Two of Everything

Last Tuesday, December 1, me and my dyad partner (Heba) led a short math lesson in our first grade class. The lesson included a read-aloud of a children's book called, Two of Everything--A Chinese Folktale, written by Lily Hong. Following the story, I created a practice activity to teach them about doubling numbers--or counting the same number twice. I showed our students a big pot--my "magic pot!" I also showed them a basket of various small items. Unbeknownst to the kids--I also had the same number of same items hidden on the bottom of the pot. As was told in the story--every time I put items in the pot--I could pull out double the number of items--magically! We did this several times. Each time, I asked the students..."If I put in this number of items...how many will I pull out? (Answer: double the number)Most of the kids were in total awe and were also able to guess the correct number outcomes. I felt like a magician! There were a few boys who kept creeping closer to the pot...they guessed that I already had those items on the bottom of the pot.

I loved this activity. I can't believe I just thought of it that morning. It was great to see the kids so engaged and having fun and doing math all at the same time.

For a wrap-up, and to see if kids "got" the concept of doubling, we asked them to complete a worksheet: a picture of a big pot. They had to draw items (two equal sets) in the pot and fill in the blanks of a picture sentence...___ plus ___ = ___ (something like that). The kids were able to use their imaginations in choosing what they wanted to see doubled. We walked around visiting kids during this time and made sure they understood the doubling idea...Most got it!

Response to Educational Leadership article...

In Ohler’s article, “Orchestrating the Media Collage,” we are informed about the need to include digital literacy when considering the definition of literacy. Ohler describes how students are trying to get along in a “digitally distracted world” and how teachers need to figure out how to incorporate digital literacy or media literacy into their educational journey. This requires us to continue teaching effective writing for students to be able to successfully create, contribute or collaborate in the digital world.

Ohler states, “Students need to be media literate to understand how media technique influences perception and thinking.” When teachers engage students in meaningful learning about social issues, the use of technology should always be included. Media is powerful, and we need to arm students with information to aid with the choices they make in their use of technology.

Many teachers are not exposed to the array of technological advances available to students and their families, nor are they aware of the positive contributions technology can make in learning. Ohler believes teachers do not need to be technological wizards in the classroom, but that they should serve as consultants (“guides” or “managers”) to their students. Digital literacy is here to stay, and teachers have a responsibility to add it to their list of teaching essentials.

For me—before we began our technology classes in this program, I considered myself pretty naïve and lacking confidence in the area of computer literacy as it relates to education. I have been resistant. Now—as we have been required to learn some new technology, I am excited about all the possibilities. As a teacher, I feel I can actually bring some great tools to my students to boost their learning and bring them into the 21st century. Wish me luck!!

Sunday, December 6, 2009

Regarding Routman's chapters on teaching and organizing writing (ch. 7, 8):

I greatly appreciate being in the different placements and visiting other classrooms to see how teachers teach writing. I'm happy to see teachers who really try to help their students enjoy and care about what they are writing. Conventions, traits of writing, and editing will emerge next. I can tell if teachers enjoys writing themselves. I've witnessed a certain kind of contagious enthusiasm whereby students' writing is honored and the students are ecstatic to be noticed!

Identifying the writer's AUDIENCE will be very helpful to students as they approach writing assignments. I've seen my supervising teachers issue fun and engaging writing exercises for students. In sixth grade, students were asked to write a letter to the principal about why the school should continue to support field trips for students. The students, by way of trying to convince the principal of their position FOR field trips, learned how to write a strong, persuasive piece. Another writing task involved a paper about the importance of good food being offered for lunches at school. These were topics that were "life applicable," that kids could care about and express a personal opinion.

As a teacher, I will want to try to follow the Optimal Learning Model for teaching meaningful writing. There's nothing worse for students than to be taught that learning how to write is REQUIRED. Of course it is--but we can ease students into an appreciation of their own writing through a multitude of processes--several presented in Routman's book. Students do need to assume responsibility gradually. Our goal is for them to become independent in their writing, but first they need to experience writing as a shared activity and through meaning gained through the teacher's (and sometimes peers') modeling.

Focusing on the trait of VOICE, Routman emphasizes the need for teachers to train kids to write and think out loud. Then they will get a better sense of noticing or identifying an author's voice. I think the trait of voice is key to students developing a love of writing; they are given permission to maintain their own personality or identity in their writing. Routman also talks about the important practice of reading writing out loud. Listening to yourself as a reader--not just the writer--is critical for reorganizing or revising the writing for the purpose of strengthening that piece of writing.

Routman proposed so many ways in which to immerse students in writing. I only hope I can make it a priority in my teaching. I especially appreciate that you can incorporate writing into most subjects in school. I agree with Routman that writing needs to happen daily. I appreciate the reminder about provided choices to students, also. Routman says, "Sometimes, we just have to plunge in" (p. 179). Writing should be part of the classroom routine with emphasis on prewrites and freewrites, peer conversations about writing, and a trusting classroom climate.

December 2, 2009

I've heard it from both my placement experiences--first grade at one school, and sixth grade at another...writing assessments are a BEAR! And the rubrics provided are over-the-top long and ambiguous.

While assisting my supervising teacher in the sixth grade class, I was confronted with a stack of students' responses to the district writing prompts for assessment. I stared (for quite a while) at those glorious pieces of effort and thought to myself: Where do I start? How can I begin to evaluate these when I know students tried so hard? I do know that the teacher provides a rubric on which they will be assessed. I am overwhelmed!

In my first grade class recently, right before conferences, I was able to peruse the folders of student work of which the teacher was going to review with parents during conference time. The teacher carefully collected samples of their writing (even while often messy and brief!) from the beginning of the year through current practice. To me, it seemed a pretty valid indication of how those students were successful in making progress in the right direction--even though they may not be at grade level expectations.

Routman stresses the importance of assessing the "validity" of students' writing rather than the narrow focus on a checklist (the rubric). I agree with Routman when he talks about making sure we use rubrics which are age-appropriate. Time spent on test preparation will decrease with good teaching of writing and simply doing a lot of it. As teachers, we can't be hyperfocused on test prep; the joy will be sucked right out of writing. Routman provides many examples of how to teach writing well so that we can reduce the stress felt by students, teachers and parents. Both my supervising teachers incorporate writing into their teaching every day. This routine practice lessons the hardship of the required writing for the students; they expect it daily. The other magic to getting kids to concentrate on the quality of their writing is to get them to the point of self-assessment, or at least peer-assessment. These students will be much more prone to good learning. Routman believes in the need for assessment--but not solely from testing.

Routman would agree with Elbow's contention that assessment/ranking is being incomplete and unreliable. I've heard from more than a few teachers who concur with the C.S. Lewis quote, "People are obviously far more anxious to express their approval and disapproval of things than to describe them." Seems everyone would agree that we need better ways to measure a child's writing efforts and success. We are in danger of shifting focus from writing as individual expression to writing as meeting someone else's expectations in order to assign a grade.

Elbow seems to like the term, evaluation, better than ranking/grading. Evaluation, he implies, forces the reviewer to more thoughtfully determine what works well and what does not work for a piece of writing. Similar to Routman's wishes for assessment--evaluation should not be an act of just filling in blanks with numbers; it needs to include some pondering on the part of the teacher. As with many teachers, this pondering should occur more often than just testing time. It needs to happen daily or at least frequently as students become more relaxed with writing and as they receive encouragement and positive feedback from the teacher.

Okay--I had to re-read the Elbow's "liking" hypotheses more than once. I believe what Elbow points to is developing the skills of discernment (and/or discrimination). We, and our students, need to be taught to delve deep into writing, to read a piece multiple times, with different sets of eyes, in order to establish the good and bad of that piece. Routman does not express this kind of evaluation in so many words, although he gives us a sense of this in explaining how to get students into self-assessment. I get the impression that Routman feels evaluation, aka grading, aka assessment, is inevitable, but that there are ways in which we can work to make them more meaningful for student learning.

The two writers, Routman and Elbow, provide us with great perspectives on judging our students' writing. Routman seems to offer more concrete methods or strategies to vary our means of assessment. Elbow's article more thoroughly explains the variations in the art of judgment. As teachers, we may need to post our grades on students' writing accomplishments, but we can also take it many steps beyond and look more closely at what makes their writing good. The more desired descriptive form of evaluation can then be used in conferences with parents and the students themselves so they know what they need to work on and for what we are praising them.

November 19, 2009

I wrote a literary vignette about my history with writing in journals as a child (making this into my digital story). Reading Spandel's article on 6-trait writing, I especially related to the section on the beginning process of drawing from personal experience. Even though I eventually delved into creative writing, my early writing as a young person was all from my own unique stories. This part of the process of formulating ideas sounds easy to me as an adult. However, I think it is something that takes training and practice before it becomes so natural.

I can see this as I work with both my first graders in my dyad experience, as well as the sixth graders in my main placement. Those first graders are just at the tip of the learning process. Sure, we provide plenty of rich topics from which they can choose. And we would think there would be a wealth of experience from which to tap, but this part of the process seems nearly impossible for them. Maybe it's because the whole idea of writing is daunting to these youngsters! Many of them are intimidated whenever the task of putting pencil to paper is presented. We'd be happy if they could draw pictures of these ideas, or even just a few words. We're trying to teach them that they are full of engaging stories that others would like to hear. I've seen a lot of jumping on the bandwagon with ideas like riding a roller coaster, watching John Cena in the WWF. The sixth graders are more hung up on conventions of writing and seem to experience writer's block when first starting a writing assignment. I also see a lot of copying of ideas--the easy way.

Seeing the power of our written word--for me the journal writing that helped me grow up--I hope I have the magic to share with young writers the importance of memories and even the simplest of ideas. I hope I can coax from them the telling of what is important to them in their lives and how valuable it is for us to reflect on those things.

Spandel talks about how "writers write before they write" (p. 152). If we could teach kids that their everyday thinking about what matters to them is their "pre-write," we could ease them into viewing writing as fun and accessible.

Carved Crayons

Deepest Fear

November 9, 2009

Ann Lamott...would love to go have drinks with her sometime! As we have been asked to identify quotes from her Bird by Bird book, I have ended up with a book loaded with a bazillion Post-It notes locating my most favorite quotes. Not sure how to explain my admiration...her honest way with words floors me, and I admit I can relate to a lot of what she says!

An example: The chapter, "How do you know when you're done?" (pages 93-94): Her analogy of "putting an octopus to bed" so reminds me of multiple writing experiences in school these past few years as I finished my undergraduate degree first and continued with coursework in the t-cert program. While attempting to attain A's in my classes, I have felt the wrath of several wild octopus tentacles as they threaten to send me over the edge of sanity. I can work on a piece of writing and come pretty darn close to what I would call my very best work--ready to print out my "final" version--but then that octopus rears its ugly suction cups. I stay up way too late trying to "finalize" a piece and then try to sleep with that nagging back of my mind saying, "If only you could fine tune that section a bit more" or "I know I've left out some critical element...let me just suffer through a few more hours trying to locate it!" I remember asking a much admired professor of mine at UWB while writing a research paper in his class, "How do you know when to quit?!" He said, "You just do. You work to the deadline and then tell yourself, 'It is what it is.'" No big magic or sixth sense in knowing when you're done.

Okay, one more: page 112 in the "Broccoli" chapter. Lamott writes about "being militantly on your own side" and the need to trust ourselves. She says not to "look at your feet to see if you're doing it right...just dance." After writing my literacy vignette drafts--both of them, I was a little underwhelmed with myself--especially after feedback from my writing group. I don't have Ann Lamott's sense of humor and am challenged to make my writing entertaining to other readers. I thought my vignettes were true to my word and my story, but they ended up a little "short" on the engagement factor for other readers. But you know what?! Those first drafts were truth and directly from my memories. I guess I need to not worry so much about my rational depiction of those memories via the written word and just keep working and searching for those details that best show my recall as "valuable stuff."

October 28, 2009

After reading Routman's chapter on shared writing, I immediately thought that this is something I really want to try out when I am teaching in one of my placement schools. I'm not sure about which class I will try it out in...first grade or sixth grade. Routman says it is invaluable for learners of all ages as it impacts their oral and written language. The lesson examples Routman provides, which include "What I do" and "What I say" are tremendous in how she brings this kind of teaching to life. I fully support collaboration occurring between students and teacher and how this improves those students' confidence and ability to take risks while learning. And because it's a whole class activity, there is less pressure to produce or perform individually. As its name implies--it's a shared experience, making it more fun, too.

I like the tie in with the Optimal Learning Model and the importance of the teacher gradually handing over the responsibility to the students. The teacher doesn't just "throw" an assignment at the students. Instead, she/he go about instruction through modeling and scaffolding so students really understand the task at hand before flying solo. I also appreciate the benefit of shared writing in how it values the contributions and efforts of students.

As I consider how elementary students (such as my sixth grade placement) are practicing the different components of written work (intro, body, details, conclusion), I think a shared writing exercise/lesson would be extremely helpful to them, especially because students have different levels of understanding about these components. And I would certainly want to review how to use respectful language, necessary to encourage all students' contributions.

Literacy, Week 4

Routman writes, "All students, especially those who begin school with limited literacy skills, need to think of themselves as readers and writers, see the processes as meaningful, and have positive attitudes about literacy before they can successfully engage in literacy practices."

I strongly believe that parents are key in developing in their children a love of reading and writing from an early age. Children who come to school without this passion for literacy can still learn to experience that same joy. Teachers who engage students in read-alouds, journaling, and art are opening up a world of imagination and real life identification. As Routman points out, one of the most important facets of developing this love of writing is to make students aware of the stories that surround us--other people's stories and our own. Also, when we focus on meaning, not mechanics, children will be more willing to take the risk of putting their stories down on paper. A child's first experiences with writing should be personal storytelling and themes that children can relate to. A child will also respond positively to a teacher sharing his/her own personal story.

In my dyad experience. our teacher administered a writing assessment whereby kids (first graders) were asked to write a short piece about something fun they did this past summer. They were given paper with lines on the bottom and blank space above for them to also include a picture. When the teacher first informed students about the assessment, she had them brainstorm (verbally) what they might enjoy writing about. Kids shared their ideas with the whole class before even setting pencil to paper. I thought this was a good way of valuing children's personal stories and giving them permission to use this for an assessment; it has meaning to them.

As I wrote my book review of Amazing Grace, I was again reminded about the power of stories. Grace, with her love of books and stories, was set free to explore her talents in other areas. In this book, she ventured into drama. And I believe she so fully embraced her passion for stories that she was able to choose to follow her dreams and try something new. Any time we can expose kids to stories (e.g. books, plays, TV, recordings), we are setting the stage for them to become creators of stories themselves. And if we can find out what appeals to them personally, they will be much more receptive to venturing into this new territory!

Journal Entry - Week 3

Prompt from Ch. 3, Fox book:

I do not believe "invented spelling" is harmful to early readers. It should be celebrated! This form of reading or writing expression is explained in Fox's book when he discusses "prealphabetic word learning" and "precommunicative spellers." As I read through the description of how children's skills emerge, beginning very primatively as they relay their own meanings, I thought about parents who are alarmed at what they might consider a failed attempt at spelling/writing. To the contrary, this rather typical staged development in the emergent reader is exciting and affirms that the child is interested in words, meaning, and expression.

As Ann and I got to know our kindergartener, Betsy, from Juanita El last Thursday, we both commented how confident Betsy was as she insisted on writing her responses to the fun interview activity. We are certain, even before administering an ELP, that Betsy most likely does not know many letters or letter sounds. However, she made a valiant effort to construct some of her own words.

Just as we are trying to instill in children a love of learning and a love of books, we should also be striving to encourage children towards a love of their own written words. With Betsy, we felt nervous anticipation as she risked tackling a task with which she was not fully competent. We were pleasantly surprised to witness Betsy's willingness to charge ahead; she did not even express any frustration in the process. I would guess that she has had positive experiences with books and early writing activities.

According to Fox, this early age (pre-K, kindergarten and even early first grade) is the age of experimentation and "eases children" into more challenging strategies in word identification and writing. Their use of partial cues (as Fox describes) is just what they need to test things out as they get closer to decoding the alphabet system. I believe that any small steps forward will help to maintain children's enthusiastic attitude towards reading and writing. I also believe that teachers will need to constantly observe and assess their students' progress as they acquire more information about words.

Journal Entry - Week 2

Okay...I'm a big Charlie Brown fan...and this is a fun example of what goes on in kids' minds while stressing about writing assignments...maybe not always via song--but close enough?! Just for fun...

Prompt from Sulzby & Teale:
As I observed (and assisted in) our first grade class this week, the teacher incorporated several read-aloud book activities into her teaching of more than one subject. As a prelude to a science lesson on growing wheat seeds, she read Eric Carle's picture book (a big version), Pancakes! Pancakes; the book includes how flour is made from wheat. During the read-aloud time, the teacher posed several questions to our students. Examples of questions include: how the kids could personally relate to the story, predictions, character observations. When we taught the science lesson later that day, we used the informational book on planting and were able to show kids actual photos of what wheat looks like during its different growth stages and how wheat is harvested and processed. Extension activities continued into the next day as we read another storybook called The Market. Again, the teacher elicited kids' responses to questions and then students engaged in an individual art activity creating their own grocery lists (words and/or pictures); they were also asked to guess at how much grocery items cost (math, too). They shared their activity pages via the document camera in the classroom. The teacher was supportive in verbalizing her pride in each student's work. Finally, the teacher read with students the Time for Kids story about farms (social studies). I appreciated seeing how successful the teacher was in actively engaging kids in literacy learning through a multi- or inter- disciplinary approach. I also thought the kids thoroughly enjoyed the variety of learning with the read-alouds and plenty of hands-on activities. They were also able to see (from their perspective) different uses of language in their classroom and out in the community.

A Friday blog - Sept 25

One thing I learned/was reminded of--actually more than one: From our discussion about classroom management, transitions. Techniques that work well for one class may totally fail in another. What works in one grade of students may be very age-inappropriate in a different grade. However, never quit trying--even if you think it may seem childish or even too mature. Kids are remarkable at striving for the seemingly unattainable. It all comes down to how the teacher treats her students, and, of course, the mix of students in that teacher's class. I think individual teachers have to come up with their own unique ways of managing and coaching kids in behavior expectations and routines. Methods of (for example) transitioning kids have to feel comfortable to that teacher--or they aren't going to fly!



Questions: I was a little surprised in our Weissbourd article, "The Schools We Mean to Be," how the author claims that character education programs are no good. While completing my undergrad at UWB, I did a research article on social emotional learning and found evidence that many programs exist that are highly successful in helping kids learn social responsibility. They even bring up academic scores. The author of this article does not cite any references as to why he makes this claim...kind of bugs me. Oh well. Washington State legislation (SHB 1444) now requires schools to put into place anti-bullying policies and use of programs which aid in students' social emotional learning. The programs out there don't all work--but hopefully schools do their research before adopting any kind of major program of this nature.



Anxious? Not at the moment...that will change eventually. The more I am in my field work classroom, the more my confidence improves. I am certain that I will always harbor some anxiety because of all the unknown factors about whether I will find a job, what kind of school, and the kids who will come into my care. But for now, I will remain idealistic and bask in the excitement of possibilities.

Excited? Nothing new here...of course, I am. My gut tells me I am on the path I need to be on. That's enough for me.

A Daily - Thurs, Sept 24

My supervising teacher, Judy, is constantly tending to individual students and their needs. She is frequently chatting outside class time with specialists, the ELL teacher, IAs that have helped in the classroom, the special ed teacher, other teachers in her team, the principal, and more! Differentiated instruction does not exist just within the confines of the classroom. I've learned a lot about the culture of the school as a whole and am continually impressed with the care, effort, and time these individuals devote to the students. There are no hidden agendas or egos at play. It's all about the kids and their success in learning and their personal growth. I also heard a heartwarming story of a past student whom Judy knew who had gone on to junior high. Apparently she was really challenged academically and bombed the WASL a few years back. The school paired her with a volunteer from the LWSD L.I.N.K.S. program the year or so before junior high. She "up-ed" her WASL score by 40 points and is currently thriving in junior high. The LINKS volunteer she worked with has chosen to move up with her to ensure her continued success. Pretty phenomenal!

A Daily - Wed, Sept 23

Just curious...When you get to know kids in a classroom, it's impossible not to be curious about what their home lives are like. I love to quietly listen to side conversations before and after school and during our lunch time (in our classroom). I can't help but want to dive into the middle of kids chatting and ask a slew of my own questions. Needless to say--I refrain! I wonder why one boy has such a hard time getting his math homework done and why his excuses seem fictional. I wish I knew that girls that flirt like crazy with boys during school leave it at that--and don't do any serious pursuing! Parents who have challenging kids in our class...what do they do during their days when the kids are in school--and do they miss their wildly wonderful boys!? I've mentioned it before...we have very little clues as to kids' personal lives. I just hope they have someone at home who loves them and asks them when they get home, "How was your day?"

A Daily - Tues, Sept 22

Talk about a positive classroom vibe! A few times today (and not just today!), I felt a hum of positive energy among the students. It happens when they are "on-task" (overused term?) and being productive. I saw several individuals practically glowing with the joy of their accomplishments during reading time and during math time. And kids are so proud when they make progress with their assignments on their own. Judy never hovers. She is succinct with her instructions and presses the kids towards responsibility for their own work. As I meandered around the classroom, a few kids gladly let me know their work was complete, or they were working ahead, and I noticed a few who approached Judy to share their good news, as well. Lots more smiles, for sure! I also noticed today that a few kids chose to sit somewhere other than their table groups when there was too much distraction. A couple of the kids who struggle frequently with individual work really shined today. It's contagious...makes me feel good about how we're contributing to that force!

A Daily - Mon, Sept 21

Today Judy was out all day and she scheduled a substitute. Fortunately, she wisely informed her students last Friday about the sub (no Monday morning surprise), and Judy was able to forward me her "sub plan" via email and we talked Sunday night about the upcoming day. Unfortunately, this sub had never been in Judy's classroom before. And unfortunately for her--she was in a sad mindset when she walked through the door 20 minutes before school started. I had a blast, as I "played" teacher most of the day. The sub was more than happy to take the back seat. I wasn't pushing to be the one in charge...it just kind of fell that way. Fortunately, I was pretty well prepared, and of course, I was well-versed on classroom procedures, schedule, and the classroom management style the kids are used to with Judy. What a great "trial run" and learning experience. Of course, we're not supposed to assume "command" this early in our internship, and I couldn't bring myself to cower in the wings either. (I did receive a slight scolding from the other 6th grade teacher.) I think I was anxious to see if I could rise to the occasion. Let me just say, there's a reason for observation first, and all those methods classes. I felt pretty confident with leading the writing and reading activities. The math in the afternoon was challenging. With the sub's help, we accomplished most of what Judy set out. However, I am definitely lacking the skill set with how to lead super meaningful conversations about math problems and inquiries with students. I can't wait to learn more about how get the kids excited about math...me, too! A word about the kids' behavior on sub day: they were wonderful! I know we have a big advantage of having a small class size (22). The kids missed Judy greatly, but maintained respect for the sub and for me. I know this was a big effort for them, so it made me feel great that they succeeded in making this an overall good day for all!

A Friday blog - Sept 18

What I learned this week: The power of silence! I enjoyed the article we read for class this week, "The Power of Words." I particularly appreciated reading the "Responsive Classroom" principles, and I thought about my supervising teacher, Judy, the entire time! She really acts upon all of these principles--with great fluidity, I might add! Examples: her choice of questions to students, her positive and encouraging attitude when talking with students, the direct and succinct way she issues instructions, and her wisdom in knowing when NOT to talk. While this approach mostly addresses several means of communicating with students, it also includes the value in the use of silence in your classroom. This use of silence is a skill to be learned and improved upon. As mentioned in the article, silence "opens a space for students to think, rehearse what to say...gather courage to speak at all." For teachers, silence "allows us to listen to students and requires us to resist the impulse to jump in and correct..or finish..thoughts." Judy is awesome in this way...makes it look like a sixth (or seventh) sense. Again--I realize how this is not a natural tendency of teachers (or parents!), so it is a skill I would like to be conscious of and to master. Through Judy's modeling, I can see the power it weilds. Something simple, like waiting ten seconds for students to respond to a question, opens the window of time for more students to respond, and also allows responders to share more thoughtfully with classmates. Finally, as the article states--when the teacher learns to curb the "prattle" often present in the classroom, students will feel more valued as they "speak uninterrupted and uhurried."

Just curious: In elementary schools, the "main" teacher has his/her students the majority of the day...multiple hours. As kids venture off to specialists (music, PE, library, etc.), it seems worthwhile for the "main" teacher to visit and understand how specialists interact with his/her students, in hopes that the learning community is "on board" with students' learning success. Are most schools okay with teachers occasionally sitting in on specialist time? Judy spent a short spell with our kids in music this week because the music teacher was having a difficult time with classroom management. Listening in on their conversation later that day, I was "wowed" to see the positive outcome of Judy imparting her "wisdom" about how to manage our particular group of students. She provided the music teacher with excellent, concrete suggestions to improve music time. And the music teacher (brand new this year!) really, really appreciated her input!! Good for the students--good for the staff!

Anxious? One situation this week that made me feel like a deer in headlights...what I interpreted as student apathy. One of our lower level learners (both math and reading) was struggling with an in-class reading assignment. He seemed to me to not care about the product of his work...rushed through reading (if at all), and then filled in the blanks with very little thought. After talking with him, I felt I had zero affect on his attitude--even while I felt my approach was pretty caring. I talked with Judy later in the day and she offered some great ideas for "the next time." A wonderful teaching moment for me, and kind of enlightening that we may not work our magic on-the-spot, but may need more time to ponder individual situations...maybe even seek help from a colleague.

Excited? As I've joined students in math groups or for reading assignments, I absolutely love to see how excited kids are when they end up teaching the teacher or helping each other! When I ask a student how they figured out a problem or found an answer, and when they can articulate their thought processes (strategies), I can see how this does wonders for their confidence and self-esteem. Nothing better!! I hope to bring a lot of this to my own classroom some day.

A Daily - Thurs, Sept 17

Going to make this short, since I just way-over-did-it on my "Three Things" blog! My comment on yesterday's time in class--awesome! I love getting to know the kids and everything that they bring to our group daily! We had curriculum night last night. Only about seven families were represented. I wished each of our kids' parents could have attended to see where their kids spend six hours each day, five days a week! And I wish they could have heard Judy's spiel about what she hopes to accomplish in our class this year. I think it would give great hope to parents about the success we have in store for each and every student in our class. For now--our "customer" is the student and we will press on to meet their needs!

Friday, Sept 18 - "Three Things"

I pondered writing about our 22 individual students in my 6th grade class, but decided to make some basic generalizations about the kids as a whole group. A little background...I feel very fortunate that my supervising teacher, Judy, knew most of our kids from last year. Our school is also a great community in that teachers really talk with one another about the kids (with a healthy approach!) so that they can consider how best to accommodate students to ensure their learning success. Judy is also a strong believer in setting up a positive classroom culture or environment during that first few weeks of school. One of her strageties is to have several activities which allow her to get to know her students better and allow the kids to connect to each other in personal ways. Kids completed three activities (displayed around the classroom): a "Me" poster, a "Hopes and Dreams" poster, and a poster illustrating a cover creation of a good book they have recently read. Most of the kids really enjoyed spending the time on these projects, and they seemed truly proud to share and display their work. The first two activities were very enlightening for me as a teacher.

I have never met any of these kids before this placement experience. And this is not a school in my immediate home community. Of course, there are going to many things I do not know about the students. As teachers, we only catch a glimpse of what their lives are like outside of school. The opening activities in Judy's class allowed us into their private lives as they shared what kinds of activities they enjoy, who is important in their lives, what they hope to accomplish (at school and personally), and the struggles they might feel.

Over the past three weeks, I can make several observations about my kids and what I now know about them:

1) Based on some of their classroom behaviors and general personality traits, I was sometimes led to believe that kids want to keep to themselves and are self-conscious about me and Judy reading their work during class. What I found out (with Judy's encouragement) is that they really like adults to look over their work, praise their efforts, and show genuine care for their well-being in the classroom. It took me a little time to get comfortable in approaching students. I felt a little like I was imposing. But that's the role I am assuming. I am there to help them make the most of their time in school!

2) Just like adults...kids come with their "baggage," too! I dislike the word, "baggage," but can't think of anything more appropriate. As I mentioned, we really don't know these kids' home lives. I've just caught comments here and there from Judy about what she knows about some of the kids' living circumstances. In our class, it seems we have several kids living in single parent homes and dividing their time between parent living situations. They don't often share this type of info during school time. To them, it's almost irrelevant to their "here-and-now" attention to their social and academic lives in school. However, I understand the stress and/or hardship that is often present in "broken" homes. They may not display it outwardly, but I know it will in some way affect how they come to class, how they are able (or unable) to accomplish reading and homework at home, and how they interact with students and teachers.

3) Finally, I want to comment on one student in particular...Mariana. Mariana is a new student to Bell and is identified as an ELL student. Spanish is her primary language. On the first day of class, Mariana approached Judy and informed her that she didn't speak English very well--very brave! With Judy's insistence, Mariana finally has a weekly schedule to meet with our ELL staff to help her learn more English so time spent in our classroom is more positive. I am constantly amazed at how Mariana gets along when she is in our class. She knows very limited English--verbal and written, and communication with her is challenging. So much of what we say and what is put in front of her (class work) has got to be baffling to Mariana--to say the least! However, what I've learned is that she is a very confident young girl and is making the best of her situation. She does not appear to be sad or critically frustrated with her inability to understand everything. Instead, she asks questions (with encouragement), smiles a lot (positive attitude!), accepts help from classmates, and probably goes home thinking she has accomplished great things. I've worked quite a bit with Mariana one-on-one. Without having this interaction with an ELL student, I might have thought that ELL kids are generally stressed and excluded. In her case, Mariana has shown me that a learning challenge like this will not always crush a student's hopes for a positive learning experience and a happy social life.

A daily - Wed, Sept 16

We met with our field instructor (Bill) yesterday after school was out. One of his comments has really stuck with me...Bill informed us that he places GREAT importance on how teachers ask questions of students. The way in which we pose questions to our students can have incredible impact on their learning. I see Judy doing this frequently. She seems to really draw students toward stretching their thinking. She's told students that their responses come from their being great detectives. She also teaches them about the importance of developing good critical thinking skills. (I love how she talks to them like they have brains!) She also praises kids for their questions which will lead to better understanding--not just getting by with winging it! Judy told the kids that we will start reading groups tomorrow and that they need to take care of themselves (and their questions) while she is busy with groups. She asked the kids what strategies they can use when she is unavailable to answer questions. The kids came up with really good concrete ideas which will be put into place when reading groups start. For instance, kids can skip a problem and return to it later; they can ask a classmate for help or to ask a question; they can just wait; they can try to answer their own questions. Without dictating to the kids her expectations, she was able to get them to think about how to solve potential issues during this time. While I believe Bill was also talking more about specific learning/teaching questions, this certainly is one example of asking kids the right questions and treating them like they are capable, mature thinkers!

A daily - Tues, Sept 15

Science today...three groups rotating through three stations...although we only had time to make it to the first rotation because kids were really making GREAT use of their time. Interestingly, most of the students in our class were together in 5th grade last year (same class). While I heard that they had a particularly difficult year (behaviorally and academically), they have started out their new 6th grade year wonderfully! Judy is continually impressed by the learning taking place and behaviors being (mostly) manageable. I wonder if, because these students know each so well, they are kind of unconsciously making positive choices this year based on the overall "feel" of the class. Judy has certainly given them a new "lease" on life and a fresh start...the kids seem to be embracing the opportunity to do well this year!!

A daily - Monday, Sept 14

I find group dynamics fascinating! During math today, kids worked at their table groups on some problems. Judy said they could choose to work with each other or work independently. I sat with a group of 3 girls and 1 boy. While I worked with one of the girls and the boy, the other two girls opted out of working with the group. At first I felt almost offended by their decisions, but quickly got the idea that they were confident in what they were doing, so maybe they determined that group work would hinder their progress? As I was chatting with the other two kids, I did have some input from one of the girls working by herself, when I asked her how she arrived at one of the answers. She was AOK in sharing her strategy and seemed to enjoy us appreciating her input. I admire kids who know themselves well enough to identify what works best for them! And while group work has many advantages, I think teachers need to vary their work arrangements (as Judy does)...kids working in groups sometimes, individually and in pairs.

Blogging on Friday, Sept 11

What I learned: Sounds so common sense, and like something I really do know already...but I appreciate hearing about the importance of teachers reflecting on "ways of knowing." In other words, we are all human, we all have different life histories, we all have unique perspectives based on what we know as individuals. Teachers should never lose sight of students (and fellow staff) as being human! We are not going to like every student in our care, nor are we likely to agree with every teacher's approach to teaching. But--we can't be judgmental. And we need to show our human-ness, as well. We need to remember our "way of knowing" will be different than anybody else's.

What I want to know: As far as behavior expectations...it seems to me it's okay to start a school year with several ideas for stating behavior expectations. Seems like we really need to get an idea of what kind of group of students we have before we impose a rubric or system for discipline. My supervising teacher this year does not use colored cards (red/green/yellow) or marbles, or anything that identifies negative behaviors. While we put into place an agreed upon list of "rules," Judy feels that behavior issues are best addressed individually, graciously, and privately (between student and teacher). No need for extra time to draw attention to bad behaviors. Do most teachers have systems in place...or do some agree with Judy that we need to wait and see what the group dynamic turns out to be.

Anxious? Nothing new here. I'm still excited, and still unsure how I'll balance the student teaching with our coursework. I'll deal with it as it happens!

Excited? Totally. I love being with the kids, getting to know them, and really working FOR them and their quest to learn!

Excited?

A Daily - Thurs, Sept 10

What a blast, today! The classroom was lively, the kids were on task, AND having fun! One of our early lessons in our Connected Math book involved fractions. A simple activity was suggested...using paper strips and folding them in various ways to show several fractions. Judy conducted a mini-lesson on fractions, and led the activity by having kids work in their table groups. They were able to try the folding activities by themselves but were allowed to discuss and problem-solve with their table mates. Part of the question section in their math assignment was directed at strategies. Students were asked to write about what strategies they used to arrive at their successful fraction models. I sat in with a couple table groups and "played dumb." I asked kids to tell me what they were doing, what they were trying to accomplish, and whether they were successful for not. They love to talk about their work. Even some of our kids who struggle with attention issues were very involved with this activity. When groups arrived at their initial results, they were asked to report to the whole class strategies that worked well, and difficulties they faced. Judy allowed the kids to use the ActivBoard and camera/projector thingy. I sensed a lot of pride in the kids showing their successes and sharing in their challenges. It's great to think we can teach these great concepts and skills creatively and at very little cost (supplies). The hands-on approach was truly remarkable!

A Daily - Wed, Sept 9

This afternoon after school ended, I sat in on what is called an "Up-Down" meeting between Judy and the 5th grade teacher who had most of her kids last year. Since our school ends at 6th grade, and because Judy teaches 6th grade, there was no "up" grade level teacher to consult with. Other teachers in the school meet with teachers one grade above and one grade below what they teach. Curt Anderson, our principal, asks teachers to hold these meetings each year so that it gives them an opportunity to discuss students' learning and to bridge knowledge about kids as they transition between grades. I think it's a great demonstration of how this school operates as a community of educators and caring individuals. Teachers are advised to focus mostly on academic progress, strengths and weaknesses of students--and NOT to focus on behavioral issues or personal judgments. Judy really appreciated John's insights and tips on particular students. He not only discussed the students, but the way in which he interacted with them and his teaching style and approach to learning. I admired his ability to honestly open up about shortcomings and how he might have changed things. He was also able to share with Judy strategies that worked positively with some of the students. It would be great if teachers in all schools operated in a manner in which they could professionally share responsibility of teaching a community of learners. However, I think the fact remains that there are way too many teachers who would use the meetings as an opportunity to vent and "bash" some students.

A Daily - Tues., Sept 8

I have volunteered in both my sons' classrooms over many years. I don't recall much teaching of writing, partly because some teachers neglect it, and probably because I helped mostly with math. So I am really having my eyes opened quite a bit to the methods used to teach writing to this age group. Today, I had my first experience with a writing curriculum from Lucy Caulkin (unsure of last name). The kids really enjoyed listening to a very lively read-aloud story--a personal narrative about an eleven year old girl. The writing learning target (determined by Judy) for this week focuses on learning the difference between "showing" and "telling" in your writing. After Judy taught a short lesson related to this target kids were asked to write a response to the reading and provide examples of how the writer "showed" instead of just "telling." This seemed to be a valuable lesson for the kids who are ordinarily accustomed to writing short and to-the-point directed assignments. Their responses entailed some good observations. They seemed to really "get" the idea of how much more enjoyable it is to read something that provides details and great description (visual, emotions, etc.). I appreciated the way in which Judy re-inserts the same point (showing not telling) in other parts of her teaching throughout the week...great continuity and really demonstrates its importance in a variety of subjects.

A Friday Blog - September 4

During our discussion about the "Joy in School" article today, a few class members shot it down, saying that it was a warm/fuzzy reading with nothing really substantive. I thought it was much more than fluff. The author (Wolk) reminds readers that school is not just about standardized test results and issuing the "prescribed amounts of information." I remember Chip Kimball's comment (from meeting last month) about how students are reporting that they are bored. What teacher wants to hear that his/her students are bored with our classes? What I learned from this article and from our class discussion is that we need to constantly ask ourselves, "What joy has my students gone home with this week?" and "What do my students look forward to in coming to school tomorrow?" Wolk provides eleven suggestions for keeping the joy alive in kids' learning, in their classroom environment, and through interaction with their teachers. Sure--some of his ideas seem unattainable, but they're food-for-thought. And "joy" doesn't refer to fun and games necessarily. It's about the need for teachers to look beyond their task-master role, to inspire others and get in touch with students' needs to be themselves and not to lose their souls in the process of education. For me as a new teacher, I know I will be heavily focused on what and how I am teaching kids; I welcome these kinds of reminders about staying focused on the kids!

Just curious...
When teachers interview for teaching positions within a school district, I understand we are generally given opportunities to ask our own questions. I'm wondering if it's always appropriate to ask about teaching teams (grade level teams) at the school. I would personally prefer a school which advocates for collaboration among staff.

Anxiety?
We get to work with our students for nearly six hours every day, five days a week. For kids who are challenged academically or behaviorally, I understand the need for teachers to form a good line of communication with the families. I'm also envisioning that this may be no easy feat with some families (e.g. dual working parents, lack of computer at home). When I become a teacher, I hope that if such a situation occurs, I will have good sense and judgment to know how to work with a student, regardless of parents' choice of involvement.

Excited?
I truly enjoy getting to know kids, and I believe the same will hold true of me getting to know how they are as students in our classroom. I really hope I can help my supervising teacher in identifying concerns about kids and different learning styles and needs. Certainly, two sets of eyes and ears will be useful in making sure the kids are getting the most out of their time in class and that they are finding some joy in their learning!

A Daily - Thurs, Sept 3

I almost feel compelled to put together a list of "Judy-isms," but that just sounds not right. So through these blogs, I hope to re-create some of the gems of wisdom imparted to me by Judy. That's why I am taking notes with hope that I will retain some of this wisdom for future use.

Today's gem: A look at teachers and their choice of control over students.

I complimented Judy in her ability to hand kids the "thinking plate" (an old Love & Logic term). When given opportunities, students can be quite self-reliant and resourceful. As mentioned in an earlier blog, Judy is a strong believer in strongly nudging kids towards resolving their own concerns and conflicts. She uses the ActivBoard flip chart component to spell out instructions related to activities and assignments. Judy solved the problem of kids asking the same questions over and over; she simply points to the displayed directives and forces kids to make an effort to answer their own questions. If a student misses a directive, she suggests he/she ask another classmate ("someone who listened more carefully"). We talked for some time today about how many of us (teachers, parents) who interact with kids tend to just solve their issue, answer their question, or fix the problem/conflict; maybe it's easier and quicker that way. We are in the habit of rushing to the aid of students and trying to make their lives easier by assuming responsibility for their actions (or lack thereof). Judy said it was one of the hardest habits to break for her personally. But with some conscious effort to hold back on the quick fixes, we can be pleasantly surprised to see that kids can actually fix things themselves. And--they will feel GREAT in their ability to problem solve!

During a table groups activity today ("Buzz Time"), kids received instructions to collectively share and report back on a reading response. Right before the activity, Judy asked me to simply serve as a "presence" as I wandered the classroom and listened upon groups in discussion. She was asking me not to interfere and not to "save" a group from their floundering. And yes--it was an effort to keep my mouth shut and allow the kids to act like responsible group members. But--low and behold--the class stepped up to the task and accomplished their goal.

Judy strongly supports the notion of kids finding different strategies to go about their work. She is constantly bestowing positive feedback about positive contributions by students, placing attention on the good--not the bad. Responsibility and self-reliance are huge life skills to learn; they are incredibly useful for kids to pick up while they're young.

So--I hope I can keep my mouth shut at appropriate times and put my faith in students to get the job done, act maturely, and gain confidence in knowing they can be viable members of their learning community!

A Daily...Wed., Sept 2

First of all...I forgot to include the photo from my earlier blog about classroom arrangement. Here 'tis! Day One of the school year...tidy, tidy!! I really like the table groupings and easy access for teacher to work with students.

For Today: Just say, "Flexible is my middle name!"

Today was an early dismissal day in our District. And because we had one hour of library, we really had a limited number of teaching hours. All went well; we just needed to adjust our plan during the course of the day. Judy stressed to me that what you write in your lesson plan book or daily planner will inevitably get messy before half the day's over. Critical tip: Be flexible and adaptable! Our students started out the day great, and then proceeded to grow increasingly "squirrelly" as the day went on. It started in our Community Circle time when Judy did a read-aloud book about a boy who was bullied. She then asked kids to voluntarily share in the Circle a time when they might have had to face fear or conflict. Most of the kids "passed" on sharing. Most of those who shared got a wee bit off-topic discussing fear of roller coasters. A few of our "behavior-challenged" kids were compelled to act up a bit, as well. With other activities throughout the day, we felt the kids were having difficulty with the focus issue. Judy explained to me that knowing the kids in our class this year, she will attempt to keep learning segments limited in time (e.g. no lengthy sessions on one subject or activity). When the day was over, Judy and I spent some time reflecting on what was amiss today and why. Again, she reminded me that even though we think we are thoroughly prepared and ready for the day, we may encounter a completely different scenario.

After witnessing another day of student interactions, Judy determined that we needed to move a couple kids around the table groups. She simply explains to kids that she likes to "mix it up" frequently; that way, kids can better get to know each other. However, Judy also has specific reasons for moving kids apart or closer--generally related to personality or behavior concerns. Once again, Judy shows the need to be flexible and open to change. The classroom is a work in progress, and the teacher's role is to continually look for ways to improve the entire classroom community.

I feel a sense of relief when I see teachers embracing their vulnerabilities and less-than-perfect outcomes. Teachers are only human and students do a superb job of "messin' up the works!"

A Daily Blog - Tues, Sept 1

Supervising Teacher (6th grade): "Judy"

Here are a few reflections about things I felt were most impactful on this first day of school...
When I say "impactful," I mean to the students--and to me!

Predictions for our classroom community:
First day of school in LWSD! Throughout the day, I kept thinking...Judy is sooo clever! She packed the day with fun activities all surrounding getting to know each other, getting to know the classroom, and becoming familiar with what school in this classroom will look like. All the while, Judy articulated to me her reasons for presenting certain activities and how these actually aided her in getting to know how these kids will function as students in her classroom. The activities involving students getting to know other students indicated to Judy how kids interacted socially (e.g. verbally, space issues, assertiveness). Judy also presented a few activities whereby kids had to work in groups (either table groups, or whole group) to complete an activity page; she would follow-up with questions about what strategies they used and how they came to a single response for a group. Without the students knowing, Judy was able to arrive at a general idea of what kind of community this group of kids could become.

It takes a village:
During all of the days' activities, Judy was extremely complimentary to individuals and to the class as a whole. Instead of articulating her fears about potential negative behaviors, she never once mentioned (for instance) the need to send anyone to the principal or giving warnings or turning over cards. She totally lightened the moods of the students by projecting a sense of the start of the new school year as starting with a clean slate--a fresh start and hopeful beginning. By spreading her positive attitude and displaying her confidence in the students' abilities, she has bestowed them with the old (cliche!) "can-do" attitude. A key component to her conversations of success among individuals was her expectation that each student will be a leader, contributing to the classroom community. It's not just about her leading 22 students; the learning will happen through collaboration of 23 brains! Gotta love it!

Aug 31 Teacher Interview

I am interning with a sixth grade teacher (Judy) at an elementary school in Kirkland. I've only worked with Judy since last week; I spent the full week prior to the official start of school with Judy. Today was our first day with our kids. Yesterday, I presented my interview questions to Judy:

Classroom management plan: Judy is a big supporter of "Love and Logic" methods of managing children; briefly--it entails providing choices, teaching responsibility and respect, and perhaps the most important--empathy. Judy posts the "SUPER RULE" on the wall in her classroom: "You have the right to do whatever you want as long as it doesn't affect another student or the teacher." After lots of conversation about the meaning behind this--kids learn that what they do always affects those around them...the choice is whether it will be positive or negative. And it has a lot to do with respect for others. Judy said she seldom gets angry--it's basically counter-productive. When her kids do see her get angry--they know it must be something really bad. Judy also strongly believes in classroom members acting as a community or team. When kids get to know each other and are connected, they care about each other more and are much less likely to get into trouble with one another. Henceforth--less stress on the teacher to try to "control" her classroom!

Classroom arrangement: Judy believes in kids getting connected and that this will create a better learning environment. Judy places high value in setting forth a positive classroom culture or climate at the very start of a new school year. Both classroom management and classroom arrangement contribute to this in a major way. To allow kids to build relationships, she groups them in table groups. For the start of this school year, Judy has six desks in each table group (four groups in total). The desks are all facing each other; this allows for positive interaction during collaborative activities and also for better discussion opportunities when appropriate. The table groupings also allow the teacher to move about the room more easily and provides space for her to engage better with individual students. Our classroom is basically a square box. Kids (in their table groups in the center of the room) are surrounded by four walls of everything they need for their learning environment. Judy maintains an orderly, tidy classroom--everything has a place. She is modeling great organization for her students. She also provides splashes of energy and color through bulletin boards, art work and, of course, books galore. (photo attached)

Tips for a successful first day of school: Judy's mantra is keep it fun (activities), fast paced (plenty of transitions), and provide the kids with a sense of safety. Through experience, Judy has learned that kids want to feel like they are an important part of their classroom, so Judy provides plenty of "getting to know you" activities. They also need to feel safe, so Judy provides structure and routine (while also being flexible!) and really sets out to ensure that kids understand the way she runs her classroom (includes kids determining their own set of classroom rules, a classroom "tour," and opportunity to get to know the teacher. Judy wants to be sure that that first day of school (and on into the first week) includes time for the teacher to be up front and talking--but equally important--time for students to shine, to share of themselves and with each other. Judy gets the kids excited that first day of school by cheering them into an attitude of becoming leaders in the classroom and helping each other with their learning.

Sept. 28 - About Robin & About Diane

When Robin shared about herself on Friday, we were able to learn about her life as it relates to her "prized item"--her kayak paddle. From our questioning, I discovered that Robin went through a period in her life where she felt out of control and felt a sense of drowning. The paddle represents her new ability to steer herself forward. Instead of floundering in all the negative parts of her life, she was able to face certain fears and put herself in motion to better her life circumstances and even improve her own character. She decided to steer away from getting into a hole, and being stagnate was not a viable option. Her move from NC was one example of embracing the challenge and the thrill of major change. Bravo!

If I were to choose a "prized item" to represent my life or a particular aspect of my life, I would share the meanings behind my house key. A key relates to lots in my life. A key opens a door--in this case, my home. For me to share my house key with someone, I am allowing them to take a look at my family and what they mean to me, as well. First, my home means a lot to me; I am the classic "home-body." Also, I am not talking about just a house--the physical building, but also about what "home" means to me: comfort, love, safety, peace, and the most important people in my life. The key opens the doors to my life in that I receive the most encouragement and hope from my family. I love the feeling of feeling "rooted" in where I live and who I've chosen to spend my life with. I am fairly self-reliant and determined in my personal endeavors, but I feel so much more empowered with my primary "fan club" backing me up! One big example of the support they have given me is my pursuit of finishing my undergraduate degree and teaching certification at age 50.

A Friday Blog - Sept28

1. One thing I learned today:

As I make reflections and observations through this September experience, one very important question I need to continually ponder is: What impact does this have on student learning? This experience is not just about me and my needs--it will inevitably be about what are the students getting out of this--both as a whole class and as individuals.

2. My questions and/or what do I still want to know:

This is a year of major inputting (information, ideas, strategies, etc.)! I would love to hear about ways in which I can retain classroom materials, suggestions, resources, links for my future use.

I understand the need for assessing, but what methods/strategies can I use on a daily basis to check my students' understanding? (i.e. walk around, looking at individual work being done)?

3. What are you anxious about regarding student teaching/teaching?


I am anxious about managing it all: everything from different behavioral challenges to meeting different learning styles and needs to finding enough hours in the day to cover all the curriculum. I guess I am most concerned about addressing individual needs within my classroom and making sure no kids "slip through the cracks."


4. What are you excited about regarding student teaching/teaching?

I think I will enjoy tapping into my creativity and resourcefulness to make my classroom work for me and my students. I also like to think that I more-or-less "get" kids (helps to have two of my own!) and will be motivated to make whatever classroom I work in a successful one. Finally--I love my supervising teacher and am totally excited to learn so much from watching her model good teaching for me!