Practicum Love- first week in the classroom

This is so true. Thank you Katie for sharing this. http://katiemalinski.com/2013/12/the-kids-who-need-the-most-love-will-ask-for-it-in-the-most-unloving-ways/

Yay!  I have finally began my practicum.  It feels so good.  I love my mentoring teacher, the students, and the staff. I do not care if there is a licensed teacher in the room with me,  I grab the reigns when I feel I need to and run with them.  One thing that I have learned with my practicum is to just jump in there and do what you know needs to be done.  If you have questions ask them, and follow your mentoring teacher everywhere except for the bathroom (that is just wrong).   I have already spent about 15 minutes in the principles office. No I did not get into trouble,  he invited me into his office while he talked to the 4th grade teachers about students who's parents needed a call from the principle due to students lacking in their work.  It was nice to know that they are wholly welcoming me into their school with open arms.

If you are beginning practicums or student teaching, all I can say is just jump in and go for it.  If you have ideas, express them. If you have questions, ask them. And, most of all, DON'T BE AFRAID TO TAKE CONTROL.  You are there to get a hands on experience in teaching and you will either grab that bull by the horns and run with him, or you will jump off and throw your hands in the air (at which time the kids will run all over you like little bulls).  Don't hesitate, that is when you will begin second guessing yourself.  

I pondered over what I should take to my practicum school for months, and I even resorted to searching the internet.  I could not find anything about what I should take to the practicum with me.  After some intense pondering, I can to the conclusion that I only needed some basic materials.  Here they are:

Pencil
Pen (colored, black, and or red)
Paper- for notes
Time sheet
Identification
Hand Sanitizer
Snack
Ice water
Ibuprofen (taken before entering the school)
And lastly, Your Sanity

Make sure that when you enter that school you have a clear head, and open eyes and ears. Upon entering that school, those kids are your responsibility.

A little piece of advice my instructor gave me is: "If at any point you feel that teaching is not for you then get out".  Don't do something that you regret.  If you second guess teaching, then it may not be for you.  Don't stay in the teaching field and waste space,  get out and let someone else who wants to be there do it.

Absent students paper work

Okay, I have just had a shining epiphany.  First of all I am in love with the idea of student jobs in the classroom.  With that said, my epiphany is...wait for it...wait for it.... Have a student job where the student is responsible for making a bundle of papers and assignments for the absent students.  What do you think about it?  I think its grand.  Here is how I would set it up...

When planning your lesson plans, go on ahead and make enough copies of handouts so that each child gets one and then have two extras.  When the papers are passed around, someone needs to be responsible in making sure the extras are placed where the paper bundler has easy access throughout the day.

 Of the morning when you take roll, let the paper bundler know how many students are absent for that day.  The paper bundler will then be responsible for organizing the papers so that each student absent for the day will have a bundle.  The paper bundler can use a table or even the floor to use paper clips and bundle the days handouts.  They can work on this when they have finished their assignment early or have extra time throughout the day.  At the end of the day, the paper bundler can then nicely and neatly stack the papers and then staple them together.  These paper bundles can then be placed in a area near the door or where ever is convenient for the when the students return.

With this in mind, the paper bundler can also slap a sticky note on each paper that has a due date or any information that needs to be passed to the other student.

Okay, you are wondering what to do with the two extra copies.  Chances are, a student is going to mess up and either loose their paper or its rips.  The student then has immediate access to a extra copy of the days handout.  They do not have to bother you when they need it.  If you want to make 5 extra copies then feel free, or however many you think may be needed.

Does this make sense?  It just takes alot off of you.  For some reason if the paper bundler has not done their job correctly then it will show when the student comes back to class and does not have everything in their paper bundle.

This will also help if you have another student with the job of writing down and putting the days activities in a binder for the week.  The activities can be recorded, then placed in page protectors in a binder where all student can access it throughout the week.  This way the student can go to the binder first to see what they need to do.  Also you can type up a child friendly lesson plan that the students can read and understand.  All of this can be kept in the binder and will be good for when a parent comes to class and asks "what has my child been learning?"

Clear Plastic Shoe Box Storage

As an aspiring teacher, I keep dreaming of the day that I get a phone call saying "Congratulations Mrs. Castle, we would want our team of educators."  EEK!  I just can't wait; however, I kinda have to; because I do not have the powers to speed up time.  What can I do between now and then?  Finish my education, build a game plan, and daydream about what my classroom is going to look like.  So far I have found some organization ideas that I think ROCK.

First and foremost, I can see how every teacher will have a plethra of pencils, pens, erasers, stickers, crayons, markers, paint, calculators, construction paper, and etc.  How do you organize it?  One of the best ways that I have seen this done was actually in a teacher friends classroom.  She had all little stuff like crayons, scissors, rulers and markers in the clear plastic shoe boxes that you can get at the Dollar Tree for $1.  On one end and the lid she had a taken the printable name badges from Avery and printed labels with the word of the objects and a clip art picture of the objects on them.  The boxes were neatly stacked and looked perfectly organized. How cool is that?

(I just found this pic on Pinterest, had a hard time finding the original pin, sorry)

I would be giddy if I walked into my new classroom and it was set up like this, SO COOL!  This is great!  Oh, and look at the "Mirror", it is stainless steel framed and used as a magnetic board for little containers with stuff like paperclips.  Just pop a piece of magnet strip on the back and Rock On!

Now, back to what I was saying.  Using these clear plastic storage bins, everything has a home, stacks, and looks GREAT!  

Using this same set up, cut some card stock to fit into these boxes and use as dividers for things like stickers. Just label the top based on seasons, lessons, holidays, etc.  This way all of the stickers are corralled in one box that you can sit up high and out of reach of the students.

I also like the idea of having an award box.  My idea of a award box is using the above two techniques.  I am not a candy giver-outer as awards simply because I can't afford lots of candy.  So why not make some award tickets?  using the divider techniques, you can make some tickets, print them out, cut them up and box them.  This will come in super handy and the students can have some choice. More on a good award system later.

Also, I have seen where teachers have students bring in a box or two of pencils.  Using these shoe boxes, you can write the students name on the box they brought in and keep the boxes of pencils stored away.  When the student needs another pencil, they can go to their box and get one.  Along with the award system, I have more about pencils for a later date.

Do you get what I am trying to say here?  These clear plastic shoe boxed with lids stack great, provide a organized system that students can easily follow, corral loose tools, and just plain ole store items for later use.  When labeled properly and with clear instructions, these boxes should be a great addition to any classroom.  You can even have a student assigned to make sure that all the items are put back where they belong and the boxes are placed where they belong with the lid on properly.

The uses for these boxes are limitless.

Contact Paper- Yeah Buddy!

I have recently discovered the multi- useable Contact Paper!

How can this stuff be used in the classroom?  Wow, I am just going to start listing them with minimal instructions just to get you started!

• Quick Laminating- use the clear stuff!
• laminate stuff on the students desk like quick references, name tags, abc's etc.
• laminate folders
• cover books- great for paperbacks used in the classroom, makes them a bit more durable
• cubby hole name tags
• and so much more
• cut out designs to stick on the block walls like center lables, math shapes, etc.  Its a cut, peel and stick kinda thing
• use it to cover that nasty and scratched up teacher desk, table, book case, or even the file cabinet.  
• make book marks
• use to cover the front page of the books that the student make
• great for glitter page projects like birthday cards, and etc.  It will contain the glitter!
• Sensory projects like string art-  tape a sheet of contact paper town sticky side up, let students use string to decorate.  If they mess up, they can just peel it off and try again.  Once finished rub on a sheet of paper to cover the sticky side of the contact paper and sting- BOOM!  Instant wall decor!

So many possibilities!  Tons of colors, patterns, and etc. 

End of this year, Looking towards next year

This year is wrapping up to a close.  I have been anticipating the end of this semester.  It has truly marked a new beginning for me.  Once I have been officially accepted into the College of Education,  I will begin my true teaching classes.  This past semester has been a whirlwind to say the least.  I have made many presentations for speech class, fumbled my way through English and American Literature classes, and somehow floated through Geology.  I begin my Reading Literacy class, final math class, and my first of many days in a actual class room watching and assisting a actual teacher at her best.  I look forward to what 2013 bring to me in the form of Learning and Education.  I hope to post alot of my ideas and creations on here along the way in hope that I not only document my ideas for the classroom, but also in hopes that I may help someone else in the teaching field.  Please follow me on Pinterest.  I am constantly checking it and pinning new (and old) ideas for the classroom including organization tools and ideas.  Follow me on Pinterest

Roman Numeral Game

Here is a super easy way for children to learn their Roman Numerals.  Please feel free to print it out.   I had a blast making this.

Organized classroom starts with the papers on the teachers desk

As a substitute, and a student once, one thing that irked me more than any was a cluttered classroom.  I cannot stand to walk into a classroom and not know where the teacher teaches from, or where the students are to turn in their work.  No, I am not saying that the teacher has to have one specific spot that they have to stand in to teach from, or that there is a only one place for papers to be turned in throughout the class, but there needs to be some clearly defined organization in the classroom.

A clearly organized classroom, in my opinion, starts with the teachers desk.  If the teachers desk is well organized, clean, and everything neatly labeled, then the remaining of the room should follow suit easily. 
First thing is first... every paper that will sit on the teachers desk should have a clearly labeled home.  There are tons of paper organizers out on the market that will work.  It all depends if you want wire or plastic, what color you want, or even, you can make your own.  Some organizers let paper lay flat, on their edges, or even at a slant.  You can also choose if you want them to have 2 slots, or more.  After you have found which paper organizer you want to use, then you need to figure out how you are going to label it, or even not label; however be the case, I suggest that the slots on the organizer need to be labeled.  Some organizers come with a place for a label. If there is no place for a label, you can use folders that sit in the slots and the folders, then, have the labels on them.  This is a good choice for those who use the stand-up organizers.  Using the folders  help keep the papers neatly bundled without using paper clips, rubber bands, staples, etc. as they stand up on their ends, while helping prevent curving, rolling, bending, crumpling, etc.

Once you have figured out what files or bundles of paper need sitting on top of your desk, then you can develop a game plan for emptying the folders.  I suggest that you have the following files readily on top of your desk at all times: Planner, Attendance Record, Emergency Plans Folder, Substitute Folder, Office Folder, Urgent Folder, Incoming Mail Folder, and even a Student Notes To and From Home.  Since you do not teach from your desk (or at least you shouldn't)  I would suggest that you have another paper organizer somewhere else in the room readily accessible to all students for the students homework and one for the lesson plans for the week.  I will later blog about those.

Please keep in mind that I am just putting these blogs on here as a way for me to write and share my ideas and findings about things in the classroom.  I am also going to blog along with this information about advertisers.  This will be a form of income for me and my husband as I continue through school.  Feel free to comment, add things, and critique what I say.  I am by no means a educator, however I am learning to be one.  Advice, corrections, and additions will always be welcomed as long as they are presented to me in a respectful, honest form.  Thank you for reading my second blog.