I thought my reflection should be over what I have
learned and seen my CT’s do this semester that will help me transition in my
own classroom. How a teacher procedures work for their classroom set the environment
for teaching.
My CT hands out bell work at the
door while greeting students. She told them at the beginning of the semester
that every day they will start with bell work and once it is in their hand,
they need to sit down and get started. I understand the importance of doing
this for my student. It gives them something to focus on and keeps behavior
where it should be. The students respond well to this and it becomes routine so
they know what to expect. I use to think bell work was busy work but the way my
CT uses bell work; it actually builds on writing skills. I am using it now that
I have taken over all classes. I have also seen if a student misses class they
have in their personal folders the makeup work The student will know where to
achieve the missing work. This avoids that question, “Did I miss anything
important?” This question makes me crazy as I am sure it does ever teacher. The
students also use the same folder to see what the assignments are beforehand.
As a student, I like to have the assignments before I know what I am going to
learn. That way I can prepare myself for ideas on writing assignments. For a
lot of student they may like knowing what the plain is so they can be
organized, just as the teacher is.
Now…
I still find some things difficult and am
still cooping. One is the level students are expected to be at and where they
actually are, and second getting responses in class discussion out of my shy
kids. When I present a lesson I expect the students to be at level with things
I believe they have practiced since middle school and they are not. It concerns me that seniors are graduating
not know basic language art skills. I will, however, retrace my steps, backup
and model what the students need to know to understand the curriculum for that
day. My second concern deals with classroom, discussion. I call on random
students for response to class discussion so all students will respond at least
once a week but my shy students will say one sentence and be done. I’ve tried
rewards and everything but classroom discussion is not their thing. I am at the
acceptance phase were I realize not everyone likes to talk and that why journals
were invented. If anyone has any ideas to get more students involved in class
room discussion I am all ears?
