EdTPA is complete!!!

Hallelujah edTPA is done!!! This has been a very stressful week to say the least. In the class however, I would say it was a 5. There were so many awesome things that happened in the classroom this week that made up for the stress of edTPA and lesson plans. The pleasant surprise and accomplishment I achieved this week was when one of my higher students helped a lower level student with her letter writing. When the higher-level student was done with her letter-writing sheet, she was wondering around the room, as my lower level was nagging me to write the letters for her because “she can’t do it.” I then decided to ask the higher student to teach the lower student how her write the letter j. It was the most precious thing ever, and the lower level student was able to write them that day and the next morning for morning work. My lessons did not go as planned this week because my lower level students struggled with rhyming so we focused on that all week. My higher-level students struggled with last sounds so we spent more time on both of those than planned. Next week before each lesson with these students, I will review these concepts. My short-term goals of getting a bell for my classroom to ring when students are too loud, and making a whole group reward, align with my long term goal of classroom management. I could have spent more time writing lesson plans, but it wasn’t really an option because of edTPA. Apprehension of letting the students use the dry erase markers on the table (dry erase proof) during centers stopped me from letting them use the in the beginning of the week. Thursday I let them use the markers for math and it worked great.  The first logical steps for next week is to get my PD document started and complete the stuff I need to from the feedback on my first observation. I can finally clear the mental clutter of edTPA being off my shoulders.

I analyzed my students letting writing skills each day, which made me add students to the group who could complete the higher-level worksheet. One piece of advice I would share is to try and relax and finish the second half of student teaching strong as we go into week 5.

NCPTS

This week I increased my rating for standard 1a; teachers lead in their classrooms, I demonstrated leadership by drawing on appropriate data to develop classroom and instructional plans. I evaluated my students and what they needed and changed my plans throughout the week accordingly. I noticed that math centers were not working because we were not able to get to all of them in a day, so I made some adjustments with math in my schedule. I increased my rating for standard 2c; teachers treat students as individuals by noticing each of my students individual needs. I recognized that my higher level student needed something to do because she had completed her paper, and my lower-level student needed someone besides myself to keep helping her, so I paired them together so my higher student could help her as I watched. I increased my rating in standard of 3c by interconnecting my standards. I included science standards in my lesson by teaching my students about different animals this week. I increased my rating in 4d, by integrating and utilizing in instruction. This week I introduced the computers in both math and ELA centers so students can use the computers to help them learn. I increased my rating in standard 5a by analyzing all of my students learning each day and writing whether each standard was met or not each day.

This week I continued to take videos, communicate with parents, and attended hours of professional development at my school where I learned more about ELS students and the DSS process in the school. Both my CE and myself are all set for now.