1. Responsibilities and Task--This far in residency one we have completed many observations and assignments to gain
experience in the classroom.
-Each week we are required to do observations about the classroom and reflect on what
we have gained through this experience.
-We also are required to do a case study on a struggling reader. With this task, we conduct
multiple assessments to see where the student needs help the most then teach four lessons
that incorporate reading into the classroom. Thus far I have completed the majority of the
case study and one of the lessons.
- For practicum class, we are responsible to teach four lessons two, which are formal, and
the other is informal. I have completed one informal lesson over the cardiovascular
system and the importance of exercising
- Other task for these semesters:
- IEP – which was over a student with aspger’s disease that struggles with
comprehension and is on a fifth grade level in the eighth grade. His mother has
many concerns about her sons learning in the classroom and how to provide more
help at home.
- 3 Team meetings with all of the 7th grade science teachers: I have attended two of
these meetings, which the vice principal attended also. The teachers discussed
common assessments and test scores and how they can improve their teaching.
- School event: I plan on attending a basketball game this semester. Oakland
Middle’s basketball season starts very soon.
- Project- Based Learning lessons- This assignment is in the process of being
planned with my classmate Crystal over heredity. We will then take this learning
approach and turn it in to a three-day lesson to use for our formal lesson plans.
Placement Information:
Oakland Middle School – Seventh Grade Science in Mrs. Webster’s classroom.
Daily schedule1st: Science 8-8:50
2nd: Planning 8; 54- 9:38
3rd: Science (smallest class) 9;42-10;27
4th: Science with Aide 10:31-11:15
5th: Lunch 11:19-12:03
6th: Science enrichment 12:07-12:51
7th: Science 12;55-1;38
8th: R&E
9th: Science with Aide 2:16-3:00
Content taught and how:
This semester in seventh grade we have discussed Tn state standards 707.1-707.5 which
include levels of organization, the body system, plant and animal cell, organelles, and
diffusion. In Mrs. Webster’s class, she had developed a daily routine that she follows in
2. each class that consists of daily work of two to five questions on the board that they fill
out in their composition notebook, lecture which they take notes in their notebooks, and a
quick assessment or activity at the end of class. She uses a lot of power points and quick
assessments in her teaching style. The quick assessments will help the students get ready
for tcap.
Goals for the students:
Long-range- To increase their t-cap scores each level.
Short-range- To be at mastery or advance for each standard being taught.
Instructional Strategies:
Individual- the teacher works with students one on one by communicating with them
through edmoto and meeting with them during enrichment or R&E time for extra help.
Small group- The teacher’s strategies while working with the students are the best during
small groups during enrichment. She actually teachers and give the students fun way to
learn the material rather than just lecturing. Students need engaging activities to want to
learn and retain the information that they learn in schools.
Whole group: Mrs. Webster’s weakness in instructional time comes from whole groups
instruction because she just lectures. There is never use of engaging activities or
technology, which I believe, should be incorporated in to the classroom daily.
Technology:
In Mrs. Webster’s lessons she uses technology by having the students do projects that the
students must research information in books or on the Internet. She also uses in by
making PowerPoint to go with her lessons.
During my lessons, I used technology to show you tube videos, PowerPoint, and I will
have the student’s research information about heredity for my formal lessons.
Lessons Developed:
The flow of the lesson is developed by routines in the classroom. The students know what
they are expected to do when entering the classroom and how they are supposed to act.
The students know that they are supposed to get their composition notebooks and begin
working on their daily work assignments. The teacher then directs them to what she
wants to do for the lesson that day.
Classroom management:
Mrs. Webster never speaks over her students. If the students are talking when not directed
to she waits quietly until they do so. This does not work for me. In my classroom, there
will be incentives for good behaviors and informed when doing something wrong. There
isn’t any control of controlling misbehavior unless in 9th period in Mrs. Webster’s class
she makes them stay after school and clean the classroom before allowed to leave.
Luckily for her this is her worst behaved classroom so it works but I don’t know what she
would do in other classroom situations. When the students leave the classroom to go to
lunch with Mrs. Webster it is chaos. There are no transitions into the next activity or to go
to the next location. I would do this differently in that I would have students line up in
different ways such as alphabetically, by height, birthday, etc. This would keep the
3. students quite while walking down the hall way and in line. Mrs. Webster does maintain a
group focus and get through her lessons each day but they could go more smoothly if she
controlled her classroom in a more efficient way.
Transitions:
Mrs. Webster uses transitions such as having students come straight in to the classroom
and get their composition notebook to start on daily work. The teacher then goes into
lecturing or into an activity. In my classroom, I would like to use fun transition to get the
students attention, move from one activity to the next, begin class, and end class. I feel as
transitions are important to have in the classroom because it redirect the students
attention and focus’s them on what they should be doing or moving them to the next
thing. Transitions are an effective way to help classroom management in daily routines in
the classroom.
Behavioral Problems:
Behavioral problems are addressed by pulling the student out in to the hallway of
speaking to the student one on one about the issue that needs to be dealt with. Mrs.
Webster has created relationships with these students and they know that she is there to
help them learn and have their back when needed. She is great when dealing with
students personally about what is going on and how the student can reevaluate his or her
behavioral problems.
Lesson Formats:
The lesson template format that I have viewed from Residency one is similar to the one
that the teacher’s at Oakland Middle follow. Most of the templates that I have seen
contain the same content it is just worded differently of organized in a different order.
With lesson formats there should always be an engaging question or video to gain the
students attention and focus what the lesson will be over that day. Mrs. Webster does this
with her daily questions in the composition notebook that are used for everything. Rather
it be a test, quiz, lecture, activity it normally takes up the rest of the class period. One
thing that I like about the relationship between Mrs. Webster and her students is that she
trusts them with grading and their progress. The students grade most of their work their
self and then she enters it in the grade book. I feel like this is a great way for her to take
grades but she must emphasize to her students how important it is to be honest.
Specific lesson and management strategies:
Composition notebooks- Mrs. Webster uses these to keep track of everything through the
nine weeks through these. Students are required to label each day, do daily work, take
notes, and glue in any activity that they do into their notebook that way when it come
time for a quiz or a test the students have everything they need to study in one location.
This is a great tool to use in any content matter because it is a great organizational guide
and helps the students keep up with their progress in the class.
Relationships with the student- it is important to have relationship with your students.
Mrs. Webster does a great job of this. As a teacher you must develop relationships with
your students in order to teach them personally. Each student comes from a different
background and may have issues going on at home that would impact their learning.
4. Being an inspiring figure in my student’s life is a goal of mine. I would like to be that
teacher that stands out to my students ten years from now and see that I made a difference
in their lives. Teaching is valued more if it is personal and engaging.
Connections:
I have gained a lot from residency one this semester that I will implement into my
classroom as a future teacher. From this class, I have taken away great classroom
management skills such as point systems, smart beads, transitions, I have seen how it is
important to organize you classroom in to a manageable work area for the students and
for me as a teacher. I have learned that it is important to get to know your students and
engage them in learning instead of just standing up in front of the classroom and
teachings. Residency one is a great preparation for student teaching and I will be ready to
fully to use my skills and learning from my observations in the classroom.