October Assignments

6 - Quiz, Reflection Chapter 10

7 - Lesson Plan, Journal 6, Phonics Test 1

10 - Quick Quiz

13 - Article 2, Reflection Chapter 11

14 - Chapters 6/7, Journal 7, Thematic Books 

17 - PAP Report

20 - Reflection Chapter 12

21 - Video Clip and Analysis, Midterm Evaluation, Binder Check 1, Journal 8

24 - Lesson Plan

28 - Journal 9, Chapters 8/9, Field Trip Plan

Student Teaching: Day 9 (Semester 7)

One this day I was teaching my lesson plan that deals with the smart board. My mentor got there a little late and we found out that the smart board was not working properly, so she decided that during my lesson she would sit at her laptop and move the pieces. 

I did my normal routine with having the students do the pledge, morning work, and calendar. I did not do the morning message with them because it was something different that she started with them. She had to also sit at her laptop while she did this with them because the smart board was not working right. 

After that she did a mini lesson on the students practicing their handwriting. They only practiced with two letters and were going to finish the rest on Friday. Then I got to do my lesson with them on onomatopoeia. It went fine. My mentor said that I did to explain the directions better for the assessment. I think the students did ok, I feel that they got the idea of the lesson and my mentor said the same thing. 

Then it was time for students to go to lunch and once again the students did not listen to wear I told them to sit. This time it was not my fault. Some of them tried to sit at the wrong table. 

We got them back after recess and the guidance consular came in a few minutes later to talk to them. While she was talking to them I was ripping out pages from the math practice books. Then once she left my mentor began the math test with them while I continued to ripe out pages. 

It was time to go to music and I took them there and brought them back afterwards. During the time they were away my mentor suggested to me about teaching the math lesson next Wednesday. They are doing subtraction and having them roll a die and I suggested having them use the smart board to use the dice tool. She really like the idea. I am not sure if I am going to make this into one of my lessons. I might just to get another one out of the way. 

When they came back she did some more of the math test and then it was time for them to pack up and leave. Once they left I had to sign a paper about being a proctor next week when my mentor is giving the students a test. So that shall be interesting next week. 

This week I only student taught once this week because on Thursday it was a holiday and I sen that holiday working on reports that are due for class today, Friday. 

Lesson Plan 2 (Semester 7)

Common Core Standard: SL.1.5 - Add drawings or other visual displays to descriptions when appropriate to clarify ideas, thoughts, and feelings.

Objective: Students will identify sounds words by coloring a picture for the word drip.

Materials: Plain Paper, Presentation, Crayons, Puddles by Jonathan London

Introduction: Discuss how the title is written on the book. Ask students why it might be written that way. 

Direct Instruction: Read story to the students and discuss descriptive words throughout the story. Have students picture parts of the story and share what they see. Create list of sounds words after reading story. 

Guided Instruction: Then go through the presentation. Explain to students how I designed the word and then work together to create the next two words. 

Independent Instruction: Then students will draw a picture of the word 'drip' at desks. 

Closure: Have students hold up pictures of what they created, so everyone can see. 

Assessment: Pictures students created. 

Have to say that I do not feel like this is my best lesson. It felt kind of last minute, so it may sound confusing above of what I am doing.  

Student Teaching: Day 8 (Semester 7)

I did my normal routine in the morning with the students. Before doing the calendar, I gave the students their spelling test. That went very well. After that I had them go to the rug and begin the calendar, weather, and morning message with them. They did a much better job listening during these times. 

During the reading block, I took two students at a time and introduced them to the listening center. I got to every student, but one. They all did every well following directions and being able to do it on their own. While I was doing that, my mentor taught the students and then began a center rotation with them for the first time. They did pretty well with that. 

Today was the first time that I got them seated in the cafeteria. It went pretty well with only one student didn't listen to where I told them to sit. I think that was partly my fault because I only told the first student where to go and I assumed that the next five students would follow. 

We had a short lunch because it was recess duty day. Recess duty went fine without any hiccups or incidents. Then them came back in for a short math time, since Thursday are a two specials day. While the students were away at Media and PE, I was busy packing their Friday folders. They have no school on Friday. 

Students came back early from PE and he said that they were not listening and so they lost the privilege of going outside. my mentor was telling me before that she wanted to let they out side if they packed early, but that went out the window. 

After school, I discussed with my mentor plans about next week. I will only be there Wednesday because of the holiday on Thursday. I am going to be teaching a lesson on onomatopoeia and I am really looking forward to teaching the lesson. It is going to be a quick short lesson because there are important things my mentor has to do. 

Student Teaching: Day 7 (Semester 7)

It's becoming a normal routine for me to greet the students coming in and making sure they are getting everything out to be ready for the day. After the bell rings, I began the pledge with them and then told them what to do for their morning work. 

After giving them time to do their morning work, we went over it. Then I had students come to the rug to do the calendar, weather, and the morning message with the students. This was the first time that I did the morning message and I really enjoyed doing it. During all that time  my mentor had to correct quite a bit because of talking or not listening. 

There was going to be a practice lock-down drill and my mentor wanted to talk to them about it and practice it once before we did it school wide. We practiced it once and then my mentor began the normal reading routine. While she did that I practice the goldfish game with some of the students. 

While playing the game with the students, the principal came on and said it was time. We did it and everything was fine. We went back to what we were doing before. Before lunch, we began a measuring activity and we them came back from recess we finished it. 

During math time, I got the opportunity to get my case study assessments done with my student. That went well and before I knew it, it was time for the students to go to music. I took the students to music on my own and brought them back on my own. 

We the students came back, we did a quick math thing about ways to make nine and then I got the students packed up after that. 

After school I helped my mentor with a few things, but she had to leave early, so that gave me time to find the other interns about printing and passing out the permission slip for the service learning activity. 


I left them, so I could go home because it was my birthday and I wanted to go out to eat. It was a good day. The next school day teachers were allowed to wear MLB shirts and jeans. I didn't have a MLB shirt, so after dinner I went to Target with my family. As soon we walked in I saw my mentor and introduced her to my family. It's a small world. 

Lesson Plan 1 (Semester 7)

This is the lesson plan that taught to the students on day 6. 

Common Core Standard: RF.1.2.d

Objective: Students will stretch words using rubber bands. 

Materials: Rubber Bands, Glue, Worksheets

Introduction: Ask what rubber bands can do. Say that words can be stretched too.

Direct Instruction: Show words being stretched while stretching a rubber band. Then stretch words together as a class with rubber bands. 

Guided Instruction: Allow students to practice stretching words on their own. Have students tell you the stretched out word. 

Independent Practice: Students cut words from worksheet based on their sounds and glue into journals. 

Closure: Give the students a word and have them stretch it out on their own with no rubber bands. 

Assessment: The segmenting worksheet. 

Oh. By the way, It's my birthday today and I am feeling......

Student Teaching: Day 6 (Semester 7)

Greeting and getting the students started on their morning work is going to be an everyday thing. I am not the best at it, like some students are ready to know what they have to do before it is time to tell them. My mentor wants to encourage them to socialize with others. I also walked around seeing who did their homework. 

Oh. By the way, both students came back with the permission slips. Finally. My mentor wants me to still assess the other student in case the parents ever want to see something. 

My cohort professor came in right at 8 for my lesson and we were kind of behind with morning work because my mentor felt they still needed time to do it. My professor asked for my lesson plan which I printed and I gave her a copy of the feedback form. My mentor went over the morning work with the students and after that I did the calendar with them. 

The calendar went ok. I had my notes with me to remember what needed to be done. Though later I realized I forgot to do one part with them. I jumped right in to my lesson with the students after that. 

To begin, I felt very nervous. Reading is not my strong suit and so I felt uncomfortable teaching them. Nothing bad happened. My mentor had me do some changes throughout the lesson that would help the students. 

My professor and I discussed my lesson afterwards. She was asking me questions about how I felt the lesson went and I just completely blanked on what I just did with the students. She didn't have anything bad to say just gave me some suggestions. Like during the transitions from guided to independent to explain to the students the connections of what we did together and what they are going to be doing on their own. 

Today was recess duty day and it seemed like lots of students were getting injured. My mentor said that they were probably trying to get inside since it was warm out. While I was out there two kids I did not know came up to me and said 'Hello, red team captain." They recognized me from the day before when I was the team captain during the assembly. 

Brought the students in from outside and had 30 minutes for math. Today students have two specials after math, so they would be gone for an hour. While the students were away she did planning for a field trip in October. She was busy on a phone call when the students were coming back into the classroom, so I got them in and settled at their desks. My mentor was still on the phone when she told me to have them pack up. 

They packed up quickly that there was time leftover, so my mentor had me read to them a story. My mentor was happy they packed early, but they were loud while they were packing. She said that to the students, not me. 

When the students all left I helped my mentor with a few things and then I checked the students assessments from during my lesson. Only one student didn't get them all right. Then I went home after checking that off. 

Student Teaching: Day 5 (Semester 7)

This was a pretty interesting day and I will explain why that was later on. I greeted the students in the morning, reminded they what to do, and got them started on their morning work. 

The student that I picked for my case study project didn't bring in his permission slip, so I discussed with my mentor about picking another student which I did and sent a permission slip home with him. My mentor also sent emails to both parents asking the 1st student's parents about the form and telling the other student's parents that I picked what it was about. 

Hopefully one of the students brings in the form tomorrow, so I can give him assessments that I need to get done because the first part of the report is due next Friday. 

There was an assembly about diversity or that is what I was told, but really everyone was divided beforehand into three teams. There were two games I was on the red team. Basically it was a game and there were different games that we played. The guy who was doing it need team captains, a teacher, from each team. The guy thought the students were all pointing at me so I became the team captain for the red team. 

Mostly I just helped the students with the games and picked the students to play the game. At the time I was really nervous about messing up or letting the students down. I am proud to say.......that we got in second place and we were not that far behind from winning. Overall I had a really fun time playing. 

After that we did the normal routine for the rest of the day. During the math black I read to them a math story and did some math problems based on the story. It was kind of difficult for them, so my mentor stepped in and helped and afterwards they did much better. 

At the end of the school day, me and the other interns there, four of us, met with our PDS coordinator there to discuss ideas for our service learning project. It went really well and we decided on what we are going to do and when. It is going to be every Wednesday in October except the last one and it will be right after the school day. We are going to do a healthy habits and physical activities with the students. 

The only sad part for me is that we are only offering it to the students in second and third grades. None of my students in first grade can be in it. I am looking forward to doing this and the great thing is that we will have completed the project a month before it is due. Which is a bonus. 

September Assignments

2- Journals 1/2, All About Me Poster, Attendance Form

9- Course Schedule/Calendar, Chapter 3, Journal 3

15 - Reflection Chapters 1/2

16- Read Alouds (3), Journal 4

19- Introduction Surveys Report

22- Article 1, Reflection Chapters 3/8

23- Journal 5, Chapters 1/2, Lesson Plan

25- Post Field Trip Pictures 

26- Writing Sample

29 - Reflection Chapters 4/9

30- Chapters 4/5, Service Learning Pre-Report, Quiz 1

Explanation of Some Assignments:

• Chapters- We have to read chapters from a book and pick some reflections/activities from the back and discuss them more. 

• Reflection Chapters- Read chapters and write small synopsis from reading. 

• Course Schedule/Calendar- We had to create a calendar of all major assignments for my cohort professor and mentor. Also give our cohort professor a schedule of our classes. 

• Read Alouds- Read 3 books to students with small activity and then give oral report in class. 

• Introduction Surveys Report- This is one part of the Case Study Report. For this we had to give chosen child four surveys and then write a report about findings, what they mean, and give recommendations. 

• Article 1-Chose article to write analysis and reflection about it. 

• Field Trip Pictures- Have to go on a social studies field trip that students could go to and then post pictures to Blackboard. Written report is done later. 

• Writing Sample- Have Case Study student write something and then write an analysis about it. 

• Service Learning Pre-Report- Have to do a Service Learning Project at placement school and write about what we will be doing there. Don't have to have done it yet. 

Also I wanted to share this Ted Talks that my math professor showed us:

Student Teaching; Day 4 (Semester 7)

My mentor had to do a few things in the morning, so I got to greet the students, tell them to put away things, and what their morning work was for that day. My mentor came back and saw everything was fine, so she left again for a few for minutes. I felt good doing that. Some of the students kept asking me where the teacher was and I said she will be here soon. Everything went fine and I would mind greeting them on my own more often. 

Today we had recess duty and nothing out of the ordinary happened. I did recess duty last year on my student teaching days, so nothing new. 

After recess, I did a read aloud with the students during math time. The story was called Click Clack, Splish Splash. I asked the students a few math questions based on the story and then my mentor began into the lesson with them. While she was teaching she asked me to cover one of the bulletin boards which I did outside of the classroom. 

Next was P.E. inside the classroom because the teacher had to give the students a mandated test. He arrived a little late and so left late too. During that time I covered the other bulletin board outside of the classroom. She can't hang the boards, but saw in another classroom the teacher leaning the boards on the wall and she has things she needs to show the students. 

Then it was the end of the day. Students packed up and were dismissed. My mentor and I discussed my lesson for next week on Thursday. Though for a long time I waited for her while she was learning about fixing the laminator during a meeting in the copier room. 

Semester 7 So Far

Wow, wow, wow, wow, wow. This semester is already crazy with many items to get done and I still have one more class that I haven't been to because of Labor Day. Which will just pile more work on top of my already over flowing pile. 

First thing first, I want to change my posting schedule since I am having difficulty posting on time. I am now going to post my student teaching days on Fridays and Mondays. It is just too much trying to post on Wednesday after coming home from my teaching day. 

Here's a break down of the schedule: I student teach on Wednesdays and Thursdays, so my Wed. student teaching days will be posted on Fridays and my Thurs. student teaching days will be posted Mondays. This way I don't feel rushed trying to remember everything that happened during the day. 

My Wednesday's posts will be about anything that is going on that I feel the need to share or whatever. Starting this upcoming week, I will be doing the new schedule, so Student Teaching Day 4 will be posted Monday. 

Now back to what is happening with my classes. There are so many different things that are happening quickly that I feel like I don't have time to breath. For example I have twelve different assignments all due this month. Two of which are major reports and one of them requires having to go on a "field trip." 

There is more that I want to talk about, but I am just so tired and I need to stay on top of my sleep schedule in order to wake up feeling rested in the mornings. I want to talk about a dressing issue that has been going around and to discuss more about all of my assignments this semester some day, though that probably won't be anytime soon and possibly not even this month. Maybe at the beginning of each month I will explain what will be due for that month. Yeah that sounds like a good idea. I will do that instead. 

Student Teaching: Day 3 (Semester 7)

Arrived at my normal time, 7. As the students are walking in another first grade teacher comes in and says that we have a new student starting today. My mentor had no knowledge about before hand, but she says that is not uncommon. We only had one available desk left in the classroom, though she could always take mine. There are extra desks out in the hall in case we need them. 

I assessed the students on their knowledge of the alphabet and on sight words. The sights words were mostly ones that they will be learning about and only a few words from kindergarten. I had mixed students in everything. 

Two funny things happened. I gave the students a speech about how they might not know all of the words, but there are some they might have learned from kindergarten. While I was trying to say this to one student, she cut me off and said she knew them all and surprisingly she did. With another student, he got about half way with the words and told me he forgot all of the words he learned in kindergarten. 

After that it was time for lunch and recess. During that time we discussed how the assessing went and when I first came in I was talking to her about picking a student for my case study about a student who is one grade level. The student I thinking about doing couldn't read what I needed her to read, so we talked about trying with someone else. 

When the students came back I tried with that student and I decided to pick him. We did a little math and then the students had music and afterwards they packed up. We did a few interests bags that the students created. I also put the paper about the project in the students folder. 


I finally went to my first planning meeting with the first grade teachers and it was very different compared to the kindergarten teachers. The one girl was texting the whole time on her phone and wasn't saying anything. It just felt awkward. When we got back in the classroom my mentor told me that the things they planned on doing for certain days, that she wasn't going to do them. 

I got to leave shortly after that.  

College Organization: Tip 8

Hiding Storage Boxes

I discussed before about selling your textbooks by using Big Words website to find the site that will give you the most for your books. This is tips about packaging your textbooks and the boxes to sell them with.

• I recommend saving boxes or packages from online purchases or big box purchases from stores like a TV, so this will save money from having to buy boxes. 
• If you don't do online shopping, then save the boxes or packages from books you have purchased before. 
• To store the boxes I would break the boxes down until they are flat and then I would place them behind furniture that will hide them, though you can still reach them if you need them. 

Below are a few pictures of how I store my boxes and you wouldn't even know they were there unless I showed you.