Last week I had to opportunity to be able to teach a lesson to the class for a full week. In reality if was really only four out of the five days but it felt like longer than a week. I knew it would be a lot of work but I wasn't sure it would be as much as I thought. I probably would of had to do more work if my instructor hadn't given me a lot of material. I was able to make myself a lesson plan for the whole week and I felt I was successful in following the lesson plan throughout the week. I felt I did a pretty good job in teaching the material to the students in most importantly i didn't have any problems with any of the students attitudes.
At first I was nervous about teaching because i didn't want to mess anything up, I wanted everything to be perfect. I found that teaching like anything else, needs practice. After my week was over my instructor was able to give me feed back and she said that instead of just following your plan to a T, try to mix it up a little so that everyone's needs are met. I think that makes a lot of sense because otherwise really all you are doing is writing lesson plans all the time and not really getting much out of the lesson.
At the end of the week I was able to make a evaluation for the students to fill out for my feedback. I found that all the students wrote pretty much the same feedback on the same questions and it was all good feedback. So in that part i was pretty happy in how the week went.
I think I took a lot away from teaching last week, and i think it will help me a lot in working my way into college and in into my major. I'm not reallu sure what i want to teach yet but i'm hoping just being able to be in front of a class and deal with real students will help me feel a lot more comfortable in front of a room of students.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
The Bacteria Lesson
To be completely honost I haven't been keeping up with my blog post as much as I should be. The past couple of weeks I was jus basically getting ready for teaching a two day lesson. I felt I over prepared this time which I think is awsome. I'd rather have been over prepared than not been able to burn all of the time up. I had a lab for the kids to do in where we were able to grow bacteria in a petri dish. The kids took swabs on q-tips and they rubbed them on places where they think would gather the most bacteria. Some kids took if off the tabel, others of door handles, and we even had someone take it off the surface of someone's neck. We put the dishes in the incubator over night and they next day bacteria was covering the whole dish.
After we were done with that we took bacteria from our own mouths and rubbed it in a new petri dish filled with agar and we made four different sections. We put a small disks of paper that was soaked in mouthwash in each section. Also in each section the disks were soaked in different kids of mouth wash. The object was to see which mouth wash worked the best. We put them in the incubator over night and took them out the next day and found out that it didn't work.
We then watched a move about bacteria and how there was good and bad bacteria. I showed them a powerpoint and we used the smartboard.
Overall i didn't think I was a successful with getting the information across to everyone as I was when I a taught the skeletal system. I felt that the kids didn't want to pay attention as much. I found that they were constantly asking to go to the bathroom, they were constantly talking to one another about things that were going on outside of class. I'm not saying it was there fault with them not learning that information as well as they could of. I feel I didn't do a very good job of keeping them on task and making it easy for them to learn. Hopefully it will be easier next time around.
After we were done with that we took bacteria from our own mouths and rubbed it in a new petri dish filled with agar and we made four different sections. We put a small disks of paper that was soaked in mouthwash in each section. Also in each section the disks were soaked in different kids of mouth wash. The object was to see which mouth wash worked the best. We put them in the incubator over night and took them out the next day and found out that it didn't work.
We then watched a move about bacteria and how there was good and bad bacteria. I showed them a powerpoint and we used the smartboard.
Overall i didn't think I was a successful with getting the information across to everyone as I was when I a taught the skeletal system. I felt that the kids didn't want to pay attention as much. I found that they were constantly asking to go to the bathroom, they were constantly talking to one another about things that were going on outside of class. I'm not saying it was there fault with them not learning that information as well as they could of. I feel I didn't do a very good job of keeping them on task and making it easy for them to learn. Hopefully it will be easier next time around.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Reflection on First Quarter
Overall this first quarter of my internship has gone pretty well. As I've said numerous amounts of times, I came in not really knowing what to expect. With my senioritis kicking in I really haven't wanted to do much of any work but I stuck through it so far and I'm glad that I've worked hard at it. I figured that since this is what I'm most likely going to doing next year in college then I would have to take responsibility and do my work for this class.
I think that the one thing I have learned so far is responsibility. I'll admit that I haven't tried my hardest in high school and I hope that I don't suffer next year when I'll have to try my hardest with twice as much of work. With this class though it has taught me that I have to be prepared whenever I am going into the classroom and getting ready to teach because the way I look at it is that I don't want to let the kids down in teaching them the correct information.
I am very glad in the effort I have put forth so far this semester and I'm glad that the kids have cooporated very nicely whenever I had been teaching.
I think that the one thing I have learned so far is responsibility. I'll admit that I haven't tried my hardest in high school and I hope that I don't suffer next year when I'll have to try my hardest with twice as much of work. With this class though it has taught me that I have to be prepared whenever I am going into the classroom and getting ready to teach because the way I look at it is that I don't want to let the kids down in teaching them the correct information.
I am very glad in the effort I have put forth so far this semester and I'm glad that the kids have cooporated very nicely whenever I had been teaching.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Teaching the class Alone
I know it's been a couple of weeks since I had taught the class alone, byself, with my own subject and everything, but I figured I would reflect on how it went. I had to opportunity to choose what I would like to teach the class. I was very nervous at first in coming up with my own information and what I was going to do for activities with the class. I wasn't really sure what I was going to do or how I was going to go about doing it. I got some suggestions from my "supervisor" and after that some ideas started to flow into my brain.
I came up with some type of agenda in which I would follow during the class. I came up with showing a diargram of the skeletal system to the class and haveing them copy the words down on there own diagram while I explained where the bones where and what they did. After I introduced them to the names and locations I imformed them that they would be taking a quiz at the end of the class on the same xact diagram and the same bone names. Of course I got a lot of "ahh man" and "a quiz?!" but I told them that I thought they wouldn't have any problem with it.
We then went over some diagrams on the board and I had them identify where they names went and I made sure that they had them in the right spots. I them introduced them to inverebrate and vetebrate animals. Ones with no back bones and ones with back bones. They seemed to catch onto the information very quickly.
I then had them lable and color the same diagram that I had given them at the beginning of the class except it was obviously blank. I was surprised with how well everyone participated in the class activities. They seemed to all pay attention to me and they all seemed to work hard at their work. More so than what they usually do.
Overall I thought the class went pretty well. I was satistfied in how well I taught the class and I was satisfied in how well the kids ended up doing on their quizes. Honostly, they did a lot better than I thought they would do. I think the next time I teach a class on my own I will feel a lot more comfortable.
I came up with some type of agenda in which I would follow during the class. I came up with showing a diargram of the skeletal system to the class and haveing them copy the words down on there own diagram while I explained where the bones where and what they did. After I introduced them to the names and locations I imformed them that they would be taking a quiz at the end of the class on the same xact diagram and the same bone names. Of course I got a lot of "ahh man" and "a quiz?!" but I told them that I thought they wouldn't have any problem with it.
We then went over some diagrams on the board and I had them identify where they names went and I made sure that they had them in the right spots. I them introduced them to inverebrate and vetebrate animals. Ones with no back bones and ones with back bones. They seemed to catch onto the information very quickly.
I then had them lable and color the same diagram that I had given them at the beginning of the class except it was obviously blank. I was surprised with how well everyone participated in the class activities. They seemed to all pay attention to me and they all seemed to work hard at their work. More so than what they usually do.
Overall I thought the class went pretty well. I was satistfied in how well I taught the class and I was satisfied in how well the kids ended up doing on their quizes. Honostly, they did a lot better than I thought they would do. I think the next time I teach a class on my own I will feel a lot more comfortable.
Six Mistakes of a Lesson Plan
The first thing I think of when thinking about a lesson plan is that it is a agenda that you want to follow. What I would do is write down a list of things that I would want to do in order in each individual class. For example I had a social studies class with a teacher in which he would right down on one of those yellow lined pieces of paper each thing in which he would like to address or do during class time. It gave him an order in which to go by. According to this article there are six parts of a lesson plan in which you would need to follow.
The objective: The objective is basically just what you would like to kids to learn and how you are going to teach them. What you want in the end is that some how you have proved to yourself that you have taught the information correctly and that you know that they know the information.
The lesson assessment: The lesson assessment is just basically a description of what you had taught them and how the teacher will determine that the students have learned the material.
The prerequisites: All the prerequisites says is a statement of what the student needs to know or what they must be able to succeed in the lesson plan.
Materials: All the materials are is what materials will you be useing in the lesson to get the students to be able to learn the information easier. It can also be using materials in actrivities that you are doing. basically anything to make the students lives a lot easier.
The instruction: The instruction is just how the teacher communicates with the students in which he/she wants and is looking for the student to show how they had learned the material. Another way to say it is the directions that the teacher gives to the students. Again giving instructions on what the teacher is looking for in the assignment can make the students job a lot easier.
The student Activities: What are the students going to be doing to get to know the material that has been taught? Are they going to be doing worksheets, drawing projects? It just explains what the students will be doing to earn the grade and to show that they indeed learned something.
The objective: The objective is basically just what you would like to kids to learn and how you are going to teach them. What you want in the end is that some how you have proved to yourself that you have taught the information correctly and that you know that they know the information.
The lesson assessment: The lesson assessment is just basically a description of what you had taught them and how the teacher will determine that the students have learned the material.
The prerequisites: All the prerequisites says is a statement of what the student needs to know or what they must be able to succeed in the lesson plan.
Materials: All the materials are is what materials will you be useing in the lesson to get the students to be able to learn the information easier. It can also be using materials in actrivities that you are doing. basically anything to make the students lives a lot easier.
The instruction: The instruction is just how the teacher communicates with the students in which he/she wants and is looking for the student to show how they had learned the material. Another way to say it is the directions that the teacher gives to the students. Again giving instructions on what the teacher is looking for in the assignment can make the students job a lot easier.
The student Activities: What are the students going to be doing to get to know the material that has been taught? Are they going to be doing worksheets, drawing projects? It just explains what the students will be doing to earn the grade and to show that they indeed learned something.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
"What is Rubric?
In the article it talks about how using a rubric is useful for not only teachers, but it helps the teacher get a messege across to the students of what they need to do on an assignment in order for them to get a good grade. Heidi Andrade, who is a rubrics expert, defines a rubric as a "scoring tool that lists the criteria for a piece of work". So it's a list of "demands" in which the teacher is looking for a student to do during an assignment.
I think a rubric is a great tool for teachers to use because it tells the students exactly what the teacher is looking for in order for them to get a good grade on that particular assignment. I know when I'm doing a big project in one of my classes it is very nice to know what the teacher it looking for. It makes it that much easier for me to get an A.
It's also explained that a good rubric gives "levels of quality" for each criteria in the rubric. A good rubric also can give a description of what they are looking for. Heidi Andrade explains that we use rubrics in order for both the students and teacher to find quality in the assignment. It also allows the students to be able to know when they are done with the project so they don't get stuck asking themselves "am I done yet?". And of course most importantly it is said that they parents enjoy the rubric method because they feel that their son/daughter knows what needs to be done and the parent can help them with that.
Lastly there are 4 steps in which you would need in creating a good solid rubric.
1. List the criteria taht will be used in assesing the performance. Meaning the criteria should be assesed on the learning outcome in which you are grading.
2. Determine the performance levels. That can be either leveled in numbers, descriptors (basic, advanced), or even in letters.
3. Write a desrciption for each performance level. Explain what the project would look like if they had gotten that level on the rubric.
4. Then lastly, you would need to evaluate and revise the rubric as needed.
I think a rubric is a great tool for teachers to use because it tells the students exactly what the teacher is looking for in order for them to get a good grade on that particular assignment. I know when I'm doing a big project in one of my classes it is very nice to know what the teacher it looking for. It makes it that much easier for me to get an A.
It's also explained that a good rubric gives "levels of quality" for each criteria in the rubric. A good rubric also can give a description of what they are looking for. Heidi Andrade explains that we use rubrics in order for both the students and teacher to find quality in the assignment. It also allows the students to be able to know when they are done with the project so they don't get stuck asking themselves "am I done yet?". And of course most importantly it is said that they parents enjoy the rubric method because they feel that their son/daughter knows what needs to be done and the parent can help them with that.
Lastly there are 4 steps in which you would need in creating a good solid rubric.
1. List the criteria taht will be used in assesing the performance. Meaning the criteria should be assesed on the learning outcome in which you are grading.
2. Determine the performance levels. That can be either leveled in numbers, descriptors (basic, advanced), or even in letters.
3. Write a desrciption for each performance level. Explain what the project would look like if they had gotten that level on the rubric.
4. Then lastly, you would need to evaluate and revise the rubric as needed.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
My First Experience
This week i began my teaching during classtime. I was asked to run a lab during one of the classes on looking at plant cells through a microscope. To be honost I didn't really know what I was doing and I was pulling the directions right out of my head and a little sheet that I was given with a step by step direction. It was hard to try to to teach something in where I didn't really know 100% of what I was doing but I found a way to get through with it.
Overall I thought the lab went well and I was complimented by my instructor. I feltit didn't go as smoothly as she daid it did just because I felt I didn't really know what I was doing but I guess it looked like I did.
It felt good to me to be in front of the class and having them listen to what I was saying and instructing them to do. I felt they listened to me and coroporated very well in the lab. Though they all acted very well I did feel that they were acting that good just because I was new to teaching the class. I think I'll start to figure that out the more times that I teach them and when they get more comfortable with me teaching.
The day after the lab I led in a post lab conversation which I also thought went really well. The kids listened to what I had to say and they all worked together on answering the questions that I had asked.
To me it was exciting to get started and as I go on I know I'm going to get more and more comfortable in being able to get these kids to learn and I will be able to plan my own lessons and hopefully these kids will be able to learn things from me and I will have atleast a little impact on their learning experience.
Overall I thought the lab went well and I was complimented by my instructor. I feltit didn't go as smoothly as she daid it did just because I felt I didn't really know what I was doing but I guess it looked like I did.
It felt good to me to be in front of the class and having them listen to what I was saying and instructing them to do. I felt they listened to me and coroporated very well in the lab. Though they all acted very well I did feel that they were acting that good just because I was new to teaching the class. I think I'll start to figure that out the more times that I teach them and when they get more comfortable with me teaching.
The day after the lab I led in a post lab conversation which I also thought went really well. The kids listened to what I had to say and they all worked together on answering the questions that I had asked.
To me it was exciting to get started and as I go on I know I'm going to get more and more comfortable in being able to get these kids to learn and I will be able to plan my own lessons and hopefully these kids will be able to learn things from me and I will have atleast a little impact on their learning experience.
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