If I haven't already mentioned, my students participate in technology challenges every Thursday where they work in groups to complete some sort of challenge. We've done things like create clothing from newspaper, make musical instruments from recycled goods, and create creative faces from soda bottles. The biggest learning intention for these activities is to get students to work together as a team, plan before they begin working, be creative, and use their resources wisely.
Last week we did a challenge where they had to try and build a shelter that would cover 3 people using newspaper, tape, and string. There was some good working going on, but in the end all of the teams really failed to create any sort of structure that would stand up. But we ended up doing some great reflection on what went wrong and what they could have done better so that for their next technology challenge they would be able to use that information to help succeed. And since for the shelter challenge they received such low marks due to the fact they didn't make much of anything, I awarded points for the best reflection on the experience and that helped determine a winner.
But the next week's challenge was where my students really showed a great deal of growth that made me so proud of them! This week they were given the challenge of creating and designing a flower that had the longest stem possible and that had the most creative flower on top. But the stem had to be able to hold up all by itself with no extra supports apart from the resources given to them in the challenge. For this challenge they were given 10 sheets of newspaper, 2m of tape, 6 m of string, and some colored paper. I was so impressed by how well my students worked at this challenge. When I walked around checking to see how well teams were working together, all of them were working as a team! There was really no fighting going on and most teams were having great discussions about how they should complete their flower. There was also a lot of great planning going on about how they should construct their flower and they were being very careful about the materials they were using. In the end, 4 of the 6 groups had a standing structure. One group's flower was very well designed and put together. It was a really great height and stood way longer than the 15 seconds required in judging. But one group kind of just got lucky with their flower standing the 15 seconds. It was by far the tallest of all the flowers, but it really didn't have the support that the second place flower received. But of the other two flowers who stood for the 15 seconds, one group got lucky on their 15 seconds and the other had a really strong structure despite the fact they did run out of tape. There was such so many good things happening within the groups. I was so proud!
After the challenge we did a bit of reflection on what went well, what they learned, and what they could have done better if they were to do this challenge again. My students had so many good things to say! One group had different jobs within their group and another traded off the responsibility of being the team leader. I was so glad that this was our last technology challenge because it really ended on a high. Great work Room 13!
This week is Week 8, so the end of the school year is drawing near. Both the students and the teachers are feeling it. I'm trying to keep my activities fun but also ones that will challenge my students and get them to think. We are doing a geocaching activity on Thursday that I really hope goes well. I think they will really enjoy it as long as I'm properly prepped for it. Lots of prep work this week. Keeping my fingers crossed it goes well.
In terms of travel, the biggest travel adventure I've been on since my last blog has been my trip to Wellington. I have a friend I worked with at camp this summer from Wellington, so we were able to stay with her and she showed us around Wellington which was really nice. I really liked the city. It had a lot of culture which was cool. I would have liked to look around more, but we only had a weekend. My biggest travel adventure I'm looking forward to is Queenstown. It should be really fun. Milford Sound looks absolutely beautiful and I can't wait to experience it for myself.
I can't believe I only have 2 weeks of school left! It feels like I've been here forever, but also that we just got here. It's a little strange. But I really can't wait to go home and see my family and friends and my kindergartners!
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Halfway
I really can't believe that I am halfway through my teaching adventure in New Zealand. I feel like I just got here, but also that I've been here forever.
This past week I had some opportunities to teach all day. Monday my cooperating teacher was out of the room all day so we had a sub. It was really nice to get the opportunity to teach all day and really feel like I was the one in control. The kids couldn't just go to Mr. Maharaj for something. It was all on me. I do feel like I have a handle on the classroom though, which makes me feel really good about my teaching skills. The one thing I struggle with is when students continue to push me to my limit. I don't know the line where I need to impose a consequence such as leaving the room, or even going to the deputy principal's office. I tend to let things slide, but I know I get to make sure that these instances where students need to have a consequence more that a teacher look and verbal reprimand that I actually do something.
I had a great day on Thursday! In the morning block I helped beth with her GPS lesson, where we marked 6 waypoints around the school grounds and then in groups they had to find each of the hidden spots. It was so much fun! I'm going to be doing a similar lesson with my class in a few weeks and I'm really excited. After they have found each station they will have some sort of activity to go with their Communication Unit. It will be a great hands on activity that I'm sure they will really enjoy. Then in the middle block my class had their technology challenge where they had to create 3 musical instruments out of recycled materials and then play them for the class. It was so much fun watching them work in their groups and use teamwork to come up with some really creative stuff! Some of the instruments were just a lot of noise. But we did have some really creative ones that actually produced semi-musical sound. And then in the afternoon, I gave a lesson on video communication where we discussed how we use video communication and whether or not video communication is always better. My kids had some really great points that I hadn't even thought about. We're considering having a debate about it later. Some thinkers I have! So all in all it was a great day at school. It really gave me a reminder about why I love teaching.
I also got to Skype with my kindergarteners back home yesterday. It was so wonderful to see them. I miss them so much. They were so cute. I was welcomed by lots of kids shouting at once things like "We miss you!" "When are you coming back?" "Miss Webster, I love you!" So cute! Each one got a turn to get in front of the camera to say hello. But they had to stand on a chair to do it since the computer was up higher. So I would be talking to one of my students and a few other ones were jumping up and down in the background trying to get in the shot. So I'd just see random arms waving in the background haha.
I also have had two great weekends since the last time I blogged. Last weekend the three of us went to Rotorua which is towards the middle of the North Island. We got in kinda late on Friday night, but then on Saturday morning we went down to Lake Taupo and bungy jumped over the Waikato River! 47 meters up! It was so cool. After that we went down to the lake and then we looked at Huka Falls on the Waikato River. Then we headed back into Rotorua to get ready for the Mitai Brothers show that night which would teach us about the Maori culture. That was really great. I'm glad I got to learn about that since I am in New Zealand and all. And lastly on Sunday we did some shopping around the town where I spent way too much money but I did get a lot of gifts so that is good. And then this weekend, I went on my own personal adventure around Auckland. I went to the Victoria Park Market and did some shopping there, then to an art gallery, then bummed around Albert Park for awhile, then walked around Auckland University, and then headed back to Britomart to make my way back to Swanson. It was just a cool day because I really was able to feel like I was apart of the city.
Well onto a new week. Swanson is getting evaluated this week by the Education Review Office (ERO) so everyone is a little on edge. But it should be a good week regardless.
This past week I had some opportunities to teach all day. Monday my cooperating teacher was out of the room all day so we had a sub. It was really nice to get the opportunity to teach all day and really feel like I was the one in control. The kids couldn't just go to Mr. Maharaj for something. It was all on me. I do feel like I have a handle on the classroom though, which makes me feel really good about my teaching skills. The one thing I struggle with is when students continue to push me to my limit. I don't know the line where I need to impose a consequence such as leaving the room, or even going to the deputy principal's office. I tend to let things slide, but I know I get to make sure that these instances where students need to have a consequence more that a teacher look and verbal reprimand that I actually do something.
I had a great day on Thursday! In the morning block I helped beth with her GPS lesson, where we marked 6 waypoints around the school grounds and then in groups they had to find each of the hidden spots. It was so much fun! I'm going to be doing a similar lesson with my class in a few weeks and I'm really excited. After they have found each station they will have some sort of activity to go with their Communication Unit. It will be a great hands on activity that I'm sure they will really enjoy. Then in the middle block my class had their technology challenge where they had to create 3 musical instruments out of recycled materials and then play them for the class. It was so much fun watching them work in their groups and use teamwork to come up with some really creative stuff! Some of the instruments were just a lot of noise. But we did have some really creative ones that actually produced semi-musical sound. And then in the afternoon, I gave a lesson on video communication where we discussed how we use video communication and whether or not video communication is always better. My kids had some really great points that I hadn't even thought about. We're considering having a debate about it later. Some thinkers I have! So all in all it was a great day at school. It really gave me a reminder about why I love teaching.
I also got to Skype with my kindergarteners back home yesterday. It was so wonderful to see them. I miss them so much. They were so cute. I was welcomed by lots of kids shouting at once things like "We miss you!" "When are you coming back?" "Miss Webster, I love you!" So cute! Each one got a turn to get in front of the camera to say hello. But they had to stand on a chair to do it since the computer was up higher. So I would be talking to one of my students and a few other ones were jumping up and down in the background trying to get in the shot. So I'd just see random arms waving in the background haha.
I also have had two great weekends since the last time I blogged. Last weekend the three of us went to Rotorua which is towards the middle of the North Island. We got in kinda late on Friday night, but then on Saturday morning we went down to Lake Taupo and bungy jumped over the Waikato River! 47 meters up! It was so cool. After that we went down to the lake and then we looked at Huka Falls on the Waikato River. Then we headed back into Rotorua to get ready for the Mitai Brothers show that night which would teach us about the Maori culture. That was really great. I'm glad I got to learn about that since I am in New Zealand and all. And lastly on Sunday we did some shopping around the town where I spent way too much money but I did get a lot of gifts so that is good. And then this weekend, I went on my own personal adventure around Auckland. I went to the Victoria Park Market and did some shopping there, then to an art gallery, then bummed around Albert Park for awhile, then walked around Auckland University, and then headed back to Britomart to make my way back to Swanson. It was just a cool day because I really was able to feel like I was apart of the city.
Well onto a new week. Swanson is getting evaluated this week by the Education Review Office (ERO) so everyone is a little on edge. But it should be a good week regardless.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Assessment, Assessment, Assessment
Since we are here in New Zealand for the end of the school year, I'm seeing quite a bit of assessment of student learning since the teachers are preparing for their end of the year reports. I'm glad that I'm able to see so much of the assessment because I think that is an area which I really haven't seen enough of. Especially in the older grades. Today I administered a STAR test which focused on vocabulary. Many of my students had made great progress throughout the school year which my teacher was quite proud of. Some other students who scored well in the beginning of the year and should have continued to rise, didn't which was upsetting to my cooperating teacher. But all in all, I am really interested in how my students are assessed.
I'm started doing some teaching here and there. I've been doing morning roll and news time, some numeracy, spelling, and starting next week I'll be taking on some guided reading groups which I'm very excited for. I can't say I'm overly fond of this age group. I can really see I'm much more comfortable with younger students and I enjoy it a whole lot more, but I really am learning about my classroom management skills. I really do not like yelling and so I've really taken to the being quiet until the rest of the class realizes they really need to quiet down.
One area that I'm continuing to struggle with is the planning for this age. Give me a lesson and I can get in front of the class and teach it, but ask me to plan out numeracy for the week and I feel lost. Part of it is I don't have a strong understanding of the resources (books, worksheets...) that the teachers here do. Experienced teachers can just whip out a set of worksheets on money like that, while I have to do quite a bit of digging in the resource room before I find what I want. I also don't have a good understanding of pacing for this age. I'm not always sure what they will be able to accomplish in a set amount of time. But that will come in time.
I'm finally starting to feel like a real member of the classroom. My students are really seeing me as their teacher and not someone who is just in there for a few days. That is making me feel a whole lot better and allowing me to enjoy school more.
Some side notes...
Last weekend Kristin, Beth and I traveled to Waiheke Island where we saw a bit of the island, tasted some wine, and did a bit of shopping. It was a nice day even though we were fighting the weather in the morning. Then on Sunday Rachel (my host mom) took Kristin and I to Bethells beach where we bush walked through some hills down to a nice beach where we had a small picnic. The scenery was beautiful. And Rachel, Kristin, and I decided to brave the cold and swim. Let me tell you, it was freezing. And I thought Lake Michigan could be cold! But we had fun. But we definitely appreciated the sun when we were trying to dry off.
This weekend the three of us (along with our host families) are going to Rotorua. We've heard a lot about this place so I hope it lives up to all the hype! I'm particularly excited about the Maori culture night. It will be a lot like a Luau, but for the Maori culture. Should be very interesting. I can't wait to share about this weekend's adventures!
I'm started doing some teaching here and there. I've been doing morning roll and news time, some numeracy, spelling, and starting next week I'll be taking on some guided reading groups which I'm very excited for. I can't say I'm overly fond of this age group. I can really see I'm much more comfortable with younger students and I enjoy it a whole lot more, but I really am learning about my classroom management skills. I really do not like yelling and so I've really taken to the being quiet until the rest of the class realizes they really need to quiet down.
One area that I'm continuing to struggle with is the planning for this age. Give me a lesson and I can get in front of the class and teach it, but ask me to plan out numeracy for the week and I feel lost. Part of it is I don't have a strong understanding of the resources (books, worksheets...) that the teachers here do. Experienced teachers can just whip out a set of worksheets on money like that, while I have to do quite a bit of digging in the resource room before I find what I want. I also don't have a good understanding of pacing for this age. I'm not always sure what they will be able to accomplish in a set amount of time. But that will come in time.
I'm finally starting to feel like a real member of the classroom. My students are really seeing me as their teacher and not someone who is just in there for a few days. That is making me feel a whole lot better and allowing me to enjoy school more.
Some side notes...
Last weekend Kristin, Beth and I traveled to Waiheke Island where we saw a bit of the island, tasted some wine, and did a bit of shopping. It was a nice day even though we were fighting the weather in the morning. Then on Sunday Rachel (my host mom) took Kristin and I to Bethells beach where we bush walked through some hills down to a nice beach where we had a small picnic. The scenery was beautiful. And Rachel, Kristin, and I decided to brave the cold and swim. Let me tell you, it was freezing. And I thought Lake Michigan could be cold! But we had fun. But we definitely appreciated the sun when we were trying to dry off.
This weekend the three of us (along with our host families) are going to Rotorua. We've heard a lot about this place so I hope it lives up to all the hype! I'm particularly excited about the Maori culture night. It will be a lot like a Luau, but for the Maori culture. Should be very interesting. I can't wait to share about this weekend's adventures!
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