November 18 - December 2

Well, the NCSS Conference was interesting I learned a great deal about teaching as well as professional events. I was able to meet many history teachers from around the United States. I learned new techniques in teaching the social studies.
This coming week is my last; this has been such a memorable experience. I have learned so much that it is hard to put it into words. There are so many things that people tell you about teaching but you cannot truly understand until you actually take it on and do it yourself. I not only learned about teaching this semester, I learned about myself. I learned that I am capable of being a teacher, actually being in the classroom proved that. I learned that classroom discipline has to be tailored to your preferences, that what works for one person does not always work for another. I learned that sometimes a simple hello could win over a student over to your side. How a little extra attention to something a student likes can make their day. I learned that students will complain about almost everything that you ask them to do. They will try to get away with almost everything, and test you every minute of the day. Some days I will go home completely exhausted, others go home smiling and happy about the day’s achievement. I was scared going into this experience that I would not be made out for this but now I feel as though I can do this. When students’ eyes light up, when you give them, a complement for doing well makes the days that go bad seam far away. One more week left, I am going to miss so many of these kids.

November 14-16

I decided to go ahead and tell about this week up to Wednesday, being I am not sure if I will be able to post on Friday. This week I have learned how much fun giving state tests are. They are as fun to give as to take. I did not give them, but I helped pass them out etc. I also learned that there is not always a good way to reward students. Today we showed a school wide movie, through the system. I found that no matter what movie was being shown someone was going to complain about it. I also found that many students would rather get on with regular schoolwork. Well I am off to my first convention tomorrow, looking forward to going. It will be a learning experience. I teach my last lesson of my own tomorrow, and then I have to sit back and watch for a while. Student teaching goes by so fast. This blog will be continued when I return, from the conference. Therefore, I can discuss the end of the week, as well as, the conference.

November 7-11

It was strange this week only being in charge of two hours. I surprisingly found myself getting bored. However, I have plenty to work on. This week of course was the week of Veterans Day. Our school like most others held a Veterans Day assembly. My cooperating teacher was in charge of this assembly therefore she was really on edge. Most of the classes she was in charge of this week watched movies so she could get things done for the assembly. I now do not feel bad about one of the days I got to school and could not do the activity that I had planned for the day; therefore, I had the students watch one of the Founding Fathers videos. At least this video had to do with the subject we were studying. However, if I was in her situation I might have done the same thing. I am finding that the students are starting to realize that I will not be there much longer. Realizing that I am no longer teaching some of the classes and asking why I am not. I have had many students ask me if they can have my e-mail so they can talk to me when I am gone. It is flattering. I am really going to miss most of them I am seeing how easy it is to get to know some of these kids, and how many of them look forward to seeing you everyday. I am also realizing how by just smiling or saying hi to a student can brighten there day, and in some cases change completely how they act in your class. Taking a little time to listen to them goes a long way, not only toughing there heart but mine as well. This makes those late late nights of working on lesson plans worth the time.

I am excited about this coming week; I will be attending my first national convention, for the National Council for the Social Studies. I am really looking forward to the learning experience. However, I am also sad because after next week I will no longer be teaching a class. I do not understand how my cooperating teacher could turn everything over to me; I do understand now why some teachers do not like having student teachers, because they have to sit back and let someone else have the fun, so to speak.

October 31 – November 4

This week went by fast. I had the privilege to ride along on two trips. The first was to the Kansas State Library in Topeka. I hand never been so this was an experience just in going. This was a trip to allow the students participating in National History Day to do some research. So I was also able to help some students research topics for their projects which was also an experience in itself, for I was helping students when I needed help as well, not knowing the procedures and rules. The second trip I had the privilege of going on was for a trip, a group of ten eight graders will have the privilege to travel with other students their age to the east coast, and tour some of the nation’s most historic site. This day was to allow the students to meet one another and to get some of the information they need as well as experience some of the things they will experience on the trip. On this trip I for the most part was just a follower, I followed one of the groups around to get to see what they all got to do. It was interesting and I came away with some ideas that I may be able to use in the classroom. It was nice to get to go on these trips, and see more of what goes on behind the scenes.
This week I gave back my US History classes, it is strange sitting at my desk again not teaching. This experience is going by so fast. This week I also learned to always have a back up plan. I was going to have the students use the class laptops to do some research and to make a PowerPoint, but unknown at the time was that another teacher had requested the laptops therefore I could not use them. However, I was lucky and was able to use the library, so I was lucky and I realize this will not always be the case. That is about all I can think of now, but I may add more later. I am enjoying this immensely.

October 24-29

This week went well; we did not have school Monday, which was strange. However, the week still felt long. I believe it was because the day off made the students wilder. I did not have major problems this week. I had my second evaluation it was during one of my American history classes while I was doing an "I have, who has" review. The students were not hesitant to answer but they were just guessing. However, I was pleased with it. The test however I was not. Grading them was depressing. The information on the test had been covered, most was on the review they received in the form of the "I have, who has" game. Nevertheless, my highest grade was an 82. Therefore, I will be going back and counting the questions missed and see if they were all missing the same questions. I may just take those out. I do not know if they just did not study or if I just did not do a good job of teaching them the information. However, I do know that they had everything in their notes. I also think a problem was that they are used to a review that has the exact questions and answers on it as the test, so if they study the review, then they will do great on the test. I did not do this, I tested the same information, which was on the review, and I just asked it in different ways or ask for the opposite information. I give this class up this coming week. It is so strange. This semester has gone by so fast. I feel as though I just started. I have learned a lot and I think that when I have my own classroom I will take some of the ideas I have from my cooperative teacher, but others I will not. I also believe that I leaned on my cooperative teacher too much in backing me up. I ask the students to do something and she would chime in asking them to do it as well. Sometimes I wonder if they are minding her or me. Therefore, when I get my own class I will have to learn what works best for my personality and me. I really like teaching, it is so rewarding when students do well, but it is stressful at the same time.

October 17-21

This week was a good week, for the most part. How, the US history classes do not respect my, authority. I do not really understand what happen. It seems like the last two weeks they have gotten worse about talking when I am talking. This week I experienced my first parent teacher conferences. It was interesting to see the students’ parent. I even talked to some of them myself while my cooperative teacher was in a meeting. It was also beneficial to see other teachers conducting their conferences as well. I am also very disappointed in myself about how I have let my US history class get out of hand. I think I need to have enough confidence in myself and my ability to “mean what I say and say what I mean.” I need to show the student my discuss, and not feel bad about it all the time. I need to learn not to take all the crap the students try to pull on me. Today, my cooperative teacher was gone, and usually they allow me to have the classes, and not have sub come in. However, today they had a sub and I know that she is going to be here some of the other times that my cooperating teacher is going to be gone. Including the last week that I am here, which I was told I would be substituting. I do not know how I should take this. I am taking it that they do not believe I could handle it or the fact that my emergency license has not came through yet. I am thinking it is the first. I am going to take this opportunity to prove them wrong, and use it to motivate myself to “nip it in the bud.” I am disappointed in myself at the moment.

October 10 - 14

This week has been fun; I have been soo busy that I forgot to post this blog. Monday I was still so sick that I stayed home to try to get better. By Tuesday, I had some of my voice back so I ventured back to the classroom, to find that my cooperative teacher had not done the lessons that I has sent her. Then I found out that grades were due. So I did a lot of grading, then some that I got graded, we did not put in the grade book to go toward there midterm grades. The next big surprise is that, Wednesday my cooperative teacher told me that she was planning to just allow the students to watch a movie on Thursday and Friday as a reward for good grades. I wish she would discuss this stuff more with me, before hand. That Friday was a half day, anyway so the movie thing did not bother me. However, I would have like to have known that a little before hand. I am also finding that it is hard to plan things when I do not know the school plans. For example teacher meetings that I do not find out about until, we need to head to them. When I become a teacher, however this will more than likely not be a large problem. I am really liking this experience and learning so much, about myself, as well as, students. I am finding that it is hard not to get to know some of the students well. I have too students who keep begging to go to my 6th hour class, so that they can see a specific person, I know that they would not do this to Mrs. Traul. I also am learning that I have a little different style of teaching; I however do not know which is better. I like to allow the students to talk a little, she is one that would rather they did not talk. So there are times she comes in and the students are working, on there assignments and talking at a minimum. However, she feels they are too loud and gets on to them. Sometimes I feel like I am over run by her. Nevertheless, for the most part I could not be happier with my placement.

October 3- 7

This week has been an interesting week. Tuesday and Wednesday my cooperative teacher was gone so I was alone for those two days. I had a few students who refused to listen too me. Overall, however it went smoothly. I also had a gum thief, I had a little student skirmish and I gave two tests those days. I also caught a cold. Which really made the week go well; I debated if I should go to school today. I decided it was my responsibility to go so I did. The day was long and miserable. My cooperative teacher kept asking me if I was ok, I think I should have stayed home. However, we made it through. I also found out that my cooperating teacher really let the students have it yesterday, for their behavior the two days she was gone. I personally think she went a little over board from what the students told me. I heard that she made one male student cry. She also had three boys put into ISS for the day. In the end, I had two of these boys come up to me today and apologize to me for the behavior. I learned a lot this week about my self and how I need to lie down the law and I need to expect more out of my students. I have also decided that I like the JR high or middle school age students better than I like the freshman aged students. The middle school age students still listen and look up to you to some extent the freshman however do not.

September 26 – 30

This week went by fast. Tuesday I was by myself again, and I gave my first test. It went well, I have not graded them all yet, but I think most of them did well, in fact I think I may have underestimated them and made it easy. My 7th grade geography class I think went well. It was kind of strange teacher them. I went to the high school football game last week and this week, it is cool, having students come up and talk to you. The game tonight was strange, the football team was playing away, at the school my ex attended and played football. He was there, came up, and talked to my sister, and I and I had students, wanting to know who the cute guy was. It was even stranger them all falling my sister and I around kind of just hanging out with us. I am finding that I like teaching my US history class more than I do the geography classes. I think it is because I like the subject better, and I am able to follow a timeline of events instead of jumping around. I think that this week I became a lot more comfortable all around in and out of the classroom. I think I am starting to let my personality show through and the students like that. Next week I will be by myself for two days straight. I am kind of nervous about it but, yet I am up for the challenge, I think it will make me step up to the plate more so to speak.

September 19-23

This week I took over my second class. This class is the ninth grade geography class, and I continued my US history class. Monday went well, with the new class, we spent the day working on vocabulary. Then Tuesday was a stretch, my cooperative teacher was gone so I was in charge. This time they did not hire a sub to be with me, so I was on my own. In addition, I had my first evaluation Tuesday in my Geography. Mr. Smith the principle was to come down and be in the room during my evaluation; however, my advisor and the principle talked it over and decided that there was no need for him to set in the room, but he did come down and sit for a while. However, that was the only time that I seen him. I believe my evaluation went well, he liked that I did moved around the room, the class was great for me. Nevertheless, I believe part of the reason they were was because my advisor was present. Out of the day, the class I had the most trouble with was the other high school geography class. All they wanted to do was talk. I believe that I need to discover the best way to get my bluff in. I also need to find a way to get the students attention without having to turn off the lights. I have already found out that my voice is not made to yell over the students. I think I am going to have to stop playing miss nice teacher as much, I may have to start sending a few student to the office or to the hall, so they start taking me more seriously. It is not that they are not doing the work I am assigning it is the talking, that goes on, that needs to stop.
The rest of the week went well, and we had a homecoming assembly Friday and I went to the game and watch some of my students play football. Next Monday I take over my last class. So I will be planning and teaching all of the class. I am only nervous about getting all the lesson made up. But over all this has been a good week.

September 12-16

Well, I made it through my first week of having total control of the two American History classes. I believe they went well. The first couple of nights I was just completely exhausted when I made it home. I think I was working my self up to much, making this experience a lot harder than it is. I think this is partly because the first day, I started talking about the Declaration of Independence and the events leading up to it. My first day I showed a 5 slide PowerPoint that they were to take notes off. Then I had worksheets for them to complete. The first class zipped through the notes and got to the worksheet and had it done so fast that I still had 15, yes 15 minutes left. The next hour however barely made it to the worksheet. In this hour if it went as fast as the first I was going to have them read the section, then let them get the worksheet to complete, but that was not necessary. The next day was picture day, oh, my was I nervous about this. It was to be sometime during my two hours. I really did not know how to plan for this day. I found a twenty-six minute video over the Declaration, so I started out with showing them it, by doing this if we were interrupted it would be easy to pick up where we had left of. Then I had them read the Declaration, out of their textbooks and fill in a worksheet, translating some of the items in the document, by doing this if we were interrupted, they could finish the assignment at home, and in fact, that is what happened. One of the strangest things this week was leaving lesson plans for my cooperative teacher. Then coming back and picking back up there she left off. This weekend I have a mound of papers to grade, and for once in my life, probably the only time I will look forward to it. Therefore, I am going to enjoy it while it is fun.
This week I really did not have too much trouble with discipline. I have a couple of students who wanted to sleep instead of take notes so had to wake them up. The only other thing is the fact they want to continual talk. They also are way to curious about me, I do not know how many questions they have ask me. I kept from answering what my first name was, but I had to use my laptop for a PowerPoint one day, so they now know what my first name is. Over all I am starting to in a very small way to feel like a teacher.
Next week I am picking up my second class, on Monday, and on Tuesday, I have my first evaluation, in that same class, but I am not too worried about it now. This week I have also acquired a nickname from one of the students, it is Miss. Firewood. I do not know what to think about this. My cooperative teacher as one, but I do not know if I should allow the student to keep calling me that or tell him to stop.

September 6-9

This week went by pretty fast, being it only had four days in it. The most excitement I had at the beginning of this week was that Wednesday I got a desk. I like having it, but I have already learned not to leave things in it. Wednesday I had some cough drops, in it, and to day when I got there, they were gone. I have also learned this week that a lot of things going on outside of the classroom that end up effecting the classroom. We had three boys over Labor Day weekend that broke into school property, slept in buses, and robbed candy from three places. Apparently, they were on their own all three days. Which make me realized that some students do have the home life they should. That some of these kids are on their own. Therefore, we need to be good role models for them. In addition, this week my cooperative was gone today. It made for a very interesting day. First, she did not leave me lesson plans. She left a note that she had e-mailed them to me. Second, the printer would not work, so I could not make the students copies, and what I needed to copy was a test. Then the substitute was late, so I could not go up and try to print them again until he showed up. Then we had one class that was just off the walls all day. I think I need to invest in a whistle or a bell. On top of this, the sub would just leave me with the students. However, everything went smoothly. Next week I start teaching my own lessons in two of the classes I am actually excited, about it. I am scared that I will not be able to keep up with lessons and having the materials ready everyday, but I will do my best.

August 31- September 2, 2005

This week has gone by fast. For the most part it has been good. Tuesday my cooperating teacher was absent for a meeting. So she left me with the instructions for the day, as well as the sub direction. She had me conduct the classes with the help of the sub. Being that I knew what was going on I was able for the most part to be able to conduct class like it should have gone. The largest problem I had was getting the students to take me seriously, when I ask them to quiet down. They for the most part treated me like I was a substitute. I really enjoyed not having my cooperating teacher their. I actually felt like I was the one in charge, not having her look over my shoulder. However when she is there I feel like I have a backup when I need it. The day she was gone I felt was a success, even thought I was not always sure what I needed to be doing. In one class of ninth grade geography they were to do a worksheet, after completing a quiz and vocabulary words. I had no idea what the worksheet was about. So when they were working on it and asking me questions about it, I had a hard time answering there questions, and the worksheet question. I also found that the substitute in this class, did not offer to help at all. So I believe that she had no idea how to answer their questions as well. This week also brought some surprises. Wednesday, during first hour my cooperating teacher, who is also the cheerleading coach, had received the new mascot uniform. So she was all excited, she proceeded in putting on the head and the shoes and walking around the room, the students thought this was hilarious. But she went farther, and recruited one off the students to put the whole outfit on, and they paraded down the hallway. Therefore I was left in the class who wanted to follow them out the door. Surprisingly, they quieted down and went back to work.
The next hour however, she went to office between classes and did not come back, so I was left wondering where she was and had to conduct class. Toward the end she returned to the classroom, eyes red, and she told me that she was really mad not exactly in those words, however. She told the class they her allergies had been acting up. I was stuck wondering what happen. When that class left, she asks if I would take care of the next class period, and left the room again. Lunch came and went, and I did not see her. She arrived just before the class after lunch, after I had already gotten the class started on their projects. She told me thanks, and took back over, nothing was said. The next hour was our planning period, in which Dr. McDougle came to visit. The rest of the day went like usual. I was curious about what had happened, but I did not want to pry, I figured if she wanted me to know she would tell me. Today, during the last hour she went to get a drink and so I got the class started. When she got back she told me that she has gotten into a heated discussion about the teacher negotiations with one of the other teachers, and that is what had upset her.
Moving on, to today. I got to school and she was here but I could not get into the room, and could not find her. It was getting close to the time class was to start and so I had the secretary let me into the class. Just before the bell rang, she came in and asks me to cover the first couple of classes for her, and told me what progress they had made. She told me that she was working on painting footballs for the game and had not finished them, so she was going to work on them. So I monitored the first three classes today on my own. I guess I can be great full that they were doing group work, and it was things that they had started earlier this week. So, it was actually not bad, and they worked real well.
Next week I am taking over my first class. I am more nervous about writing the lessons at this point, and knowing the information. I feel now that I am getting a little overwhelmed. The week after next I will be taking over the ninth grade geography then the next week I will take over the 7th grade geography in the beginning I was to take over classes in the order of the day, but due to how the visits will be conducted that was changed. It is strange the other day it donned on me that I am the adult in charged and I am the one giving the directions. I have always been the little sister, taking orders not the one giving orders. For some reason this has donned on me in the last few days. I am also learning that I must step up and stopped behavior long before it starts. I cannot let a little talking go on, and not expect it to get worse, because it will. I have to stop it before it starts. I am also learning that, I must speak in a more direct manner, and lower my voice, for it blends in with the students. By doing this, they are more attentive. Overall, I am happy with my experiences at a student teacher and I am still looking forward to beginning my own lessons, however I am a little scared that they will not be that good, compared to my cooperating teachers lessons, but I will try my best. I am also a little scared that I will not be able to keep up with making lessons for each class as I add them to my schedule. However, I am ready to meet these challenges head on.

August 22-26

This week has been great; I am getting more comfortable with the classes and the students. I four of the classes Mrs. Traul has been having them work in groups, so I am learning how to monitor then, and it is allowing me to be of help to the students, and not just being an observer. This week in our planning period Mrs. Traul has shared with me some websites that she uses to get ideas, as well as even giving me her password and long in for some of them, so that I can use them. We have discussed how things will be passed over to me and so forth. This week went really well, and I have gotten to actually see her start teaching some content information. I have also viewed how she deals with problems in the classroom. At the moment I am not too scared of getting up and conducting lessons I am more scared off dealing with problems in the classroom. Today, I went and visited with Mr. Conard the other teacher that I was to be student teaching with, but am not being that Mrs. Traul is teaching two high school classes. He told me that he had stuff for me and would be giving me stuff that he came up with throughout the year, which is awesome. Today he gave me a pretest that he uses, as well as a couple videos, and the assignment sheets he gives his classes, all in which will be nice to get ideals. He is a great person and is really a good teacher, he is known around the state for his History Day students. I am somewhat sad that I will not be working with him know because I think it would have been a great experience. However, how it is now I will not have to move back and forth between teachers, and I will not have to learn two different rules systems etc. I am looking forward to next week.

August 15-19

Upon receiving my assignment, I was able to contact one of the teachers. The two of us met at the school and got acquainted with each other. She took me on a tour of the building and informed me that she would be teaching a high school class as well as her middle school classes. She told me that I would not be able to contact the other teacher until right before school, for he goes to Colorado for the summer. She informed me that she thought it would be best if I was just assigned to her and not the both of them, this way I would not be going back and forth between two teachers styles, rules, rooms, etc, being that she would be teaching high school students as well. She gave me a notebook of the Kansas History Standards, and she had kindly highlighted the ones that she is to address, which will be helpful. After this initial meeting I was greatly enthused about my student teaching experience, she was open and willing to help. She teaches United States History/Kansas History for eight graders, and geography for seventh and ninth graders. She also provided me with a student handbook so that I could become familiar with the rules, and policies. We also exchanged email address so we could keep in contact, which we did.
When I arrived for the first day of in-services, I was introduced to the other members of the staff. They were all friendly and open. The first day I was introduced to the politics that happens in schools, for I got to sit through a couple meetings, and hear how they and their school board are not on good terms. I helped arrange the two rooms that she will be using and learned a lot about her and the school.
The first day the student arrived went quite well, Mrs. Traul went over rules and procedures, and introduced me to the classes as a teacher who is to be respected and obeyed like all the other teachers in the building. She was not shy in putting me to work. I am already making a large number of copies, and other errands, which help me, get to know other people in the building. I have also already been getting involved with the class. I have made up a seating chart so that I can get to know there names and I am getting to know a large number of them. She also gave me an assignment for that Friday. I was to come up with an introductory activity for all her classes. I had a hard time finding something that would take up the whole fifty minutes. But I found a neat activity called “snowball”, the students right 4-5 points about themselves on a piece of paper then have a one minute snow ball fight. The students then introduce the person on the paper that they end up with. The students really enjoyed this activity and they keep asking when they get to do it again. The hardest thing about this activity is keeping the students quiet during the snowball fight. I was planning that it would be a challenge getting the students to stop the snowball fight, but surprisingly when I ask them to stop, they did. I take this being duo to the fact that they seemed to get tired of it after a minute. The only big problem I has was a student in one of the seventh grade classes, who wanted to continuously talk. Mrs. Traul from had to take him outside and have a little talk with him. Overall, it was a great first week, and I am excited to see where it goes.

CM 10

Chapter Ten is about how to conduct class with various types of students. It tells how to deal with classes of heterogeneous and homogeneous make up. It discusses how to use peer tutoring and group work in each of those situations as well as how to present material to the different types of classes. Next it talks about mastery learning, where the teacher allows students to retake or redoes assignments until they pass it with a passing grade, there for mastering the information. In this discussion it was made clear that good planning and guidelines should be set up so that students are not confused and know how long they have to complete the assignments again.
This chapter also addresses how to teach students with special characteristics, and stresses how to organize and establish rules in your class. By making clear and reviewing rules with students they have no excuses for not obeying the rules. This also helps when dealing with students who have special needs, by reviewing the behaviors appropriate for your classroom. This chapter again stresses pointing out good behavior when it occurs and how to use proximity and eye contact to discourage bad behaviors.
In addition to this the chapter points out how the teacher must work with coo operating teachers and paras of special needs students to better cater to the needs of these students. It also brings up important ways to handle inclusion of students into the classroom, as well as, students with behavior problems. For students with behavior problems the teacher needs to get to know the student and the signs that, students is having a bad day, and that the students is close to loosing control. With students like this they must also learn some of the things that set the student of and try to avoid these kinds of confrontations. It also recommends using a large variety of activities to keep students interested and changing activities smoothly decreases the time available for a student to get distracted and start to cause problems.
Another valuable tidbit I found useful in this chapter is how it discusses how to deal with students who are blind or hearing impaired. This section tells how to set up your classroom so that students will be able to see and recognize gestures to help them throughout the day, such as always facing the class when speaking. This section also describes ways to deal with students who are unable to supply themselves with the materials needed for the class. You can deal with these students by having extra supplies in class for when the problem arises. It also addresses some of the social problems that will arise with this, and how you can help that student feel useful and wanted in the class. Ending the chapter discusses how to work with ESOL students and how you as a teacher need to make an effort to pronounce their names right and how to find people like a ESOL teacher to help the student understand the material presented in your class. And how simple things like repeating and reinforcing information can help these students keep up in your class.
All in all I found this chapter to be quite useful and it ties together much of the information from previous chapters into one. That addresses all types of students that you may encounter in the classroom.

CM 8

Situation A, Bubba hasn’t been doing his work, and asked the teacher for an extension on a project. He does this because he knows that the teacher has granted other students extensions on their projects. As the teacher I would have Bubba come in after class so that we could discuss the problem. I would tell him that the other student had valid reasons for needing the extension and that they had working on the project all along. Where in his case he had not been working on his project, it was his own fault for not having it done. I would discuss with him any situations that might have been going on that had kept him from working on the project. But also explain to him that I can not let him slide on the project because that would not be fair to the other students who had been working hard on their projects and completed them. I would then try to figure out a solution that would benefit both of us.

Situation B, Martha and Marie are supposed to put the equipment away before leaving, but they have not, and are getting ready to leave. In this situation I would keep all the students until the equipment had been put away. This way it would reinforce to all the students that they are to do their jobs.

Situation C, Victor is not working and is talking while he is to be working on his assignment. Then he begins to make an airplane knowing that you have noticed his activities. In this situation I would address him to get to work, and tell him that if he does not work on the assignment when time is given in class that I will no longer give time for students to work in class on the assignments, this will hopefully make him realize that it is better to use the time given to him in class than to take time out of class to complete the assignment.

Situations D, Students in the hall are insulating each other playfully, but others are gathering around them hoping to see a fight. In this situation I would address the students that those types of language and put downs are not allowed. As well as explain that this type of behavior often leads student to fight, especially when a crowd gathers to cheer them on. So it is better not to talk in this manor.

Situation E, Donalda is eating twinkies in the class when it is against school rules, and she knows that you have seen her but continues to eat them. In this situation I would state, “Eating in class is against the rules, and therefore there are punishments.” I would then take them away from her, to be returned later.

Situation F, Jack and Jill are disrupting class by giggling and passing notes. I would direct my attention to them, and state that I am the one, who has the floor, by talking and giggling they are missing valuable information that may be on the test, so it would benefit them and there classmate is they would reframe from talking and passing notes.

Situation G, You were gone from class and the substitute teacher left a note saying that the class was not attentive, would not work, many left the room for a bathroom break and never came back. In this situation I would explain that I expect them to respect and work for the substitute, just like in my class, so when I return they will be punished according to the rules, just as if I had been in the classroom. I would also inform them that behavior like that results in a mad teacher and punishment.

CM9.4 5

In this situation, the teacher has let the class get too out of hand she should have been doing things to stop the behavior before it had gotten so bad. I think I would start by stopping regular class activities for a day and go over the rules and requirements for the class. And tell students that from then on all rules will be enforced, then to fallow up each day by going over the rules. In addition, every time a rule is broken remind students using redirection statement to remind students of what they are to be doing. From that, point on the teacher must be responsible and keep the students responsible for their behavior. She may even have to make additional rules until the student comply to the regular rules.

CM9.3 4

In this situation, Marc is obviously not having a good day. I would try to make contact with the student by being involved and asking the student why he is behaving in these ways, show him that I care and encourage him to tell me what is going on that makes him feel the need to act this way. If he does I will discuss with him the problem and explain that he did not have to react in that way and that he had a choice in the way he dealt with the problem. I would also bring to his attention that he is still responsible for how he behaved and demonstrate other non-aggressive ways to have dealt with the situation.

CM9.3 3

In this situation, Joe is in looking for attention. I would first move him away form the girls, because they are distracting him, and causing him to tease and distract everyone else. By moving him away, this would cut down the noise produced by the girls being teased by him. I am assuming that the teacher had given the student a chance to stop the behavior after she had confronted him. If this does not work, I would use some sort of penalty like not allowing him to do extra credit for the class because it is a privilege. I hope that by being moved and not allowed extra credit, he will stop his flirting and be attentive. This is assuming that he cares about school or his grades.

CM9.3 2

In this situation where the teacher has tried to get them to work and it hasn’t worked I believe that I would with hold privileges and if need be assign them detection. I am assuming that penalizing them would not because they already will not do the work assigned in class, so why would they do the extra work. I am also assuming that their position or situation in the classroom would not change this behavior for they refuse to work. If a detention does not work I would then resort to other penalties available to me such as In school suspension, where they will be required to work and be away form the other students.

CM9.3 1

In this situation, I would keep the class discussion moving and use group focus to get the student focus and attention back, hopefully by doing this Ardyth and Melissa will stop talking, passing notes, and the rest if the class will stop daydreaming and pay attention. If this dies not work I will try to redirect the behavior by saying that “Everyone should be quit and not working on other projects in my class.” While doing this I will make eye contact with Ardyth and Melissa. If the behavior continues I will be direct and belief and brief and ask them to stop the behavior.

CM6.4.b

Some of the things that Ms. James could implement into her classroom during the first few days are as follows. She could integrate some signals into her structure. Attentions signals would be helpful to her when the class has gotten to loud and she needs to get their attention. This would be good because it is inevitable that the class will sometimes get too loud. She also might have each student evaluate the other members of their group to help her get a better idea of their performance in the class. She could also have them write problems for other member in their group to work. This would give them practice teaching and performing. Lastly she could incorporate some rewards for doing good group work.

CM6.4.a

In the case study Ms. James uses many strategies, in which sure specific purposes. She sets the room up in groups on a permanent base, so that the desks don’t have to be moved around. She sets rules for being out of your seat, so that the other students do not get distracted by student movements. She monitored the class by walking around and giving motivation and encouragement. Next she assigned groups as well as numbers to each student so that all have tasks to perform. She assessed the groups with both individual points as well as group points, this made it so that all had to participate. By using groups, she increases students’ social skills, leadership skills and explaining skills. She taught group skills by explaining ways to interact, such as listening, explaining, asking questions, encouraging and sharing. She tried to ashore students that asking for help were a good thing, and that no question was stupid. These all functioned by keeping students on task, allowing them to participate, taking some pressure of students, allowing them to develop social skills all while learning a content area.

CM7.1

Some of the items in the case study that I would adopt in my classroom are as follows. I would have a Washington or Lincoln award, where the person with the -top grade from all the classes at the end of the year will have their name posted for all to see permanently. So if they are freshman they can see their name posted till they graduate and after and give them something to be proud of. I would award bonus points to a group who receives the most points on review games. Next, have a competition to see what class can get the highest grade average on a test. (This is assuming that I have more than one class on a subject.) They will be rewarded with bonus points, snacks, movie, video, or something else, but all have to be relevant to the class. Next I would allow students to correct missed questions on assignments, and they can be resubmitted and graded to help their grade, but only if the assignment had been completed and turned in on time in the first place. I would have a list of books pertaining to topics discussed in class that students could read for extra credit, after demonstrating to me through a test or review that the book had been read. I might allow twenty minutes on Fridays for students to use as they wish with reasonable guidelines, like a historical game, if they had been on task, worked quietly, and participated throughout the week. I would also have students keep track of grades on a record sheet in their notebooks so they can decided if doing an extra credit activities would help them. Lastly, I would have a weekly extra credit question on a bulletin board. For every two you get correct you receive one extra credit point. I would however not use all these at the same time.

C.M.7.2

Most schools have rules along these lines that as a teacher you would have to also comply with. No food drink in classroom, No weapons, Adhere to dress codes, Adhere to backpack, purse policies, Tardy policies, Respect for materials and school property, Rules on falsifying information, No Drugs use or possession, Sexual harassment. Most school also has detention policies and ISS, OSS, and other programs to deal with unruly rule breakers. All this things I would have to keep in mind. When rewarding students I would have to make sure that if my school has a rule about food and drink in the classroom that I hold class in an area where it is allowed or I don’t allow them to have it. I would also have to go by school rules when dealing with drugs, weapons and other things I find in my classroom. If I let these rules slip in my class then the students think that they can get by and not uphold any of my classroom rules or the school rules.

CM5 Case Study 1

In this case study Ms. Carpenter is having trouble with students not getting all the information she presents to them. So she decides to write all the important information on the board during the lectures so they will get the information that she believes they should understand. By displaying the key concepts, terms, major points and other information she is showing the class there importance, and this will guide the notes that the students take. This will lead to a decline in the amount of questions and the number of times that she must restate information that has already been covered.

CM 5 Case Study 2

Mr. Miller is having trouble getting class started and getting the students to transition from one activity to another quickly. He has already talked to the class about the problem but it hasn’t helped. He should then have an activity ready for the students as they walk in the door. Something that they are to begin working on immediately, like an essay question they are to have started and almost completed when he finishes roles. He should also tell students how much time they have left while doing activities giving them time to clean up or finish the projects before he expects them to move on to a new activity. This would give the students some transition time to switch gears themselves

CM 5 Case Study 3

Ms. Kendall has a problem, she is to teach a science class and she has never done that before. Her first steps should be to consult with the other teacher who is teaching the other fifth period class. Maybe they could work together, and maybe she could use the lessons that the other teacher has prepared for the class, or she could adapt them. She should go over all her science materials from her science classes in college and high school to see what was taught in them, as well as look at the states standard for science so she can incorporate them into her lessons. In addition she should do some internet investigation as to what kinds of sources are available to her on the internet, and find some lessons that she could incorporate into her class.

CM 5 Case Study 4

This teacher has a lot of problems. Mr. Case needs to get organized. He should have had his day mapped out precisely so he new what was going to need to be addressed. By doing this he would be able to transition from one activity to another smoothly. This would also help him to stay on track, so that there are less times of confusion for himself as well as for his students. When the new student was introduced he should have directed the students to be working on something while he dealt with the things necessary to go over with a new student. Or he should have welcomed the student had him sit down and you continue with the activity and deal with the administrative things at the end of he hour. Mr. Case also demonstrates three problems in his teaching. He left topics dangling not concluding activities, he flip-flopped back to a finished activity to add new information, and he thrust in information at bad times which interrupted the students work. He should have planned better so that these problems would not have occurred.

CM 5 Case Study 5

In this study Ms. Grant should have taken some steps to have mad the class run smoother. She should have had the desk arranged before class so that time was not taken away from instruction and the noise that comes with students moving desk would have been eliminated. She could have passed out the papers and given instructions before the students moved into their groups, this would cut down the number of times Ms. Grant had to interrupt and quite the students. She also should have walked around the room monitoring students and posing to them questions to spur other ideas in their heads. By doing this she would have given the student more direction and kept them quieter and on task. She could have told the students that they had a specific amount of time to work on the project so they would have started faster and she should have informed them when to be rapping things up. This would give students a since of urgency to complete the task, and would help cut down on the time spent waiting for all groups to finish. She could have had extra activities for those who finished early so that they did not start to gossip and chat, which would cut down on the noise level. Or she could have looked over their work before they presented the information to the class. She should have made students accountable for the information given by the other groups so that they had a reason to listen to their classmates. And lastly she should have had more of a discussion about the purpose of the activity while conducting this she could have had the books passed out. This would not leave an opening for the students to start chatting because they did not have to wait for the books. Over all preventing the behavior before it started.

C.M. 4.4

Some of the things that Mr. Davis might do to establish better behavior in his class would be first, to set down specific rules other than the vague rules he stated the first day. He should have setup a routine to start class out, so that the students knew what was expected of them. He needed to demonstrate what he meant by respecting others rights, along with modeling how mature people should act. He should then remind students of the rules every time a chance occurs, so that students do not have the excuse that they did not know. In the same way, rules should have been posted or printed and given to each student. He should have a set procedure for the beginning and end of class as well. In the study, he put a question on the board that the students were to write a paragraph in response, this was a good thing because it ideally would give him time to take role, pass out papers and other beginning activities. However, if he did not do this everyday the students may not have known exactly what was expected of them. Leading to student confusion and as well as them not completing the assignment.
Next, boundaries or a procedure needed to be set up on how students were to answer questions or interact during whole class discussion. This eliminates some students blurting out answers randomly and cut down on all the chatter. When students started talking about personal things, he should have taken measures to stop it. He should have a consequence for students who do not follow directions. It goes back to an old saying, you have to “nip it in the bud,” meaning that you must stop the bad behavior before it starts and gets out of hand.
I think Mr. Davis let the student get away with little things that eventually led to gigantic problems in discipline. In today’s culture, many believe that if you can get away with it, then it is ok. The students in Mr. Davis’s class knew that they could get away with things so they did. I also think that he should have picked up the assignments that students were to be working on and give some extra credit to those who had been working on them when they were given the time to. This would implement a positive reinforcement for the ones that were actually doing the work.
Another problem that Mr. Davis faced was the problems with students looking at and passing around magazines. It states that they were told to put them up but did not do so. He should have then taken the magazines from the students, then return them when the period was up. When the magazine is given back, remind the student what your policies are on magazines. In addition, remind them that if you see the magazine again, that it will be taken away permanently. Moreover, recap that if they would have just put the magazine away, when ask to the first time, it would not have had to be taken away.
All in all Mr. Davis should remind students of the rules. Set consequences for misbehavior and enforce them every time bad behavior occurs. He needs to show the students again that he is the one in charge.

CM 3.3

CM3.3

Positive examples from case study 3.1, 3.2, and 3.3. And ways to revise case study 3.4.

3.1

• Post a chart of daily points earned and possible and have student keep one themselves.
• List daily activities on the chalkboard before each class.
• Set daily time for assignments.
• Circulate around the room while students work.
• Keep a list of those who had participate and call on those who haven’t.
• Keep students responsible for missed work when absent. Have them look up the assignments.
• Have weekly assignments handed back on Fridays.
  

3.2

• Grade sheets with section, homework grades, test grades, pop quiz scores, and a notebook score. And have student figure their own grades to see if they match yours.
• In the notebook have them keep, grade sheet, tests, class notes.
• Give notebooks a grade like a test.
• Monitor the notebooks periodically to see if the students are keeping them.
• Give students warm up activities.
• Collect homework at the beginning of class.
• Explain problems that many students missed so that they can form more understanding
  

3.3

• Use handouts describing all the requirements for assigned topics.
• Show many examples of what you expect to get.
• Go over project guidelines as a class.
• Have students save work to more than one spot.
• Give examples of citations of many mediums, such as web sites and books.
• Provide a personal example of power point show.
• Provide a schedule of the times when they will be allowed to work on projects in class.
• Have a sign up sheet for the use of the computers in the classroom.
  Have meetings with students checking up on their progress so that you can make comments and make sure they are progressing.
• Provide a checklist of all required materials for projects.
• Provide a checklist of how the projects will be evaluated.

3.4

• Provide handout of what is specifically to be in the notebooks.
• Show an example of a good notebook.
• Check notebooks periodically to check progress.
• Provide a rubric of how the notebooks will be graded and how much they weigh into the grades.
• Circulate around the room so that you can help students who need help, because some will never ask for help.
• Post weekly assignments and hold students accountable for work that they missed while being absent.
• Have a grade sheet to be kept in notebooks, with places to record, homework grades, test grades, pop quiz scores, and notebook scores.
• Have students calculate their own grades to compare them with yours.
• Explain problems miss by many of the students to make sure that they understand them.

CM2.5

CM2.5

My Classroom Rule.

1. Bring ALL needed materials to class.
2. Be in your seat and ready to work when the bell rings.
3. Respect all people and their property.
4. No talking unless called upon.
5. Obey all school rules.
6. Stay seated at all times, except when given time to work on your own.
7. Work quietly when given time to work.

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