Student Teaching Weekly Logs

Student
Teaching Weekly Log

Week: 8/31- 9/4
Name: Brianna Varela

1. How did you spend your time this week?
This week started off with a celebration of Maria Montessoris birthday, the creator
of the Montessori method. On Monday morning we went for a Peace Walk in her honor
around the neighborhood. Then the students had peace rotations around the school in
which they learned about school rules and expectations in the halls, bathroom, lunchroom
and the playground. The teacher also introduced the students to the life cycle of monarch
butterflies.
On Tuesday, they all took math inventories so that we knew what needed to be
focused on during the year. They were also instructed on how to do book talks. Each
week they will have read a book and do a report on it. They are given a template to follow
and then on Friday they present their book to the class.
On Wednesday, they started their handwriting lessons. In 1st grade they start to
learn cursive so the teacher has assignments every morning for all the students to get them
ready for cursive and to improve their handwriting. I got my first glimpse at Montessori
language and the manipulatives that go along with it. They teacher did a mini lesson on 1st
person POV and had the class write a short story about the life cycle of a butterfly from the
caterpillars point of view. They also learned that stories have a beginning, middle and end.
After school we had a whole school meeting about the Disciplinary Procedures. After that
we had a Lower Elementary level meeting where we planned the details of our field trip
next week and talked about what inventories and tests to give the students.
On Thursday, I worked a lot with individual students during their work time. I
worked with students who had a hard time focusing and those who didnt know how to use
the materials. In the afternoon, 3 of the lower elementary teachers took their classes
outside for a plant presentation by one of the teachers. They talked about how to classify
different plants. They used actual plants as a visual for the students. My teacher also
showed me a grammar booklet that she uses called Editor in Chief. Students are given
sentences and they must fix the errors. It is really neat and only used with the 2nd and 3rd
level students.
On Friday, I did a lot of working with individual students and taught many students
how to use materials. I gave a lesson to two girls on how to do four digits by one digit
multiplication using a manipulative. I did a read aloud of Dont Eat the Teacher. We talked
about how the POV was different and that it was called 3rd person POV. Then at the end I
asked them what the beginning, middle and end was to review the story and what we had
talked about on Wednesday.

2. What responsibilities did you have?

Every day I have recess and carpool duties. I run copies in my free time and take
students to and from their specials and lunch. On Tuesday I was responsible for grading all
the math inventories. I am also the person that answers all questions the students have
when the teacher is busy. I also help the students whenever they have problems with their
individual work. I was responsible for picking my book for Friday and planning the read
aloud. I also do a lot of classroom management, such as getting students to quiet down or
get on task. Finally I was in charge of coming up and implementing an idea for the bulletin
board outside our classroom.

3. What were your most satisfying experiences this week?
My most satisfying experience came when I worked with a boy who has ADHD and is
reading at a level A. He always says that he cant read and that he doesnt want to. So I sat
down with him during their silent reading time. I helped him read through a few A level
books. He was so excited that he asked to keep reading. He ended up reading 8 books that
day when he normally gets through 1 at most. After we finished he told me that I was so
nice and he couldnt wait to read more tomorrow. His confidence went through the roof!
Its moments like this that made me want to get into teaching. Then the next day with the
same boy I taught him how to do a language activity and he had this huge grin. He told me
that he never knew learning could be this fun. This little boy normally spends his day with
his head on his desk or talking with the counselor. Now he is so animated and cant wait to
do his math, language and reading. It is so rewarding to see him take an interest in learning.

4. What were your most challenging experiences this week?
My most challenging moments came when the students were out of control. Our 1st
graders are very talkative and have a hard time staying on task. On both Monday and
Thursday we had a rough day. All the students were yelling and some were running around
the room. We had to take 5 minutes of their recess both days because they wasted so much
of the class time. I really dislike taking recess time from the students but they were given so
many warnings and never made a change. I was so frustrated on these days and so was my
teacher.
Another experience that was challenging for me was a student who has no focus. He
is very smart but cannot get anything done. I sat down with him to help him focus on math
and he got so frustrated that he hit his head and started crying. It was so hard for me to
watch because I know that he can do it. Eventually I got him calmed down enough to finish
his work. It was a very trying experience but one that taught me a lot.

5. What are the plans for the upcoming week?
Next week we will start small group reading lessons. I am planning one for Friday
once I observe how my mentor teaches. I will also finish the bulletin board that I started.
We also have monarch caterpillars in our room that are ready to make their chrysalis and
so the teacher wants to continue to discuss that life cycle.

Student Teaching Weekly Log

Week: 9/8- 9/11

Since Monday was a holiday, we started of the week by introducing how the
students will keep track of their work. They have a weekly log that they must write down
what they do in and each day they must get in math, language, research, and reading. By the
end of the week they must present a book talk or their research. I am not sure that many
students understood how to use their log so they may need another lesson. After that I
taught a lesson on handwriting to the 2nd graders. I introduced the cursive capitol A and
had the students practice it. This is their first time looking at cursive capital letters. I then
helped students with their math and language. I spent time giving students one on one
lessons on how to use certain materials. In the afternoon I did a read aloud of Pete the Cat
and his Groovy Buttons.
On Wednesday, I taught a reading lesson to the 2nd levels while the teacher taught a
math lesson to the 1st levels. The lesson was interrupted by a fire drill so it was hard to
refocus students. I also felt really rushed so next time I need to do less things. I also feel
that I need to review what we did because I am not sure that it sunk in enough. Then I
made locker decorations for the students with their names on it. I also graded the students
notebooks with their individual work in it.
On Thursday, I got to school early for a PLC for the lower elementary teachers and
the Teacher Leadership and Compensation (TLC) Instructional Coach. We went on a field
trip to the Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge all day. We tagged butterflies, learned about
the buffalo and the different animal and plants on the prairie.
On Friday, I taught another reading lesson to the 2nd levels. This one went better and
seemed to be more enjoyable. Students were given a Spelling Inventory from Words their
Way by the teacher and I graded their work. I worked a lot with the students who need
someone to keep them on task. I helped with research, book reports and even gave a mini
math lesson to a 1st level.


Every day I have recess and carpool duties. I run copies in my free time and take
students to and from their specials and lunch. I was in charge of all the reading lessons for
the 2nd graders this week and will be taking over their math next week. I was also
responsible for the white board. Every morning we write the date, weather, temperature
and a survey for the students to take when they walk in. I feel my responsibilities growing
and each day I feel more and more like a teacher.


My most satisfying experience was when I had a student come up and talk with
me during the field trip about another experience he had that was similar. This little boy
has autism and 2 years ago couldnt talk to anyone. He wouldnt look you in the eye and
would walk in circles around the classroom. Mrs. Wolfe-Guess said he was better last year
but still wouldnt look you in the eye and rarely talked. So when he told me an entire story
while glancing up at my face, I was thrilled. He has come so far in the few years that Mrs.
Wolfe-Guess has had him. I was so proud of the progress he made. I was also very excited to
get to teach lessons this week. Overall they went as well as one could hope so I was very
satisfied. I cannot wait to take over all the of the 2nd grades lessons next week.

My most challenging experience was the field trip. The kids were so excited but they
were very rowdy. I never realized how much planning went into the field trip and then how
much classroom management would be needed through out the trip itself. It was a very
long day that left me exhausted. I think field trips are an important part of a students
education because they actually get to experience things instead of reading about it in a
book. I am glad I got to be a part of this trip because it taught me a lot about the
preparation and how important classroom management is. I felt like I was constantly
correcting a students behavior or getting on them for not engaging. In the end the
experience was a good one even if exhausting.

Next week, I will completely take over the 2nd levels instruction as well as the
classroom management. For reading we were learning about the sequence of events so we
will continue to discuss this. I also have a few lessons on multiplication with different tools
planned for next week. On Friday I am planning a readers theatre that connects to our
science lessons about caterpillars.


Week: 9/14 - 9/18

On Monday I was in charge of getting the students started for the day. I gave
them their morning work and made sure that everyone was on task. I then gave a
mini math lesson on addition. I started a student on the Dolch list of high frequency
words and made him note cards of the words he missed. I also did lots of individual
work with the students on research, math and language.
On Tuesday I gave two math lessons on 2 and 3 digit multiplication. I also gave
10 students a high frequency word inventory. I added words to the students note
card booklet. I did two read alouds that worked on prediction and inference. I
helped a student with his research and started checking all the students work at the
end of the day.
On Wednesday, I taught a reading lesson about sequence of events in a story. I
also made math workbooks for each student so that they know what they need to
work on. I helped individual students as needed and finished checking the students
work. I also gave a lesson on alphabetizing to a few first graders.
On Thursday, I introduced the math workbooks to all the students and how they
were to be done. I taught a student how to use one of the Montessori materials. I
gave a spelling practice test to a group of students. I also gave a Words their Way
spelling test to a first level and then graded it. Finally I introduced the readers
theatre to my 2nd levels. I read over the script and then had them practice it one
time.
On Friday, I taught my readers theatre. I gave the 1st levels their spelling tests
and then graded them. I checked students work and worked one on one with
students. I taught a lesson on test tube division. The students also watched a great
video about the life cycle and migration of butterflies.

I was in charge of the morning routine and making sure that the lunch count got
sent. I continued to take the students to and from all of their specials and lunch. I am
also responsible for all 2nd level reading and math lessons. I am also the person that
the students must go to when they have a question and Mrs. Wolfe-Guess is busy. I
was also responsible for picking new books for our level A reader and giving him
words to take home and practice.

My most satisfying experience this week was my readers theatre. This was a
lesson that I came up with all on my own and even created the readers theatre
based on a book. I felt that the lesson went really well and was very proud of my
lesson and the script. I was so excited about the lesson and already cannot wait to
use it again. My mentor teacher was very pleased with my lesson as well and hopes
to use it next year. I felt like I really contributed to the class in a positive way. I was
also excited that one of my nervous readers was able to get up and read his lines.


My most challenging moments were the classroom management issues that we
had this week. On Monday there were a lot of student interruptions and not a lot of
work being done. It was very stressful. We had a lot of issues with one student this
week and had to call a parent meeting. After the meeting her behavior did improve.
Friday afternoon was also very rough. A student with ADD forgot to take his
medication so he had a hard time controlling himself. He was constantly off task and
distracting the other students with his singing and random blurting outbursts. The
first levels were also not on task so much so that my mentor teacher had to send a
few them out of the room for a little while to think about their actions. This was very
stressful and made the rest of the day hard.
Next week I will be taking over spelling and giving the test to all of the students. I
will also be teaching a multiplication Stamp Game lesson to 3 of my 2nd graders who
I have noticed are having some issues with carrying over. This lesson will be a
refresher from last week. I will also start my second graders on making connections
to self, text and the world. I am also introducing alphabetizing because many of the
students dont know how to do that and it is one of their spelling assignments every
week.


Week: 9/21-25

On Monday, I gave a lesson on multiplication to a few students who I noticed
struggling last week. I also gave a lesson on division with one of the Montessori
tools. I checked all the students work and help students with their work.
On Tuesday, I did a read aloud. I also continued to check work and help
individual students. We also had some of our monarch butterflies come out of their
chrysalises so we released them into our butterfly garden.
On Wednesday, I gave the first levels a lesson on alphabetizing words. This
lesson was hard for the students to grasp but they eventually got it. I also continued
to help the students work and check work.
On Thursday, I gave the second level a lesson on making connections while
reading and introduced informational texts. I also checked in with a few students
who I gave the multiplication lesson to make sure they were still on track. I also
gave an alphabetizing lesson to a few more students who needed it. Thursday was
also full of helping individual students and checking their work. I also sat in on a
parent teacher meeting after school about one of the students.
On Friday, I gave a lesson to the third levels about symmetry. I also gave a
mini lesson on synonyms. I continued to check work and work with individual
students who needed help. I also looked over all the students work logs for the
week to see which students were doing what they were supposed to do and which
ones needed to get more work done.

I was once again in charge of most of the classroom. I did the morning
routine and took students to and from specials and lunch. I also did all of the 2nd
level lessons and well as a few of the 1st and 3rd level lessons. Students had to ask me
any of their questions before going to Mrs. Wolfe-Guess. I was in charge of coming
up with what lessons I wanted to get in and of checking off the students work.

My most satisfying experience was seeing some of the students make
progress. I had one student who was behind in math last year and this year he is
excelling in it. I have seen a few students become more comfortable with themselves
and their learning. They really seem to be blooming. I had one student say that they
love learning, especially the research part.

My most challenging moment this week was when a parent called a meeting
with the teacher to talk about her student because she didnt want him behind like
he was last year. She was very pushy and put a lot of blame on the teacher. I was
shocked at how much of a bully she seemed. Her student was getting a lot better in
the classroom and he is excelling in math. He stays on task and focused more and
more. He is still behind grade level in reading but he is less so than last year. His
confidence is improving. It was really shocking to see how pushy this parent was in
her childs education and how much she wanted him to be the best. This is
something I know I will have to deal with in my own classroom and so it was good to
see my teacher handle a difficult parent.

Next week I plan on slowly phasing out of the classroom. I will be teaching a
lesson on contractions. I will also teach a symmetry lesson to the 2nd levels. I will use
the lesson I did with the 3rd levels just differentiated. I will also be doing more
reading lesson with my 2nd levels.

Student Teaching Weekly Logs

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Student

Teaching Weekly Log

Name: Brianna Varela