student teaching reflection

Student Teaching Reflection: Week 1

January 31, 2016

1. How did you spend your time this week? What responsibilities did you have?a. This week, I was focused on learning the routine of both of my classrooms and

tried to get to know student names. I find it is really hard since I don’t see the same kids every day, but I think I will get there by the end of next week. I have started working with some small groups and co-teaching the English classes I am working in. Friday, I took over 2nd block Drama I and led it. I will get to continue doing that class on Monday as well.

2. What were your most satisfying experiences? What were your most challenging experiences?

a. So far, I felt really good about how my first class went. I thought I handled it really well, and Jamaal gave me some helpful feedback. I am glad that I can jump right in and take over that class full time starting next week. It helps that I feel very confident in that class, with it being drama.

b. In my English classes, I feel a little more nervous because there is a lot more content to keep up with. I had not previously read the books that those classes are working on, so it is challenging trying to read those and feel comfortable enough talking about them and leading the discussions for the students. I know this week I will have some more time to focus on getting my ducks in a row for those classes and figure it out. I am easing more into teaching those classes as well, focusing on small groups and co-teaching right now, which is helping ease my concerns. There is also a lot more content-specific vocabulary that I am not as comfortable with, compared to theatre content vocabulary. I have several resources, so I can familiarize myself as I go.

c. It has also been challenging not having a plan with Ginger, but we were fortunately able to meet today and go over a few things and establish a plan to have more meeting times during the week. We do have lunches together, but students have been in the classroom and it may be necessary to have them not in there or just establishing it as a quiet work time. It is really nice at least having a plan with Jamaal to discuss classes, teaching, and curriculum. Hopefully, going forward, I will have more time throughout the week with Ginger to line up each day.

3. What are the plans for the upcoming week?a. Drama I: This week, I am planning on taking over completely for all 3 sections of

Drama I. We are working on an Improv unit, and I have an outline for where I want to take it, and I’ve discussed it with Jamaal. I also have some ideas for what I want to do after this current unit. By the end of this week, I hope to have some rough draft plans for everything and line up my materials for the next couple

weeks. Right now, I am thinking about some sort of script reading and analysis piece, but I have to select scripts and lay it out. I know I want scripts that allow for research elements, for those standards and I want socially conscious scripts because I want students to be able to connect with some of the themes and topics. I feel pretty confident about this class, so I want to stay on top of it so that it is the one that I don’t have to stress about!

b. AP Lang and Lit: For this class, I am teaching a mini-lesson on Wednesday, so I have that all set up. Otherwise, I am just helping co-teach the other days. This class, we are planning on co-teaching throughout the semester. So far, Ginger and I are working well together and I think I will get a lot out of this.

c. English II: This one, I am also easing into. I have a lesson put together for Thursday and Friday for 4th and 8th blocks. Because we are having the students read 2 books, we have split instruction up so that I am working with one book (The Last Lecture, by Randy Pausch) while Ginger helps the students on the other book, (Tuesdays with Morrie, Tuesdays with Morrie, by Mitch Albom). Then, at times (like Thursday and Friday), we will be having lessons that cross-over and get taught to the whole class. I am looking forward to this Unit because I haven’t read the books prior to this, so they are new to me, and I am really liking them. I think I will be able to walk away with several units built and ready to teach in the future.


February 14, 2016

1. How did you spend your time this week? What responsibilities did you have?

a. This week, I continued with Drama I. 2 of the classes are going really well, and 1 is

okay—definitely a learning experience! Block 6 is the largest class, and they also

have the highest number of students with previous behavior issues.

b. In English II, we are still in small groups through the end of the month. I did lead

class on Wednesday while reviewing grammar and teaching students how to outline.

This idea was brainstormed between Ginger and me. I created an outline about

grammar topics that the students are supposed to know. Then, while talking through

the grammar, we can also talk through outline formatting. I think it could work, but

the students needed a lot more time with outline formatting than originally planned,

so I’ll have to remember that going forward.

c. In AP Lit, the students finished reading one of their books, and had Socratic seminars.

I have been helping tally and record participation.

2. What were your most satisfying experiences? What were your most challenging

experiences?

a. From most of the drama kids, I am getting really positive feedback and response.

There are several students in each class who are excited to volunteer and are

requesting games that I have shown them. It is great to see them so excited to get to

activities that before I even go over agenda, they’re trying to suggest things! There

are some other students who don’t volunteer a lot, but they are still engaged and

watch the activities. Since we’re doing improvisation right now, I know it is hard for

some kids who are nervous to be onstage—especially without a script or other

preparation. Therefore, I try to help encourage these kids by giving them roles that

get them onstage or involved without necessarily putting them at too much risk, as

they see it. For example, in games like “Party Quirks” there is a host and 3 people

who have to play characters. The host is a good one for a shy student who can get

onstage and interact with the others but they can just play themselves.

b. Challenging experiences are the kids who are actively dis-engaging from working in

class. In Block 2, there are 2 boys who refuse to do anything. They are at least

usually quiet, so not disrupting others, but they literally do nothing. I talked to them

on Friday and told them that this next week we will be wrapping up the improv unit

and moving on to one more centered around script reading and research. I told them

they would have some choice in that unit, and if they had other ideas for independent

projects, I’d be willing to hear their ideas. They seemed a little apathetic, but I’m

hoping they will at least do something. I’ll just have to keep working with it.

c. The other challenging class, Sue was able to see during Thursday’s observations. She

gave some helpful suggestions for things to try. Monday, I am going to create a

seating chart and look through infinite campus because there are a few of them on

IEPs or with tracked behavior histories, so maybe I can figure out more from there.

As I plan to move into the next unit, I am making sure I can have the ability to

manipulate groups as I need to so to get productive groups.

3. What are the plans for the upcoming week?

a. In Drama, we will be wrapping up our Improv unit. I am creating evaluation forms

for me and the students so they can track their own ideas and reflect on their

performances during improv.

b. In AP, we are continuing Socratic seminars. I really like how this is going, and I may

try to incorporate this into my next Drama unit since they will be doing lit circles.

Ginger and I are also working together to monitor student participation. The first

checklist we made, we quickly found had way too many categories on it. We’ve

narrowed it down a little, but it is helping me figure out how to track what I want.

c. In English II, we are continuing our readings. I have created a list of possible project

options because there are several students in both groups who will be done this week.

Therefore, Ginger and I came up with some options to help them explore their books

further or extend their learning. Since I have readers at all different places in the

reading, I am letting them do a lot of independent work while I check in with them

and work one-on-one with each of them.


March 6, 2016


a. In Drama, students worked in small groups and were expected to finish their scripts.

Most groups are doing very well and were able to finish and move on to the next

phase of the assignment: research and concept. I presented a model of what I want

their group presentation to look like from an old assignment of mine. I also provided

some intro to designer roles within theatre for the students this week. Overall, I

supervised and monitored how groups were doing.

b. In English II, I taught every day, running the lessons while Ginger co-taught and

assisted. I created a Body of Evidence that the students took on Thursday and Friday,

and I’m currently in the process of grading those to return on Monday or Tuesday.

Based on what I was seeing in the ones I graded so far, I switched up some plans for

next week to give more practice.

c. In AP, groups worked on their projects. Monday and Tuesday, I gave lessons on in-

text citations and how to set up their works cited pages. It is really fun to see all of

the different ways that students are going with this project. To help monitor group

cooperation and productivity, Ginger and I each created reflection sheets and we’re

trying a couple different ways of doing it.


experiences?

a. The most satisfying experience has been the number of groups who have finished

their scripts in Drama and have started some of their presentations and research bits.

It’s neat to hear their reactions to the scripts—mostly good.

b. The 2 boys who I had trouble getting to do anything for so long, are at least starting

some work on the alternative assignment I gave them. They are making slow

progress, but progress nonetheless. I’m hoping I can continue to find ways to get

them interested and maybe actually doing some of the original projects.

c. The most challenging experiences have been the groups who have not finished

reading. There are several students who spend more time complaining about the

assignments or how difficult they are rather than just trying to do the work. I am also

seeing this in the English II class. There are always a few kids who are rather vocal

about how stupid an activity is and what is the point and yada, yada. They are so

closed off to learning or trying anything a little difficult or new that they completely

shut off, and then they are so loud that they bring down some of the others. I have

tried picking scripts and examples that they can connect to or find interesting—and I

can tell by the several who have had positive responses that I’m not too far off—but

those who are resistant really make it difficult. It is disheartening that there are

students who just hate being challenged or trying new things, when I thrive off it so

much and find it so important.


a. This week, Drama classes are moving on to research and concept designs in their

groups. I was hoping they’d be done with this phase before Spring break, but it’s not

looking like that is going to happen for some groups. So, I may extend that. I’m

thinking that I will continue pushing for them to finish, and those who do—great—

those who don’t, will get some bonus time. Then, after break, I can move the others

forward with some additional activities while others catch up.

b. In AP, the students are finishing up group projects on Monday and Tuesday. On

Wednesday and Thursday they will do gallery walks to share their projects with each

of the other groups.

c. In English II, on Monday and Tuesday, I have created stations for the students to

rotate spending time practicing their unit vocabulary, starting their speech outlines,

and getting additional evaluating argument practice. Then, Wednesday and

Thursday, they have a body of evidence and class time to work on their outlines.


April 17, 2016


a. In Drama 1, we continued on Devised theatre. Most groups are doing pretty well. I

am really excited to see some of the final products next week. They continued

working in their groups, and I provided various

b. In AP, we continued with the book groups. I am helping the They Poured Fire

students, and it is going well. We have had in-class discussions each day and some

guided activities to look at other sources. With so many other classes, it is interesting

to see the dynamic change from class to class. With one class, I simply ask “how did

the reading go?” and the kids are off on a deep discussion about what stood out to

them, what they remember, answering clarifying questions for each other, etc. At

times, I have to prompt or guide, but they do well on their own discussing. The other

class, I have to have specific questions, and I usually have to word in a couple

different ways to get them going. They just sit and look at each other, which is

strange because it is not a shy or introvert issue. I do not think they’re reading it as

closely, and they are just not as motivated to discuss. After I get going with a few

questions, they will do better, but it just takes them longer.

c. In English, we began to change their outlines to a paper. This next week, they will

take the paper through the editing process with peer reviews. We also began a new

unit, and Thursday and Friday we did a jigsaw activity with some political cartoons to

introduce how to read and summarize ideas. It went really well and I’m excited to

see how it goes.


experiences?

a. My most satisfying experience was in English. The lesson with the political cartoons

went really well. The students were engaged and participating, even if they struggled

at first with some of the set-up.

b. I am also really impressed with how some of the drama groups are working on their

presentations. I’ve altered some steps from my original plan, but it still seems to be

working well.

c. My most challenging experience is grading. It is really hard to maintain focus and

give each student full attention and feedback to be constructive and helpful. I want to

make sure they each get comments that can be of value, but it takes time to do it

effectively.


a. In Drama, they are getting one more week to work on their presentations. Then, the

following week, we will be presenting. So this week, I need to make sure they each

get rotations on stage to practice, and that they are all prepared to present.

b. English II, we are going to be peer editing papers on Monday and Wednesday.

Thursday and Friday, we will do a full class modeling of reading articles for the next

unit so that when we move into small groups, they will be able to do so more

independently.

c. In AP, we will be continuing our small group discussions and readings of They

Poured Fire.

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