Since my previous blog I received my mid-term evaluation and was observed by my professor, whom I live with. My mid-term from my teacher was very good. There were areas for me to grow, but she also addressed a lot of strengths. I feel as though I'm learning more and more about these girls and things about them. I'm analyzing and observing characteristics of their work and assessing it to address their needs.
My professor observed me on Friday for the girls writing lesson on a letter to America. Unfortunately I did not save my work properly on my flash stick, and when I went to print my work in the morning it wouldn't print. We decided that it would be an informal assessment since she wasn't able to see my lesson plan.
She came on Tuesday though for a math lesson on a whole-group lesson on two lines of symmetry and small groups on halving. I activated their prior knowledge by asking them about what they remembered about the line of symmetry. I then used the Ipad for the first time and showed them a rectangle. I asked a girl to draw me the line of symmetry on the rectangle on the Ipad.
After talking to the professor about my lessons, she provided me with areas of constructive criticisms to work on. When first hearing the areas of improvement, i was slightly surprised. I didn't realize that i had lost touch with the value of knowing children and providing differentiated instruction.
Being here has, in some ways, lured me away from implementing differentiated instruction, developmentally appropriate practices, and recognizing their zone of proximal development. I've started teaching to a routine that has not provided the girls with explicit differentiated instruction. I see the challenges girls have and I accommodate to adhere to the girl's needs, but is my instruction differentiated? Further, every lesson I make I must think: is it concrete? (because at this age they think in concrete reasoning) and does it build on something familiar? Finally my lessons should address children's Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD). I shouldn't exceed their ZPD. Instead, address what they can do on their own, and create activities that can be done independently, but with some support. My problem is either: 1) the work is too easy or 2) the work is too hard to do without any support.
This is why I'm here, though: to learn and grow as an educator. Over the next 3 weeks I will be working towards these areas of improvement.
OH! BUT on another random note... guess what?! I braaied (like an American BBQ) a pig's head! And I even ate some. I ate a cheek (which was pretty fatty) and part of the neck (which just tasted like pork, once you picked through the fat). Overall i thought it was pretty fatty and not worth the wait. I'll take my bacon over pig's cheek any day.
Lots of love,
Eryn
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