Course Reflection

This course has been incredible to say the least.  I have learned so much about myself throughout this course.  In my new position as an instructional coach, knowing yourself is very important.  This class has helped me to do this. 

The course readings were very informational over many topics.  The topics are useful topics that can be applied in my school.  The first topic of microagressions were very interesting.  After learning more about microagressions, it made a lot of since, I was guilty of microagressions even though it was unintentional.

My course topic of Cultural and family dynamics in Adopted children was a great topic.  It was a topic very close to my heart and helped me to learn how to help adopted children and their teachers and parents.  I look forward to being able to make a difference in the lives of many people from the research I gained. 

This course was very informational and fun.  I hope to have many more classes like this.  I would recommend this class to anyone who works with children. 

Interview Process

For my course project, I have been interviewing two women who know and are living with adoption.  This connections that we have built through these interviews is great.  One female I have interviewed I have known for many years as I taught her oldest adopted child.  The interview process has allowed our relationship to grow and for me to get a glance into her life and the lives of her children.  So far I have learned that boys are so different than girls and that sometimes boys can be more sensitive than girls.  Another interview is with a lady who works with adoption daily.  The calling to be an adoptive parent is a strong calling and those that listen can and will make a difference in the life of a child.  I look forward to discussing more with my interviewees and dgaining more knowledge into their lives and the lives of adopted children into homes of difference race and culture. 

Course Project Topic Discussion

Being in my specialist program, I have a class that requires a course project.  For my course project, I have decided to research family constellations focusing on children who have been adopted.  I have taught many children who have been adopted. I have also been lucky enough to be involved socially with a family that has adopted a child and I have seen him grow into a very bright young man.  Being on the outside looking in, this family dynamic made me curious.  Through my research, I hope to answer many questions that I have and that others may have.  For example, I am curious to see if there is a difference in the way children adopted into homes with a different race or culture than those students who are adopted into homes of their own culture relate to their families.  I am also interested in seeing if there is a correlation with gender and race that are adopted.  Another question I will strive to answer is as follows: Are parents supported through the community on how to help their adopted children cope with difficult issues that arise due to their adoption?  These are just a few of the questions I have at the moment, but check back soon to see others that I may have and what my findings maybe.  Also, please let me know if there are any questions you think I should consider.  Thank you for reading and come back soon!!!!

What stuck with me?

This is the last post for my current class, however I will continue to post randomly about my new position.  Which I LOVE!!!!!   I just finished up with testing and it was an experience.  Overall it was a great experience, however being in the classroom, I do not think teachers understand how much work goes into preparing for test and then the time to pack up from testing.  However, back to my class.

One quote that has really stuck with me during this class is "Play is an active part of learning that unites the mind, body and soul."  This quote is something I now have displayed in my room and have given a copy to all my teachers.  We as educators discuss getting our students engaged, well one way to get our students engaged as well as keeping them engaged is to play, this is also a great way for students to learn and practice.  In order for students to continue to learn, they must have a love for it and by students using play, they are able to let go and learn independently.  This quote should be remembered by all educators, not just elementary, but middle, high and even college classes.  PLAY CAN BE EDUCATIONAL and in turn, students WILL learn. 

Have a great rest of the week and I will do my best to continue to blog!!!!

Innovative Approaches for Fostering Learning

 

So as you know, I have a 1st grader.  She is seven years old and knows how to use my cell phone better than I do.  She knows how to make a call, send a text and of course play games but does she know how to research or use the internet to find answers?  I didn't think so but what do I know. 

Well this week, her class started an animal research project.  They are using the Ipads to research their animals. As the 1st grade team was talking to me about their project (because I am the Instructional Coach) I thought to myself, "my child will have a hard time but maybe some others will be able to handle it."  Honestly, I just thought my child was too young to understand how to research.  So I knew what was coming.  I would have never thought that she would be able to do this as such a young age.  But then I figured well maybe she can only do it with a teacher or adult.  So she came home, I asked her what she did in school and she told me.  Then she decided she needed to show me, with my phone.  She pulled up the internet, typed in her animal, which was a leopard and then chose a site.  She then read it to me.  Of course there were words she had difficulty with but over all she was able to tell me about the information she had found.  Then she decided she wanted to know about other animals and begin researching different items. 

This project got my child fired up about research and what to use the internet for.  This project also opened my eyes as to what my child CAN do.  My child is very lucky to have such a great teacher who looks for new ways to teach the children and the best ways to foster learning in and out of the classroom.

Why is Play important?

I recently had a conversation with a friend and colleague.  She is a kindergarten teacher at the same school my child attends.  Last year, my child was in kindergarten and they playtime in their lesson plans.  Now due to the increased common core standards and the required activities in the classroom, playtime had to be removed.  The students have now replaced playtime with daily 5 instruction which is where their playtime is now working with words of some sort, reading to self, reading to others and two others.  This is an interesting way of teaching in my opinion, at the age of 4 and 5, most students cannot read.  However during my conversation with my friend, I asked her if she incorporated play into her classroom.  She breaks her recess down into 2 portions.  Half of the recess time, they play outside.  They then continue with class and they have another recess, which they call play time and the students use the old play items, such as kitchen, dress up, blocks, and more.  The kids do not have as much time as they have in the past, but at least we still have educators who know the importance of playtime for students.  Playing is a way to help develop creativity.  According to Almon, there is no better way to foster creativity than to keep it alive in early childhood when it is naturally strong and expresses itself through play. Creativity is something that we want all children to have as well as what most colleges and employers want as well.  Let's give our children the best start possible by letting them just PLAY!!!!!

Almon, J. (2013). It's Playtime. Principal. Retrieved from Almon_Playtime.pdf

So Far....

Well yesterday was my first day meeting in PLC's (Professional Learning Committees)  They are done by each grade level.  So I was lucky enough to sit in on 1st grade and Kindergarten.  It was great!!!! Everyone was very friendly and welcoming.  From listening and discussing their plans for next week, I got a good idea of some things they might be able to use in their classrooms.  Just a few things to make their lives a little bit easier.  So today, I spent a large portion of my day making games for each classroom teacher for sight word practice, addition games to keep the students engaged as well as to hit on their standards for the week  I was also able to find teaching resources to help teach fiction and non-fiction comparison to first graders.  This is very different than what I am familiar with, however I know that I am still helping children from my position.  I am very excited to be able to work more closely with the teachers and I look forward to being able to help in anyway I can.

Looking forward to the upcoming weeks and the great PLC's I will be able to sit in on!!!!!

Roller Coaster Week

Well, this past week has been a roller coaster, my classroom replacement was approved by our BOE.  So on Wednesday I met with my principal.  He wants me to start on Monday (tomorrow).  I am so very excited, during my meeting with my principal, he tells me where my office will be.  Okay great!!!  I will be sharing an office with 2 other teachers who are part time (each only 1 day a week).  Well at least I will have an office, and I will not be mobile.  To give an example of the amount of space we have at our school, we are a very old school building who house grades k-8 so even closets are utilized as offices.  Our mini computer lab is not much bigger than the custodians closet.  So to have a place, I was very grateful.  So I started packing up items on Thursday and had a few students move items down.  (Oh BTW, my office was located down stars on the backside of the school.)  Still grateful to have a place.  So on Friday, I realize, that I have to move all my personal items that might be in the way of the new teacher out to a tiny little office.  The classroom I had was the biggest in the school.  (AMAZING)  So still not panicking, just excited and grateful to have what I have.  Then I meet with my principal again and he lets me know that all the special education teachers will be moving to the office that I would be sharing so that only Special education would be sharing the office and that I would move to their office.  OH MY!!!!  I did not want to inconvenience anyone, but the teachers had offered because with their schedules, the office would be used by only 1 teacher at a time due to their schedules which will not change, unlike mine which will change daily.  Well now I have to clean out my room and wait on them to clean out theirs.  So I was at the school on Friday until after 6:30 cleaning out my room and helping her set up hers so that when my students enter on Monday, the room is somewhat situated.   My office is unorganized and crazy, but the most important thing is that the students have a smooth transition and I feel that we helped this occur with our work after school on Friday.  

I am so excited to start my new position officially tomorrow and begin to make my office look like an office.  I will post pictures soon.  It will take some time to understand what I really need in this position, but I am willing to work to the best of my ability to help all teachers and student's. 

Have a great week and I will be back soon!!!!

First Time Blogger and Instructional Coach

Welcome all!!

 Thank you for viewing my blog.  This is the first time I have ever blogged.  The interesting part is this is really my first day as an instructional coach.  I was approved by the BOE last night, taught 4th grade math today and tomorrow I will attend my first meeting at the BOE as an Instructional Coach.  I am very excited and very nervous.  I hope that you enjoy the ride with into this new adventure.