My first learning goal for this semester was to better engage my students. I cannot help but feel I am making further progress with this goal. I have been observing student behaviors during lessons more closely to get a better understanding of how they receive the lesson. This has helped me better determine effective teaching strategies and encouraged me to try new ones. I also feel like I have been making a real effort to implement the conscious discipline system when working with the students. While it takes time to get used to what methods are included by that practice, it pays off throughout daily practices in the classroom. The students seem to respond to me well and hold themselves responsible for their actions.

As far as changes to my plan, I have not made any. I reference mine in calendar format, and attempt to stick to it as much as I can. Normally, changing a plan for me proves as a source of stress. I have always needed to organize myself and my schoolwork. Therefore, I really thought out the activities in the first place and attempt to stick to them as much as possible. It has helped having things organized in two places, rather than just my planner.

I would say I have accomplished everything necessary up to this point, just as scheduled. In relation to the activities planned around my learning goals, I am behind in some and ahead in others. A lot of those activities revolved around meetings with faculty, interns, etc, and with snow days, catching up on my required assignments has been challenge enough. Therefore, adding anything else has not been easy in respect to scheduling. All in all, it feels nice to look through the list of requirements and see progress.

Characteristics of the Novice Teacher

The characteristic I would like to discuss first is the seventh characteristic. The rubric states that “the novice teacher should effectively integrate content and pedagogy”. It is of the utmost importance to be extremely familiar with the content being taught, as well as how to teach it. Still, more importantly is the need to ensure the two are brought together to give students the appropriate content, using the proper methods. Integrating content and pedagogy successfully means developing lessons with the student in mind, and using various resources and strategies to cover appropriate standards.

Last semester I created literacy workstations for fourth graders, based on the novel Tuck Everlasting. The workstations cover a span of two weeks (ten school days), and cover many reading and writing CSOs. There are five reading groups, based on ability levels and baseline scores that will meet with the teacher at least once during the two weeks. For workstation activities, the students are in nine groups of varying abilities that cycle through one workstation daily, visiting all ten by the end of the two weeks. The plans also involve daily whole-group and small-group reading instruction.

I feel that my writing workstations show integration of content and pedagogy in several ways. I have carefully selected the CSOs to be covered, and the materials to be used to do so. Not only does the unit include the reading and writing content appropriate to fourth grade students, but I have carefully planned for strategies and techniques to reach all ability levels and a variety of interests. Since the students are to meet with the teacher often, that integrates content and pedagogy on an individual basis, really reaching for each student.

The next characteristic I would like to discuss is the second characteristic. It requires the novice teacher to be “an effective communicator.” This means that not only is one to send ideas, messages, or information, but receive them as well. This could be achieved through speaking, writing, or non-verbal forms. The most important thing to remember is keeping the communication lines open in both directions. While it is of highest priority to keep in touch with everyone involved in the school community, it is even more important to ensure they also have the opportunity to initiate communication.

Since I am an early childhood specialization, I took CI 410 in the fall of 2009. The course required the creation of a portfolio to celebrate the knowledge gained about the student studied throughout the semester. The professor gave the option to create that portfolio for the viewing of the parents. I created mine to be given to the parents; it was in scrapbook form including various pictures and notes about the observations made of their child over a couple of months. It was very colorful, and was introduced through a letter on the first page of the book. In that letter, I thanked the parents for allowing me to work with their child, explained the purpose of the book, and gave my contact information.

This portfolio fits the second characteristic extremely well. Everyone involved was brought together through that assignment; the student was highly involved in the creating process, but the classroom teacher, my professor, the owner of the daycare, and the parents were able to come together over the end result. After reading my letter, the parents requested to meet with me, and thanked me for the keepsake.