The Best Rollercoaster.

Teaching is a rollercoaster, the highs and lows and twists and turns are crazy, sometimes laughable and sometimes emotional- but at the end of this crazy week, I am still confident this is the right path!  And at the end of the day it is the people on this path- students and teachers and advisory council that have made it awesome. 

Thoughts On the Week:

Observations and Reflections:

This week I not only had Mr. Masser observe, but also Dr. Rice, my University Supervisor and Mrs. Amy Koberstein, the Pequea Valley HS Assistant Principal, who by the way, is one of my new role models.  The conversations I was able to have with all of them this week was rich, needed, stretching and encouraging.  With only two weeks left and 11 behind me, the reflection time with all of them allowed me to reflect on my growth thus far, and look ahead.  Mrs. Koberstein took me through the observation that teachers go through at Pequea Valley, the Danielson model, which brought up some unique areas that I had not thought about as in depth- questions that stuck out to me including advocating for students, differentiation and assessment.  This all leads me to believer that Professional development and reflection are absolutely essential. 

Roll with The Punches

There are still things that make me uncomfortable- and that will continue to when I start my first year of teaching, I know it..,. Through some ups and downs,  a parent phone call and a few discipline challenges, little lesson flops I know that sometimes, I will just have to roll with the punches.   It will never be perfect, we just have to continue to reflect and keep growing.  I think there was a spot last week where I felt a little stuck, but had some little reality checks and little wins this week that made rolling with the punches more of a reality.

Areas I hope to continue to grow:

Questioning:  This is an area I LOVE, but an area that I believe I can always grow in.  In Mrs. Koberstein’s visit she wrote down some of the questions I asked and I realized this is an area I have really grown in, and can continue to develop more.  Mr. Masser and I discussed this as well and how questioning looks different in every setting,.

Layering, Scaffolding, Building

Its funny how things start to make a little more sense when you near the end of student teaching! This week I saw multiple times how and why we need to build lessons, classes and learning the way we do.  I knew this and I did a lot of this with my internship with Vivayic, but the light bulbs came on for me this week and I think they are coming for students too!  The Microbiology unit I just started is an example of that, we do one lab, that ties in the other units we’ve learned about- but also sets us up as our ‘case study’ for how microorganisms grow.  Because of all the background work and perfectly imperfect lab, I think they will be ready to apply these concepts to other microorganisms.  I can only take partial credit for how this all was laid out, as I have taken much of this from Mr. Masser- but structures, examples and tie-ins make so much more sense now.  Finding the thread in a class, or a few lessons is so essential. 

Directions and Clarity, this is always something I can do better at, and it has been something I have been trying to work on.  I think this requires stopping, and going slower, chunking and repeating- I know this, but it is still messy.

Differentiation I hate that it took this long to really see the deep need for this.  I have done some of course, but man this could be done so much more.  I realize this in the midst of a lesson or project sometimes, I guess that is why reflection and student teaching is important!  I had some really good conversations with Mr. Masser and Mrs. Koberstein about it this week.

Shout Out this week to the following people:

1.     Doug Masser- seriously he is the real MVP.   I know I’m a better teacher because I’m learning from you.  

2.     Jasmine VanSant-  the laughs, encouragement and workouts keep this journey fun.

3.     Amy Koberstein- the example of the kind of  power house, care about kids professional I want to be.

4.     Mr. MacKay- for the stationary chair that helps me not lose control when my class gets crazy.

5.     Dr. Laura Rice- for reminding me I can do this and the growth she has seen.

6.     Matt Snyder for seeing the chaos and rolling with my crazy schedule and jumping into it to help!

7.     Janae McMichael- for answering the phone ALWAYS and caring not only about work stuff- but heart stuff too.