Emily Meyer December 7th, 2011 Secondary Reflective Journal Journal Entry 1: Summary: Observe your classroom closely

this week to see if your teacher creates an equitable and safe learning environment for all students. Do you notice difference in expectations, communication, response, etc. for different abilities, sexes, races, or other groups? What does your mentor do to ensure equity among all students in the classroom? Do you see equal participation among all students? Do you see the teacher interacting with all students? How would you describe the classroom environment? (250 words) This was on of the first things that I noticed in Ms. Olsons classroom. In every class, she is 100% aware of her students needs (which is pretty impressive given she has about 100 students). At Hiatt, the special education classes are full. Although there might be students that could definitely benefit from a smaller class size and more individual attention- this just isnt possible at this time. For this reason, Ms. Olson is incredibly attentive to her students that might be English Language Learners, have a hearing disability, or behavioral disorder. She always prepares the interpreters that sign for her deaf students. She pays close attention to those students in her classroom with BD. In one class in particular I worked with an ESL student one on one. In a later conversation, Ms. Olson mentioned that this particular student knew the material, he just need help from the transition of thought to writing something on a piece of paper. The one thing that that is most commendable about Ms. Olson, however, is her ability to find that line between assisting students with their needs- but not lowering her expectations. This gives the students a sense of responsibility- and even more importantly, it makes them feel like someone believes in them. Ms. Olson doesnt play games with her students- and she is one of the more strict mentors I have had. However, by doing so, she creates a classroom of consistency and a place where students know what to expect. In addition to all these things, Ms. Olsons room is tidy, there is almost always classical music playing quietly in the background, and she greets every student by name that walks through her door. These things seem minuscule- but they make all the difference in an urban setting.

Reflection: What has been your experience in classrooms throughout your academic life? What specifically can you do to help achieve not only equality but equity for all students in your classroom. How will your classroom environment invite all students to participate in the learning process? (250 words) When growing up, I attended school in a very small school district in Northern Illinois. The community is extremely conservative as the majority of the town was made up of white middle class small business owners or farmers. Due to this background, I wasnt exposed to much before I came to Des Moines. Something that I have noticed in every classroom that I have been in (both urban and suburban) is the importance of respecting one anothers differences. As a teacher, this is so important- because essentially we set the example for our students. When growing up, I can remember biases made towards boys in our class- or specific families that were prominent in my little town. In this sense, I believe that equality leads to equity. By creating a sense of fairness, not only in privileges, but in expectations we give to our students, we are allowing them to take ownership over their own learning. In a classroom that does not provide this equality- equity more than likely will not be discovered by students, and certainly it will not be encouraged. In my own classroom, I hope to take an approach very similarly to Ms. Olson. Like I said above, she does such a fabulous job of measuring what her students need from her, but also what she needs to expect from her students. I hope to create this kind of atmosphere by keeping a consistent and fair basis in my classroom. I also want to create a kind of safe haven for students that might need it. All students will be given opportunity to actively participate whether that be through one on one communication with myself or through interaction with students.

Journal Entry 2: Summary: Your response entered for this forum will outline your mentor's thoughts about and activities toward long-term planning. Some questions from which you might begin your discussion follow. Has the teacher or district done curriculum mapping? How has the Iowa Core Curriculum been integrated into the curriculum? (200-250 words) During the first couple of times I met with Ms. Olson, her and I had many discussions about the Iowa Core and Hiatts alignment to these standards. Ms. Olson did sit on a curriculum mapping committee last summer. She was kind enough to send the unit plans that this committee created for my own personal reference. Ms. Olson was a big advocate of aligning the standards with the rest of the schools in the districtas this makes it incredibly easy for a student that might have to move from one school to another. However, there were multiple times over the semester that Ms. Olson expressed her frustration with the benchmark tests. I have seen these tests myself and in combination of them not covering the standards that the unit covers- they are also poorly formatted and incredibly daunting to middle school students. This seems to be a pretty big glitch in the curriculum as this is how progress is monitored. One thing that I really liked in the classroom at Hiatt was the progress monitoring that the students did themselves. After a pretest they would graph their score, they would graph their progress on the standards during other assessments, and finally they would graph their final scores. This would give the students a clear visual of their progress which is just more motivation for them to do the best they can. Reflection: How does the information you outlined above relate to your thinking about planning and design? How might you use this information in your future classroom? (200-250 words)
Respond to this prompt on the next page as you examine, analyze, apply what you have seen and learned, and reflect how you would use this knowledge in the future.

Well, the issue with benchmark testing is a pretty common issue. It is constantly the struggle of teaching to the test (which is okay, if it is a good test) and teaching to standards. In this case, because the benchmark and standards dont align- Ms. Olson is caught in a difficult situation. In this situation in my own classroom, I would hope it would be in my capability to align the test more properly. Something that I definitely want to maintain in my own classroom is requiring my students to graph their progress within a unit. Most of the teachers at Hiatt have these progress monitors hanging on their walls. It is a constant reminder that these goals are important. It is also a form of confidence for students to have their work hanging on the walls. There arent names on these charts- but the students can see their progress as an entire class by having them on the wall. As far as the Iowa Core goes, I am a big fan of the standards listed specifically in 6th grade. I have spent a lot of time reading these as I am in a 6 th grade classroom at Hiattand I am also writing my unit for 6th grade. Aligning these standards to the learning objectives in my classroom will be my biggest goal as a teacher. I think style, teaching tactics, and the actual lessons certainly can and should vary from teacher to teacher. However, these standards are created so that our students are given the same education across the board. This is a right that our students have- no matter where they live or what their backgrounds are. As a teacher, I want to use Ms. Olsons success in participating in curriculum planning and revolving her entire classroom around Iowa Standards.

Journal Entry 3 Summary: Observe and interview your mentor teacher on the central aspect of curriculum and instruction. What strategies, models, or teaching techniques are used. How does your mentor teacher use questioning strategies and class discussion. What feedback do students receive during discussion and on assignments? What materials are used to support student learning? (200-250 words) Ms. Olson and I discussed different teaching methods many times throughout my time with her. She uses the gradual release of responsibility for the majority lessons within the classroom. She never lectures at the students for more than 15 minutes without breaking it up with an activity. In middle school, keeping students engaged is often the biggest hurdle to tackle. Ms. Olson does this successfully by keeping her students moving around the classroom. She also opens each class with a journal entry that will associate with the lesson of that particular day. The students are often asked to share out and discuss their entry with one another or the entire class. As far as feedback goes, Ms. Olson spends a lot of time grading and making sure that each student receives an adequate amount of feedback on any assignment (as seen necessary). Additionally, there were multiple occasions that I saw Ms. Olson take a student aside in the hall or before/after class when she needed to discuss something with them. Sometimes these conversations were about academic related issues- but sometimes she was just concerned about a student for other reasons. Whatever way in which she contacted her students- whether it be a comment on a paper or face to face- she made the students comfort come first. Reflection: When you think about what you want to do as a teacher, how will you vary your instruction to meet each students learning needs? What teaching and learning practices will you incorporate? (200-250 words) As a teacher, it will be my goal to establish a comfortable relationship with my students. This way, in the event that they did need assistance or help with something they would feel comfortable in approaching me. However, that being said, it is also going to be my goal to know my students well enough to support them with modeling and instruction that will meet their needs. Currently, I work at ChildServe- a non-profit for children with special health care needs. I spend the majority of my time at this job assessing how I can be the best mentor, friend, and teacher to these kids that have very specific health issues. Ive had a lot of experience in accommodating different strategies to meet the goals of my kids. In this sense, I can honestly say, that KNOWING the student is going to be the best way for me to create this kind of success within my classroom. It will be important for me to understand different strategies, models, and learning methods so that I may apply what is best for my students- however, it really comes down to knowing your student on an individual level.

Journal 4: Assessment that Guides Instruction Summary: Now that you have been with this teacher for a few weeks, start looking for data-driven decision-making. What information does your mentor teacher use to make instructional and management decisions. What does your teacher know about each student as a person as well as a learner? If students arent successful, what does the teacher do to adjust or accommodate? What does the teacher do if students already know the material or are progressing faster that the rest of the class? How is standardized test data discussed and used by the team/department or building? (250 words) Something that I really found fascinating about Hiatt was the use of teams and department meetings. Every single day, the 6th grade teachers (that make up two teams of students) get together and have a specific discussion on student concerns. During this time, the vice principal comes in to discuss these concerns and issues with the teachers. This is also a time where it is discussed if special education or general education placements need to be altered. The decisions made about students are certainly never taken lightly- each teacher gives their relationship with the student, parents are usually contacted, and the vice principal gives his opinion as well. Ms. Olson and I talked about the how helpful these meetings are in situations where it is unclear why a student is struggling. As I stated in previous journal entry, sometimes it takes just an alteration of process within the lesson. For example, there have been numerous times when I have worked with students one on one within this classroom- not because they dont understand the material- but because they have issues concentrating on what needs to be accomplished. These minor alterations (that Ms. Olson makes frequently) allow students to find success that they might otherwise not have found. In Ms. Olsons class, if students are progressing at rapidly different speeds, she splits up the class into two sections. Fortunately for her, she has the help of a retired teacher in her classroom on a daily basis. Due to this, she is able to split the class up (and she does quite often) to allow them to work at their different speeds. These are not set groups. They are determined by the progress a student is making within a specific standard.

Reflection: In the current climate of accountability, what performance data will you be collecting and reporting? How will you use formative assessment to guide your lesson planning? What information will you collect regarding student needs and interests to engage each learner? (250 words) This is such a scary time to be a teacher. We are continuously ridiculed and judged by state standards that are often inaccurate and unfair. However, on this same token, I whole-heartedly believe that teachers need to be held accountable. In every other job market, this is required of an employee. If they arent doing a good job, something needs to be done. Now, I realize that this is a touchy and extremely subjective issue we are talking about here. However, that is where performance data comes in. I know I have mentioned this in my journal before, but graphing student progress is something that just seems so helpful to me. I wonder how I possibly went through 12 years of school without doing this myself. It gives teachers and students a sense of accountabilityand it is obviously helpful for the teacher in monitoring progress as well. Additionally, I want to make sure that I am staying on top of the information and data that is current within my area of curriculum. Weve talked in methods about how much the public school system has changed in the past few decades. This ties in with one of my biggest beliefs as a teacher: I will never be done learning. It will be so incredibly important to keep up to date with new data, technology, and teaching methods in order to reach my students most successfully. As far as formative assessment goes this is something I truly believe in. If learning is never done, then I want to avoid making my class seem like means to an end. Sometimes, I think this is what final papers, tests, and projects do. They allow us to throw up all of our

information and forget it during the next semester/unit/class. This is why utilizing formative assessment is essential. It helps perpetuate the idea that learning is a process- it doesnt necessarily have an end.