First Unit Started and It Feels So Good!

I am right in the thick of teaching my first unit. Things are going well, maybe too well. I am nervous that my early success with teaching in the classroom will ultimately set me up for failure in the future, but maybe that's just my paranoia talking. My MT is pleased with most of the work I do. She tells me I'm doing a great job, but I feel like she's just saying that because she has the nurturing aspects of a great teacher, again probably the paranoia getting the best of me. I know I am doing well so far, but it feels weird to be good at something I thought I would suck at. 

The unit is over Of Mice and Men and the students seem to be enjoying it thus far. In my teaching infancy I have struggled with pacing my lessons. I try to go to quickly with the students. Two weeks into my teaching I have seen that something you or I think should take 15 minutes, easily turns into a 45 minute process. Understanding the time needed for a classroom full of students to complete their work has shown me that the majority of teaching what you want to teach probably doesn't happen because it takes the students quite a bit of time to do their work. For now it is a blessing because it allows my lessons that may run short some extra time so that I can fill the 90 minute class period. What I am trying to say is thank you, Lord for these slow working kids because they are making my life easier so far. 

Through the University of Michigan's Center for Research on Learning and Teaching I use six of their steps to formulate my teaching. 

1. Outline the Objectives

I wanted my students to learn about history and relationships during my unit. We discussed the 1930's as a class before reading the book and maybe one student had any knowledge on that time period. I also wanted the students to understand relationships between characters in a book and why they matter. I figured Lennie and George's relationship would help highlight that learning experience. 

2. Develop the Introduction

I planned a 90 minute introduction for the students to learn about the novel, the author, and the setting and historical context of the book. I feel that students most definitely need introductions of what they are being taught or else they will have zero clue as to what is going on. 

3. Plan Specific Learning Activities

Most of the work is done in class. The students and I read for 40 minutes and then they complete a lit circle worksheet. I feel like this has helped them gather evidence from the book instead of me telling them what they should be looking for, they find it themselves. 

4. Plan to Check for Understanding

Small and Large group discussion have been used to assess the students ability to comprehend the book. I grade their lit circle worksheets after every reading as well. This allows me to see if they are getting a deeper meaning from the book or still surface reading at this point. 

5. Develop a Conclusion and a Preview

The conclusion of this unit will be their DCA essay, or District Common Assessment. They will have to write using a prompt from the IUG. The students are not big on writing essays, so this will be a challenge for me. 

6. Create a Realistic Timeline

This might be the hardest thing so far. Learning the pacing of the students has taken some time, but my MT helped me map out my unit and I feel I am on track to finish on time. The day to day teaching is what has taken time getting used too. I can not cover as much material as I want to. 

Online Reflection #1

Voices fill the room asking me for help. I oblige their calls with the willing reluctance of a shipwreck survivor who turns to seawater to quench his thirst. I know that serving these voices will set forth a chain of events that one day might prove fruitful for their life endeavors. I ready myself. Underneath my skin, the nerves are thrashing like chains leashed upon a wild dog. Deep breaths of air were replaced by shallow and short inhalations. My chest tightened as my heart ramps up from a steady pace to an irregular thump-thump-thump thump-thump-thump, mimicking the knocking of a policeman at the door. My first day on the job had me questioning what I had gotten myself into.

My first days as a substitute/WSU student teacher were an overwhelming experience. I can remember having a mini-panic attack that consisted of an inner monologue arguing over whether I wanted to continue down this career path. I knew my nerves had control of me and after some experience I would eventually settle into the routine of things. Becoming a teacher has been a goal of mine since I was 17 and I wasn't going to let a first day of uncertainty deter me from what's important in my life. I eventually created a level of comfort for myself in the classroom and am currently embarking on establishing a foundation for which to build my teaching career. 

This semester thus far has been a great learning experience. This week I have started to take over the classroom a bit more as the students are working on finishing up their "Family" unit essays. The experience of editing and reading the students rough drafts has given me insight on the writing styles of young adults. Many of them write in a straightforward manner, tend not to use descriptions, and often their writing resembles the monotony of a shopping list. This is not to say their writing is bad, I enjoy their writing, and what I have been trying to teach them is to find their voice and create a personal connection with their essay. Reading Harry R. Noden's Image of Grammar has confirmed the types of teaching I have relayed to my students so far. Noden details five vital lessons to creating art as a writer: Painting with Participles, Painting with Absolutes, Painting with Appositives, Painting with Adjectives Shifted Out of Order, Painting with Action Verbs. I tried to teach these qualities to the students before reading this chapter and I wish I could go back and re-teach them because I feel I could highlight this Noden's first chapter as a guide to creating writing that is worth reading.  

Classroom behavior management is an aspect that I don't believe I lack, yet I know I will struggle this semester due to the fact that there are two teachers in the classroom and some students will undoubtedly try to test me because they know I am not fully in charge. That issue hasn't arose so far, but I can see it coming. As for now things seem to be going smoothly. I have noticed that the students don't have an issue with listening to my instruction, yet they do have some problems with seeing me as a teacher. I don't have the standard teacher voice that sends chills down their spine. Instead, I am sure of myself and soft spoken. I do have the ability to raise my voice and put an end to undesired behavior, but for now I am trying to connect with the students, and I figure showing interest and compassion first would serve me better, as opposed to being seen as an authoritative figure. I am not sure whether this is a mistake and am likely to find out in two weeks when I begin teaching my seven week unit. 

I have a journal for the days that I teach. I jot down the events of the day: what went wrong, what went right, what I should change, and what I should keep the same. I note student behavior as well. I can monitor if they were having a bad day and need some time to be solitary, or which students emerged from their shell and actively participated in class that hour. Referring back to my notes will eventually help me to become a successful teacher. I can look back and see what worked and didn't work for a certain set of students and accommodate or modify certain aspects of my teaching or classroom in order to create an environment that helps them learn.