New Teacher Gift!

One of the subs that I have worked with this semester gave me a great new teacher gift! I am so excited to use everything she gave me and look through the folders.

Here is what I found in my bag.

The green gift is a pocket chair bag. 

The other bag is a great bag to take out to recess. 

Inside the pocket chair bag:

1 clipboard with mini popsicle sticks to put names on and a dismissal list template. 

1 packet of subject labels.

2 folders: 1 of the folder is a sub folder that gives me ideas to leave for a sub. The other folder has many different ideas and printables for me to use. 

The Recess bag:

1 mini clipboard for nurse slips and a pen

1 packet of Wet Ones

1 packet of tissues 

1 whistle 

1 key chain 

Full Teach done

I know it has been a while since I updated. Full teach went by way to fast and I was so busy I forgot about my blog. Everything went pretty well.

My last observation went really well. I did three engaging stations on balances that the students really enjoyed. For the first station I found a great website that had an an interactive balance on it. The students were very entertained while finding the different combinations to make the balance equal. The next station was making a Matter Marzano's. The students drew a Marzano's on matter and were able to quietly talk with their group members. The final station was where the students were able to use a real balance and find the measurements of different items using gram stackers.

Full Teach

I am so excited and nervous all at the same time! I begin my full teach on Monday. My students are listening to me so much more than they did before. My star student behavior chart seems to really be helping. I had one little girl yesterday ask me why she didn't get any stickers and I had to explain to her that I was only at the school for the end of the day and all we were doing was taking tests. I can't give everyone a sticker for not talking when they all know not to talk during tests. She understood and was ok with it.

Yesterday morning I went to the Dinah Zike workshop. She is the lady that invented foldables. It was the best workshop I have ever been to. I bought a book that I am really excited to be able to use as a resource. I hopefully will buy all of her books and will try and use foldables in each subject. I think they really help students learn because they are kinesthetic. They are great for all students at all ages from pre-k all the way through college.

Wish me luck next week!

Crazy Week

My CT was out most of the week and so I took over and taught most of the day. I did feel bad and would let the sub do parts of the lessons he was supposed to do. I learned a lot about teaching full day and having complete control of the class. The students really tested me on Thursday but I think I passed the test and they will hopefully behave for me on Tuesday. I will have a sub again on Tuesday and hopefully have my CT back on Wednesday.

On Thursday I had to keep 12 out of 21 students inside during recess. I hate taking recess away but I warned them. I told them if they do not line up correctly and quietly or come to the carpet correctly and quietly they would be staying in for recess and practice these two tasks. I think they didn't believe me and so they talked and lined up incorrectly or came to the carpet incorrectly. They learned I was not playing and that I meant what I said. I was very proud of a few of my students. One of the boys in my class when I told him thank you for lining up correctly he replied by telling me he did talk. Because he did this I only kept him in for a few minutes. I told him thank you for being honest with me and sent him outside. I was very proud of one of the girls. She usually talks but when I told her I was taking away recess she crossed her arms and glued her mouth shut. I told her I was very proud of her.

Friday we had a workshop by Grace Dearborn on Classroom Management. I learned a lot from it and want to buy her book. She had a lot of great ideas that I would like to implement in my classroom right away. I will not be able to do all of them but I will start with a few next week.

I hope next week goes much smoother than this week was!

First Observation

Yesterday I had my first observation from my supervisor. I told the students in my class that my teacher was coming to watch me and that they all needed to behave and listen to me. They were terrible for me! The good thing about this was that my supervisor was able to see that I can redirect the students. After the second redirection the students were finally ready to learn. By this time we had to line up to go to lunch and the lesson was over. I was really surprised by my grade when I got it. I got an 86! My CT (cooperating teacher) gave me a 90 when she observed me. The students were much more behaved during this lesson.


I am so happy that my first observation is over!

Week 1 of Teaching

Last week was my first week teaching every day. I enjoyed being able to teach each day. This is so much different than what I have experienced in the past (usually only 3-6 lessons per semester).  I think it will take a few weeks to have the students get used to having me teach them. I only had a few classroom management issues but was able to fix them and get the students back on track. I think I will learn a lot about classroom management this semester. This is not because the students are bad but because my CT (cooperating teacher) is really good at classroom management. I have already learned a lot from her. 


I look forward to teaching my students with my very exciting lessons I have planned for next week. I will post my Will the Real Punctuation Mark Please Stand Up? lesson after I do it. I am going to ask my CT to take pictures for me. 

Letter to Parents

Yesterday I sent home a letter to the parents letting them know I will be in the class and introducing myself. I included a picture of myself as well.

Dear Parents,

    My name is Elizabeth Matthews, and I am an Early Childhood to Sixth Grade Education major at UTSA. This semester I will be the student teacher in your child’s class. Being at the school everyday will give me the opportunity to gain experience in the classroom.

    Through out the semester, I will be working closely with Mrs. Sandoval to plan and teach lessons that she will be overseeing. I will start by teaching one subject at the beginning and by the end of the semester I will teach the full day.

    Growing up in Houston, Texas with a mother who is a pre-kindergarten and science teacher gave me the passion to become a teacher. Before beginning at UTSA, I was a teacher in the two-year-old classroom as well as a nanny. Another thing I am passionate about is football! Each weekend you can find me watching or attending UT Longhorn or Houston Texans games.

During my free time, I enjoy spending time with my friends and family.    

    If you have any questions you may contact Mrs. Sandoval or me at tjf935@my.utsa.edu. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to work with your child.

Sincerely,

Miss Matthews