I Did It!

Two years and 43 units later, I am on the brink of receiving my credential in elementary education. I have been teaching with an intern certificate, which allowed me to teach as credentialed staff in my own classroom with full salary and benefits. The only requirement was to be enrolled in and successfully complete this program. Once I take two finals, I will be done. My credential will be upgraded to a standard credential, highly qualified. It feels great to have accomplished this. I am going back to school as a middle aged mother of 5, and juggling it all was hard. I did not have a housewife cooking and cleaning for me. So, yes, I think I deserve to be proud of myself. And thankfully my family is doing just fine. They don't seem the worse for wear. If anything, I think I just gave them a great object lesson in doing hard things and not giving up. My husband has always given 200% to help us all, so he didn't have much more to offer. Even so, he squeaked out a little extra, we got more take out, and the house wasn't as clean. Priorities. I learned some things about myself along the way. I was smarter than I thought. I'm going into my finals with a 4.0. I also learned how to use all kinds of technology. I'm still not a crafty creative type of person, but that doesn't mean I don't have good ideas to implement in the classroom to create interesting lessons and keep kids engaged. My classroom isn't Pinterest worthy, but I still take education very seriously and get results with my students. I learned that I am a little competitive. I did not have to learn that I am sensitive. Like all strengths, the flip side can be a weakness. As I go into my third year of teaching, which will hopefully be in a new school and grade level, I will take the lessons I learned with me.

ELL

In my two years teaching public school, I have not had the ELL (English language learners) class. Last year, I had three students who tested out after one year. Both years, I have had several students who are learning English. Almost all of my students are bilingual. This is something I need to keep in mind. Their vocabularies are limited. I like to read aloud to my students, and I will often stop and define new words. We also study vocabulary, which is tied to our weekly readings, in a variety of ways. Each week, we start by defining our words and making a gesture. We focus on 4 words a week. On day 2, they draw a picture of the word. Later in the week, we do word work and use the words in sentences. My language learners are often slower learners, which is totally understandable. They are learning a new language! Because of this, they can get overwhelmed and discouraged. Sometimes I modify their assignments and allow an oral, pictorial, or spoken response instead of a written response. I also demonstrate and show directions, rather than just telling them what I need them to do. It is exciting to see these students grasp both the language and our difficult standards. They know I'm proud of them.

The IEP

Today's topic is the IEP, or individual education plan. Federal law requires schools to meet the needs of all students in the least restrictive environment. In other words, if at all possible, students will be educated in a regular classroom with the added support outlined in their IEP. I have had quite a bit of experience with students who have IEPs. Last year, all the students in my grade level with IEPs were in my class. This was done in order to utilize limited resources for push in support. I also attended IEP meetings and referred others for testing. This year, I do not have any students who have IEPs. I have referred two students for evaluation, however. One was emotionally disturbed. After trying some interventions, his grades went way up. Now he cannot qualify for services because his emotional issues are not affecting his academics. This is a common hurdle. Another student was referred, but after talking to his mom about my concerns, she refused to allow testing. She did not agree with my assessment that he might have a learning disability. She is convinced he is lazy. I will still try some strategies and alert the teacher he will have next year to my concerns. Hopefully his mom will come around if he does need extra help. Last year, I had wonderful relationship with our Sped. teacher. She planned with me and gave me some great new teacher advice. She was a mentor to me. I appreciate having a bit of an easier class this year, but I miss working with her.

Lining Up

Now that I am finishing my second year in the classroom, it is time to reevaluate how everything is working with classroom management. One thing I have learned is that students get comfortable with routines and sometimes need a new incentive in order to perform the desired behavior. Each class is also unique with different strengths and weaknesses. Last year, I used a line up song in order to provide a positive way to line up and review expectations. This year, my students are not responding as well to the song. Many kids are talking instead of singing. Lining up after recess is becoming more and more of a problem. It is time for some new strategies. We now have a mystery walker who can earn a point for the whole class by lining up well. I am also adding a fun new incentive for the class: a guitar jar. I play the guitar, but I have not brought it into the classroom yet. I am going to give students a point in the jar every time they line up well. After 10 points, I will bring in my guitar and play some songs for them. After one day of having a mystery walker, I saw improvement in most of my students. I am excited to see how the guitar jar works. Last year, my students were very excited about me bringing it in. I think this might mix things up just enough to get them excited a about having a straight line.

Emotional Disturbance

Many students suffer from emotional disturbance. A negative experience during infancy can have a detrimental effect on emotional development. Even students who have strong academic abilities often struggle emotionally. As a teacher, I need to make sure the basic needs of my students are met. These include a sense of safety and love. I do my best to set a positive tone in the classroom. Each student is greeted with a smile and a handshake every day. Students who show signs of emotional disturbance are referred for testing. During the referral process, other teachers share strategies. I had a student show huge progress after starting the year with severe struggles. He finally settled down after I put him next to a boy who was a role model. Sitting next to girls didn't help at all. Each student has different needs. Teachers need to keep trying. I know that reaching each child on a psychological level is a very important part of my job. It may be necessary before the child can learn. It will certainly unlock much more confidence and success academically.