Week of Reflection: 10/7

• Rate your overall experience of the week: 5
• Seven questions to end your week:

• • Observe: I finally started EdTPA! I have a plan, and now it's just a matter of writing all out, in as many was as freakin' possible, to answer all of the planning commentaries. Thursday and Friday were so good this week. I had some great teaching opportunities, and also some awesome conversations with my CT's.
  • Reflect: What lessons did my work/experiences teach me that I will build upon next week?
    I learned that middle schoolers are dying to give their input if you just let them. I taught a lesson that gave them opportunities to try their own ideas, and they were eating it up, but were sad when we couldn't try all of their ideas. So I had them tell me their great ideas at the end of class, and there were some good ones.
  • Focus:  How are my short-term efforts and my long-term goals still aligned?
    I working with percussion several times a week, and feel much more confident since I spoke with Dr. Cole about strategies. I'm starting EdTPA finally. These are all part of my long term goal for PDP, helping the students be successful after I leave, and also to graduate.
  • Be Productive: What could I have spent more or less time doing?
    I could have spent more time working on the SIP assignment, and more work on edTPA, but I am getting some things done.
  • Have Courage:  How did apprehension and indecision impact what I did and didn’t do?
    I didn't have too much apprehension this week, at least not anything that I can remember. I guess my vague example would be just the order in which I want to teach a lesson always changes right before class starts or in the middle of the lesson. It's not a bad thing, just an observation.
  • Begin Anew: What is the first logical step(s) for next week? What mental clutter can I clear?
    EdTPA is the main goal this weekend and early next week because I plan to teach staring the end of next week. I will most likely have to dock my practice back to an hour and a half to really focus on what I need to do.

Adapted from: Cernoff, M. (2013, August 7). 7 Questions to End Your Week With. . Retrieved July 21, 2014, from http://www.marcandangel.com/2013/08/08/7-questions-to-end-your-week-with/

• What were some data you analyzed this week and how did it help inform your instructional decisions?
  There are a few 6th graders that are really struggling with consistency, and I've been trying to analyze what's going wrong, but I would guess that they are just not practicing. One of them has braces, and that's really tough when you're first learning an instrument.
• What is one piece of advice you can share with other student teachers?
• Give your students opportunities to try their ideas in the band classroom. It gives them ownership, and usually helps them stay engaged. However, keeping chatter down is challenging. It can be really fun though.

• NC Teacher Candidate Standards (be sure to reference activities from your lesson plans to solidify your answer)
• • Pick an element from standard one of the evaluation tool and explain some activities/strategies you implemented this week to increase your rating for the element.
    1C- Every morning in the Cafetorium that is the 6th Grade band room, I play some hymns and simple melodies for the Cafeteria ladies before the students arrive. Often other teachers stop by to say hello, and thank you. They love it, and I get to met new teachers and staff by playing music that I love.
  • Pick an element from standard two of the evaluation tool and explain some activities/strategies you implemented this week to increase your rating for the element.
    2D- This week one of the specialists came, and talked to me about when would be best to pull a particular student. We are very protective of our time, and had noticed a student was coming late to class, and this was the reason. We decided to have the student leave class early instead of come to class late. It was a cordial conversation on how to best meet our student's needs.
  • Pick an element from standard three of the evaluation tool and explain some activities/strategies you implemented this week to increase your rating for the element.
    3b- I prompted student curiosity this week. I was talking to a baritone player, and he mentioned a few band pieces that had some cool baritone solos. I mentioned the baritone solo in October by Eric Whitacre. He hadn't heard it, so I wrote down the title, composer, and my favorite recording. Hopefully he will look it up this weekend.
  • Pick an element from standard four of the evaluation tool and explain some activities/strategies you implemented this week to increase your rating for the element.
    4E- I've been emphasizing problem solving a lot this week. For example, today a clarinet student in 6th grade was having a problem with their ligature. Rather than just fixing their clarinet, I asked leading questions that enabled the student to solve the problem by herself. It worked, and it was much better for her long term education, to merely help her, help herself.
  • Pick an element from standard five of the evaluation tool and explain some activities/strategies you implemented this week to increase your rating for the element.
    5B- I sought out professional growth this week. My CT let me look at a variety of score this week, and then he taught me a way to analyze a piece by using a dynamic flowchart. This is really helping me grow as a band director, and I think I'm going to use this in my EdTPA lesson as Syntax.
• Other:
• • What components of your portfolio have you started to complete?
    working on edTPA which is in the portfolio, thankfully
  • What support does your clinical educator need from your university supervisor?
    nada
  • What support do you need from your university supervisor?
  • I think I'm good