(4b) Maintaining Accurate Records
Inside my classroom, there is so much to observe and so much that can be easily missed. I found myself wanting to record stuff and I was using ALOT of sticky notes before I created a simpler, more organized solution. I turned a spiral notebook into my own personal record book for my students behavior, work ethic, and little notes about how student's day went. I like keeping these notes because it helps me notice behavior changes or see patterns. It is also beneficial to keep parents updated on their student's day and behavior. I love throwing in a-ha moments or moments where students crack me up. It makes reading through a student's notes much more enjoyable when you keep a good balance of academic and behavior, but also throw in some fun or sweet things as well. I found these notes to also be beneficial for IEP and RTI meetings to demonstrate patterns as well as times of growth.
Inside my classroom, there is so much to observe and so much that can be easily missed. I found myself wanting to record stuff and I was using ALOT of sticky notes before I created a simpler, more organized solution. I turned a spiral notebook into my own personal record book for my students behavior, work ethic, and little notes about how student's day went. I like keeping these notes because it helps me notice behavior changes or see patterns. It is also beneficial to keep parents updated on their student's day and behavior. I love throwing in a-ha moments or moments where students crack me up. It makes reading through a student's notes much more enjoyable when you keep a good balance of academic and behavior, but also throw in some fun or sweet things as well. I found these notes to also be beneficial for IEP and RTI meetings to demonstrate patterns as well as times of growth.
(4d) Participating in a Professional Community
As a first-year teacher, I really enjoy any and every opportunity that I can learn better strategies and skills to be the best teacher I can be. With everything I have learned this year, I obviously have had moments of realization that I am in over my head, but more often there have been such wonderful moments that remind me why I have worked so hard to get into this profession. I have learned alot this year, but I am incredibly excited for these two professional development opportunities coming up this summer. I registered almost immediately after receiving these in my email. Both courses are going to be offered to teachers and they will be at the beginning of the summer. I have a feeling that I am in for a real treat as I strengthen my abilities and learn some fun new ideas to incorporate into my future as a teacher. The picture on the left is really going to focus on our new reading curriculum, Journey's, which will be a great time to get some questions answered and witness some lessons that can make me a more effective educator. The second picture, on the right, is going give great insight into some information I have already been fortunate enough to learn about. Our Impact Teams have been working hard to make a difference for our students. This professional development course will focus on giving better feedback and aligning this with success criteria and learning intentions. I think that both of these courses will be incredibly beneficial for me and I am excited to see what they have to teach me.
(4e) Growing and Developing Professionally
My principal and district has been kind enough to let me observe other teachers, within my school as well as at other schools in this first year of teaching. It is a great opportunity to be able to watch other educators interact with their students. I pick up on so much when I am able to observe other teachers and I write notes down like crazy so that I can take some of the teacher's wisdom back into my own classroom. The great thing about this profession, is that one lesson can hold so much meaning. I can learn classroom management strategies, attention grabbers, discussion techniques, feedback ideas, and many other great things in one lesson. Every teacher that I have observed this year, I have written notes on and taken ideas back to my classroom. Almost immediately, I incorporate new things in my classroom and I find a new feeling in our class community very quickly. There is so much to learn from other teachers and I hope to be able to observe more teachers during my career. I included pictures of my observation notes to show how many "light bulb/aha!" moments that I had. With each observation, I feel that I really do grow and develop as an educator and that I am going to be that much better of an educator for my students.
My principal and district has been kind enough to let me observe other teachers, within my school as well as at other schools in this first year of teaching. It is a great opportunity to be able to watch other educators interact with their students. I pick up on so much when I am able to observe other teachers and I write notes down like crazy so that I can take some of the teacher's wisdom back into my own classroom. The great thing about this profession, is that one lesson can hold so much meaning. I can learn classroom management strategies, attention grabbers, discussion techniques, feedback ideas, and many other great things in one lesson. Every teacher that I have observed this year, I have written notes on and taken ideas back to my classroom. Almost immediately, I incorporate new things in my classroom and I find a new feeling in our class community very quickly. There is so much to learn from other teachers and I hope to be able to observe more teachers during my career. I included pictures of my observation notes to show how many "light bulb/aha!" moments that I had. With each observation, I feel that I really do grow and develop as an educator and that I am going to be that much better of an educator for my students.