Feeling for my student teacher

The kids were a bit of a nuisance today, playing up for the student teacher who is currently on 'full control'.  Kind of reminds me of my final practicum which very nearly put me off teaching.  I don't want it to get that bad for him so I'll need to give a bit of a 'motivational speech' to the students tomorrow.

Student Teacher with me for his final Practicum

Just seems like a short time ago that I was a student teacher, now I'm about to have one in my own classroom.  I hope I can pass on some good teaching/learning opportunities for him, and at the same time get a few reminders myself about good teaching practice.

Math

I'm feeling quite good about my math programme this term.  Seems like into my third year I'm beginning to feel a little more consistent in finding the balance between structured progression of teaching and providing opportunities for students to explore maths with some independence.

I've also refocussed this term on the 'pink numeracy books' in combination with the online planning sheets (as well as still liking the new NZCM books by Caxton).  It's been worthwhile looking through my back-up disks from the past two years and finding some resources I'd forgotten about.

Weather topic

Recording students in front of a 'green screen' as weather presenters
may be a bit more work than I imagined - but what a great way to
present their learning. I don't know why I don't sometimes keep
things a little more simple though? Like recording them in front of
the white board with a map and weather icons that they can stick on,
or isobars they can draw. Maybe I'll suggest that (and with some
gentle persuasion promote that as the best option). It is fun setting
up a TV studio in the classroom though :-)

The results will most likely be on youtube in a few weeks at http://youtube.com/room3kps

3rd New Beginning

Welcome, 2009. I'm a fully registered teacher with a permanent teaching position and about to start my third year of teaching.

One good thing about this career is that each new year can be seen as a fresh new start; taking all the good things from last year and adapting them, and taking all the bad things from last year and.. well adapting them.

This 'start-of-year' round I will take a mental note of student behaviours on day one, to assess for possible problem areas.  Normally students are a bit reticent on day one, slowly emerging from their shells as they get to know you.  Last year, they we're a bit too 'loose' with their own conversations during class discussions or teacher directions - this led to a whole year of struggling to have an appropriate environment where all students listened to one another and felt confident enough to take the risk of sharing to all students.  I realise now that if I see a similar 1st day lack of concern for listening to others, I will need to set some very firm routines and protocols in that first term to hopefully allow for a positive environment for sharing, learning, and discussing throughout the rest of the year.

A mixture of team-building fun but also strict expectations on behaviours during independent learning, group work, whole class work (particularly appropriate noise levels in those different situations).