This week was a short week at Mylan Park Elementary School due to Thanksgiving being on Thursday. (There was no school on Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday which made a two day school week.) I really enjoyed teaching Monday and Tuesday this week due to the fact that we incorporated many activities that were based around the Thanksgiving holiday that consisted of Thanksgiving themed math worksheets, games, learning videos on the Native American Indians, etc. We also had on Tuesday a Thanksgiving feast for the students. At the feast the students were introduced to many fruits and vegetables, as well as educated about what the Indians and Pilgrims ate for dessert which consisted of pudding pies. The students really enjoyed the feast and the celebration that we had within the classroom.
This week was also my sixth week for the implementation of my Action Research project. On Monday and Tuesday the students read “Twas The Night Before Thanksgiving” as well as “I Know An Old Lady That Swallowed a Pie.” For the book, “Twas the Night Before Thanksgiving”, my students read the story out loud, generated their own student led group discussion, had to choose three key words within the story that described the beginning, the middle, and the end of the story. Then, they had to define those key words, illustrate a picture relating the meaning to the story, and choreograph their own dance movement to express the beginning, middle, and end of the story. I feel that all of the students are becoming more confident and comfortable with expressing stories through their illustrations and bodies that they are creating more visual images within their minds helping them comprehend better what is occurring throughout the entire story as they read.
For the book “I Know An Old Lady That Swallowed a Pie”, the students had to read the story out loud, generate their own discussion period, and then were asked to illustrate on paper what they saw was the begging, the middle, and the end of the story. Once they completed this task, they then had to choreograph their own movement segment and perform it to the class. Their final comprehension assessments for this book was for them to place in sequential order all of the events or foods that the old lady took part within. I was impressed with how well the students did this week with reading both stories, expressing the beginning, middle, and end of the stories through the fine arts, and passing the written assessments that all checked on their comprehension skills.
To conclude this week’s implementation of my Action Research, I provided my students with a post test to see if their reading comprehension skills have improved and increased, if they remained the same, or if they at all decreased. I discovered after grading their post-tests that their reading comprehension scores increased a phenomenal amount! On the pretest, one student in particular scored a 38% average, and on the post-test scored a 80% average. I feel that this students’ success was influenced by the implementation of movement and the fine and creative arts; which means that my action research project on a whole turned out to be a success.
I really enjoyed this week; however, am very sad that this was my last week to be full time teaching. I am going to miss Mylan Park Elementary school and sad that my last day, December 15th, is approaching rapidly. I am really looking forward to the next two weeks within my classroom, teaching my students, and being mentored by Ms. Walker!
Friday, November 26, 2010
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Mylan Park Elementary School Nov 15 -Nov 20, 2011
This week was another great week at Mylan Park Elementary School! On Monday I was able to attend one of our students’ IEP meetings that was scheduled due to the number of absences that she has had this school year. Her parents did not show up so it was interesting to see how the meeting was conducted without the parents present. The faculty members that attended the meeting were her general education teacher, her special education teacher, the principal, and the IEP coach.
Throughout the week I worked with the reading groups on their vocabulary lessons, Journey’s lessons to build their comprehension skills, FOCUS lessons to influence their standardized testing skills, as well as the Reads Naturally Program to help improve their fluency. With all of the reading groups I worked with the students on their spelling words by writing them in the sand, looking at letter patterns, writing their words in context sentences, and completing their weekly spelling assignments that consist of Rainbow Words, Spelling City, Alphabetical Order, and Stair Step Spelling. Due to all of the practice and reinforcement of the spelling words throughout the entire week, the students’ scores on their tests were quite exceptional!
During the morning math group, I worked with the two students on time, money, regrouping addition and subtraction problems, as well as reviewing for their unit test. I was extremely impressed with the scores that the two students received on their exam and was very proud of them for their achievements. I feel that consistently teaching, re-teaching, and practicing the material really allows the students to grasp and understand the information that they are being presented with.
On Wednesday and Thursday this week my Action Research Reading Group read “Henry and Mudge and the Wild Wind”. The students read out loud the story by popcorn reading the text. I also promoted the students to create a discussion throughout the entire book in order for them to reinforce the text that they were reading. Once the story was over, the students were asked to create a comic strip demonstrating the sequential order of events that clearly showed the beginning, middle, and end of the story. Once the students completed that task, they then had to think, pair, and share about the story with the individual that was sitting right next to them. It was very interesting to listen in on their conversations and hearing them correct each other of the sequential order of the story, share vivid details, and even discuss their favorite parts of the story. Once the students completed the think, pair, share activity, they then were asked to choreograph movement with their partner that clearly presented the beginning, middle, and end of the story. The students’ challenge within this task was that they were not provided music. They had to tell the story completely with their bodies and within silence unless they felt that it was necessary to implement sound within their movement piece. I was really impressed with how well they did with the movement portion of their assessment and feel that it really allowed them to bring the story to life and put the events within the story in sequential order. When the students completed the movement segment of their assessment, they then had to answer comprehension questions on the text. I am extremely impressed with their achievement on answering the questions correctly after creating illustrations both on paper and with their bodies upon completion of reading the text.
This week during the writing group time, the students wrote letters with the writing prompt “I Am Thankful For…”, they learned how to correctly address and sign a letter, and they learned how to address an envelope. I was very impressed with their letters and was excited to display them on the classroom door. I feel that it is important to display student work and show them that if they tried their very hardest, that should be proud of their hard work and dedication.
I really enjoyed this week at Mylan Park Elementary School and am beginning to get really sad that my time as an intern within this classroom setting is coming to an end. I have really enjoyed getting to know and work with my students and my mentor teacher, Ms. Walker. I have learned a tremendous amount this semester from this placement and from my placement with Mrs. Rengers at Morgantown High School. I am looking forward to the upcoming week at Mylan Park Elementary School and the Thanksgiving holiday activities that we will be completing within the classroom!
Throughout the week I worked with the reading groups on their vocabulary lessons, Journey’s lessons to build their comprehension skills, FOCUS lessons to influence their standardized testing skills, as well as the Reads Naturally Program to help improve their fluency. With all of the reading groups I worked with the students on their spelling words by writing them in the sand, looking at letter patterns, writing their words in context sentences, and completing their weekly spelling assignments that consist of Rainbow Words, Spelling City, Alphabetical Order, and Stair Step Spelling. Due to all of the practice and reinforcement of the spelling words throughout the entire week, the students’ scores on their tests were quite exceptional!
During the morning math group, I worked with the two students on time, money, regrouping addition and subtraction problems, as well as reviewing for their unit test. I was extremely impressed with the scores that the two students received on their exam and was very proud of them for their achievements. I feel that consistently teaching, re-teaching, and practicing the material really allows the students to grasp and understand the information that they are being presented with.
On Wednesday and Thursday this week my Action Research Reading Group read “Henry and Mudge and the Wild Wind”. The students read out loud the story by popcorn reading the text. I also promoted the students to create a discussion throughout the entire book in order for them to reinforce the text that they were reading. Once the story was over, the students were asked to create a comic strip demonstrating the sequential order of events that clearly showed the beginning, middle, and end of the story. Once the students completed that task, they then had to think, pair, and share about the story with the individual that was sitting right next to them. It was very interesting to listen in on their conversations and hearing them correct each other of the sequential order of the story, share vivid details, and even discuss their favorite parts of the story. Once the students completed the think, pair, share activity, they then were asked to choreograph movement with their partner that clearly presented the beginning, middle, and end of the story. The students’ challenge within this task was that they were not provided music. They had to tell the story completely with their bodies and within silence unless they felt that it was necessary to implement sound within their movement piece. I was really impressed with how well they did with the movement portion of their assessment and feel that it really allowed them to bring the story to life and put the events within the story in sequential order. When the students completed the movement segment of their assessment, they then had to answer comprehension questions on the text. I am extremely impressed with their achievement on answering the questions correctly after creating illustrations both on paper and with their bodies upon completion of reading the text.
This week during the writing group time, the students wrote letters with the writing prompt “I Am Thankful For…”, they learned how to correctly address and sign a letter, and they learned how to address an envelope. I was very impressed with their letters and was excited to display them on the classroom door. I feel that it is important to display student work and show them that if they tried their very hardest, that should be proud of their hard work and dedication.
I really enjoyed this week at Mylan Park Elementary School and am beginning to get really sad that my time as an intern within this classroom setting is coming to an end. I have really enjoyed getting to know and work with my students and my mentor teacher, Ms. Walker. I have learned a tremendous amount this semester from this placement and from my placement with Mrs. Rengers at Morgantown High School. I am looking forward to the upcoming week at Mylan Park Elementary School and the Thanksgiving holiday activities that we will be completing within the classroom!
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Mylan Park Elementary School Nov 8-Nov 12 2010
This week was another wonderful week at Mylan Park Elementary School! I continued to work with my math group on regrouping with subtraction. Today, I gave them a quiz and one of them received a 100% which made me feel so proud of them as well as for knowing that I accomplished teaching them something that they currently have mastered. Next week I will be providing my math group with a unit test on money, time, regrouping with addition, and regrouping with subtraction. I feel that this test will truly assess how well they really know money, time, and regrouping with addition and subtraction.
Throughout the week I have also worked with my reading groups on letter and sound patterns in words, syllables, and vowels, as well as continuously reinforcing their spelling words. I also have been working on with the students in their Journeys guided reading books. I feel that slowly some of the students are really beginning to read more fluently than they have in the past. They also tend to be keying in important details that are present within the text.
This week for my Action Research my students read “The Farmer In The Soup”. The students took turns within the group reading the story aloud. The students began to create very good discussions throughout the story and was proud of them for promoting informal, whole group discussions. Once the students read through the story, they then completed two acrostic poems; one poem described the farmer and one poem described the wife. For the next class session, the students are expected to label a major event that occurred in the beginning of the story, at the middle of the story, and finally at the end of the story. Once they have completed this task, they then will need to express through their bodies the farmer in the beginning, middle, and end of the story. They will be expected to choreograph their own movement segment that correlates with that part of the story. I am really excited to finish out this weeks action research and see how creative my students will be!
During this week I have also been working with the writing group. I have been reviewing with the students how to write a paragraph, as well as how to write a letter and formally set up a letter. Currently, the students are writing a letter about what they are thankful for. It is very interesting to see how creative they are when they are provided with a writing prompt. I am excited to read their letters on what they are thankful for and who they chose to write their letters to.
I feel that this week was another fantastic week at Mylan Park Elementary School and am continuously learning from my mentor teacher, Ms. Walker, as well as from my students. I am really looking forward to sitting in two of my students IEP meetings in the upcoming week. I am already looking forward to another wonderful week at Mylan Park Elementary School; however, I am very sad that I only have a few weeks left in my current placement.
Throughout the week I have also worked with my reading groups on letter and sound patterns in words, syllables, and vowels, as well as continuously reinforcing their spelling words. I also have been working on with the students in their Journeys guided reading books. I feel that slowly some of the students are really beginning to read more fluently than they have in the past. They also tend to be keying in important details that are present within the text.
This week for my Action Research my students read “The Farmer In The Soup”. The students took turns within the group reading the story aloud. The students began to create very good discussions throughout the story and was proud of them for promoting informal, whole group discussions. Once the students read through the story, they then completed two acrostic poems; one poem described the farmer and one poem described the wife. For the next class session, the students are expected to label a major event that occurred in the beginning of the story, at the middle of the story, and finally at the end of the story. Once they have completed this task, they then will need to express through their bodies the farmer in the beginning, middle, and end of the story. They will be expected to choreograph their own movement segment that correlates with that part of the story. I am really excited to finish out this weeks action research and see how creative my students will be!
During this week I have also been working with the writing group. I have been reviewing with the students how to write a paragraph, as well as how to write a letter and formally set up a letter. Currently, the students are writing a letter about what they are thankful for. It is very interesting to see how creative they are when they are provided with a writing prompt. I am excited to read their letters on what they are thankful for and who they chose to write their letters to.
I feel that this week was another fantastic week at Mylan Park Elementary School and am continuously learning from my mentor teacher, Ms. Walker, as well as from my students. I am really looking forward to sitting in two of my students IEP meetings in the upcoming week. I am already looking forward to another wonderful week at Mylan Park Elementary School; however, I am very sad that I only have a few weeks left in my current placement.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Mylan Park Elementary Nov 1 - Nov 5 2010
This week was another wonderful week at Mylan Park Elementary School! Throughout the week I have been teaching all of the students that come to our classroom throughout the day. I have learned that teaching students regrouping with addition is a very challenging area in the content area of mathematics. My students understand how to regroup; however, they tend to leave out the step of either carrying a number over to the tens place and or adding the carried number which results in their solution being wrong. I am hoping that by reviewing, re-teaching, practicing, and drilling this, they will begin to see where they are making their mistakes and how to correct what they are doing wrong. I am very proud of them how far they have come and will be exuberant when they come close to mastery when regrouping.
This week I have also been working with students on reinforcing their spelling words, teaching them vocabulary lessons, as well as working on their fluidity in reading through the Reads Naturally Program and Journey’s. I feel that by working consistently on spelling words, vocabulary, reading, and comprehension questions, the students are beginning to really build in the Reading and Language Arts area and all are collaborating on influencing their reading skills.
Two days this week I was also able to implement my Action Research within the classroom. This week we read “Tacky the Penguin”. First, we reviewed that while reading, we are to create visual images within our heads about what we are reading. Next, I allowed the students to popcorn read throughout the entire book. Throughout the book I promoted discussions about the illustrations, the texts, etc in order to keep the students engaged as well as make them think and make inferences beyond the text. Once the students completed reading, they then had to illustrate in three different penguins the beginning, middle, and end of the story. Once they completed their illustrations, they then answered comprehension questions, as well as had to choreograph and act out one scene from the story that the rest of the students had to guess what scene and who they were trying to be. I feel that the students really enjoyed the activities that we did, were engaged, and did a nice job answering the comprehension questions. I feel that this week’s implementation of Action Research was a success!
I will be looking forward to the upcoming weeks within the classroom. The students have already been making their own Turkey’s with Ms. Walker and decorating the classroom for Thanksgiving. Also, I feel that each and every day I learn a lot from Ms. Walker, her classroom management skills, as well as how she presents lessons to her students which always promotes a positive learning atmosphere. I really have enjoyed my students and working with Ms. Walker this semester!
This week I have also been working with students on reinforcing their spelling words, teaching them vocabulary lessons, as well as working on their fluidity in reading through the Reads Naturally Program and Journey’s. I feel that by working consistently on spelling words, vocabulary, reading, and comprehension questions, the students are beginning to really build in the Reading and Language Arts area and all are collaborating on influencing their reading skills.
Two days this week I was also able to implement my Action Research within the classroom. This week we read “Tacky the Penguin”. First, we reviewed that while reading, we are to create visual images within our heads about what we are reading. Next, I allowed the students to popcorn read throughout the entire book. Throughout the book I promoted discussions about the illustrations, the texts, etc in order to keep the students engaged as well as make them think and make inferences beyond the text. Once the students completed reading, they then had to illustrate in three different penguins the beginning, middle, and end of the story. Once they completed their illustrations, they then answered comprehension questions, as well as had to choreograph and act out one scene from the story that the rest of the students had to guess what scene and who they were trying to be. I feel that the students really enjoyed the activities that we did, were engaged, and did a nice job answering the comprehension questions. I feel that this week’s implementation of Action Research was a success!
I will be looking forward to the upcoming weeks within the classroom. The students have already been making their own Turkey’s with Ms. Walker and decorating the classroom for Thanksgiving. Also, I feel that each and every day I learn a lot from Ms. Walker, her classroom management skills, as well as how she presents lessons to her students which always promotes a positive learning atmosphere. I really have enjoyed my students and working with Ms. Walker this semester!
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