Journals pdf

March 12, 2013

2:15 - 3:15 PM

! Today was my first day doing my senior project hours. I spent an hour with the students and my mentor. I am working with my mentor who teaches third grade. I was kinda nervous about how the kids would react to me and how they would behave. I was pleasantly surprised. They seemed to love me right away. I sat with them in the Library while they turned in their books and checked out new ones. After they did that they separated into smaller groups for silent reading. I decided it was a great chance to go around and ask them some questions. So with the teachers permission, I did just that. I found out that they remembered on of the interns from the previous semester, Kelsey. When I told the students that I knew her they all got very excited and asked me to tell her hello. They were very curious about life in high school. They asked me all kinds of questions about my school life. They also wondered if I knew any of their older siblings. I took a lot of pictures and they were all to eager to volunteer for them. Soon the teacher called for them to regroup with her and they sat and went over a worksheet they had done the last time they had been there. The worksheet taught them that they can get the same useful information form several different internet resources. The bell rang at about 3:00 and my mentor came and got the students. We went to her classroom and the students quickly put everything away

Taylor Dyches Friday, May 3, 2013 8:06:04 AM ET 04:0c:ce:d7:7b:14

and packed up. They separated into two groups. Car riders and buss riders. My mentor took the car riders out and another teacher took the bus riders to the gym. As I left I found myself really looking forward to the next visit.

March 15, 2013

2:15 to 3 PM

! Today I spent 45 minutes with my mentor getting ideas for my final product. I chose today to do this because the students have gym class. I never liked gym when I was in school. I was so happy when I founded out that you only had to have one year of gym in high school. My mentor and I decided that creating a lesson plan would be the best choice. My mentor said that around the time I will be presenting my senior project, the students will be learning a little basic anatomy. Bones, muscles, cartilage, things of that nature. She helped me find some ideas online. With that I created a vocabulary list and a basic outline of how I want to teach the lesson. I also found a really cool project idea that I may create a rendition of. This lesson plan is for one week so its kind of big. I am still not sure how you put a lesson plan together. How would you present it to a panel of judges. I asked my mentor and she wasnʼt very clear. I think I will ask my English teacher. Should be fun though. I have never done anything like this. I even found a neat little project online that I might try


a rendition of. I had to leave early today because do to prior plans so I did not get to spend any time with the students. I am really enjoying doing my hours. They are my favorite part of the senior project process so far.March 18, 2013

2:15 - 3 :15 PM

! Today I went to my senior project hours and spent an hour there. The students had art class today. When I came in the art teacher was talking to the students about an idea she had. She said that when they have free time after they finish a project or a worksheet they either sit there or talk. She had come up with the idea of putting a small five minute art lesson or game in angel everyday. I think this is a great idea so that the kids stay busy but are also learning something for art class. She began saying that it would involve things like comic life and paint. When asked what they thought of the idea the kids seemed quite excited. After that little class discussion the teacher handed out an art project they had been working on the last time the students had been there. I went around and asked the students what the art project was. They told me that they were using geographical shapes and fractions of those shapes to create two animals and then they had to glue them down on some paper. After that they had to create a background to go with it. It was really interesting. Some of them did an ocean theme. Some of them did a woodland theme. Some even did some gory stuff like a cat


eating a fish and a dog eating a cat. While they were working on their projects I went around and took some more pictures. I thought this was a very neat project idea and I learned a new way for kids to learn about fractions of shapes.

March 19, 2013

2:15 - 3:45PM

! Today I met with my mentor and spent an hour an a half with the students and her. When I arrived at the school that I was doing my senior project hours, they were in the middle of a fire drill. I believe this was a bit educational for me because I was able to see how the teacher kept the students calm and in order while they were waiting for the fire drill to be over. Once it was over I followed the students to the library. The students seemed happy to see me and I even got a few hugs from some of them. Once settled in the library, the students began to check out, return, or renew their books. Then they split up into smaller groups and began silent reading. While the students read I walked around and snapped a few pictures of them. They asked me more questions about what high school was like. They asked me how much homework I had everyday. They asked how heavy my book bag was. Around 3 the bell rang and my mentor came and got the students. We went back to her classroom and the students


packed up and went home. I stayed about thirty minutes longer to talk to my mentor some more about my final product and began putting a few things in order. I now have a vocabulary list and a more in depth outline of what I want to do. So far things seem to be coming along very well.

March 20, 2013

2:15 - 3:15 PM

! Today I was able to log another senior project hour. I went to the school and discovered that they had a new sign in process. Instead of just signing your name on a piece of paper with the time you entered an left on it, they now do it electronically. You type in your name in one box, then in another you state your reason for being there, and in the last box you put the teacher you are visiting. It also takes your picture. A sticker is then printed out with this information on it. I think this is a really cool thing. It is also much safer. No one can pretend to be anyone else because the visitor passes now have a picture of the person on it. After I had that little discovery I met with my mentor and followed her as she took the students to their computer class. The kids were once again happy to see me and gave me lots of hugs. In the computer class the students had a free day. They could either play games or


they could create a keynote. Naturally most of them were on cool math playing video games. There were however, a few that decided to do the keynote. One student did hers on her and Miss. Kelsey, she was the student intern from last semester. Another student did his on Pokemon. He was very shocked when I told him that Pokemon started playing when I was his age if not younger. Another student did hers on butterflies. It is neat how much they know their way around keynote at this grade level. I believe it is because they have had the laptops a lot longer than my class has. When it comes time for their senior project I bet their keynotes will be really good. At 3 pm the bell rang and the students went back to the class and packed up and went home. I left right after that.

March 21, 2013

2:15 - 2:45 PM

Today I only spent 30 minutes with my mentor because I wasnʼt feeling very well. When I got there the students were about to go to the library. She decided to have me walk them because it was something I had not done yet. She said it would be harder than I thought. Surprisingly it was. I had to keep them quiet, keep them from arguing with each other, and make sure no one fell behind. When I got back from taking the students to the library, my mentor and I sat in her room and she had me grade some papers.


We had a small laugh because when I saw that it was math homework I made the comment that math was not my forte. While grading the papers I discovered something. When students get a question wrong, most of the students who get that question wrong have the same answer and did it the same way. I thought that was kind of interesting. I pointed this out to my mentor and she said that was how it usually was. The students got confused and did something the wrong way. She said she would have to pull them aside an reteach it to them. After I was finished grading the papers she had me put them in the childrenʼs “mailboxes”. It is a large cut out wooden square with numbered slots in it. Each student is assigned a number and that is how she hands back papers and any important announcements. I thought that was really neat and efficient. I started to not feel very well so I left at 2:45pm.

March 22, 2013

1:15 - 3:15 PM

! Today I was able to meet with my mentor for two hours. This was possible because the senior class met in the gym during fourth block to take some group pictures. They dismissed us from there and I decided it was a great opportunity to get some hours in. When I got there my mentor was surprised to see me so early. When I


explained what happened to her she said she had plenty for me to do. She set me to work grading a math test the students had taken the previous day. After I had finished that and told her I had finished, she asked me to go to the students individually and help them understand what they had done wrong and help them correct it. So I did. For the most part they were very simple and easy to fix mistakes. Setting up a problem wrong, adding or subtracting wrong, or just leaving something out. Others needed a little more help. I had to completely reteach it to a few of them. This actual teaching was new for me. I found that I enjoyed doing it. It was rewarding to me when they understood it. after that the students split up and some went to another room with another teacher for some one on one help. During this time my mentor had the students clean out their desks and asked me to do it for the ones that had left. They were quite a mess. Iʼm a bit of a neat freak so I donʼt think those children will ever see their desks that neat again. Around 2 pm the other students returned from their one on one time and the class began getting ready to go to their enhancement class of the day. Today it was music. After the students lined up and were quiet we walked over to the class. I decided to stay with the students and see what it was like. In hindsight it was a great choice because I got to see them play violin. They have a concert for their parents in a week or two. The children seem very excited about it. They began learning a new song today. Hot cross buns. The students picked it up quickly. They are only using their fingers and plucking the


strings. I do not think they will be using the bows for the concert. After class was over my mentor picked up the students and we headed back to her room. She said she had plans right after school so she signed my project log and I left. I think going early today was a great idea. I got to see and do a lot more than I do when I get there at 2:15.

March 27, 2013 2:15 - 3:15PM

! Today I went to the school my mentor teaches at and logged another hour for my senior project hours. The kids have had their EOQʼs all week so they have a free day today in computer class. They are all on cool math playing games and some of them are playing group games. I went around to each of them and practiced memorizing their names. So far its not going very well. I have a hard time memorizing things so this is a challenge for me. It is a fun one though. They try to give me hints and play games with me pretending to be each other. It is a lot of fun. By the end of the class I was able to figure out all their names. They are Makenna, Charles, Brycen, Emily, Maggie, Karla, Gavin, Drew, Melaku, Savar, Kaden, Jorge, Karli, Jensen, Cameron, Alex, Fernanda, Maria, Jamie, and Calab. After I got all their names down I walked around to see what they were doing. I learned that there are some pretty


educational games for them on that website. Alex, Kaden, and Gavin were playing a game that took shape skills. It was kind of like a third grade version of tetris. Drew and a few others were playing a pattern game. It was a little alien and you had to keep him from falling through the holes in the floor. I noticed a pattern to it. Most of the girls were playing some sort of make over game that involved shapes or multiplication. I really enjoy doing my senior project hours. Iʼm sad that it will be over soon. I will miss these kids. I am really excited to do this for a career.

April 8, 20132:30 - 3:40 PM

Last week was spring break so I was not able to meet with my mentor. I was quite late today because the parking lot that I park in at the high school has placed teachers at the different lanes and the exit to direct traffic. Due to this I was one of the last students to leave the school parking lot. When I got to the school I do my hours at it was 2:30. When I went to the art classroom where the students were, I found that they were having a movie day. It was an animated short about the history of the LEGO company. After the video the class discussed what the video had to do with art. They students said that the video showed things such as imagination, creativity, and hard work. I did not get a chance to interact with the students because of how late I was and because of the video. After class was


over and my mentor came to get them from the class, the students went back to her room and packed their bags and left. I stayed with my mentor for little over half an hour after that. During this time we discussed beginning my final product and how we would set it up and how I would present it to the judges during my presentation. after about 10 - 15 minutes of this the English as a second language (ESL) teacher came in for a meeting with my mentor about some of the students they shared. My mentor offered for me to stay so I decided to do so and see what I could learn. I learned that they are trying to get the students they share ready for the End of Grade (EOG) test. I learned that the students are having trouble with the reading passages, vocabulary, and the two step word problems in math. The two teachers sat and discussed ways to help the students get past these difficulties and pass the EOGʼs. They also talked about having the students read more at home to help them. Their meeting ended at 3:40. I had my mentor sign my project hours log and then went home.

March 9, 20132:25 - 4:00 PM


Today i completed an hour and thirty-five minutes. I arrived at 2:25 pm and met the students in the library. Today they were working on checking books in and out and then going to a spot to read silently. I asked a few of them how their spring breaks had gone. One of them told me that she had gone to the beach with her parents and siblings. Some went out of town to visit their grandparents and other family members. Others just stayed home with their parents and siblings. They asked me what I did and I told them that I babysat and visited my grandmother. I took a two or three more pictures of the students then the librarian called them over to another part of the library for their class time. The first thing they did was discuss telling on one another. The teacher explained that all she needed to know was is someone was throwing up, bleeding or anything such as that. Anything else either they needed to take care of or she would. Then they talked about the upcoming book fair. The teacher told them about a reward they could get. During the book fair there are two jars set up to put extra change into. Each jar would have a reward written on it and the jar with the most money is the reward the students would get. So for the rest of the class the librarian took ideas for what the rewards should be. After about fifteen or so minutes my mentor came to pick the students up and take them back to class. After the students left I sat with my mentor and discussed my final product. The lesson plan is going well but I want to include an activity on the third or fourth day of the lesson plan. My mentor helped me come up with some really good ideas.


With the idea in mind I began working on my final product. My mentor signed my log of hours and I went home.

April 11, 2013

2:15 - 3:37 PM

Today I arrived to my hours at 2:15 and stayed there until 3:37 PM. During this time my mentor was in a meeting so her assistant and I were left in charge of the class. I was kind of excited because this was the first time she had left me in charge of the class. We took the students to another room where we had them sit around the SMART board and had them watch a planet earth video. The video was on the north and south pole and a few things in between. The video was about the animals being in their natural habitat and what that was like. The students seemed to enjoy it but several of them talked constantly through the whole thing. This was disrupting the other students. The teacher assistant told me to get them to settle down. I went up to the front and paused the video and told the class that if they could not handle watching this video, the assistant and I could find them a worksheet to do as well as inform the teacher when she got back and that they would probably walk during recess. This got their attention and they were silent for the rest of the video. I realized it takes a lot of patience to be a teacher. at about 3 my mentor came back from her meeting and we all went back


to her classroom. There the students packed their bags and got ready to go home. After that we still had a little time until they went home so my mentor sat and read to them from a book of poems. After the students left my mentor and I sat down and worked on my final product. During this time I finished the first lesson plan and began working on the second one.

April 12, 2013

2:20 - 3:00 PM

Today I got to my hours at 2:20. I met my mentor at her room and followed her and the students to their music class. The students are still working with the violins and getting ready for their mini concert. They were very excited because today was the first time they were going to use the bows. They teacher came in and informed us all that we were going to have class outside since it was so nice. The students got their violins and their bows and lined up to go outside. Once we had found a good place the students got into their spots and tried to figure out how to hold the bow. It was fairly amusing to watch this. I remembered that I did this when I was in the third grade at this school. Then an idea came to me. I told the teacher of my experience and she said that I could help her teach the students how to hold the bow and play with it. I was excited and couldnʼt help thinking “ oh boy”. With that I


began going to one student at a time and helping them place their fingers in the correct places, hold their elbows up and out, and showed them how to move the bow straight across the violin. Before long they had it pretty close. The teacher said that would more than do. After that I sat and watched and listened to them play. One girl really stood out to me because she played so much better than the rest of them. After class I asked her how long she had played the violin and she said she has been playing for three years. I was honestly impressed. At 2:50 we went inside to put the equipment away and wait for my mentor to come get them. Once we got the students back I informed my mentor that I need to go because I had some things to do to finish getting ready for prom the next day. She signed my log of hours and I left.

April 15, 2013

2:26 - 3:26 PM

When I got to my hours today the students were in art class working on a new project. They were learning about aboriginal art. I learned that it is an art style based on ancient stories passed down through families. A person could only paint a story passed through their own family and they had to have permission from the elders in their family. These paintings were used to help teach these stories to the younger members of the family. There are


dots all over the painting that were supposed to be secret information written in a code that only they could understand. The students found this to be very interesting and I did too. They began working to draw and paint their projects. I went around and helped a few of them get this done. It was fun to help then get the lines right and paint it properly so that the paint covered the paper completely. Pretty soon the students had to start cleaning up and get ready for the teacher to come get them. When she did they went back to the room and packed up. They had a little extra time before it was time to go so she sat and read to them for a bit again. After they left I sat with my mentor for a little bit and worked on my final product some more. It is coming together nicely. I keep finding myself thinking of my introduction for my speech. I guess Iʼm just anxious and ready to do it, present, and be done with it.

April 16, 20132:25 - 4:10 PM

When I got to my hours today it was kind of bitter sweet. I had planned ahead with my mentor and knew that I was going to finish everything today. After I checked in I went to the library where the students were. They were checking out their books. I went around and read with a few of them. After the students had finished checking out all their books and been given a chance to read a little in them, the teacher called them over to the classroom area. They


spent the rest of the class time discussing the upcoming book fair next week. She told them that the book fair would be buy one get one free. Then she explained that this meant they would buy a book and get a lower priced one for free. The students became very eager when they heard this. They continued to talk about the book fair until it was time to go. My mentor came and took them back to the room. They packed up and she read to them again because they had some extra time again. My mentor had car rider duty today so I stayed and did that with her until about 3:30. It was an experience. The children wanted to run amuck all over the place and we had to keep them separated by grade level and keep them calm and in one place. It was hard. After they had all gone my mentor and I went back to her room and we finished my final product. I plan to go back on the 27th and give her the evaluation form. I had a lot of fun doing this. Doing these senior project hours has helped me decide that teaching elementary school is the career that I want to pursue.


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