Only Two Days Left

Final Friday

On Friday morning a few students came to the classroom with some treats carried by their parents.  When I asked the students what their treats were for, they simply responded with a shoulder shrug.  I had a strong hunch the treats would be part of our Friday Brain Boosters, and that this Brain Booster would be different from previous.  I had a feeling this Brain Booster would be more of a party with all of the treats students and their parents brought in that morning.  With Friday being my final Brain Booster I also kind of had a feeling the party would be like a going away party for me, even though I still have two days left. 

When 1:50 came around, it turned out that my feelings were correct, kind of.  This Friday’s Brain Booster was a celebration of both fourth grade student teachers.  Both fourth grade classes came to my classroom and we did our MEAP celebration dance to Roar by Katy Perry, along with some dancing to a couple other songs.  Then the two classes went back to their homeroom to continue celebrating with some snacks. 

As my class was passing out their baked goods (WAY TOO MANY BAKED GOODS FOR ANY ONE PERSON TO EAT), I was given a couple gifts to unwrap from my mentor teacher.  As soon as my mentor teacher put the gifts on my desk, students began getting into their folders to find notes they had written and had gotten signed by fourth graders from each classroom.  It was so sweet.  They all wanted me to read everything they wrote, but I decided not to because I knew it would make me cry and I wasn't ready for them to see me tear up before I finish my student teaching experience on Tuesday.  I explained that to them and there was a collective “awwww” from some, along with some collective laughter from others. 

The students had known about this celebration since last Friday, but none of them let me in on the secret.  A few students had some minor slip ups throughout the week, but none that gave the surprise away until I saw all the baked goods being brought into the classroom.  The best surprise was one of the gifts my mentor and one of the teaching aides helped the students create.  This past week the two worked together to get each student to fill out a prompt about what they liked about me and how they hope I remember them in order to create a going away book.  I cannot believe I didn’t notice anything about the book being created.  I was so touched to see how much each student cared about me.  It was also great to see the effort my mentor and the teacher aide put into making a wonderful book to surprise me.  The notes and the book are definitely items I will keep with me forever.  I’ll never forget my first group of students, and now I have items to help me remember specific things I did in class that helped them learn and grow.

Wonder

It took a while, but I finished reading Wonder to the students.  When I am able to set my own schedule I will set aside at least 5-10 minutes a day – probably after lunch and recess – for a read aloud, just to make sure I can read multiple novels aloud each year.  Setting aside time for a read aloud right after lunch and recess could also help with the transition, allowing students a little more time to use the restroom and to wind down after playing outside. 

When I closed the book for the last time, the students applauded.  I did not expect that type of reaction.  It was moving to see that they learned valuable lessons from the book and enjoyed hearing it read aloud.  After finishing, I started a discussion with the students by saying “this is my favorite book because of the message it teaches.  All great books teach a message that makes us better people.  What is the message we learn from the awesome book?”  It was wonderful to hear their responses.  It was a time when I allowed every student who wanted to share tell their thoughts without having to cut off to move on with the lesson.  From their responses I could tell that my students really understood the meaning and purpose of Wonder by R.J. Palacio.  I hope they are able to use the lessons they learned to help them become the amazing people each and every one of them has the capability to become.  

Conferences and Recess

Parent-Teacher Conferences

This week I experienced parent-teacher conferences from the teacher side of the table for the first time.  Our conferences for each student were only ten minutes long.  Since we did not have a lot of time, my mentor and I had to make sure we were concise in what we said, in order to discuss everything we thought was necessary.  It was tough, and more than a few conferences went over the ten minute time frame.  Almost every child was represented by at least one parent/guardian at the conferences, and we even had some students sit in with us too.  With only ten minutes and two teachers having things they wanted to bring up, I would always let my mentor begin the conference and discussion.  During that time I would observe how different topics were discussed and then I would add my own input on the topic where I saw fit.  If something I wanted to bring up was not mentioned in the beginning of the conference I would hold onto my thought until the end, once my mentor had gotten through all that she wanted to.  Overall our conferences went really well.  I learned even more about my students by listening to concerns and positive comments the parents/guardians brought up, and all of the parents/guardians really seemed to listen and take in everything my mentor and I had to say during the conferencing.  Ten minutes definitely does not seem like long enough to adequately discuss all that I felt was needed for each students.  I am hoping when I have my own classroom my district will stretch conferences out over a couple days so each student can be addressed for a longer time.  It would create a longer work week for the teacher, but I feel that the conferences will be even more valuable to everyone involved. 

Recess

Recently the teachers have been asked to take turns as a supervisor of their grade’s first recess.  The fourth and fifth graders share a first recess time and the five teachers have each been assigned one day a week.  Since I am no longer teaching every subject I have a little less to worry about through the day I have volunteered to go out each day so the other teachers can have that time to prepare.  It’s a win-win situation for everyone.  The teachers have more time to prepare for the rest of the day, or to work with a student who needs extra help, and I get to go outside and play for twenty minutes.  I am no longer teaching the math lessons (which occur immediately following first recess) so I do not need those twenty minutes to make sure everything is in order when the students come back inside.  Instead, I take my football outside and play catch with any students that want to throw the football around.   It’s a very fun time, and I think the students really enjoy being able to see their teacher in a different light.  While playing catch, I take breaks to see how other students are spending their recess, and to ask them if they are having a fun time.  Being outside helps me continue to develop a personal relationship with my students, which can lead to better learning, more respect, and even more fun inside the classroom. 

I believe that being outside during recess goes right along with habit one of the five healthy habits: “To be thoughtful and caring learner-teachers, open and eager to know, be known, and respect self and others.”  When I am outside I am able to learn about my students and what they like to do for fun.  I do this simply by observing how they spend their recess, and I also take time to converse with them about any type of topic.  At the same time, my students are getting to know me better too.  They see what I like to do for fun and they hear what I have to add to our conversations.  When I am outside playing and talking I show the students that I want them to enjoy being at school, and that I care about who they are as an individual.  When any teacher is outside – especially when they are actively involved in the recess and not just standing to the side and watching – it shows the students that we are all people who want to do things that make us happy.  

I LOVE TO READ

“I LOVE TO READ”

Throughout student teaching I have been pushing my fourth graders to do more reading.  In my three week take-over of lesson plans I tried to plan for more read-to-self time than we had given the students throughout the year thus far.  I’ve also continuously expressed my love of reading to my students.  We have discussed how awesome reading is and how it can be used for enjoyment and learning at the very same time.  I have some rubber bracelets that say “I LOVE TO READ” on them, and I have been giving them out to students who show me they love to read.  Many times the bracelet handout has occurred when the class as a whole has gotten loud during a little down time, but one student has chosen to take the small amount of time to continue reading their book.  The bracelets have helped me with classroom management as students want to earn one, and be greatly complimented in front of the whole class, so more and more have taken it upon themselves to read whenever they have a free moment.  At the end of my student teaching experience I plan on giving every student a bracelet.  However, since having to earn one has been helpful to classroom management, I will not tell the students they all get one until it’s time to give them all one.

One day this week, a student told me the most awesome thing about reading his book.  This student has given me some troubles this year.  He hasn’t always listened and followed directions, and he’s given me some attitude about listening and doing his work.  My mentor and I decided to move him to the back of the room to see if he would cause fewer distractions, and the move has worked wonderfully! He has had a great attitude all week and has been focused and listening much more.  We took a math test, and the students were told to read-to-self when they finished.  By the time everyone finished it was time for us to transition to lunch and it was getting a little noisy.  This student didn’t even notice we had started transitioning until one of his friends tapped him on the shoulder to get him moving.  As the student went to grab his lunch pail he came up to me to share why he did not get ready for lunch right away.  His reasoning could not have been a better excuse, “Mr. Sharp, I was reading and I didn’t even notice we were getting ready for lunch.  I was just so into my book.  It didn’t even feel like I was in the classroom.  I felt like I was actually in Africa, living the story.”  When my student told me this, I beamed with joy.  It was way too cool.  We talked for a minute about how awesome it is that reading can do that for you.  He has definitely earned himself a bracelet. 

Take-over Over

I have now completed my three week takeover of all teacher duties.  It was a great experience and I learned a lot of valuable things that will stay with me forever.  Going forward I will still be teaching lessons.  My mentor and I have discussed how we will shift back toward her teaching and planning everything.  We will discuss the weekly plan together, and then decide who will teach what lessons.  We are just playing it all by ear for now.  Our plan of attack is not the most decisive plan, but I know we will make it work best for us and the students. 

I still cannot believe that student teaching is almost over.  It has gone by so fast.  Looking at the calendar I realize I only have 10.5 days of school left with my students before I finish at Thanksgiving break.  When I told them this on Friday they all asked if I’d ever come back.  I know I will have to make time to do that because I will definitely miss them.  I’d really like to come back periodically, either for a visit or to substitute teach for my mentor or another teacher, and I also want to come back near the end of the year.  I’d want to come at the end of the year to see how much the students have grown in their learning and abilities.  I’m super excited and very sad that it’s almost over, but I’ll have to get used to this feeling because it’ll always bittersweet seeing my students move on to the next grade when I have my own classroom.  I’ll be sad to not see them, but I’ll be proud of how far they came in the year they were with me. 

Week Two

Week Two

           

            The second week of taking over the classroom is now in the books.  This past week was quite eventful.  We had the excitement of Halloween on Thursday, and a MEAP celebration dance along with a fall festival on Friday.  To say the students were wound up a little bit nearing the end of the week would be an understatement.  All week the kids kept asking if we could take a minute to share what their Halloween costumes were going to be.  All week I kept telling them when we had time, and no later than on Halloween.  Well we didn’t find time before Halloween so on October 31 the students knew they would be sharing their costumes at some point, and they were frequently asking when that would be.  When we finally found the time to share costumes it was great to hear the excitement each student had in their voice and body language as they said what they would be wearing, and heard what all of their friends in class would have on that night.  They also had quite a laugh when I shared that I too would be dressing up and taking my little brothers Trick or Treating. 

            Halloween definitely poses a challenge for teachers.  The young students’ short attention spans become even shorter.  They only seem to want to focus on Halloween, costumes and Trick or Treating.  With our Fall Festival and a MEAP celebration dance being the following day it made Halloween even more difficult for the students’ ability to focus on the important subject matter we were still covering.  Both overly exciting schools days went quite well for the students and myself.  To make this possible I had to stay on top of classroom management.  I was firm with my behavior and work ethic expectations, but made sure I was also being fair – taking time to enjoy the excitement of the days this past week, as well as pushing my students to give me their best effort in everything they did.  Whenever I saw the class getting unruly I would use our classroom quieting tools immediately.  On Thursday and Friday I would even use those tools a little bit earlier than normal because I had a hunch it would take a little extra time to get my students back on track.  I was also thinking that if I let them get too loud and off task at any point on those two days I would never get them back where I needed them to be in order for them to learn.

            Being the teacher in control of the class on Halloween was a very beneficial experience.  It helped prepare me for other times when the students will be more excited than on the typical day such as holidays, when long breaks are coming up, field trips, etc.  On those kind of days I will need to utilize my best classroom management practices in order to make the day as productive as possible. 

Looking Ahead

           

            This next week will be my final week of having complete control over the teaching and planning for the class.  I wouldn't mind doing it for a longer period of time, but I think the way my mentor and I have planned out my student teaching is in the best interest of the students.  We started the year with me helping out where I could, and then I would take over one subject at a time as we continued toward my three week long takeover of everything.  When the three week long takeover ends I will still be teaching multiple subjects throughout the day, and my mentor and I will team teach the remaining subjects throughout the day.  I think it is important to make the transitions from my mentor teaching to me taking over (and vice versa) smooth rather than abrupt.  If the transitions are too abrupt the students will not understand the sudden change and might not be able to adapt quick enough to the different teaching methods.  By making the transitions smooth the students have a better chance to understand that both my mentor and myself are their teacher and require the same respect and work ethic from each of them.