With the Good Comes the Rough
Another week down for the count. I feel that these past five weeks have gone by so quickly! This week definitely had it's ups and downs. My seniors are getting used to having me teach them and this is both good and bad, depending on the certain situation. My ninth graders are doing very well, but we are hitting a wall with tree identification. We are not sure where to go with it so that is fun for them and interactive to reach all the different learners I have. I am finding more students who like to cause problems but I keep telling myself I am not going to quit. This week has definitely tested and pushed me to my limits.
Seniors are doing well, but some are still not doing or putting the effort into the assignments that I give them. I have some students who just say they are simply not going to do the homework. By having the delays it has put my Global Ag unit behind and it has to get pushed into a few of the days next week. I have found out that the students are not willing to activities until you bore them enough that they want to get up and do something. However in my lessons they have been very interactive and there is always some activity they need to participate in. I like getting them up and moving because if they are not moving they are practically falling asleep from it being so early. I just do not understand how they can beg me to keep teaching the class, but refuse to do the work that comes with it. Hopefully next week they surprise me and enjoy the lessons I have planned for them.
My ninth graders are hard workers. They know that I have set high expectations for them because I only want them to be successful and strive to show off the potential that I know each of them have. I "borrowed" a lesson from CoP and adjusted to do a speed dating activity with them to help them in identifying the list of common trees of Pennsylvania. They really enjoyed the activity, however they were not grasping the concept of them not just copying each other's tree page. That they actually had to pretend to be the tree that the chose and tell the other person about themselves. However the next time I do this lesson I know which parts I need to stress on and which parts could be adjusted to make the lesson great.
This week also consisted of me holding an FFA officer meeting. We have a lot coming up in the next two weeks and I just wanted to check in make sure that they are doing what they are suppose to be doing. We touched on how to make a meeting run more smoothly and how we could actually get through an agenda during a clubs period by using correct parliament procedure. I will say it is just very hard to get through to students who show no interest. However I did create a system in which they need to come and check in with me every Friday to see where they are at with any jobs that they signed up for. This has gotten through with some of the officers but not all of them so when we have an officer meeting tomorrow I will be addressing this fact again.
Even though this week was a struggle at some points and made me question myself I believe it definitely made me stronger as a person. I am ready to see how I can keep improving my teaching skills and style. As well as continuing to improve myself personally and professionally.
Seniors are doing well, but some are still not doing or putting the effort into the assignments that I give them. I have some students who just say they are simply not going to do the homework. By having the delays it has put my Global Ag unit behind and it has to get pushed into a few of the days next week. I have found out that the students are not willing to activities until you bore them enough that they want to get up and do something. However in my lessons they have been very interactive and there is always some activity they need to participate in. I like getting them up and moving because if they are not moving they are practically falling asleep from it being so early. I just do not understand how they can beg me to keep teaching the class, but refuse to do the work that comes with it. Hopefully next week they surprise me and enjoy the lessons I have planned for them.
My ninth graders are hard workers. They know that I have set high expectations for them because I only want them to be successful and strive to show off the potential that I know each of them have. I "borrowed" a lesson from CoP and adjusted to do a speed dating activity with them to help them in identifying the list of common trees of Pennsylvania. They really enjoyed the activity, however they were not grasping the concept of them not just copying each other's tree page. That they actually had to pretend to be the tree that the chose and tell the other person about themselves. However the next time I do this lesson I know which parts I need to stress on and which parts could be adjusted to make the lesson great.
This week also consisted of me holding an FFA officer meeting. We have a lot coming up in the next two weeks and I just wanted to check in make sure that they are doing what they are suppose to be doing. We touched on how to make a meeting run more smoothly and how we could actually get through an agenda during a clubs period by using correct parliament procedure. I will say it is just very hard to get through to students who show no interest. However I did create a system in which they need to come and check in with me every Friday to see where they are at with any jobs that they signed up for. This has gotten through with some of the officers but not all of them so when we have an officer meeting tomorrow I will be addressing this fact again.
Even though this week was a struggle at some points and made me question myself I believe it definitely made me stronger as a person. I am ready to see how I can keep improving my teaching skills and style. As well as continuing to improve myself personally and professionally.
I brought the kids in candy on Friday for Valentines Day
Student using mechanics knowledge to grind down a barrel drum for band director
Good blog. YES, you have interesting classes. Seniors are ..... well seniors. they like having you because it is different and they are easily bored. After all they are seniors, they know everything. We were the same at their age. So keep plugging away. The freshmen, they are anxious to learn. They have adjusted to high school and are starting to challenge themselves.
ReplyDeleteKeep trying new things. That is one of the advantages of having a student teacher, we as teachers get to learn from your creativity.
Enjoy. Stay warm!