RESA visit

On Thursday our students had a half day and teachers had to go to a meeting. The topic of the meeting was getting the results from our September RESA visit. The results showed everyone what we already see. No administration in the classroom, weak co-teaching model, and lack of technology use. I see the lack of administration in the classroom just because there is so much to do in the office. Between student problems, parent problems, and just the natural administrative problems I don't see how anything gets done. The principals "pitched" an idea of how they might make more time for them to come into the classroom to see what is going on. As for the lack of technology use, I think that teachers are unaware of how to utilize the technology. Many of the teachers at my PDS are older and I think that they may not have a education on how to use the technology. I think that my school would benefit from a professional development on how to utilize the technology in their classroom. Another reason teachers aren't using the technology in their classroom is because it doesn't work! For example, in my mentor teachers classroom we do not have a cord to hook up the SMART board so we can not use it. We explained this issue to the appropriate person at the beginning of the school year, and nothing has been done, and now it is November. You can't use the technology if it doesn't work. Another thing that is lacking at my PDS is the co-teaching model. I think this is because one party gives more than the other. If both teachers had time to sit down and discuss lesson plans and expectations then this collaboration would work much better. I think that if my PDS can fix all these suggested improvements, then it will be a truly great place to work and learn.

Busy Week.

This week has been a crazy mixed up week! The first thing that threw everything off was that we had Halloween parties on Thursday. The way my PDS does this party is that students have the option to go home and change into their costumes and then parents bring them back to school at a certain time, they parade around the high school football field, and then they come back inside for the party. The fifth grade teachers decided to just show a movie in their homerooms because students would be leaving at 11. My students watched a movie and worked on some crafts we were going to use to to decorate the classroom. The students were extremely crazy, so it was nice to have some "down time" for them. On Friday, due to the weather and power outages, our county was operating on a 2 hour delay. This was also supposed to be 5th grade career day. We worked it out that some parents would come on Friday as planned, but some would also need to come on Monday too. Now our Monday schedule is messed up because not only are we having parents coming in the morning but our PTA also rented a "dome theater" and our students are going to view a program in the afternoon! Thursday next week is a two hour early dismissal, so next week will be messed up too. As a student in elementary school I loved these disruptions but as a teacher I find them annoying! Hopefully soon our schedule will settle down, and we can get back into the learning process!

Field trip

Today was our first field trip of the school year. We went to WVU for a day on campus. When I was in elementary school I remember being so excited for field trips because it was a day out of school. Now as an educator I look at it as an opportunity to extend students knowledge and motivate them to what to achieve something more. When I found out our trip was to WVU I became extremely excited. Many of my students show interest in everything WVU and many have dreams of going on to college. However when we arrived at WVU my dreams were crushed. We saw several things and did many activities but everything was so rushed. The saying "less is more" is completely appropriate in the situation. Students felt so overwhelmed and before they could adjust to their new surroundings they had to leave again. I suppose this is where I assume the "teacher" role. I just see these opportunities differently now that I am on the "adult" side of the situation.  Students should be given every opportunity they deserve and I think today didn't live up to that.

Parent/ Teacher Conferences

Today was parent/teacher conferences and it seemed weird being on the "teacher" side of things. The other Intern at my school and I set up a Professional Development table in the hallway and she stayed at the table for most of the night, because I had conferences. My mentor teacher told me that I needed to be at all the conferences because I have been with the students for the same amount of time she has. During the conferences my mentor teacher would look at me and ask if I had anything to add to what she was saying or if I should explain what she was trying to say in a different way. In one case, the student responds better to me, and I have somewhat taken this child "under my wing". During this conference my mentor teacher said "I think Ms. Kulchock can explain the situation because she is dealing with him the most". This really made me feel like apart of the classroom and like what I had to say mattered. In another conference, the mother said "oh you are the famous Ms.Kulchock, that's all my daughter talks about". This made me feel extremely important and truly apart of the classroom. Throughout this whole night all I could think of was how in my tutor year I didn't feel like I was a part of the community at all, and now I feel like this is the only place I belong!

Standing my ground.

While teaching my math RTI class, my students were being extremely loud and talking over me. I began by giving them warnings, starting out my voice soft but affirmative. Next I tried giving them another warning just a little more loud and harsh. After, my students continued to talk and ignore me. I then made students clean up the game we were playing, right in the middle of it. Students seemed confused and began to give each other odd looks. As I walked around collecting student materials many of them tried to talk with me. As hard as it was I just ignored them (my mentor teacher had done this in the beginning of the school year). Students then got somewhat more quiet but some were still talking. I then went over and picked up the worksheets I had run off for "emergency" situations. I then passed these out and began doing something else. Students became very confused. Students began calling out "can we work with partners" and I just continued to ignore. At the end of time I explained to students that they needed to hand the worksheets to me on their way out. Many students handed me their worksheets and said "I'm sorry" and one student even said "it makes me sad to see you sad". At this moment I knew I had "accomplished" my goal. As much as it made me sad to ignore my students and to stop playing a game in which we were all having a good time, it was something I had to do. My students were not responding to me being nice and giving them gentle warnings so I had to take action. My mentor teacher even told me my actions were completely necessary. I'm truly glad that I was able to stand my ground... I have a feeling these students are going to be much more complient with what I am asking.

Teaching all day!

On Thursday morning I got an unexpected call from my mentor teacher. She had explained that she injured herself and would not be at school that day. She couldn't get ahold of the subisute that is usually in the classroom when my teacher is out, so there was a new substitute when I arrived in my classroom. She asked what parts of the day I was teaching and I explained to her what I was teaching, but that I felt comfortable enough to teach most of the day if she would like me to. She was much appreciative and allowed me to teacher the whole day. I realized how appreciative I am of my mentor teacher because she is so organized. Every night before she leaves work she gets out the materials that she is going to need for the next day. She also opens her lesson plan book so it is right to the next day. Also, my mentor teachers lesson plans are so detailed that it paints a clear picture of what she was thinking about doing that day. I think it also helps that I have been in the classroom since day 1 so I have a full understanding of how the day runs. I think this is an extremely important quality to have when teaching. You have to be organizesd and prepared for anything that could possibly happen from day to day. When you leave your classroom for the night, anything could really happen. You just never know what will happen before the next morning arrives. If you are prepared for anything to happen, then having to call off unexpectantly isn't so horrible for the person coming into your classroom.

PDS Visitors

On Thursday my PDS had some visitors in the hallways. RESA and the State Department were in the school observing because my PDS was named a focus school due to the gap in achievement in special education students and general education students. These visitors were observing the whole day and then they will take what they find and make suggestions for how the school can improve. I see how this can be helpful for my PDS but I also see how people could get the wrong impression of how our school is run. For example, we knew that these people were going to be in the building on Thursday; so everyone had the opportunity to plan "exciting" lessons, put art on the walls, and dress professionally. I think if they wanted a clear picture of how the school is really run, they should have come on a day in which the teachers didn't know what was going on. During the day we had people coming in and out to observe teacher and to interview students. Each grade level was required to meet in one specific room during their planning period. A representative came in to interview everyone. This person asked many questions about how my PDS is run and what teachers would like to see change. Many of the teacher expressed that they really do like the way things are run and that there is a good administration/teacher relationship. Everything was running smoothly until the topic of Special Education was brought up. Not everyone was "happy" about how inclusion is run in the 5th grade. However, everyone just pointed fingers at the special education teacher. I agree that the way this person does things isn't the greatest, but I also believe that if you do not like the way things are going then you should have a conversation about it. Instead, this particular teacher was thrown under the bus. I'm really nervous how this all "plays out". The RESA people are going to give a report to our administration and then they will give staff the information in November. I think that this is a good thing for my PDS but I just think they way people went about their concerns was not the most professional. If you aren't happy with something then I believe you should take proper steps in order to make the situation better. Throwing co-workers under the bus isn't the most appropriate way.