Ecosystem unit

I am student teaching in second grade now and am enjoying it. I am finding myself really busy at this point in time with writing all the lesson plans that I need and also the unit plans. I also am working on my portfolio which is taking a lot more time than I first thought it would. My own children are ages 12, 13 and almost 16 years old. I have a hard time keeping my eyes open to help them with their school work which is really hard as I home school the two younger ones. My 12-year-old daughter also does ballet and softball.

                This week I am working on my unit plan for teaching ecosystems to second graders. I thought that I knew what I was going to do but am stuck. So if anyone has any ideas that would help me through this that would be great. Please post any and all ideas you have for a unit on this. So far I have a list of read aloud books and an end project that the students will do but now I just need to connect the two things. The end project will be where I have the students work in pairs to create one of the major ecosystems. They can do a poster, a diorama or something that shows the other students a little about that ecosystem. For example, for the students doing the rain forest:

Or for the students doing the ocean:

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tasty crockpot meal

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        This semester I am doing my student teaching in two different schools. I am dual majoring in elementary education and special education. I always thought that I wanted to teach first or second grade but am now liking the older students and special education. I have had many people ask me how I can be a mom to three children, be a full-time college student, and still find time to cook a nutritious meal for my family. Well I do a lot of crockpot cooking and would like to share one of my family’s favorite recipe.

INGREDIENTS NUTRITION 

Servings 4-6 Units

• 1 lb. lean ground beef
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, smashed
• 1 (28 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 12 ounces cottage cheese (we like 2%)
• 1⁄2 cup grated parmesan cheese or 1⁄2 cup asiago cheese
• 12 ounces lasagna noodles, uncooked

16 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese

DIRECTIONS

1. Brown ground beef, onion and garlic in frypan.
2. Add tomato sauce, tomato paste, salt and oregano.
3. Cook long enough to get it warm.
4. Spoon a layer of meat sauce onto the bottom of the slow cooker.
5. Add a double layer of uncooked lasagna noodles (break to fit) and top with cheeses.
6. Repeat with sauce, noodles and cheeses until all are used up.
7. Cover and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours.
8. Serve and enjoy!

Truly Eye Opening

I have had a hard time figuring out exactly what I have wanted to say about my student teaching experience. To say the least, it has been eye opening.

I spent my first semester at a local high school, and although it totally changed my beliefs of working with high school students, I knew where I wanted to be (7th or 8th grade). This being said, I now have a new appreciation of how mature the sophomores I was working with were. I also appreciate how much more work 7th and 8th graders do in comparison to my sophomores that were totally uninterested. At least most of my middle school students will do their work!

I think that one of the most important parts of my student teaching experience, outside of the teaching aspect, has been the reflective one. There have been nights where I went back to my dorm room and just cried. The lives of some of my students are not ones to write home about. Most days I feel so inadequate, and yet, its my students that keep me going. Working at a school that is very low income has taught me that the students really look to their teachers as role models, and oftentimes for some type of affection that they will not receive at home. Some of my best students have the saddest stories, and yet they keep trucking, but what keeps them going is the teachers that work with them.

Although I knew I was doing a decent job at my placement, and have made a lot of connections with students, it was one particular interaction that will make leaving the hardest I believe. I was talking with some of my REAL (homeroom) students about my graduation, and that May 5th would be my last day with them. One of the more difficult students who I had been working extensively with looked at me and said "...you're leaving soon? But, you're the only teacher here that likes me."

That. That interaction made this whole semester of tears, frustration, but all encompassing happiness worth it.

Balancing Authority and Empathy

The amount of lessons I have learned definitely compensates for the extent of the struggles I have faced while student teaching. Throughout my life, I have opened my heart to children. I have not only pursued a degree in teaching, but I have also worked at multiple daycares and babysat for numerous families. While it is easy to sympathize with my students, a major lesson I have had to learn while student teaching is how to control the level of my sympathy. A classroom environment, as a student teacher, has put me in a position of authority that I have yet to venture into during my adulthood. With this authority, has come a new revaluation. In order to be a role model, I have to realize that I am not the parent of these kids. Although I love them, I need to put a barrier up between their lives outside of the classroom and mine. This barrier at first was hard to create, but was necessary. I have learned while connecting with my students, the importance of a relationship between a teacher and a student. One must be in a position of authority while being in a position of a mentor and a friend. My students have responded better once I learned to level these two out with my personal investment and emotional attachments to each child. 

Of course I need to be aware of their struggles outside of school, but while doing this I need to refrain from placing judgement. I have seen teachers look at incoming students and judge them based on things they have seen or heard. It is so important to treat every child with the same empathy and understanding. 

 

How have you all made sure to not place judgement on students based on what you have heard?

What To Do?

Hey guys, so I have a student in my class that will not listen and fight back, just to get my attention. For example, today I told another student to not put her fingers in her ears while the teacher was talking because it was rude. So the student that doesn't listen, instantly puts her fingers in her ears and sits, looking at me, waiting for me to respond. I have stopped responding and usually let another teacher work with her to get her stuff done, but I hate leaving it to them. Any ideas as to what might work with her to get her to listen and not continue with this behavior?

(I have done check ins with her about how the period was going and if she was listening, but it works for a few days, but doesn't work all week. And I do give her attention when she is listening, play with her when I can so it's not as if I don't work with her)

Music In the Classroom

          With the school year winding down, I’ve noticed an increase in the stress levels of students and in their ability to focus. As a student, and even as a teacher, I continually listen to music as I work to maintain focus and keep my stress levels down as I work. As a student, my school discouraged us from listening to music. I have pondered this idea for a while now as a future educator. Now that I am in schools, I think about what the positive effects on listening to music while completing work may be. I know there is research that shows a moderately strong relationship between music and student effectiveness and understanding while completing work; similar to that of chewing gum.
          My mentor teacher, will often let his students chew gum or have a mint while taking a quiz or test. I would like to try this with music. The difficult task I’m confronted with is determining if I should let the students choose their own music to listen to. There are also times when the classroom can get rowdy with a large number of students in conversation with their peers. Could music keep this volume of noise down?

Plan Ahead Ladies and Gentlemen!

                How obvious a statement right? I'm not just talking about being one or two days ahead in your planner either. If you're anything like me, when you started your placement, new responsibilities came at you quickly and began to pile up. Once it seemed as if you mastered those responsibilities, you were required to start teaching lessons.
            What I'm getting at, is that no one sat down with you and said "Hey, let's look at my planner and how I run things, and lets get yours filled in with what the week(s) are going to look like". That would have been nice though!
             I'm halfway through my placement here and I just barely started doing this. I pick one day that I can meet with each of my cooperating teachers, and sit down with them, We plan out what lessons I'm going to teach, and then I fill out what they'll be teaching in a different color. This allows me to see where my teaching fits into the larger picture. It also allows me to feel more confident and in control of how the week will look, and not be left feeling like things are just piling up on me or given to me last minute.
            I hope this was helpful to any of you reading this that may be feeling the same way as I was. Just remember, collaboration and communication are key to success. When teachers are on the same page, your students will recognize this and feel comfortable as well!


Happy teaching!

Jenn Adams :)