Are You Paying Attention?

Here is a video clip that I would like to share in regards to my future students who will be drowning in the technology world... Enjoy :)

Pay Attention-YouTube Video

-Ms. "C"

I Lift My Hands

Okay, so this post has nothing to do with my internship, but I felt the need to post this on here anyway. God has really been working on my heart these last several months, and I know that I am following His will by going into education. However, He still tries to get my attention when I am not completely focused on Him. This past week, I was sent home after finding out that I had a 104 temperature. While laying in bed for several days, I have been feeling His constant movement within me... and I think I know why. I have been keeping tabs on a young man from GA who passed away tonight- and to think, he was only 14. Though I don't know the entire story of Michael's illness, I am still moved by his story and the kind words that people had to say on this page.

While reading the comments that this nice people left on Michael's page, I came across a link for a new song that Chris Tomlin has on his newly released CD. Hearing the words play over and over again in my head really showed me that God still desires His people- even those who have professed to be saved. This entire time that I have been feeling God's presence reassured me that He is always there, whether I'm sick, or when I am standing amidst 30 7th grade students. This song really touched me this evening, and I hope it does the same for you.
Chris Tomlin: Lift My Hands

The 2nd Time's the Charm

Today was my second, and final, observation of the semester. This is the observation that I have been dreading for the past couple of weeks, but it was able to quickly sneak up on me. For today's lesson, I decided to fight my inner battles and conduct an entire hands on lesson that revolved around the water cycle. My students have started the weather unit, so I wanted them to grasp a true understanding about where water comes from and how it cycles throughout the Earth and atmosphere.

During my first class (which is inclusion, by the way), I started the game... which quickly fell apart. I wasn't able to get through the first half of the lesson without calling the students together and having a discussion with them. At this point, I was overwhelmed and stressed. I began doubting my lesson and considered asking my OSTE if she could teach for the rest of the time. However, knowing that I was going to be observed during the next class, I began compromising and alternating the lesson to fit the needs of the next set of students. I believe that my nervousness about the whole day got the best of me, but I wasn't going to let it affect the most important day of my semester.

As the first class came to a close, I was able to regain composure and quickly came up with new strategies for the next class. As the new group came in, so did Toni, my internship leader who was going to be taking the notes and reporting back to UNCG.

As the class began, everything...flowed. Without going into too much detail, I can only say that this was the best lesson I have ever taught...and this is only the beginning for me :)

Little changes that I made included having the students group up into smaller groups, rather than large groups. Also, I had the students try the activities without talking- the only thing they could do was snap their fingers or hum. Though my class was unsure of the directions, they soon followed my request and this lesson ran beautifully. In fact, my OSTE told Toni to make sure that I student taught in her classroom my senior year because of how great things have gone.. this made me :)

For those of you who are interested in the lesson I had the students do, go here and enjoy!

-Ms. "C"

Personal Battle

I have been writing a reflection on how to incorporate lessons/activities that promote student motivation, but I have a bug in my ear that is pulling me away from this assignment. I need to take a break and be honest with myself, so I decided to write here on my blog...

So much has been swarming around in my mind as I take in one of the ideal purposes of teaching, but cannot come to grips to accept it. I am fighting a battle that is affected the way that I look at a classroom. This battle has been stressed to us from our instructors throughout the entire intern process here at UNCG, but I still can't accept it as truth and beneficial for my students, so some feedback would be greatly appreciated.

UNCG's teaching program is based on the concept that children learn better with hands-on strategies, rather than sitting through traditional classrooms where teachers lecture for the entire hour and then give homework at the end. Yes, the older concept is boring and is a waste of time for everyone, but I am fighting an inner devil that is telling me hands on approaches are still not enough- the students, in my mind, still need the lectures to learn basic information. This is the battle: I don't know what to do... How can simply giving projects promote the knowledge intake for students if they come into the classroom unaware of the basic information that must be taught to them? Am I wrong to think that hands on assignments are not the only solutions to teaching effectively?

During our internship, we have been taught the skills of incorporating differentiated instruction, which is the formulation of one lesson that focuses on the various learning styles of the students and is able to meet their needs, whether through the lesson, questions, group discussions, etc. Whatever the case may be in regards to the students' ways of learning, this learning style is supposed to meet, if possible, all of those needs. In order to accomplish this task, I must develop various lessons, activities, tests, questions, etc., etc., etc... so much work for one classroom, and this is something that I cannot seem to grasp when I know faculty meetings, lesson planning periods, grade wide discussions, professional development discussions, parent meetings, and last but not least, my personal life require my full fledged attention and presence.

Growing up in the Davie County district, I was very fortunate to have talented instructors who were able to get information across to me. Over time, however, I realized that I do learn better in a structured classroom where we took notes completed homework. Though important, the hands on projects were not the focus of the class, unless it was a challenging science lesson. Because of my own upbringing, I am having a hard time understanding the importance of hands on lessons and the need to have them within each lesson, multiple times during the week. How can I teach something that I personally don't benefit from when learning? It's like me teaching a group of students the importance of auto mechanics... I don't know the topic, so why teach it?

I know I am rambling, but I wanted to give my readers an idea of what I am struggling with... Any opinions?