Teacher learning and students teaching

The traditional idea of who is teaching and who is learning seems to reverse during the first week or two of school. The teacher is learning and the students are teaching. Partly this is from assessment and knowing where each student is at academically (dibels testing). Another is getting to know each student as a person and let them get to know each other (about me sheets, group projects). Amazingly the teacher is not doing as much teaching the first two weeks as I thought. This looks to be important as much for the student as for the teacher: to help build community, routine, and classroom expectations. 

Also in the past two days of school (total amount of school this year 7 days) there has been two new students (at an even 30 students now) adding another layer especially with block student planning for literacy and math. As well as making sure the two new students get caught up in routines, expectations and become part of the community. When would a school district/school stop adding students to a class? 32? 30? 35?

Awesome idea: create a binder for all student information (about me, IEP, sample work).

Curriculum vs. standards

Shoreline has a new assessment for grades k-6 in reading and math. EasyCBM was introduced to staff at Meridian park this morning at our admin. meeting. One of the presenters made the comment that curriculum is the tool used to teach not the topic. The topic being taught should be the washington state standards. This was said to answer the concern, that some teachers may be using different curriculums to teach their students and what if their curriculum didn't align with the test? Though the assessment had many other properties, as well as measuring NCTM focal points in math with benchmarks, low cost for students, and short in duration this idea of what curriculum is compared to what is being taught really resonated with me. 

This difference of curriculum and standards should be at the focus of most assessments in my mind. My assessment may differ if I want to know how a student learns (curriculum, how topics are taught)than what they have or have not learned(standards). It seems between DIBELS, WASL, EasyCBM and many other assessments that create, at times, an overwhelming amount of data it will be important for me as a teacher to remember what the assessment was for to know what to do with the data in the end. Question to ask myself: How does this information help my student(s) and I learn better?  

My own bias

One bias that I have which was not easy to recognize was my affection for the "good kids". This affection is, I just recently noticed, connected to the idea that they will not need as much of my attention. This may be true for classroom management but not in their learning. Either way I realize this bias could get me in trouble. First all students want to know that their teacher is fair and can create a safe learning environment whether or not they have behavior issues or not. Second all students need to have individual attention whether they are a "bad kid" or "good kid". Finally I need to not label a student in my mind as good or bad or let outside opinions and information influence my idea of who a person is. Because no matter what, if a student is good or bad, it is only one aspect of the whole and will never give me a complete picture of who the student is as a person. 

It seems I need to remove judgement of my students. Is this possible? Can I only remove the social aspect (behavior) and not the academic (grades) or both? Can I assess/evaluate my students in academia and behavior without being judgmental? 

BEDUC 406 Day Two

I am so excited about getting to know our students more and just to observe them in the classroom. The first day they were very tentative so I'm interested in seeing how and when that tentativeness is gone or not for students.

I'm anxious about communicating to my teacher that I still want feedback from her: constructive criticism. We are getting along so well that I don't want a wall of fear of endangering what we already have by giving me criticism.

I learned today that even if a student doesn't learn very well, say orally or visually as a teacher I still need to give them opportunities where they do experience that type of learning to improve their skills and not just make one way of learning stronger and stronger for them.

I have two questions but I'll save the other one for later... How do I keep consistency in the classroom for the students during my student teaching but still be ME as a teacher and not just a "clone" of my master teacher?

Student Autonomy and Classroom Management

Students from 402 showed me that when students have autonomy in their own classroom it supports a positive classroom management plan. For example, an activity they did today was to come up with classroom expectations as groups for brainstorming. Ideas from each group were compiled into a class list and students individually found overall themes throughout. They had time to independently look at the class list of expectations and make a choice on what was most important to to them. As a class they shared their ideas of groups and then made a list of 5 final expectations together as a whole class. Expectations were written on a poster board and each student signed their name. Also I've notice that my master teacher will give students choices or if she decides on something she will ask what they think before putting something in action (do you think this is fair? how about we do this for 5 more minutes then move on?).

I really liked the use of student autonomy, not only to support the idea of a classroom management plan that is caring and emphasizes student involvement, but also gave students empowerment in THEIR classroom. Overall in my opinion this sharing of power builds a stronger sense of community in the classroom as well as a greater sense of respect from teacher to student and student to teacher.

First Day of School Awesome Activity

Twenty eight students are divided into six groups due to the seating arrangement. As a get-to-know--your-classmates activity each group makes a poster with their first names on it and answers to five questions such as what sports do you play and where were you born. The instructions beyond that are up to them; how they want to show their answers, arrange their names, by drawing, by words, graphs. It is up to them. I liked this activity because it helped students get to know their group and gave them an opportunity to be social on the first day of school. As a teacher I can walk around and see how some students work together or not and take note of strengths and weaknesses when students are working in a group. The impact on learning was overall positive. It gives the teacher a better idea of where their students are when communicating with others and working as a group and helps the students feel more welcome and comfortable in their new classroom.  

First Days of Meridian Park Tips and Management

A couple "to do" on the first day of school includes getting a good nights sleep, don't forget to send a "welcome" letter home the first day (first positive interaction with parents), and to remember that students are getting the feel for you and may be tentative at first so be approachable and practice routines again and again. Also there has to be a good balance of social getting-to-know-you activities with class work as students are just getting back from break.

The tentativeness may only last a week or so though, then the testing starts: the students testing your boundaries. Neither my master teacher nor the teacher she co-teaching with have a classroom management plan. Though some years they say after a few weeks they will use one. The idea is that if they stay consistent in expectations with each individual and a class with engaging and caring lessons a more structured discipline isn't needed. They try to be proactive not reactive and keep general class rules minimal so the need for discipline is less. They remind themselves and their students they are not their friend but their teacher. And if it is needed they will make a more structured discipline plan on an individual basis if needed.

They feel this plan is more realistic and can work with the changing communities of the classroom and build a stronger sense of community and teamwork within the classroom as well as respect, not just to the teacher but between students.

It seems a fine line of friend vs teacher to walk in order to gain respect and the idea that the teacher's opinion matters so I can or cannot do this... I'm interested to see it put in place, in action and what happens if it doesn't work with some students.