I promise I am still alive...I just have been so busy this past month. I have had mid terms in my classes, a huge presentation on using portfolios for assessment in my Methods and Management class, lots of subbing, and just life in general. I am so ready for this semester to be over with and have my 3 weeks of class in the spring and then be in the classroom full time.
I have been going to my mentor teacher's classroom once a week usually. I was only required to do 30 hours of observations for my education classes, but I have already well surpassed that. My thought is that the more time I spend in the classroom this semester, the easier it is going to be for me in the spring because the students will already be familiar with me and I will also be more familiar with my mentor's procedures, rules, and schedule for the class. My mentor also goes out of her way to make me comfortable in the classroom, I even already have my own little desk in there. I know I have already said this before, but my mentor teacher is so amazing and I know that she is truly going to make this experience a wonderful one for me.
Today I subbed in 5th grade which has really become my favorite grade level to sub for. Friday's are almost a testing day, and today was no different. When I walked into the classroom of the teacher I was subbing for today, I was a little shocked by the exercise balls that had replaced a number of the chairs at the desks. At first I was a little confused about it, but once the students came into the room, it made a lot more sense. My partner teacher for the day came in shortly after the kids did and explained to me the purpose behind the balls. She had read lots of research that had said that allowing ADD/ADHD students as well as Autistic students sitting on exercise balls proves to be an effective way in them doing better at school. It provides them with just enough movement to keep them "busy" so that they are actually focusing on what is being taught and their assignments. What are your thoughts about this? I am thinking that I might write about this for my Action Research paper that is due at the end of the semester. The teacher told me that she has a bunch of articles on it that I could use. :)
I am in the middle of creating my Unit Plan for my Curriculum and Instruction class. My Unit Plan is going to be on Local, State, and Federal Government which is actually rather easy since I understand all 3 concepts pretty well. One of the 4th grade teachers at the elementary actually told me that all of the 4th grade teachers would like to all use my unit plan that I create because this part of the book will fall during the time right before TAKS testing. Hopefully they will all be quite pleased with it.
Last but not least, I heard some very exciting news today...one of the 5th grade teachers that I sub for regularly is pregnant and due on May 31st. I stopped in her room this morning just to say hi and her first question to me was when I am done with school. She is wanting to be done around the 9th or so of May and wants me to long term sub for her. It would be for almost a month so I am pretty excited about that possibility. She actually told me today that she told the principal that she wants me to sub for her and then have me take her job because she is not planning on coming back next year. I think my heart skipped a few beats when she told me that. I am excited about the possibility of that, but I am not going to get my hopes up quite yet. May might be a different story though.
I promise it will not take me 3 weeks next time before I post. Hopefully everyone had a wonderful Friday and I hope that your kiddos are god for you on Monday after being on a sugar high Sunday night after Trick-or-Treating.
