April, 2012

April, 2012 Update

April 27  Math League Contest           Teacher Leadership           

I will take our top 33 students tomorrow morning.  They will participate in a 30 minute test.  I will score the papers, and report data to our principal.  This year I will also report our results back to the Math League.  I checked into using the computer lab, but we do not have 33 working computers, and the lab is booked with classes and MAP testing this time of year.  Maybe next year students will be able to test this way, so I don’t have to hand-score each test.

April 26    Math Coaching                  Best Practice, Teacher Leadership, Educational Research

I observed a third grade teacher and his class today.  I saw his students behave much differently than when I was in before.  On the positive side, I feel like I have lots of coaching questions for him this time to help him reflect on his practice.  I also have some suggestions, should he ask for my opinion.  I liked seeing the curriculum in the grade before mine; it informs my practice.

April 26   Whoever You Are, by Mem Fox             Social Justice

I read this book to my students today.   It emphasizes that no matter where we live, what we eat, what language we speak, or the color of our skin, we all laugh, hurt, cry, love, and matter.   It went well with our celebration of a school-wide Read to Feed program.  Our students read 219,161 minutes in March, and collected $7849.12 from their reading.  This supports our OHS Empty Bowls initiative, and will be given to Heifer International. 

April 26   Data Analysis – Math             Best Practice, Teacher Leadership

Fourth graders are currently on Unit 8 in math.  I copy the unit tests so we can preview them at our SOC (Student of Concern) meeting, and also make a data analysis sheet.  We tally student errors, and bring them to the meeting for discussing.  The “laying it all out there” of our professional learning community is not evident yet.  Two of us are on board, and we need to lay a very trusting relationship so others will share.  Then we will be able to learn from each other. 

April 25    Presentation of Research             Teacher Leadership, Best Practice, Educational Research, Learning in Community, Technology in Education

I presented my research to K-5 staff and principals today.  I was nervous, but I’ve grown a lot in confidence in the past two years.  I really believe that if each teacher takes one thing from it, then it was worth it.  In reflecting on my research, I remember how I grappled with the constructivist approach two years ago.  I see how I have changed as a teacher, changed into a leader, and I know it is because I invested myself into this master’s program.  It has been a lot of work, but I have gained new practices and habits that make me a valuable employee and effective teacher.

April 23  HPLL Cart     Technology, Teacher Leadership

I signed up for the video conference entitled “To the Arctic” with photographer Florian Schulz.  I invited another fourth grade class in because they study the Iditarod each year.  We previewed some great photography by going online at http://welcometothearctic.org/multimedia .  We also Googled To The Arctic Imax, and watched a few minutes.  Fifty Imax theaters are currently running this presentation.  Students were struck by the floating ice and watched a polar bear with her two cubs jump from ice chunk to ice chunk. It was great way to remind ourselves to take care of our Earth!

April 19   Math Coaching                 Best Practice

I taught a fifth grade math class for 30 minutes so the teacher could observe in another classroom.  I was happy to see how the fifth graders were using algebraic concepts and seeing patterns with area and perimeter.  It was a good chance to step into another classroom.