Monday November 6, 2006; we had an in-service day.  I attended with my two cooperating teachers.  The topic was generational poverty and was presented by a woman who grew up with generational poverty and broke through it to finally get a PhD.  While the topic and presenter were interesting, sitting in the auditorium for about five hours, then a short lunch beak, before sitting there again for another three hours was a little too much sitting.  It was an interesting experience though to talk to my cooperating teachers for an entire day without students.  I got to know them more as individuals. 

            Tuesday November 7, 2006; I taught my students about the decline and fall of Ancient Egypt and the Civilization of the Kush.  This wasn’t a very interactive lesson.  I had the students fill out a guided notes for my Power Point and we had a discussion on the topic.  The last ten minutes of class my students finished up their tombs from the Friday before.  This was a great wrap up lesson.  It was an easy way to tie up the loose ends of the unit and to give the students time to finish their unfinished assignments.

            Wednesday November 8, 2006; Today my students reviewed for their test and I checked for overall understanding.  We played Jeopardy on the Smart Board in groups.  I think that this was a great lesson.  It not only helped my students review prior material that they might have put in the back of their mind, but it also was a cooperative learning experience for them.  My goal in the cooperative learning was that if my students were confused about the material, they would be able to ask me about it.  If they didn't want to ask me about the material, their peers could help them as well.

            Thursday November 9, 2006; Today we had shortened classes.  The time allotment for each class was perfect for my students to take their unit tests.  They were also informed of any missing work that they had.  The reason for shortened classes was a Veterans Day Assembly.  The Veterans Day Assembly was a new experience for me.  Three of my students have a court order that they are to have no communication with each other.  When I looked into the stands at the assembly they were sitting together.  I was nominated to sit between two of them.  I did and after about 5 minutes, I caught two of them passing a notebook back and forth between them.  I confiscated the notebook and was going to just leave it at that but one of them made a big deal about the notebook.  I looked in the book and found a “note” between the two that included profanity and off color choices to write down.  My cooperating teacher was leading the assembly, so she wasn’t there for guidance on what I should do with the notebook.  The Assistant Principal Jim was standing in front of me so I handed the book over to him, due to the nature of the comments it contained.  The assembly went on and at the end Jim called the two students over to the side and had a “meeting” between them and the Principal.  I went back to my class and dismissed the students to go home.  I then consulted with my cooperating teacher on the appropriate action that I should have taken.  She told me the only thing I needed to do is write a statement on a write-up slip and that she would take care of the rest.  So I wrote my statement and she said that it would be taken care of on Monday (tomorrow).

            Friday Bowling Green was off so therefore I was not at Springfield Middle School. 

Week of October 30th...

            On Monday, I started my unit for Social Studies.  The unit started with a day of interactive lecture.  I needed to teach the foundation of Egyptian society before I could teach the topics that I knew the students would like, i.e. pyramids, mummies, and tombs.  The lecture was interactive because I started the lesson with a warm-up activity.  Then the three students I selected on Friday the previous week came up and gave their government speeches.  They all had fun with the speech.  The rest of the students responded and they were able to guess what was happening.  Then the lesson went into an interactive Power Point on Egyptian Government, how it was formed and why.  After the Power Point was over, we discussed the similarities and differences between the Egyptian Government and the United States Government.  We ended class with an interactive book talk and I assigned their homework.  This lesson was actually more than I planned to teach.  I added the book talk to the end of the class because I had time and it is my choice project for EDTL 341.  In my first class, I was nervous and the class didn’t go as well as later classes.  I changed my presentation and the wording of the discussion questions that I asked and the rest of the day went smooth.  I was really happy with the way everything went by the end of day.  My cooperating teacher only had one suggestion for improvement, which was not to be so nervous.

            On Tuesday, the students came in and started on a warm-up, which compared the advanced rights of women in ancient Egypt to those in the United States today.  Then the students split off into randomly assigned social class groups.  In the groups, they had a few tasks.  The first task was that they had five minutes to act out their parts.  This meant that for example, the student assigned to be the Pharaoh made classroom rules for that five minutes and everyone had to follow them.  For the second part of the assignment, the students were put back into their “social class” groups where they came up with a list of important features in that social class, such as the pharaoh made the laws and all the people had to follow them.  Then a representative got up in front of the class and presented their points.  The rest of the students took notes on the presentation.  The students were finally randomly assigned a topic of advancement for their homework.

            On Wednesday, the classes were shortened so I wasn’t able to accomplish as much as I planned to.  The students got into groups and discussed the topics they were assigned for homework.  Then they got up in front of the class and taught their topic to each other.  They were not given any homework or additional assignments and the project took the entire class.

            On Thursday, the class started out with a review of the week.  This included a handout of notes on advancements, which was the topic they discussed yesterday.  I went over this with them as a review.  Then the students built paper pyramids and they had to put two facts on each side in complete sentences making sure that they filled up their sides.  This was an in class assignment but if they didn’t finish it, which most of them didn’t, they took it home for homework.  This lesson was a little chaotic not because I thought that the students would be able to measure and follow the directions without needing too much assistance.  I was wrong and I ended up having to walk them through the steps.  Even with me giving directions up front, I still had to individually help a few of the students one on one. 

            On Friday, the students watched a video clip on tombs while I collected their pyramids.  Then they divided up into pairs and were given a packet of tomb information and a directions sheet.  Then they were shown my example and they were told that they had until the end of class to get done. I really didn’t expect that they would finish but I wanted to give them a deadline that ensured that they didn’t goof around and were working.  Many of the students asked intelligent questions about tombs and were able to get a lot accomplished.  I will give the students a chance to put finishing details on their tombs on Tuesday.  They get Monday off. 

            Overall, I believe that my lessons went well and that the students learned a lot about Egypt.  If I was to teach it in my classroom though I would have spaced the topic out more that way the students would have a chance to interact with the materials more than they did.  Although I was given 8 days and a list of topics to cover, and although the tasks were done and covered faster than I would have liked, the students have learned the topics. 

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That was my official reflection which i personally do agree with but then i also need to add that i found out a little too much about my students.  One is on his second chance school wise.  Which i found out afterhe blew up in my face.  That and 2 of my other kids were arrested for stealing a car, getting drunk under age on Southern Comfort, and having one huge orgy.  Nice huh.   On a fun note i went to the Hockey game Friday night then to Ellee's to watch ALIAS and on saturday i went to a science confrence then to SMS for Showcase (its like an open house), then back to the confrence.  Then home to the Hockey game :).  After that amazing game and win Derrick, Drew, and 2 of Derricks friends, and i went Bowling which was a Hoot.  LOL  I fell over my pants like 3 times.  Alright i better go.  KISSES

The units are DONE now i actually have the time to sit down and update you all.  Let me start with THursday night.  Drew Angie Brian Mark and i went out for Drew's birthday!  So SO SO much fun El Zarpe doing shots then Quarters doin more shots.  Great night!  We are so doing it again after Halloweekends are over!  Umm  well then last friday was a total crack up!  here is the entry from that day:

On the 20^th I was with my Science Cooperating Teacher again.  I switched because my unit starts next Friday for Social Studies.  In Science the students turned in their “Safety Project” which was in the form of a board game.  My cooperating teacher forgot about this at first and had to scrap everything that he planned to do that day.  Instead of notes on the water cycle the students played the games that they made with each other.  They did this in pairs and in the first class there was one student extra so I played his game with him.  The game he invented was never ending! It was funny because every time Mr. Groch came by to see our progress I was in the “hospital” of the game and of course he had to comment.  We switched places half way through the class so I could see the rest of the games.  The students did a great job on them.  They were all very colorful and well thought out.  I could tell they thoroughly enjoyed this assessment.  I met with Mrs. Urso during lunch and went over my unit with her, she liked my ideas and creativity which was a big relief.  Then the last class I played one of the student’s games against Mr. Groch because it was an advanced game, by the end of the game all the students were crowed around the game laughing. I was in tears i was laughing so hard.  Everytime i was given a "question" from the game he phrased it with "if you miss this you are so not student teaching..."  It was so funny, especially when i missed one.  Today was a prime example of why alternative assessment is important. 

Then the weekend came and it was awesome too.  I hung out friday night with Miss Ellee.  We had dinner at Johnny Rockets then we picked up "Click" and we watched it at her apt. and had HUGE drinks.  By the end of the movie i was exhausted though.  So she walked me 1/2 way home and like 2 mins later this strange weird guy out of no where came up and gave me this huge bear hug then grabbed my ass (which fyi hurt like really bad). So i went home freaked out a bit especially because i conclude he was NOT drunk!  Weird huh.  Well Saturday was spent doing unit plans until going to ScreamAcres with Courtney and Pam!  It was 10$ but the 1 1/2 hour line wait was worth the money!  We had so much fun just waiting in line!  Then we went through the cornmaze/hauntedness part which was SO COOL and great with the exception of 2 tag-a-longs that we had who were total drags!  Then we drove back to BG and decided to watch a horribly gross movie Cabin Fever.  It was good JUST GROSS!  By the time that was over it was like late so i went home (and no ass grabbers in sight).  Sunday i finished most of my unit then went to the Murder Mystery party where i was the "Slutty Maid" lol great time i started with no money then i ended up with the most cause i made everyone think i had a ton of info (which i did compared to others) ...  FUNNY  Jessica B was so funny when she found out my character was f*in her hubby (the dead guy) lol she just shouts "You Whore" So loud it had me laughing so freakin hard.  Well that was over and i went back to unit planning.  Monday Unit 1 was due no problems there all done and in.  Then Sorgs boring class then lunch with Juliana and finally 340.  Then i worked a little more on my unit until chapter where everyone was so great and helped me put fortune tellers together for my student's review game! :)  Which meant i finished and was able to sleep!  Well i went to sleep after a little post chapter bar session with Angie, Brian Drew and Pam.  That was great!  Tuesday nothing much just unit turning in and a lot of housework because i neglected it for so long.  Wednesday i got ill!  Really bad,  So nothing but classes then a ton of sleep!  Which leads me to today.  I am feelin better and am so bored.  O well i guess i will figure something out!  KISSES!

Friday October 13: I was with my Science Cooperating Teacher.  In class the students took their unit exam.  In the first period class there was one student who needed their test read to them, so I did that in the hallway for him.  In the second class I observed the students and answered any questions they had.  In the third class they were not at the test stage.  In this class they finished up a lab.  The lab organization did not go well.  Students were waiting for other students to finish and while they were doing that they were getting loud and a little out of control.  My cooperating teacher was getting annoyed so I helped keep the most troublesome group in control.  When our lunch period arrived, my cooperating teacher and I stayed in the classroom and had some of the students from the testing periods join us.  They ate their lunch and we read tests to some of the IEP students.  During the final core class of the day, I read the test to two students.  I also got to talk to my cooperating teacher today about my Unit Plan.  He approves of my block plan and believes that I can accomplish all that I stated. 

Friday Night:  Hockey Game!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! IT rocked a great end to the day!

Saturday:  I finished 8 lesson plans and went to the game, we won YAY 24-21 it was a social so i had a great time with everyone!  After game was dinner and a few drinks before going back to my place to watch a movie :)

Sunday: Fundraiser at Cedar Point :/  It wasn't bad or anything it was just long and boring tearing apart beds, picking up room trash and towels.  People are SLOBS!!  Now i am going to relax and watch a movie.. I am giving myself the night off!