Week 8 Reflections

This past week was very good,I felt that I have made some great connections with my students. They are willing to come to me for help. This past week I was teaching the morning work, reading-action research, alternative math for the fourth grade, math with kindergarten, and sidewalks. This was a great group of kids to work with and I felt that they gain deeper understanding from the lessons. One of the most frustrating things of this week would have to be the students I work with in the afternoon. This would be the kindergarten and sidewalk students. I feel that they just do not care. I am having a hard time motivating the students to participate and listen to the different activities within the lesson.
Last week was the first week of my behavioral plan with the fourth graders, I was afraid that they would not response to the approach I was taking with the students. The students did response to the reward system. I am using the weekly chart to graph their rewards, if the students reach 12 sticks at the end of the week then they will be allowed to complete the computer game. This game is based around the math concepts that they are working on for that week. Many of the students were sad when they got a stick removed, which showed me that the sticks had some meaning. At the end of the week, all students have reached the goal.
This was a great week, and I feel that this upcoming week will be exciting, I look forward to working more with my action research.

When I talked with my mentor teacher, she has given me some great ideas of how to find some of my data as well as how to set up the different assessments. When I was working on the first day of photography I found that I could not allow the students to complete independent work. This became a problem so I am not planning to have seat work such as connecting the dots, or game which my teacher can help me out while I am working with the students one on one. The students will work as a whole groups when we review the words and all of the different activities. I feel that this will be a better plan than trying to work on the activities on a one on one bases.