KSA #5: All Students Can Learn
- Week 1: One main focus of this week was to get to know my students. The second day I asked my students to complete a survey that asked them to think about how they like to learn , what they like to learn about and ways that they would describe themselves. This activity helped me learn about my students' current ability to follow and listen to multiple instructions given. Part way through the activity I noticed that some students were struggling to follow and keep up as I read the activity instructions aloud. As I saw this happening I decided that this survey may have not provided everyone will a fair opportunity to accurately complete it to the best of their ability & shortened it for that day. The following day I brought in a new survey that allowed students to fill in responses in a variety of ways (draw faces, checks & Xs), had less wording and provided picture clues so students at a variety of reading levels could participate more independently and at their own pace. Attached is a document with a sample of work the students did on both surveys to show that students were more successful providing accurate information for their teacher about themselves with the second survey, after it was modified for them.
student_interest_surveys.docx | |
File Size: | 868 kb |
File Type: | docx |
KSA # 5 Learning to Identify Students' Different Learning Styles
- Week 2: During this week's daily reading workshops I allowed students to experiment with various learning spaces in the classroom. The goal was to have students show me what kind of learners they typically are and to help them discover how to utilize their new classroom space in ways that are comfortable for them and that promote peer discussion and collaboration. Attached is my lesson plan for the reading workshop day 2.
reading_lesson-_september_2018.docx | |
File Size: | 803 kb |
File Type: | docx |
KSA # 6 Understand the Need to Vary Plans to Accommodate Individuals & Groups of Students
- Week 3: This week I had a few students show me that they were struggling to feel confident during our writing workshops. I modified my lessons so that students could have more time to share and hear others' ideas to help encourage more student engagement in the workshops. I also started appointing a new workshop leader each day and students have seemed to enjoy having extra responsibility and having their peers come to them for assistance. Attached is one of my agendas that I displayed during a workshop this week.
writing_agenda.docx | |
File Size: | 495 kb |
File Type: | docx |
KSA # 9 Using a Range of Instructional Strategies
- Week 4: I have continually been starting off my workshop minilessons with a movement brain break. However, this week I noticed that my students had a lot of extra energy and it was challenging for most of them to transition to carpet learning. I decided to incorporate movement and more student involvement into the minilessons by teaching them a repeat after me song with actions and by asking for student volunteers to act out a short story for the class. With the song we discussed comprehension checks and retelling events in order. Attached is the script I used for acting out a short story.
acting_scene_to_remember_story_detail.docx | |
File Size: | 12 kb |
File Type: | docx |
KSA # 7 Effective Classroom Routines & Using a Variety of Management Strategies
- Week 5: To help teach my grade 2 class my expectations for learning at the carpet, I introduced a Jibber Jabber Jar. The goal is for students to work as a team to limit their talking without raising their hand and their side conversations, to earn Jibber Jabber points and fill the jar. Once the jar is filled the class earns a prize, such as going outside early for recess. I also creating a visual of classroom noise levels and had students practice what each might sound like, so when I refer to it throughout the day they have an idea of my expectation.
KSA # 1 Contextual Variables Affect Teaching & Learning
- Week 6: The transition into Kindergarten has been difficult for my students who did not attend the school's preschool program. The students who attended the program had more time to get to know their peers and feel more comfortable coming to the school, as they seemed to have an idea of some school expectations. Having the Kindergarten program for two full days a week means students are not consistently practicing the new expectations being taught. As a group, we did an activity during gym to support a discussion we needed to have about the expectation that everyone will help to keep themselves and others safe. We practiced turn taking, using equipment safely and positive communication skills by standing in a circle and passing a ball to each other. Attached are the three things that students had to remember to do before they chose a classmate to pass to.
KSA #12 Engaging Parents in Learning
- Week 7: During parent teacher interviews we discussed how a major goal for the year for all of our students is to boost reading confidence . As well as to support a love of reading by introducing student to a variety of genres and styles of books. I provided parent with a few suggestions to help them work on reading with their child at home in ways that will hopefully be fun and easy to work into any busy schedule. Attached is the suggestion sheet.
KSA #14 Contributing Independently and Collegiality to the Quality of my School
- Week 8: Each week we have 'Wellness Fridays', where all students in the school can choose an activity to do for the last hour of the day that helps them de-stress and feel well. My TM and I are in charge of the arts & crafts room. I have been leading and helping teach crafts to grade 1-6 students that they can learn to do on their own. Attached is student work from two of our wellness days.
KSA # 4 Understanding the Subject Disciplines You Teach
- Week 9: I've been incorporating more student active engagement when doing my minilessons and working to balance that with the class discussions we have during them as well. One active engagement I had students do, was a whiteboard writing activity. We all tried drawing something tricky (doing a headstand). With that, students practiced perseverance and experience a fun way to take a risk as a group before being asked at independent writing time. Students could choose to show others their attempt or just their teacher. Many liked seeing other student's interpretations and noticed areas of their writing they could add more detail to. Below is one student's attempt at adding to our class writing about going to the park.
KSA # 15 Understand the Importance of Career-long learning
- Week 10: I attended a Fountas and Pinnell workshop and I tried to apply the coding and scoring we learned while doing a running record with one of my grade 2 students. Below is the sheet I used while I had my student read a leveled book aloud to me and each line represents a word that the student read. I quickly discovered that it will take a lot of practice to remember the codes and keep up with the student while also pausing to talk with them, as I ended up missing some parts at the end.