Senior Project: The Holiday

1.  Over break, I was not able to do my mentorship however, I did a lesson plan( tried to). I do my mentorship with Ms. De La Peña, who is a 1st grade teacher at Cortez Mathematics Science and Magnet school. Since my mentor does work at a school she was not teaching for two weeks and today because they will not start classes until tomorrow. In my lesson I decided to do it on math.

 

2. I learned how hard it is to create a lesson, even if I just did 1 subject alone. I based my lesson on what Ms. De La Peña told me one day about her students and what they were struggling on. She told me that her students were struggling in math, but how do get more carrots, your partner shares or gives you the "carrots" so you have more than you original had. 

 3. I think I would talk to Mrs. Alvarez or Mrs. Smith who are both 3rd grade teachers at Cortez but years prior were teaching 1st grade for several years. I would probably ask them what they think makes it easier or harder for E.L. students to do good on their district's test? I would also ask them if they believe that the DWA 's have any impact on students who are not and are E.L. students be it negative or positive, as the students take them every 2-4 months.  These 2 teachers have seen the impact of test scores rising and lowering, especially for E.L. students. They will be able to guide me on how practicing for the DWA's can better help or not, those E.L. students. 

December Month Post

So for this month when I went and volunteered to Ms. De La Peña class I noticed that on one of her walls she had the Candy-land theme of snow. Below is the picture of the "snow" themed wall. The kids were being extra nice and not trying to get the color orange or else "Santa" might not bring them presents. Next to the "Snowflake Wall" is the "path" and the Students clips as to how they were behaving in class. If the children got "Reflecting" and "Thinking About it" it meant that they were talking while the teacher was talking, they didn't follow directions or that they were distracting their peers from learning.

November Month Post

So, I have gone and volunteered with Ms. De La Pena and the last time I went before break was Friday. Ms. De La Pena had me doing the children's folders. I would pick their folder in alphabetical order of course, and then organize the contents in the folder in the order that she wanted them. It was all the picture classwork, then all the math classwork, and then all of the spelling test according to the easiest words spelled to the hardest. There are about 30 children in her classroom, so it took me a while.  For right now all that I have been doing in her class is just organizing especially because for the month of December they only have two weeks of school too so, she would rather get ahead in all the "paperwork" for the month of January. So, I will be doing a lot of printing, stapling and stacks of paper so all she would have to do is pass out the worksheets.

Blog #9: EQ

1. I reviewed the rule of three for writing an EQ. 

2. "A.", "B.", and "C." does not meet the criteria for the rule of three for a EQ because  it ask the most important factor. Basically stating to name the most important factor to weight loss, securing a conviction, and the best hairstyle to the client to us. These three questions start with "What is the most important factor in…" , and the phrasing(format) of the questions asks to name one thing not several and identify the best out of those. Theses questions do not provide a stance. Basically for these three questions the person will just be reciting facts to provide a "backbone" to their answer but won't argue why it is the best answer out of others that may seem like a good candidate.  "D."  does meet the requirements for the rule of three it gives the person the basis to say how many ways there are to treat chronic pain and explain them and then conclude as to which this person thinks is the best. It also starts with "How can a …" rather than "What is the…".

3.  Working EQ: What is the best way for an elementary school teacher to run a classroom that will maximize the students' successor the coming academic year?

October Month Post

For this month for my mentorship with Ms. De La Peña, I helped the little kids with mostly their writing.This time about two-three children we on the "Outstanding" that had gotten their little rubber "gum ball" balls. When you're a good student you get a good teacher's comment, but if you are on pink- Parent Contact the teacher writes a bad comment on why you were on pink and what you did that got you there.

When you are on "Outstanding" you manage to get a  little                                                                                                       rubber gum ball ball as you're prize for being a good student.

Blog #8: Research and Working EQ

1. My working EQ as of right now is: what is the best way to teach children in a learning environment for them (the children) to understand/be ready in time for the next year?
2. What is the best way to teach children in a learning environment for them (the children) to understand/be ready in time for the next year?

•  Be able to encourage students to participate in classroom activities that help the children in a fun educated way; by playing certain activities that require children to use their brain while making it as interesting as if it were only a game 
• learn what is the best way to teach this years class by meeting the needs of the class and helping and encouraging students to be active in asking questions 
• Have the children work in groups or pairs in order for the children to be able to express their ideas of a solution to the problem and having feedback given to them by their; they will be able to find a solution suitable to them by working in pairs and groups
• having a "prize" for out-of-the-box thinking awarded to those students and have them explain to their classmates in their how they came to that specific conclusion;not "punishing" in a negative way (comments, or calling out the child )not participating in the class and thinking but encouraging them through positive statements that will boost their self-confidence/ self-esteem 
• having catchy phrase in which to ensure your classes attention and by awarding effective response to those who listen or pay attention
3. The most import source that I have used that has helped me come up with my working EQ is my mentor. My mentor- Ms. De La Peña - has been able to answer questions I have regarding certain things I have researched about. She has been able to verify what is most effective by showing in her classroom what she does, and why she does that. She has helped me come to concrete results on what is the most effective solutions she uses for her classroom. 
4. My mentor is Ms. De La Peña. I volunteer with her at E. Cortez Mathematics and Science Magnet School where I have been her T.A. for about 4 years and helping her organize and setting up the classroom. My EQ focuses more on what is the best way to teach 1st graders, because they are eager to learn and how can you effectively teach all the necessary material to these children in one year.There are many possible answers to this question and I am using my experience to solidify what I believe is the best answers for these questions. 

Blog #7 :Independent Component 1 Approval

1. What I plan to do for the 30 hours needed to complete this component is mostly volunteering and doing other interviews with the staff of Cortez as uses of resources. For the 30 hours I will mostly be working with my mentor, Ms. De La Peña in being her TA. I have had prior experience and as her TA I will make copies and help her create or look for activities for the children to do . As her TA I will also help her, as I already have with activities in entertaining or helping the children with work that she has, doing testing with some of them and doing the regular routine of the class (name of month, pledge of allegiance, day, time tables money count ext.) and much more
2. I plan on showing evidence of completing the 30 hours for this component by taking pictures of the work the children do, and of course asking the teacher and the school if I am allowed to take pictures with the kids. I will use photographs,artwork  ect. that I will do to show the children how they have to do thiers to meet the requirements for this component.
3. Helping and conducting more interviews will help me explore my topic more in-depth by helping me clarify certain points and to change or better improve my EQ. This will help me by also giving me, providing or elaborating on possible answers to my EQ.