Week 14! There are only two weeks left! I am excited to finish the student teaching semester but will admit that I will be a little sad when it is over. I have been working very hard and made great connections with the students this semester. It's hard to imagine that my life will go back to what it was like before I started the Trinity program! (At least until the fall!)
This was an unusual week. I taught a regular schedule on Monday and Tuesday, and administered the PSAT exam on Wednesday. I'm used to assessments in orchestra class, but for some reason standardized tests didn't register as assessments. After a full day of testing, they do now! This was a new way for me to experience Standard 7:
"The competent teacher understands and uses appropriate formative and summative assessments for determining student needs, monitoring student progress, measuring student growth, and evaluating student outcomes. The teacher makes decisions driven by data about curricular and instructional effectiveness and adjusts practices to meet the needs of each student."
Our meeting coordinator mentioned that we were not supposed to do any work during the exam, so I spent several hours watching students take a test! Unfortunately I began to feel sick during the test but all is well now and I'm returning to normal.
In terms of teaching, I saw a new intensity from my cooperating teacher. We are team teaching all classes and working together to help prepare students for the final two concerts. She has given me the responsibility of conducting roughly half the concert. In the first hour class (largest orchestra), I'm conducing the only piece. Since this group is so big (70+ students) we have been taking students out in groups of 2-4 for individual and small-group lessons. This was a great idea from my cooperating teacher and excellent representation of standard 8:
"The competent teacher builds and maintains collaborative relationships to foster cognitive, linguistic, physical, and social and emotional development. This teacher works as a team member with professional colleagues, students, parents or guardians, and community members."
We spent the week collaborating to assist students with cognitive and physical development. In such a large class, it is impossible to address the physical performance needs of each student during group rehearsals. By pulling them out of class we were able to help students as private teachers do, and the students made much faster progress! As I private music teacher, I felt very comfortable with this one-on-one or small group setting, and students were able to see me in an even more animated form! They also gained confidence in my teaching because I was playing my violin along with them. Many students had no idea I could play, and I gave them quite a show! I always aim to perform with dignity, so it doesn't appear that I'm showing off. Some teachers do that and it's not tasteful. I just think it's important my students know that I can practice what I preach!
In the week ahead, I'm aiming to learn how to end a school year. My cooperating teacher has a strong bond with many senior students, and we are honoring them at the final concert. She describes this as a highly emotional event, and I'm looking forward to seeing how everyone does! In the end, this group is more than a class. I see that the students have become a family and it is difficult when graduating students leave. I think this will be a fitting event to close my student teaching experience.
Goals for next week:
- Have a great final concert
- Receive edTPA scores and celebrate
- Finish more job applications
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Phil Kleven Week 16
Week 16! The last full week! Although things are winding down for me, my classes are moving full speed ahead. All orchestras are preparing f...
With a few weeks left in your student teaching experiences, I decided to post a general message to all of the student teachers. As you continue to move through the final weeks remember to reflect on your areas of strength to make them stronger. Decide what areas you still need to grow in and make small intentional changes. You have done some amazing work that has made a difference in the learning of students. Continue strong and teach with everything in you for you are blessed to have this opportunity.
ReplyDeleteOnward to the finish line!
Dr. Austin
I'm impressed with the many opportunities you are getting to try out co-teaching strategies and not just the typical of one teach/one assist. You have done team teaching, station teaching, parallel teaching, and most likely some supplemental teaching. You may want to share these experiences with administrators at future job interviews describing how you were able to increase student engagement and meet the needs of more students using these approaches.
ReplyDeleteYou continue to add to building positive relationships with your students in a variety of ways such as playing your violin along side of your students. As you stated above you saw the benefits of this approach.
You are so right that your final concert with the students will be a fitting event. Don't forget to capture some great pictures and/or videos to add to your portfolio.
I'm looking forward to my observation on Thursday, and then getting the email from you later in the day with your fantastic edTPA results posted!