Sara Jane

I like to play games with my students. We play vocabulary games and reading comprehension quiz games. I always get excited about these games until I’m actually playing them with the kids. It gets completely crazy. The students get really excited and really loud. When I explain the game I think I cover all my bases but it always happens that students do things that I never expect. By the end of the day when I’ve played games with all 3 of my classes I’m absolutely exhausted. It is so hard to reign the students back in once they get going. Anyway my point is is that I like to do fun activities in class but I need to figure out a better way of facilitating it.

Moving on…..I just completed teaching my work sample to a 7th grade class that I started to teach 2 weeks ago. I really don’t have any relationship with them yet. On Tuesday I gave them the post-assessment for the unit. I had to give 4 students detention for cheating. I was so disappointed. The students were talking to each other and one students scooted his test to the side of the desk so another student could copy his answers. I couldn’t believe it. I was pissed. For some reason I felt like it was a personal insult. So I decided to give a little speech to the class about integrity and cheating. Even as 7th graders they only care about the grade. It is so frustrating. Thanks for reading.

On Friday I gave my first test. I know that might sound weird to some people (epecially math). But I haven’t given a test all year. My 8th graders are now reading The Outsiders and my mentor teacher and I decided to give a test. Usually the students just have to read and complete in-class activities and complete a reading packet. But since so much of The Outsiders reading is being assigned as homework we needed to make sure that the students were actually reading.

I started to grade the tests yesterday and it was reassuring to see that many students are reading and comprehending. So in that respect the tests were great. But the test, a pre-made one, had multiple choice questions that were kind of misleading. Actually so misleading that when I was making the key I had to check with my mentor teacher on a few of the answers. I don’t think this is good. I’ve decided that I really don’t like multiple choice, fill in the blank, or true/false questions. Why would I want my students taking a test that I myself dislike? I don’t think I will ever use a pre-made test again. I really prefer short answer and essay questions that I compose myself. I mean it is nice to be able to check that the students are reading but I think there are better ways to do that.

Sara

I started teaching my work sample to a 7th grade class that I haven’t taught all year. It’s not very much fun. I don’t know the students and the class is huge. I find myself stuttering and stammering like it is my first day all over again. I really can’t believe what a difference knowing your students makes. While I’m teaching the 7th grade class I’m forgetting to do certain things like I always do (check that everyone has their book, etc.) But right after my 7th grade class I have my 8th grade class with the students I’ve taught from day one and I’m comfortable and on top of everything. I don’t like feeling unsure and inadequate. I thought that part might be over but I guess I was wrong. One of the students parents was in class with them today and it made me feel even more awkward. Sorry for being such a downer, but I feel like whining.

On a positive note I am excited to be getting my work sample taught. Gosh after I’m done with this unit it will be time to leave. My work sample revolves around teaching the novel Hatchet and half the kids in the class have read the book. My mentor teacher didn’t know they already read it. I don’t really care, it’s a great book and quick to get through. My 8th grade class is about to start reading The Outsiders which should be fun. I just finished reading it and it has a lot of themes that will relate to their lives or what I perceive their lives to be like. What do I know? Don’t answer that. Have a good week folks.

Best,

Sara

An amazing thing happened in my classroom on Monday. My mentor teacher is taking a social studies methods class at the UO so that she can get a social studies endorsement. For that class she had to create what the teacher called a mystery assignment. It was basically a puzzle that the students had to figure out. So she created this puzzle using content from our recent unit on Edgar Allan Poe. The students had to get into a circle and each got a piece of paper with a detail from Poe’s life. The students each also got another piece of paper that had four headings: Poe’s early life, Poe’s work, etc… All the students had to do was figure out where their slip of paper went on the handout with the headings. I know this is probably confusing but I don’t know how else to explain.

My mentor teacher and I handed out the supplies and didn’t give them any further instruction. The class had to figure out on their own what they were suppose to do with the things they were given. It was awesome to watch. At first it was chaos. No one knew what to do. But then in every class a leader came forth and started to tell people what to do. When some students weren’t paying attention and got too chatty, other students would tell them to be quiet. It was great. My mentor teacher and I just sat there and watched the whole scene. We had no behavior management problems and the students appeared engaged. I said about 10 words the entire period. This is what I’m talking about.

I wanted to cry when the day was over. It was so cool to see the students being in charge of their own learning. It was also great to not be the bossy authority figure. I really want to figure out how I can do more activities like this. It felt so right to see the students interacting with the material and themselves this way. I am so grateful that I got a glimpse at what is possible. I am excited!