Fun-Filled (aka exhausting) Week!
Hello everyone!
I hope you all had a fantastic week!! It has certainly been a crazy one for me, though. While it has been enjoyable, educational, and helpful, the week was quite exhausting. Due to lack of sleep and the students being incredibly energetic, I would rate this week as a 3 out of 5 - so not too terrible but also not easy.
One of the greatest things about this week was participating in a Mystery Skype with my class! If you haven't heard of this, it is an activity where your class can Skype (or use any video application) another class in the U.S. or around the world. For these activities there is a question both groups have to answer. You can use this program for math and have a 'mystery number.' Both classes will ask yes/no questions and use problem solving skills to solve what the mystery number is. The first class to figure it out wins! What we did was have a 'mystery location.' We skyped a class of 1st graders in Indiana. Neither class knew the location of the other class. Both classes had to use maps and yes/no questions to figure out the location of the other class. Both my class and the one in Indiana figured it out! I cannot tell you how FUN this activity was!! With my class, I divided them into teams to eliminate the chaos and allow for each student to participate in a different way that best suited their needs. The students followed their role and used maps appropriately to solve the mystery. During this activity, I learned many things about what to do next time and what not to do. Overall, I was incredibly proud (and honestly shocked) at my students and their abilities. I feel like this activity addressed several standards, but particularly Standard IV.d (technology integration) IV.f (team work), III.d (Adjusting the activity to relate to their level and implement strategies to support their understanding), and II.b. Standard II.b was addressed because I had my class think about how the class in Indiana feels. They had to write what they learned about this place and what the temperature, location, and activities students might participate in. If you cannot tell by my long, dialogic speech about this activity, I would definitely recommend this for any grade/subject!
Throughout the week, I felt pretty accomplished for the level of detailed notes taken after each lesson that was taught. This was one of my goals for the week, and I feel I accomplished said goal. Though this takes more time and reflection, at the end of the day, I felt I knew my students and my teaching better. The time taken to reflect and document each lesson helped me with writing lessons for next week, as well as documenting whether I should keep a strategy used or not. The detailed reflection helped me improve with Standard V.a. I want to continue this habit throughout the semester and on further with my career!
Today, I was able to experience my first field trip. Imaging being around 100+ Kindergarteners, along with multiple other schools with all different grade levels at the Discovery Place. If you're exhausted just thinking about it, then your feelings are quite accurate. I honestly do not know if I've ever been so exhausted in my life. However, it was such a great experience!! I loved seeing the joy on every one of my students' faces. Personally, I loved it too and learned a lot about Scientific concepts I didn't know about before. Although being completely in charge of the students was utterly horrifying, it taught me a lot about being a leader and being responsible (Standard I.a). I also learned to never go to the Discovery Place on a Friday, since this is apparently every one else's idea, as well.
All in all, it was a pretty good week. For this weekend, my goal is to finish my Philosophy of Education and begin clipping videos so I can start my portfolio video. Additionally, my goal for next week is to integrate more technology to deepen students' understanding of various skills.
Have a great weekend and I will see you all next week!!
Gabrielle :)
I hope you all had a fantastic week!! It has certainly been a crazy one for me, though. While it has been enjoyable, educational, and helpful, the week was quite exhausting. Due to lack of sleep and the students being incredibly energetic, I would rate this week as a 3 out of 5 - so not too terrible but also not easy.
One of the greatest things about this week was participating in a Mystery Skype with my class! If you haven't heard of this, it is an activity where your class can Skype (or use any video application) another class in the U.S. or around the world. For these activities there is a question both groups have to answer. You can use this program for math and have a 'mystery number.' Both classes will ask yes/no questions and use problem solving skills to solve what the mystery number is. The first class to figure it out wins! What we did was have a 'mystery location.' We skyped a class of 1st graders in Indiana. Neither class knew the location of the other class. Both classes had to use maps and yes/no questions to figure out the location of the other class. Both my class and the one in Indiana figured it out! I cannot tell you how FUN this activity was!! With my class, I divided them into teams to eliminate the chaos and allow for each student to participate in a different way that best suited their needs. The students followed their role and used maps appropriately to solve the mystery. During this activity, I learned many things about what to do next time and what not to do. Overall, I was incredibly proud (and honestly shocked) at my students and their abilities. I feel like this activity addressed several standards, but particularly Standard IV.d (technology integration) IV.f (team work), III.d (Adjusting the activity to relate to their level and implement strategies to support their understanding), and II.b. Standard II.b was addressed because I had my class think about how the class in Indiana feels. They had to write what they learned about this place and what the temperature, location, and activities students might participate in. If you cannot tell by my long, dialogic speech about this activity, I would definitely recommend this for any grade/subject!
Throughout the week, I felt pretty accomplished for the level of detailed notes taken after each lesson that was taught. This was one of my goals for the week, and I feel I accomplished said goal. Though this takes more time and reflection, at the end of the day, I felt I knew my students and my teaching better. The time taken to reflect and document each lesson helped me with writing lessons for next week, as well as documenting whether I should keep a strategy used or not. The detailed reflection helped me improve with Standard V.a. I want to continue this habit throughout the semester and on further with my career!
Today, I was able to experience my first field trip. Imaging being around 100+ Kindergarteners, along with multiple other schools with all different grade levels at the Discovery Place. If you're exhausted just thinking about it, then your feelings are quite accurate. I honestly do not know if I've ever been so exhausted in my life. However, it was such a great experience!! I loved seeing the joy on every one of my students' faces. Personally, I loved it too and learned a lot about Scientific concepts I didn't know about before. Although being completely in charge of the students was utterly horrifying, it taught me a lot about being a leader and being responsible (Standard I.a). I also learned to never go to the Discovery Place on a Friday, since this is apparently every one else's idea, as well.
All in all, it was a pretty good week. For this weekend, my goal is to finish my Philosophy of Education and begin clipping videos so I can start my portfolio video. Additionally, my goal for next week is to integrate more technology to deepen students' understanding of various skills.
Have a great weekend and I will see you all next week!!
Gabrielle :)
AWESOME job with the Mystery Skype!!!!! I hope you will share this with the others next week at our seminar. I know the students loved this activity in both classes.
ReplyDeleteI remember well what it is like to take Kindergartners on a field trip........you definitely deserve rest this weekend!
Keep up the good work!
Hi Gabrielle,
ReplyDeleteMystery Skype sounds like an awesome technology with your students. How were you able to contact the class? I would love to do this technology with my group. It sounds like you had a great experience with your field trip. Looking after all of those Kindergarteners must have been a challenging, but fun experience. I know you are doing an awesome job.
I hope you have a great weekend.
Kelly
Wow! A mystery Skype sounds like so much fun! That is an idea I have never heard of before but I would love to try it out in my own classroom. I cannot imagine being on a field trip with so many kindergarteners. You are MUCH braver than I am! It sounds like you have had some awesome experiences this week. I know you are going to make an awesome teacher for so many young, brilliant minds! Hope you have a restful weekend! I can't wait to see you next week and catch up some more!
ReplyDeleteGabrielle, I hope you got lots of sleep this weekend. Children seem to recharge over the weekend. I've never heard of a mystery skype. It sounds like so much fun. It also gets students to work hard and learn. I like this idea especially breaking the kids up into groups and making an activity out of it. I think you've done a great job. I don't think you give yourself enough credit after all you made it back from your field trip with every student. Keep up the great work.
ReplyDelete