Yesterday was the first tutoring session that I had with my students for intervention purposes. This week my focus is to work on context clues. I don't want to teach them vocabulary because the words used on the test are unpredictable. Instead, I want to teach them tools they can use when they come across a word that they don't know on their STAAR test. During the tutoring session, we played Context Clues Jeopardy where they had to figure out the meaning of the word by looking at clues around the word. I also had them complete a context clues worksheet with their teams. Tomorrow, we will be going to the computer lab and I will have them take a few quizzes and play a context clues game. The quizzes will help me assess which students are really understanding how to look for context clues and which students are still struggling.
Today, I taught a lesson to my classes using an instructional strategy called Story Impressions that I learned from training last week. Three other English teachers came to observe my classroom so that they could see how the instructional strategy was taught and put into place. I was very nervous; so nervous I begin to sweat! Luckily, my kids did so well and were so patient with me even though I messed up at times. They are great! :) One of my colleagues was nice enough to write me a note complimenting my teaching The note really made my day and I thanked her later! She is a wonderful teacher and I only hope to be as good of an educator as her some day.
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Saturday, February 18, 2012
Observation/Intervention
Next week is the start of our new intervention plans that we are putting into place to help our bubble kids so that they may have a better chance of passing the STAAR this year. My plans are ready to go, but I'm a bit nervous as to how it will all play out. It won't be like teaching a class, but a bit more like tutoring. I'll write more about how the meetings with students go as the week progresses.
On Thursday, I had the opportunity to attend a training called STAAR Reading for 6,7, and 8th grade. I loved it because I was able to take from it many reading strategies to use in my classroom in order to help students think on a deeper level. I'm planning to implement one strategy called Story Impressions next Wednesday in my classroom. I hope it runs smoothly, but if not, I will reflect and learn from the experience. Since my mentor, another 7th grade English teacher, and myself were the only teachers from Benbrook who attended, my mentor asked if I could allow the other English teachers to come observe me using the strategies I learned. Of course I agreed to it because any feedback I can get from more experienced teachers would be wonderful! I hope I don't fall on my butt :(. I'm excited, but nervous all at the same time. I'm excited to have others watch me teach and do what I love to do, but I'm nervous about not doing as well as I could or my students not following my expectations. I'm hoping for the best! :)
On Thursday, I had the opportunity to attend a training called STAAR Reading for 6,7, and 8th grade. I loved it because I was able to take from it many reading strategies to use in my classroom in order to help students think on a deeper level. I'm planning to implement one strategy called Story Impressions next Wednesday in my classroom. I hope it runs smoothly, but if not, I will reflect and learn from the experience. Since my mentor, another 7th grade English teacher, and myself were the only teachers from Benbrook who attended, my mentor asked if I could allow the other English teachers to come observe me using the strategies I learned. Of course I agreed to it because any feedback I can get from more experienced teachers would be wonderful! I hope I don't fall on my butt :(. I'm excited, but nervous all at the same time. I'm excited to have others watch me teach and do what I love to do, but I'm nervous about not doing as well as I could or my students not following my expectations. I'm hoping for the best! :)
Monday, February 6, 2012
Drawing Conclusions/Making Inferences
Last week, my mentor gave me some advice that made my teaching world clearer. I was having trouble deciding what plans to make for the six weeks because the curriculum from our district is very general and I needed a way to fill in the specifics of my lesson plans. I asked my mentor what she was planning to do for the next couple of weeks and she informed me. Then she said, focus on one skill a week since the STAAR is coming up in April. Such a simple solution, but yet I hadn't thought of it!
I looked at the data from both CBA tests (Curriculum Based Assessments which the students take every 9 weeks) to determine which skills my classes needed most work on. I found that the biggest skill they needed help with, was Drawing Conclusions/Making Inferences. So, I decided to focus on re-teaching that skill this week. From now on, I will be focusing on one skill a week and incorporate it into my curriculum until the students take the STAAR test.
Today was the first day for teaching Drawing Conclusions and I'm hoping that if the kids hear about it for a whole week, it will stick. I've decided to compare Drawing Conclusions to my students being detectives. I told my students that detectives look for clues in crime scenes to help them solve the crime just like they have to look for clues in the story when reading to help them make conclusions about the story. Detectives use both clues in the crime scene and what they know to figure out who committed the crime just like they have to use what they know (personal experience) and details (clues) that the author gives them in the story to draw a conclusion about the story.
As we were going through the lesson, one of my kids happened to make a mystery sound when I said the word detective. I thought it was brilliant! Now, I'm having all of my students make the same sound whenever I say detective, clues, or mystery. I think this will help them remember what two things they need to do to draw conclusions about a story. At the end of the week, I will be giving the students an assessment to see if they understood the week's lessons or if they need more practice on the skill. Next week, we will be working on grade level vocabulary!
I looked at the data from both CBA tests (Curriculum Based Assessments which the students take every 9 weeks) to determine which skills my classes needed most work on. I found that the biggest skill they needed help with, was Drawing Conclusions/Making Inferences. So, I decided to focus on re-teaching that skill this week. From now on, I will be focusing on one skill a week and incorporate it into my curriculum until the students take the STAAR test.
Today was the first day for teaching Drawing Conclusions and I'm hoping that if the kids hear about it for a whole week, it will stick. I've decided to compare Drawing Conclusions to my students being detectives. I told my students that detectives look for clues in crime scenes to help them solve the crime just like they have to look for clues in the story when reading to help them make conclusions about the story. Detectives use both clues in the crime scene and what they know to figure out who committed the crime just like they have to use what they know (personal experience) and details (clues) that the author gives them in the story to draw a conclusion about the story.
As we were going through the lesson, one of my kids happened to make a mystery sound when I said the word detective. I thought it was brilliant! Now, I'm having all of my students make the same sound whenever I say detective, clues, or mystery. I think this will help them remember what two things they need to do to draw conclusions about a story. At the end of the week, I will be giving the students an assessment to see if they understood the week's lessons or if they need more practice on the skill. Next week, we will be working on grade level vocabulary!
Friday, February 3, 2012
Intervention Plans
When I first became a teacher, I thought it was stressful, but now when I look back, it's a piece of cake compared to what's going on now. The stress of "testing season" is now upon us. All of a sudden I am hearing constant talk about intervention plans and looking at data from standardized tests to find students in which we need to target. Today was an in-service day at my school and I literally spent the entire day helping come up with a department and individualized plan on what intervention plan I was going to put in place and how. I did not realize how much work needed to be put into an intervention plan, but now I am fully aware and will be more prepared before "testing season" next year. Side note: When I don't succeed at something or I see something is not running smoothly, I always tell myself, "Now I know what NOT to do next year".
When I arrived this morning, the first hour was spent in discussion on how our department plans would be similar. We decided that we would pull out and work with students at least twice a week for 30 to 45 minutes during their elective classes.
This is what I had to come up with on my own:
Who?- Who are the students I plan to provide tutoring to before the STAAR is upon us.
When?- When will I be pulling these students and how often will I be pulling them for tutoring. Keep in mind, I have to consider that math, science, and social studies might need to tutor the same kids.
What?- What are the specific SE's that I need to focus on with each student and what resources will I use to target these SE's. How will I assess the students to know if they are improving and if they are better understanding the skills I have taught them through tutoring?
We also had to focus on student accountability. What would we do in order to ensure that the students would be at tutoring each day when they were supposed to be. All of this was to be done in a day! Luckily, my mentor and LCT (Lead Content Teacher) prepared the English Department ahead of time and when I arrived at school today, I already knew which kids I would be targeting. Deciding on the kids was another day worth of work. Even though I was stressed and worried I wouldn't have my plan before the end of the day, I was able to finish with the help of the other teachers on my team and with an hour to spare! Wow, that's a great weight off my chest; now to implement the interventions! :)
When I arrived this morning, the first hour was spent in discussion on how our department plans would be similar. We decided that we would pull out and work with students at least twice a week for 30 to 45 minutes during their elective classes.
This is what I had to come up with on my own:
Who?- Who are the students I plan to provide tutoring to before the STAAR is upon us.
When?- When will I be pulling these students and how often will I be pulling them for tutoring. Keep in mind, I have to consider that math, science, and social studies might need to tutor the same kids.
What?- What are the specific SE's that I need to focus on with each student and what resources will I use to target these SE's. How will I assess the students to know if they are improving and if they are better understanding the skills I have taught them through tutoring?
We also had to focus on student accountability. What would we do in order to ensure that the students would be at tutoring each day when they were supposed to be. All of this was to be done in a day! Luckily, my mentor and LCT (Lead Content Teacher) prepared the English Department ahead of time and when I arrived at school today, I already knew which kids I would be targeting. Deciding on the kids was another day worth of work. Even though I was stressed and worried I wouldn't have my plan before the end of the day, I was able to finish with the help of the other teachers on my team and with an hour to spare! Wow, that's a great weight off my chest; now to implement the interventions! :)
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Bobcat Tracker
This week, the 6th grade team and I have decided to implement a new disciplinary action that is consistent from class to class and teacher to teacher. This week is somewhat of the experimental week because we are deciding what we need to add or have forgotten. Most of the students are doing well with the new rules which is great!
We have set high expectations for the new semester and I can't wait to start with the tracker from the beginning of the year next year. This is how it works in my class: There are several rules that students must follow such as: raising your hand before speaking, listening while the teacher is talking, respecting others and objects, etc. If a student is to break a rule, I give the entire class a warning. The next person to break the same rule will get a sign on their tracker. If the student gets 3 signs for the whole week, a lunch detention is issued. If the student gets 6 signs, a phone call home is made with plans on meeting for a parent/teacher conference. If the student gets 9 signs within a week, it is an infraction. Every 6th grade student must keep track of their tracker and take it to every class. If they lose it, they get an automatic lunch detention.
Since this disciplinary action has been implemented, I have noticed a lot of behavior changes in my students for good and for bad, but mainly good. If students get 0 to 1 signs a week, they will be rewarded. We have not decided upon the rewards as of now, but they will be decided soon. I have found this method to be effective because before, I would have to continually give warnings to the same students. Now, they only have 9 chances for the entire week in EVERY class. That means if they go to their 1st period class on Monday and already have 3 signs, they need to change their behavior or a consequence will be put in place.
We have set high expectations for the new semester and I can't wait to start with the tracker from the beginning of the year next year. This is how it works in my class: There are several rules that students must follow such as: raising your hand before speaking, listening while the teacher is talking, respecting others and objects, etc. If a student is to break a rule, I give the entire class a warning. The next person to break the same rule will get a sign on their tracker. If the student gets 3 signs for the whole week, a lunch detention is issued. If the student gets 6 signs, a phone call home is made with plans on meeting for a parent/teacher conference. If the student gets 9 signs within a week, it is an infraction. Every 6th grade student must keep track of their tracker and take it to every class. If they lose it, they get an automatic lunch detention.
Since this disciplinary action has been implemented, I have noticed a lot of behavior changes in my students for good and for bad, but mainly good. If students get 0 to 1 signs a week, they will be rewarded. We have not decided upon the rewards as of now, but they will be decided soon. I have found this method to be effective because before, I would have to continually give warnings to the same students. Now, they only have 9 chances for the entire week in EVERY class. That means if they go to their 1st period class on Monday and already have 3 signs, they need to change their behavior or a consequence will be put in place.
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