for independent schools across the country. I have been grappling for a while with how the idea of working for a private school fits into my larger goal of improving the quality of education available to ALL students, even those whose families cannot pay for it. This spring, I believe that the private school that I am student teaching in is the best place for me to develop my own skills, such that I might be the best teacher for my students in the future. After this year, however, I believe I will still have a lot of learning to do, so I think that I am open to working in any environment where I can be most successful as I work through the multitude of struggles faced by novice teachers. Anyhow, I digress. On Saturday, I had the opportunity to speak with school leaders about my own desires as well as training as a teacher. I was pleased to realize that the curriculum and methods that I have been exposed to in both my student teaching and Penn classes were extremely relevant to what they were looking for. From Lucy Caulkins' Readers' and Writers' Workshop, to Guided Reading and Everyday Math, I was able to describe my own experiences with the programs that they use, and set myself apart as a prepared applicant as a result!
While I still have a long way to go to finding a job, this week did give me confidence that the program is setting me up well for the search. And as a first (necessary) step, I'm happy to report that I passed my credentialing test on Friday, too!
Monday, January 25, 2016
Step 15: SNOW DAY!!!!
In case you haven’t heard, the East Coast got some snow this weekend! About two feet fell in Philadelphia, which is more than the city gets on average in a whole winter. The snow has transformed the city, and although it is, admittedly, less easy to walk through the slush, everything sort of sparkles in the first snow of the year. Though I did take the Mayor’s suggestions to “just stay put” to heart and had a very lazy weekend, I also took a few short adventures out to see what was going on; I was rewarded with drink specials at City Tap House, which was full of Penn students with cabin fever, and a remarkably short line at the famous Hershel’s Deli in Reading Terminal Market on Sunday. By Sunday afternoon, the big thruways had mostly been cleared, and there were some busses running, so you can imagine my surprise when a classmate texted me the message that all teachers hold their breaths for:
Yes, that’s right, our first official snow day as teachers! And let me tell you, it is just as exciting as it was a kid. Sure, it will mean shifting around lesson plans for the week, but the luxury of extending the weekend is made so much better by the unexpected nature of the announcement. Maybe I’ll build a snowman! Or bake cookies! Or…lesson plan? I guess the day might be less carefree as it was in the past (one classmate noted that this would finally give her time to do laundry) but I’m still pretty stoked about this bonus day off!
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| Now the real fun begins... |
Monday, January 18, 2016
Step 14: Day "on"
Last Friday, I had the wonderful experience of returning to my first graders for a mid-morning visit (we are currently in our new placements Mon-Thur and have class on Friday mornings). While I was simultaneously excited to see them again, and, admittedly, nervous that they may not demonstrate such excitement about seeing me, all of my trepedation vanished immediately upon arrival when they swarmed me on the playground. Their hugs filled me with warmth and gratitude for the role I have been able to play in their lives, and acted as a weighty reminder of the way in which a single teacher's comings and goings actually do influence the children they interact with. These students also have an ongoing impact on me, too, and Friday's visit was no different. Most immediately, they challenged me to view this long weekend for what it truly should be: a time for service and giving back. Specifically, when I asked some of them what they were planning to do on their day off, they corrected me,
Teacher Rachel, Monday is a day ON.
As usual, my little humans, you are so right. So I took up their challenge and found a way to get involved in a local service project today. Lucky for me, and for all of us here in Philly, the Greater Philadelphia Martin Luther King Day of Service is the nation's largest organized MLK event, with volunteer activities occurring all over the city. While I cannot claim to have contributed much to this record-setting event, it did feel good to be part of it. Of course, to fully live Dr. King's dream, we must continue our service throughout the year, but on this particular day "on," it was meaningful to join my students and my new Philadelphia community in trying to make this place a bit better for everyone.
Sunday, January 10, 2016
Step 13: Storytime!
When I think about the best things about teaching elementary school, most of them involve the relationships I get to build with students and the classroom community that I get to be part of. But selfishly, another aspect of it that I truly love is the chance to return to many of my favorite books and characters I had almost forgotten. Beginning this summer in our wonderful Children's Literature course, I was thrilled to surround myself with familiar "friends" from the past such as Chrysanthemum and Miss Rumphius and "meet" many new ones, too. My bookshelf is slowly filling up with picture books and early chapter books, and my holiday wishlist reflected this re-awakened love for children's stories! Stepping in to my new third grade classroom I was reminded of my voracious appetite for chapter books at that age and it is so fun to watch my students tear through series the way I once did. I am now re-reading many old favorites as I plan for literature circles that I will lead with my students, and it is both delightful to return to these stories, and also exciting to be able to share them with new audiences. So many great chilren's books are timeless in their appeal, so while I may not be able to keep up with the latest TV shows or music that my students follow, we can always connect over Ramona, Amber Brown, or other literary leads!
Monday, January 4, 2016
Step 12: Day 1, round 2!
Happy New Year! I am so excited to think that 2016 is the year when I will become a fully-credentialed teacher. Before then, however, I have the opportunity to learn from a new Classroom Mentor - this time, a 3rd grade teacher at another school in Philadelphia! Today was my first day in my new student teaching placement, and I am full of both excitement as well as some nervousness about this term. Right now, it's hard for me to believe that these unfamiliar faces will soon be students who I will know as well as those I got close to in the fall. Somehow I'll know their currently unfamiliar classroom routines consistently enough to teach them full-time in the spring (more on this later!) I hope to speed along this "getting to know you process" by spending even more time in the classroom this term. In fact, my schedule has dramatically changed this term - I will now be student teaching Monday through Thursday, and taking far fewer classes (Tuesday and Thursday evenings as well as Friday mornings only). This changes once again in March when we begin to go to our placement classrooms all five days of the week!
In addition to student teaching and taking classes, I also need to take the PECT (Pennsylvania Educator Certification Tests) in order to become credentialed. I'm actually taking these mandatory exams next week with the hopes of passing before job application season begins. TEP is setting up a series of recruitment events this spring that should help us embark on this complicated process, and I will certainly keep you posted on it!
In addition to student teaching and taking classes, I also need to take the PECT (Pennsylvania Educator Certification Tests) in order to become credentialed. I'm actually taking these mandatory exams next week with the hopes of passing before job application season begins. TEP is setting up a series of recruitment events this spring that should help us embark on this complicated process, and I will certainly keep you posted on it!
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