Teaching+Observations

Create and Write observation log focused on the methods and resource for each area of the Language Arts, teaching Native Language and ELL strategies As the children are called up by tables to make a rainbow on the rug area each does so as any child would trying to get a place by their friends, and they all get where they want to be. Mrs. T. is a very structured, organized and consistent teacher. Her children adore her and believe every word that comes out of her mouth. So... with that being said and done let's get on with the learning part.** She corrects msitakes in a positive way: "We will do the same for the word stuft add ED." so it became stufed. (close enough for me) But I was impressed by her process. They are studying Life Cycles of the caterpillar & lady bug, They have the set-up for the Butterfly in their room and they re in the cocoon stage. The lady bugs are in the larva stage. When children talk of their bugs & caterpillars they use correct English for the stages of each animals life cycle. Impressive! (Bernadette T.)
 * Kindergarten Class @ Olga Brener with Mrs. T.**
 * Class consists of 16 children-- 11 boys & 5 girls ( 1 autistic child with an aide)
 * Mrs. T picks a child to come up and tell her and the class something exciting or important that they have done. This is what the child says: " I got a stufed animol kity from the book stor! I wint in the tre with it and my brthr."
 * Mrs. T. remembers the sentence and goes around the room asking students to spell the words of the sentence, as each child does this (each spell one word) they first make the sounds of the letters that they hear and let, Mrs. T. writes exactly what they have said.
 * stuft-Mrs. T. says, "remember these words?"
 * look and we added ED (looked)
 * walk add ED (walked
 * wish add ED (wished)
 * The sentence above says, "I got a stuffed animal kitty from t
 * he book store! I went in the tree with it and my brother."

M P January 23, 2010 Ms. B's 2nd Grade Classroom B Elementary Room is full of books! Every corner of the room, every shelf has a different theme to its library. Science corner has texts about different aspects of being a scientist, front of room had the theme of the month books, this month being Black History month, has collection of different Black Leaders displayed every resourcefully. There was a broken easel in the room, however the tray for the paint was still in tacked so she took it off and screwed it into the wall in front. Through this was not really a reading teaching tip, thought it great example of how, as a teacher, one needs to be resourceful. One man’s garbage is an another man’s bookshelf. The room as a whole runs like a well oiled machine. Amazing classroom routines with fun transitions; morning song Zip a de do daa, whole class sings as grab notebooks and come to morning meeting. Reading time is free option with many activities to pick from. Teacher stays in front for book discussion with two to three students at a time, discussing assigned chapters from book of that group’s choice. Whole class given choice of certain chapter books, the book the students pick, that is the group they are in. Enjoyed that method every much because the student still has to do assignment but able to pick the book rather than being forced, which we all know may cause student to not read. One option choice was laptops and games on the internet to assist in reading, however only 4 laptops for whole class. There is a list of recommend websites the student could pick from and the teacher gives each child log in information to access website. Students were unable to log on to the computers today due to problems with the server and Ms. B explained how through technology can be an asset, it can also be a liability. One of the websites on the list was [|www.starfall.com] which I later checked out and enjoyed the website very much. The website provided an array of different topics but all focused on reading skills, mainly working with phonics. My personal favorite was the Art option which went on to give mini biography on an artist (Seurat I love you) and then worked on creating new words like ones in the bio. Taking –self and adding other words to front to create the new word. Highly suggest checking out the website. A lot to take in the first day but over all very, very impressed with how little teacher had to assist students; shows great classroom management. I have “borrowed” many ideas from her classroom that plan to try in my own.

Feb 2, 2010 During the morning group work, Ms. B gave the students the weekly spelling words, nothing very special is the way it was done however she did offer some very interesting tips to the class. When Ms. B went through each of the words, she explained the blends, a lot of ch, br, dr, and said the ways. She also explained that in this area a lot of people add a "G" sound to dr words when they pronounce it. She explained a lot of other examples people add different sounds to blends to the class. I thought this was funny because it is so true. Since she explained that i have noticed a few examples of the added sounds. Felt very important to remember as a teacher, especially when teaching spelling. If students as trouble and teacher says sound it out, they will have the added sounds. As a teacher making the extra time to pronounce the word correctly and without the mideast slang.

Later the class went to their desks for options, a lot of students chose to word on spelling. Ms. B had a good system for having the students practice writing, file fold with the top cover cut into three tabs labeled write me ( the students write down the words in a column which Ms. B must check before they move on then cover) Say me which they say the word as they write it in a column, then Copy me Which go back and check first column and write down. System was confusing to me at first just watching but after i asked Ms. B to explain, it was a fun way to teach spelling and wish my spelling teacher would have thought of it.

AB Mrs. W's 1st Grade Class 3/12/10

Today when I arrived in Mrs. W's class she had the students working on crossword puzzles that had dinosaur terms to search for. The students are currently reading and writing about dinosuars, so the crossword fit with what they were currently learning. I guess this crossword puzzle was tough for the students because they kept asking for Mrs. W's help or my help, but both of us showed the different strategies to find words. Next, the students had a spelling test. Mrs. W gives the students spelling words at the beginning of the week to learn and study. These words are also in the spelling center to help the students learn the words throughout the week. While the students went to gym, Mrs. W showed me something new she was going to do with her centers. She said that one of the most important things she wants to help her students with was management, how to help the students manage their time while they work throughout the day. So she created a chart with all the centers and what needs to be completed in each center. The students would get to choose their centers (Mrs. W usually chooses for them) and they would each get a timer to help them manage how long they would be in a center, which the limit is 15 min. When the timer goes off they swich to a new center. Mrs. W said that the students will each get the chart to fill out each day and she will collect them at the end of the week to see who was in what center and what had been accomplished that week. I thought this was an interesting idea. Lastly, while the students were in their centers, I was able to observe Mrs. W do a running record with a student. He read to different books and Mrs. W completed the running record as he read and she asked him questions about the book to see what he remembered and understood. It was all very interesting to watch.

L.Mae.D Monday, March 22, 2010, Mrs. H Class OB Elementary, 1st Grade - Brener B’s – Be Kind- Be Respectful- Be Safe - Wind chime- Signals next activity after prior 1 minute warning - Class Schedule Posted and Spelling Workshop leads to Writer’s Workshop, which then leads to Reader’s Workshop, after lunch and recess they continue with a Content Workshop Charlie Cook’s Favorite Book- Read to Class, Rhyming (Contained excerpts from various stories) Ask students what they noticed about the book and everyone gets to share. S- Sneak around and back down snake N-Down up and over around, A- Over around up down, E- Hit the ball around the bases- Tall Down for letters like (h) and (k)
 * Writer’s workshop- “Feeling”** Students work independently and teacher floats and conferences with individual students. Teacher recently completed training and believes highly in providing as much one on one time with students as possible to enhance learning process. After the workshop, the teacher shares student’s work from her conferencing that shows “feeling” very well. Mrs. H previously read a book about a family going to look for owls. The students previously wrote descriptive stories in their writer’s workshop tablets. In today’s reading she placed sticky arrows on certain sentences and read them to the class. She explained that the sentences gave the reader’s a “feeling” for what the author is trying to say. Examples of these sentences were ones that said “It was eerily quiet.” Or “Not even a wind was blown upon us.” It set the mood for how quiet it should be when one is looking for owls. After reading and hearing how the author provided ways to give a feeling the students revised their previous writing to include sentences that give a good feeling.
 * Centers-** Students split into groups and begin their centers. A board in front of the room has the centers posted, who belongs in them and a short description of each. Writer’s Workshop is one center and student’s were instructed to revise previous writing and start a new entry. The Small Group center met with Mrs. Henning. Word cards with the word on one side and a picture of it on the other were spread on the table. A small easel with a dry erase board on it provided a spot to categorize the different words by what different vowel sounds they contained. The Words workshop was a chance for the students to write new spelling words in their agenda and highlight old words in “My Word Book”. The last center was labeled Shopping for Books. At this center students emptied their “Browsing Boxes” (small boxes with books” into the appropriate spots in their classroom library and proceed to choose new books that are “just right” for them.
 * Morning Meeting- Literacy in the Classroom Routine- ** Greetings- Facing each other and looking each other in the eye using a gentle yet firm hand shakes. (Discuss Encyclopedias) Different subjects, different books, A-Z (On last day Ms. Leona contributed to the morning meeting by providing a Menominee Greeting for the students to use (Posoh Mip).
 * Spelling Workshop- ** Students all grab their own white board and a tray of magnetic letters. Mrs. H turns on the projector and asks for a word chunk. Today’s chunk: (AIT) and Mrs. H asked if the students knew another way to make the same chunk sound. Result: (ATE) Students told to make Skate. They were then directed to mix up their words and put in a “blender” and then on mark students were told to quickly arrange the letters to say skate again. Students then told to push their letters to the top of the white board and leave space for writing. Mrs. H directs the students to write letter by letter and using fun reminders for each letter to spell the word. Using the word rate Mrs. H spelled it on her screen using both chunks (ATE) (AIT) and asked the students what way looks correct.
 * Writer’s Workshop- Revisions “Taking Stuff Out”- ** Mrs. H talked about how students put content in their stories that can make the story thicker but don’t necessarily fit the idea that you are trying to let the reader see. She went over her own story and with the students drew a line through the sentences that didn’t have a purpose in the story.
 * Beginnings- ** Mrs. H talked with the children about being able to add beginnings to stories that will “hook their readers”. Students reread their stories and decided on a first sentence(s) that would say something interested about the story. Students were encouraged to do this anyway they wanted and even by doing sound effects.
 * Ending- ** Mrs. H explained to the students that some stories may end up hooking you, and the flow starts, you begin reading and get lost in the story when all of a sudden the end nears and if it doesn’t wrap up the idea it leaves us feeling like we “fell off of a cliff” She exemplified this by drawing a slope and a cliff and saying “Story, story, story Ahhhhhhhh…” After doing this she read each students short story and all of the classmates made sounds as if they are falling off of a cliff if the story’s ending lost them.
 * Readers Workshop- Sharing and Making Predictions- ** Students chose a book from their browsing box and began reading it. While reading it they were directed to make predictions. After reading they met with their sharing partner and shared some of the predictions they made. The students were also told that different readers can disagree when making predictions and sharing opinions. It doesn’t necessarily make them wrong or right and we should accept that. In addition to this after reading a story herself in the circle Mrs. H discussed the story after important events or at the end. She asked the students what the thought was implied by the ending or illustrations. Each student may have had a different view on what the idea was but each opinion was shared and appreciated.

JJSU Thursday, April 1, 2010... Mrs. M's 1st Grade Class - arrival: students are working in //Corners//, one reading group is at the table for Guided Reading - listening to the first group, Mrs. M stops to break a word into parts, "jumping", covers up the "ing" and asks the students what the word is. Covers up the "jump" and asks the students what the sound is. Uncovers the whole word, the students say it together in unison. - Mrs. M rings the bell, students in the //Corners// move on to the next subject (Corners include: familiar reading, math overheads, writing wall, number grids, poetry, listening, science, and shape manipulatives for this week) - a new reading group comes to the table, a student from Kindergarten enters the room and goes to the table. This is the highest reading group. Later Mrs. M explains that the grade K student is very advanced at reading, but due to the difference in age, has a lower maturity level which is apparent during the guided reading sessions "might happen" in the story. - the next group is introduced to a new book, they do a picture walk and discuss what the story might be about - the highest reading group returns to the table with their written answers, they discuss, and look through the story a little, then read it together page by page, stopping about 5 pages into the story - to be continued the next class period - in between, the bell was rung and students changed places - Mrs. M rings the bell for the last time, the students clean up in the //Corner// they are in and sit in the front of the room. - Mrs. M talks to the class, reviewing which students are at what part of their non fiction books, then dismisses them to work - I am directed to work with two students: J & Q who are behind on their books, some students are finished and working on other writing projects - the students are illustrating their books, the books include a cover page, table of contents, 4 pages of facts and illustrations, a glossary, and an index - the students work for about 20 minutes before they are excused for morning recess, students who are not finished with their books are detained to work through the recess break to finish up - I continued to help J with his book, and about 10 minutes into recess, he finished up and was excused to go outside for the remaining 5 minutes.
 * for this group, Mrs. M talks about the questions at the end of the story and instructs them to answer the questions according to what they think
 * the students go to a spot in the room and work on their questions while Mrs. M calls a new group to the table
 * the students read out loud and Mrs. M assists them individually as they encounter problems
 * when the students are finished reading, she reminds them to journal in their "thought log"

Cameo Self

One classroom management skill that I observed in the classroom I was doing my observations in is a great way to encourage the students to turn in their homework on time. The way Mrs. S got her students to turn in their homework on time was a system of “paying” the students. Every morning, Mrs. S walked around the classroom and gave each student a play penny if they had their homework in, a penny if they got their sheet of paper signed by their parents, and a penny for any other thing that was due that they turned in on time. The students save their money for a couple weeks, and they exchange the pennies for dollars, quarters, etc. (great way to include math into an everyday activity.) After they exchanged their pennies, Mrs. S. dedicates a morning to let the students go shopping with their money at her store. Her store is a big box of random goodies such as pencils, cool pens, notebooks, and other “dollar store type” items that each have their own price. It seemed to work real well!!