Today is friday and it is the end of my first half here. I have the midway review from Kristen and it looks as if I am doing well. Today we had to take away gym because the kids were torturing the math sub- they took her notes and erased the board yesterday. They are definitely ready for a break and so are we. So we had them all sit down in the gathering space and went through what they right way to treat a visitor was in the house. The kids all had to write a letter of apology and our class was especially mad because none of them had math on Thursday. For the Friday schedule we had all four classes and they had their last day of research to complete in the library. Most of the kids got done and we will be doing a 40 notecard check on the Monday we come back. I have all week off next week and plan to do some lesson planning.

Tuesday Review and Wednesday Morning

Barbara West came to observe me yesterday and it went very well. Since I am mostly running the classes now the kids have gotten used to me and seem to be behaving better. West did not want to meet with Kristin or see my binder- which I spent a ton of time making look pretty, but I was okay with that. Barbara saw me run a circle meeting and then the library research team. Today I finished grading all of the Political Cartoons and the 20 note card check. I ran progress reports, which go out tomorrow and now I am ahead- Go Dana. This morning we went out for the Spot Journal assignment and it was beautiful- I walked the whole cirlce with a bunch of kids and took their pictures for the end of the year slideshow that I am helping Siskow put together. The rest of the week will be research time and when we come back from break they will begin putting their projects together. I am psyched to see their music videos and their newspaper projects- the scrapbooks should be cool too. Here is a picture of the kids working on their Spot Journals in the grass. We are also working on scheduling which has turned out to be a giant mess- it makes Kristin mad and it seems like a lot of talk for what seems relatively simple for one person to do. What this school has done is break it up into Houses so it is confusing everyone.

Monday- a pretty cool day.

Today there was a play and we got to see it twice- it fit in with the curriculum perfectly- it was about the speakeasies of the 1920s and the gangs that ran the streets. Today started out well, I ran Morning Meeting and we played Tick Tick Boom and Hot Potato with our class and with the class next door. In study hall we decided to put up a check off chart and it actually made the kids work today instead of making excuses. In E-Core I ran the class while Siskow took the kids who were doing nothing to the seminar room to complete packet work. I let some of the kids go up to the Media Center to do research and they were sent back ten minutes later because they were on YouTube- so now they are all off the internet for the rest of the quarter. For class today Igo figured out how all the kids could see the play so our class was a little crazy with the extra kids in it. They all had to hand in their Political Cartoons today and we only got 8 out of 80 turned in- they think that they can hand stuff in late and still get credit even though I said on Friday that it was classwork that needed to be completed by the end of class on Monday. Big Ha.

Sunday eve, June 24..Gretchen in Namibia

Hi Dana
I had been thinking about you since I last wrote and wanted to say right away that you have been doing a great job! Yes, there are ups and downs, but you took a lot of responsibility for the teaching very early, and you have established yourself with the students. Yes, you will have really frustrating times/days, however you have done the most difficult work of starting out with a class in the end of the year. You are obviously very interested in the content, you have students experience it in multi-dimensional ways, you use technology is a very impressive way..all of that is very good.

You identified getting your 3 ring notebook prepared for Barbara's visit, and you are right. It is a very important part of the expectations for student teachers. Any planning, any reflecting- you may want to copy some of the blogs, and way to describe your teaching situation..eg names of students, schedule, daily plans, weekly plans, long range planning, content etc etc..staff meeting agenda's, family info, school info...anything and everything that shows that you have a broad understanding of your placement. A calendar with your teaching days...on and on.
Usually, we want student notes: anecdotal records of behaviors/learning/etc about individual students. You always need to document what is happening with a student who is "out of the ordinary" in some way, and you may need to present info in an IEP meeting, parent meeting etc.

Attach your plan to Barbara the day before her visit.
Let me know how it goes.
And I will lookat this when I have a decent connection, which will be sporadic.
All the best
Gretchen

Political Cartoons and More

Friday went decently. We had a schedule where you have all the kids that day in short forty minute classes- it is usually hectic and today you could really tell that they were ready for the weekend.
Agenda:
1. Planners
2. Examples of Decade Project Options and then telling me your choice.
3. Political Cartoons

This seems rather simple but it took the whole time with only five minutes for work time and I am pretty sure that we are going to do it again next Friday. Kristin stood back today and let me take the lead which was fine. I was getting frustrated with the kids today because they couldn't seem to calm down and get to work but looking back on the day we did get a lot accomplished and the most important aspects were addressed. I am including a picture of me teaching the lesson and all the kids were laughing at me asking Kristin to take a picture- it was quite funny. On Monday we are seeing a play called Bugsy Malone Jr which is about gangster life in the 192os and 30s- it fits our curriculum perfectly. Next week is another week of research and I am pretty sure that we are going to have to give the kids time to do a little research when they come back too- we are missing Monday for research and last Thursday had an internet failure so we lost that day too. When we get back from break we will be introducing the 1940s and 1950s. There might even be a field trip to see the movie Hairspray.

Ideas for Responsive Design

Today is Wednesday and the start of a whole new set of lesson plans. We are still researching and will for the next two weeks, maybe more if the kids need it. Today was staff meeting day and Kristen gave a talk on how to break up block classes so that they flow and are interesting. She had an example about a board relay- which I decided to use as our Warm Up for today- see picture. Each team of six had to race to the board and put one part of what a note card SHOULD look like in their group's box. It was fun and entertaining and the kids asked me if we were going to do more and sat in the lines relatively enthralled. I was in the library again today and watching them research and helping decide what was which theme (government, the arts, social life, or innovation) was challenging to me too. I see them getting more and more interested in their decades. I think we are going to have to make clear that they need to focus on US HISTORY and not events around the world- unless they directly effect the US or had people from the US in it. On Friday I am going to lead a class on Political Cartoons, we have decided to focus on the thirties for the examples but the kids are going to use their notes to make their own cartoons. On Tuesday Barbara West is coming to view my teaching- we will still be researching but their will at least be an interactive warm up and directions given. I have to get my notebook in order this weekend.

from gretchen

It is frustrating when kids challenge and will not comply.
Especially when Kristen was gone, so that your back-up was not available.
It will be helpful to discuss this entire episode with Kristen. Do you have time to do that?
If the consequence does not make a difference, something needs to change. Have you talked 1-1 with any of these students to see what they have to say about it?

You do need an outlet. It is a very challenging position if you have not found a way to get students with you. And that is very difficult with some classes and students. Knowing them as individuals so that you can make that connection and your word means something to them can help.

Can you do a role play with them of the class, or can you video a real class session and ask them to reflect on it?

Monday and Tuesday Wrap Up

Yesterday and today went well with the research kids. We spent practically the whole class in the library with Ms. Lee and the kids actually worked hard and got the cards done. For the next classes we will be changing the kids out and having them circulate through the process. Teaching the fine art of skimming is on tap for this week as well as a board relay for showing the outline of what a notecard looks like. On Friday we will be doing Political Cartoons and maybe some 1930s stuff.

Starting the Research

Today is the first day of research for the Decades Projects and we have split the kids up in sections of four so they can go to different spots to do their notecards. I will be up in the library with the kids doing the computer stuff and the library books.

Okay- except for the first class

Well, today could have gone better. The substitute I got was great, he was here yesterday for Jahna so I already knew him. Homeroom was fine- we went right to the gym and the kids played for a half an hour. Study hall was okay too, they seemed to settle down pretty fast, even though they didn't do a lot of work- we handed out the worksheets and some kids seemed to like those. ECore was a lot of testing, so we had kids in a out of the room doing blind and double blind tests. It was hectic because they all wanted the soda and food- I don't think that letting the kids test soda in school was such a hot idea-- it got them so hopped up on sugar that they began bouncing off the walls- so I kicked all the kids that weren't in our class out to their own rooms. This is when the madness started- the beginning of the first class was okay- slightly chaotic but that time always is. Then J asked to go and change his shorts and I let him, Ms. Lee started talking and the kids were so rude it was unbearable, but nothing I said or did from breaks to moving them stopped the comments. Then J comes back in 20 minutes into class- I called him over and told him that it was unacceptable to be gone for 20 minutes and that he needed to sit down and do his work- well he started flipping out and shouting that I wasn't his mom and I couldn't tell him- he would tell me- so I asked him to follow me outside so we could process- more negative comments- in a class where there are kids who are feeding off of this- so I can't back down and he is being extremely rude to me and to Ms. Lee- so I called 2600 and they sent down Ms. T- she took him and my write up and then she brought him back and said for him to sit in the corner- he wanders over somewhere and then tries to play innocent- so I tell him to go to where Ms. T put him and he back talks so I say that he has three seconds to move or he could leave. He sneered and said he didn't care- so I called 2600 again and he was taken out. At this point I was so frustrated I wanted to cry, there was blurting and so I did the 321 thing and got all of their attention and said that Ms. Lee had been kind enough to come and that they needed to listen to show her and me respect- so D says 'you need to give respect to get respect' and I sent her to a break for blurting again. AHHHHHH- This is my hardest class, they do not care about conseqences, well I shouldn't say all of them- but there are about 4 kids in that class that make everything super difficult for me on a daily basis. I am going to talk to Siskow about this Monday and see if it is okay to call their parents when this happens- that I what I do at my school and it usually nips it right in the bud- the kid will be mouthing off and talking about not respecting me and I would say 'Oh, yeah, lets see what your mom has to say about that' and then I would go over to the phone and call them.
So we got through with that class and I didn't break down. The next three classes went very well and both Ms. Lee and I were treated fine. They all seem to be connecting with me better then the first class- I just can't seem to shut them down when they begin to become obnoxious- it usually is one or two kids who get them all riled. Monday starts the work time and we still have to go over the notecards- we ran out of time in every class today. I did manage to get all the grades updated and the attendance done though. I need to find a way to unwind that doesn't involve a punching bag though- gym memberships are expensive.

Harlem Renaissance Day 2

Today went alot better, the longer I taught the HR lesson the shorter it got and the more the kids put things in. They seem okay with silence which is great. Siskow will be gone tomorrow, so there will be a substitute, but I will be running the show. The only thing I am worried about is E-Core, today we laid down the law but I think they will try to get away with stuff simply because Siskow is not going to be here. It seems like I have been here a long time- even though this is only the end of my second week. Tomorrow we have Ms. Lee coming in to talk to all four classes about bibliographies and how to access the databases for their Decades Project.

Observed during the Meltdown

Today Gretchen came to see me teach the Harlem Renaissance lesson. Two minutes before she got here I had an incident with a student yelling at me as well as the drama of an E-Core where all the kids are wild and not doing what they are supposed to do- and they could care less about their grades or what will happen. The HR lesson went okay- I felt like the kids were testing me again and they were blurting alot- told them to Take Breaks every 2 seconds. Gretchen felt that the kids were relatively on task. The second class went better with lots of interaction and it always feels like the first class is more challenging- they are the hardest class.

The Roaring 20s

Today I taught a lesson on the Roaring 20s- this is my first week of full time planning and teaching. The first class went decently- there was a ton of behavior and Siskow was observing me for behavior that day. The second class went a lot better with me giving breaks out like they were on sale. The presentation was a good idea but I think that the KKK stuff could have been left out or maybe handled as a discussion instead of a powerpoint. The kids made radio commercials for popular products of the day - 20 second jingles with lots of rhyming that focused on the popular aspects of the 1920s. I will not be here tomorrow and Siskow will use my lesson plan to teach the Roaring 20s. On Wednesday I am being observed and Gretchen will be here for my Harlem Renaissance Lesson.

Gretchen, Friday, June 8

It has been very enjoyable to read about your teaching experiences at Crosswinds. The instruction methods respond so well to the age group! You and Kristin are working out be co-teachers for the benefit of your students, and I think they will benefit immensely. Your experience has put you on solid footing to really learn and enjoy this experience. Your child psychology major is important foundational knowledge for you in understanding this age level, and of course human behavior. The images help set the context which is really fun.

Continue on..this is just what you hoped for. Thank you Kristen!

My First Meeting w/ the Behavior Specialist

Today is Thursday, June 7th and I taught both sections today. There was a student who decided that they did not want to listen to me and Siskow called him out of class. The Behavior Specialist showed up and we had a twenty minute meeting with the student who had thought that he didn't have to listen to me- it was very similar to the processing that we do at New Visions. I will not be here tomorrow to hear the Jungle which is our book of choice for 1900 to 1920.

The Spot Journal, Study Hall, and Reading

Today we started the day with the science Spot journals, each student had picked a spot on the property to observe while filling out a journal. It looks like a neat project and it turned out to be a nice day to stand outside. The kids were a little antsy with some just messing around- next time I am going to wear sneakers and jeans and sit down by the lake so that they work more. During prep we picked out readings for the students to do in class today, there are about 1o pages total with three questions to answer. In Study Hall- which is like being a ring master in a circus the students actually started to settle down today and do their work. Its hard because some of the kids really do not have anything to do or don't have the work so they start to wander around causing mischief. Starting tomorrow the E Core kids will be split up and we will have our Blind and Double Blind study kids to work with- go psychology! Kristen taught the first SS class today and I taught the second one. We seem to play off of one another relatively well. Now that I am not 'new' the kids are starting to challenge me with passive aggressive stuff- like ignoring me when I give them a direction. Good thing I have had experience in this stuff or I would be a little put off, right now I am just amused to see them flexing their muscles- basically I just say it louder and again and then tell them that this is their warning and the next step is OUT! and I say it like an umpire- they think I'm corny. Tomorrow I will teach both sections and we will see how those classes do at working together- both of today's classes couldn't handle it.

Era Vocab and Century Themes

Today I taught both sections. We went over the themes of the 20th century and then the students took notes on the vocabulary words Kristen and I decided on- Progressive, Industrialism, and Era. We also did a timeline and discussed the term decade, century, and millenium. Then the students got into groups of four and illustrated what innovation, government, social life, and the arts were on a worksheet. This went very well and I enjoyed seeing the kids participate in the discussions using their prior knowledge.

Morning Meeting June 4th Wrap Up

Yesterday I led the morning meeting for our homeroom and it turned out relatively well. I am still working on my timing, but the board went well and the game. I forgot the announcements but Siskow did them at the end of the meeting. I think that the kids are getting more used to me, a student that had been sitting outside the circle and not participating so far decided that she liked me yesterday and we have since started to bond. Here are pictures of my morning message and the kids answer to the moral question.

Homeroom Lesson Plan for Monday, June 4th

Greeting: Shaking Hands- Buon Giorno or Ciao NAME
Share: Sign In Question
Activity: Cocktail Murder- there is a murderer on the loose, everyone closes their eyes and the tehacer picks someone to be the murderer. Then we all stand up and start milling around shaking each others' hands. The murderer kills people by shaking their hand with their pointer finger extneded to tickle the wrist. The person that has been murdered falls to the ground dramatically. The murderer wins by killing everyone in the group without getting caught. The way to accuse the murderer is to get another person and go to the sheriff and accuse someone. If they are right they win, if they are wrong they die. The point of the game is to be sneaky and not get caught and to be vigilant and watch how people are shaking hands. If you are murdered you cannot accuse- you must mill around for 10 seconds and then die.
Message: Buon Giorno Ragazzi, Today is Monday, June 4th and we are allready in our second week of the quarter. Remember to think about your science fair project and start formulating ideas on which type of project you want to do.
Sign In Question: You are walking down the street and you find a bag with a prescription medication in it. What do you do?

Teaching RC Style

For the last two rotations of the science experiment talk I got to do the introduction and the discussion with the kids. They have to choose one of four ways to do a science fair project within one of the E-Core classes, Siskow has Blind and Double Blind Studies which is super cool since my degree is in Child Psychology and I spent three years doing psychology studies. The kids responded well to me during this time and when I forgot stuff Kristin supplied it and we played off of one another so it seemed natural. I am not used to giving the same lesson again and again in a row but it seems that is what middle school is like- you want them all to get the same message with the same examples. Since this was a Friday schedule we had forty minute classes. During Social Studies time the kids finished their CARES posters, presented them, and then we played Blog Tag- which I introduced. Since they were super psyched to go outside it was easy enough to get them to participate- keeping their attention was hard however and the first class didn't seem as interested as the second and third. The fourth was rained out so we played 'A my name is Abe' inside. I led the last Social Studies section and they were more rowdy then the other three groups. It's Friday though, so I think they did okay for not really wanting to be in school at 3:30 on a Friday. They did manage to get through the presentations of their posters but I don't think they got out of it what the other classes had- too much use of the word 'boredom' in every poster. I really like how Kristin says what she 'notices' in every class. The RC stuff seems very natural coming from her and the kids are very used to the language and actions that accompany it. Only one kid tested me when Kristin was out of the room, I asked him to take a break and he played like he didn't know what for and then asked where the break chair was, but I just pointed and his moment of power was over. The pictures that are attached are of the kids playing Blob Tag on the grass.

Getting in the Groove

I think I am getting it down a little. It is really wierd to hear teachers talking so openly about the school. Where I came from there was a hush-hush atmosphere about talking about the school and here they can say what they want within their houses and they do not get in trouble with administration, in fact I haven't seen any administration around the school at all since I have got here. It is a little insular but nice, almost like they are a family unit. We are on Friday schedule again today and we are going to go over the Science Fair stuff in Study Hall/E-Core. Yesterday we blew up Diet Coke and Mentos but today I think we are doing a round robin on each of the four sections of the science fair. I am going to start taking pictures soon and they will be up. I got a list of the kids for each section to write asssignments on it and will probably start that at the end of next week. There will be a CultureFest here next Saturday, the day I get back from the Invention Fair, but I am going to try to make it for at least an hour that day. I think some of the kids will be making booths and presenting stuff. Kristin and I sat down today to go over lesson plans for next week. We are introducing the beginning decades of the 20th century using vocab and their prior knowledge of what the decades were called. We were interuptted by parents coming to see the school but it was nice to have some time to look at the calendar and make some notes about what each decade would cover. It seems like a lot to combine into 8 weeks, but I like how Siskow says that it is a survey course- a little info about a lot of stuff. Here is a shot of my work space, with my cool fire truck lunchbox. More later. :)