My grandma passed away on Monday! At the end of August I lost my grandpa and grandma within three days of each other. My mom's dad and dad's mom. And then this last week I lost my grandma, my mom's mom. It has been a sad couple of months. I was talking to my sister this week and it hard because we have had grandparents for so long and then to lose all of them so quickly. As I have processed my grandma's death I have begun to ask myself, what is really important. I have looked at my life and all that I am involved it but it has also transferred into my action research.
This last week we ready an article called, Window on our classroom. In our groups we have discussed what we found to be important. The thing that stuck out to me was assessments. Getting back to my question, what is really important about assessment. The article talked about authentic assessment. I stopped and thought about my own assessments for my action research and the assessments that I use in my classroom. Are they really important? Am I using them because I have been told to or are they authentic and showing accurate data that his helping guide my instruction? I don't have all the answers. One of the areas that I have been looking over this week for my action research is my assessment. I am assessing to see whether or not they are accurately assessing information that is important to my action research.
If you are reading my blog, I challenge you to look at your own action research and find what really matters. I really think that we need to be looking at our assessments. We are constantly assessing our kids but are these assessments necessary and do they better our instruction. I don't have all the answers but I believe that my action research will be more powerful is my assessments are authentic.
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Through a student's eyes
Before we started our blogs we researched and looked at different blogs. One of the things that stuck out to me was different voices. I liked it when the blogger told stories through different eyes. In one that I looked at the mom talked about her sons and used life experiences from her sons. In another the dad actually let his daughters dictate to him and he wrote what they were experiencing. In my group I told them that I was going to use the new ideas that we found. So here we go...
One of my students is named Daniel. He is very bright. I asked him how he liked to learn. He said that he liked when we did games and projects. He is a very high student but hates to write. His favorite math activities were the hands-on. He really enjoyed when we pretended to have an ocean and we put sea creatures in it. I found that with Daniel paid more attention during the hands-on activities. When pencil and paper are given to him he flies through it. He just wants to get it done. I believe that for him, he learned best through the activities and he agrees.
I also spoke to Daniel's mom. She talked about how it is a challenge to get him to do his homework. She has a hard time getting him to sit down and do the work. He would rather be playing outside or in his room. She believes that he is such a good student because he has been in school since he was 3. He has learned appropriate behavior and abides by the rules. She uses positive reinforcement at home to encourage him to do his homework.
One of my students is named Daniel. He is very bright. I asked him how he liked to learn. He said that he liked when we did games and projects. He is a very high student but hates to write. His favorite math activities were the hands-on. He really enjoyed when we pretended to have an ocean and we put sea creatures in it. I found that with Daniel paid more attention during the hands-on activities. When pencil and paper are given to him he flies through it. He just wants to get it done. I believe that for him, he learned best through the activities and he agrees.
I also spoke to Daniel's mom. She talked about how it is a challenge to get him to do his homework. She has a hard time getting him to sit down and do the work. He would rather be playing outside or in his room. She believes that he is such a good student because he has been in school since he was 3. He has learned appropriate behavior and abides by the rules. She uses positive reinforcement at home to encourage him to do his homework.
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Overwhelmed
I'm a little overwhelmed this week. I started at a new school, district, and grade level. My new school has different requirements than my last school district. We have evening in-services and weekend in-services so needless to say I have been busy. Adjusting to being a new teacher again is hard as well. I have more meetings to go to and I am new which is an adjustment. I am lucky to have supportive administration and teachers to work with. But it is still an adjustment. I am in a new grade level and I have state testing which I have not had before. All I can say is that I am overwhelmed. I am trying to take it one day at a time in order to keep myself going. Last week was hard because I really didn't have the weekend because I had an in-service. I don't know about you but I need the weekend to regroup and get ready for the next week.
As far as my project this week I have been working on how I would implement into my classroom. I am creating a timeline of what I would like to do. I am aware that every year will be different because the kids will dictate how fast or slow I would need to go. I am creating the best case scenario. My hope is that for the first two week I would focus on numbers 1-5. The third week would be a review of numbers 1-5. The following fourth and fifth weeks would be focusing on numbers 6-10. My sixth and final week would be a review of numbers 1-10. I have also been creating my template for my lessons. I want it to be uniform so that it is easy for the reader to follow and use in his/her classroom.
On top of my stressful week my son got pink eye from preschool on Friday. Friday afternoon I am in the doctor's office and the doctor tells me that I will be giving my son one drop in each eye three times a day. My son is like the Energizer bunny he doesn't stop at all. Needless to say it has been a challenging weekend. I am looking forward to Wednesday morning it will be our last day of drops. Knock on wood that he doesn't get it again. I can always hope! I am off to another exciting week in Mrs. Martinez's 3rd grade classroom!
As far as my project this week I have been working on how I would implement into my classroom. I am creating a timeline of what I would like to do. I am aware that every year will be different because the kids will dictate how fast or slow I would need to go. I am creating the best case scenario. My hope is that for the first two week I would focus on numbers 1-5. The third week would be a review of numbers 1-5. The following fourth and fifth weeks would be focusing on numbers 6-10. My sixth and final week would be a review of numbers 1-10. I have also been creating my template for my lessons. I want it to be uniform so that it is easy for the reader to follow and use in his/her classroom.
On top of my stressful week my son got pink eye from preschool on Friday. Friday afternoon I am in the doctor's office and the doctor tells me that I will be giving my son one drop in each eye three times a day. My son is like the Energizer bunny he doesn't stop at all. Needless to say it has been a challenging weekend. I am looking forward to Wednesday morning it will be our last day of drops. Knock on wood that he doesn't get it again. I can always hope! I am off to another exciting week in Mrs. Martinez's 3rd grade classroom!
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Working Together
I met with another Kindergarten teacher this week to pick her brain about math in the classroom. She teaches in a different school district and only has 20 kids so, her classroom make-up is a little different than mine. She has 20 plus years of experience and a master's degree in math so I think that she is an expert in the area of mathematics. One of the challenges of this program is to work together. I have enjoyed working in groups. Although at times coordinating schedules has been a bit challenging.
A key component of her math program is hands-on activities. She believes that this is the best way for small children to learn. It gets their whole body involved. She agrees that doing the state adopted curriculum is important but you need to supplement. She teaches at a PI school so she is mandated to teach the state adopted curriculum. She has to have 30 minutes of math a day. She does more than this because math is integrated into her morning routine. She also believes that repetition is good. Her kids are counting several times during the day. Practice, practice, practice is her big idea!!!
Again, I am challenged to have my project include hands-on activities as well as portions of the adopted curriculum. I appreciated that she took time to meet with me. I like to meet with veteran teachers to see what works. They have been at it a long time and have found success in their classrooms. It is good to work together!!!
A key component of her math program is hands-on activities. She believes that this is the best way for small children to learn. It gets their whole body involved. She agrees that doing the state adopted curriculum is important but you need to supplement. She teaches at a PI school so she is mandated to teach the state adopted curriculum. She has to have 30 minutes of math a day. She does more than this because math is integrated into her morning routine. She also believes that repetition is good. Her kids are counting several times during the day. Practice, practice, practice is her big idea!!!
Again, I am challenged to have my project include hands-on activities as well as portions of the adopted curriculum. I appreciated that she took time to meet with me. I like to meet with veteran teachers to see what works. They have been at it a long time and have found success in their classrooms. It is good to work together!!!
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