MaritaUndergraduate
Exceptional Education |
MaritaUndergraduate
Exceptional Education |
Week overview... This week the students had an end of unit math assessment on the money unit. On Tuesday, we did a whole class of all the math concepts they would see on the test. I took the questions from the test and used different numbers to make the review. There are a few students who are often very distracted by each other and do not pay attention in lessons. As a result they do not know the information and ask for help on problems we did in class or ask questions I had already given the answer to. I gave the whole class a warning that if they did not pay attention to the review they would not be successful. Disregarding my warning the same students were chatting during the review. I gave these students a second warning and as a result one of the students refocused herself. The other two continued to be distracted so I separated their desks. The review was very important for them to do well on the test so I put a lot of effort into keeping them focused where during an average lesson I would not have taken so many steps to keep these students on track. During the review, as we finished a problem I asked the students to give me a thumbs up or thumbs down to show they understand the concept. I received thumbs up for almost all the review questions except for one of the very last multi step problems. We did a second problem similar to the original. After a second example, I received thumbs up from all students. On Wednesday the students took the test. The class has an issue with cheating. My mentor teacher gave a warning before passing out the test to not cheat. The students who have trouble focusing also have an issue with cheating. They often look at the person next to them and copy the answers. When grading the math tests my mentor teacher and I noticed certain students did exceptionally well on the test but struggled all unit. These students had the correct answer for all the questions but showed no work to prove they were the ones that got to the answer. My mentor teacher pulled these students aside and gave them a talking to. On Thursday, my host mother visited my classroom to do an acting workshop with the students. Both the fourth and third graders are doing units of inquiry that involve acting. My host mother is an actress and she teaches acting. She did a fun workshop with the kids where they learned about what it takes to be an actor and did some acting games. The students had a great time and wanted her to come back to do more workshops. I made a card and had the kids sign it for my host mom. It was a great class visit. On Friday, we had our weekly assembly. My class performed a play they have been working on in Drama class. One student was not in for the end of the week with a family issue so we were down a cast member. The kids reminded me that I am a STUDENT teacher therefore I am the best option to step in as Peggy the Dancing Unicorn. The students thought it was so funny I played Peggy. A few of the girls helped me find a fluffy sparkly skirt to wear. The performance was a hit with the entire PYP. Thoughts through out the week... I have been considering how I can be a better teacher, especially when it comes to teaching reading and writing. I am a big believer in the science of reading and focusing on phonics to learn how to read and write. I have taken it upon myself to teach myself how to read and write in Italian using the science of reading. This will likely have to be a summer project and I do not think I will be able to get past a kindergarten reading level teaching myself but I think this will help me understand the process of learning phonics better. I understand at a surface level the process of learning to read and the reasoning behind teaching reading in a particular way but I have never experienced this learning process. With more personal experience with this idea of the science of reading I will hopefully be a better teacher. I had a breakthrough with two students this week. There are two boys who sit next to each other and are by all means, perfect students. They are well behaved, they do all their work, they almost never need help or reminders. They are really good kids, but because of this, they often go unnoticed and I often forget they are there. I can always count on them to give the correct answer in math or work peacefully in a group, but I have no deeper relationship with these students. The one student, we will call him J, is more outgoing and likes to talk so I have a bit of a deeper relationship with him besides calling on him in class. The other student, we’ll call him V, is more quiet and is not as willing to speak up in class or in group settings. I had the opportunity during ‘golden time’ to play soccer with these two boys. J was between playing goal and playing with other kids, so he was in and out of the game. I played with V the entire period. He taught me some cool soccer tricks and we practiced scoring on each other. Towards the end of the period J had returned with another student who wanted to play 2 v 2. V picked me as his partner instantly. We absolutely dominated the other two students, we are a soccer dream team. When we were walking back into the school he talked my ear off the whole walk. I had never heard this student speak so much. We got back and the kids got their backpacks together to go home. I am usually the one that initiates the goodbye between me and V, but this time he said goodbye first. I realized at that moment that we could have had this relationship this whole time I have been in the classroom, I just never gave him any one on one attention. The next morning he came into school and complimented my shoes and even came up to my desk to talk to me at one point. J and I have also strengthened our relationship but it was not the turning point I had with V. I realized the kids that need less attention can easily be forgotten. I could have gone the whole placement thinking V was shy and wanted nothing to do with me when really I just never gave him any individualized attention. Even the “good” kids need your one on one attention and care even if on a daily basis they do not need you to hold their hand throughout the day. This breakthrough has been one of the most eye opening and rewarding moments in my placement thus far. One of my students is obsessed with Benji the Bengal. His favorite animal is tigers and when I showed him our mascot he got so excited. I told him Benji likes to watch hockey and eat chicken wings. He has even made his iPad background the Buffalo State logo with Benji front and center. He also really likes drawing and has drawn me at least three different Benji the Bengals. Please enjoy Benji the Bengal. This weekend my host family took me to an American Diner. They had been telling me about this diner since I arrived. The diner was 1950s America themed with old cars, hamburgers, and milkshakes. They had a lot of vegan options including a vegan apple pie. The food was good but the apple pie was a far cry from a classic American pie. It was more cake-like than pie-like. Still it was an awesome lunch. Please enjoy the least chaotic photos I got while at the diner. On Saturday evening, we had a Eurovision viewing party. We got a bunch of pizzas and beers and watched the final of Eurovision. It was very fun to watch as an American who had never heard of Eurovision with Europeans who cared a lot about their country winning. It was an absolute blast. I was able to vote because I have an Italian phone number, however, my man from Cyrus did not end up winning. Connor and I were screaming for Finland to win but they came in second. I spent Sunday recovering from the week and weekend by going on a walk and drawing some of my favorite scenery and taking photos of my favorite views. Finally, your weekly picture of Meowlena.
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AuthorHi! I'm Marita Miller an exceptional education student at Buffalo State student teaching in Siena Italy. Follow my journey! Archives
May 2023
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