Week 7

To begin my seventh week, I was observed for the second time. Before my observation, I had already practiced my lesson with the classes’ prior and I was confident in teaching the same lesson to my 7^th grade class that was going to be observed. I was wrong! From my last blog I indicated that there was the same instance when I taught a class similar lessons that they would have a similar outcome, but in the end they did not. For this 7^th grade class, it was only the second time that I had taught a full lesson with the students. I felt it was a complete disaster. While I was teaching or trying to teach, many of the students were talking, making loud noises to be distracting, and purposely distracting a student with special needs, to be even more disrespectful. Since I was being observed I felt that I needed to teach what I had planned according to my lesson since we already wasted 6 minuets on attendance. I knew as I continued on it was wrong for me to speak over the disruptive students without all of their attention on me. As a result the students that were distracting stayed distracting, and in the end the lesson could not be completed in the condition I had planned for.

I learned after my teaching, that no matter if I am being observed or not bad behaviors must be stopped right from the start. Even though I felt like I was talking to myself when I was trying to get the class started, I should have continued to wait for the behavior that I expected for the lesson. Reflecting on this idea, at some point the students would have stopped. I now understand that even if I do not teach what is planned for the day in my lesson, I am still teaching students something when I explain what I expect from them and their behaviors. They may not learn from the lesson, but they will learn how to behave, even if it takes the entire class period. This is something that I would hate to waste time on, but I would rather use one day rather than the rest of the following classes I have with the students.

I learned from this experience that the older students are much like the younger grades, but for some reason I believe earlier that they were not. I need to adjust to the same plan of behaviors I did for the lower elementary students. I need to create a plan that is similar to what the middle grade classroom teacher are implementing so it is not foreign to the students when it is implemented into physical education.   

This week, students began to take control of their own learning and give suggestions for what they would like to learn for the first five minutes of class (health). I was thrilled when I opened my comments box and there were 8 slips of paper with questions and comments. Three students gave input for new subjects to be taught (which will be addressed this week), while the other four asked when the class would be going out side, and the last one was a question about being thirsty during an activity. All of the comments were great! I took each one and wrote a reply on the sheets. I decided it would be easier for me to write a response back, so when I read my comments back to the class it would be more organized. For the rest of my students that did not comment, question, or suggest anything, it is okay that they have not. My goal with this box is to represent my concern and support for the students, as long as the box is there I will also be there for my students to listen and answer any questions that I can.

I am beginning to see that my students are seeing that I do care about them as individuals and their learning. I know what I am doing is completely opposite of what they have been doing for the last several years. Most of the students are responding well to the small changes and they are also becoming more familiar with me as their teacher. I know that I have to be patient and I understand that they are not going to change over night. I learned from the younger elementary students that sticking to a plan and following through is the best way to see quick results from my students. I need to come up with something that is just as meaningful for the middle grade students as the rewards are to the elementary students.  

                             Questions? Comments? Concerns? Drop Them In Here!

Finishing up week seven, I feel my cooperating teacher is beginning to trust me as a teacher. In the past few weeks, my cooperating teacher did not seem open or too confident in my direction that I wanted to take my classes. When I would inform him of something that I was going to incorporate that was new most of the time he replied by saying,  “you could try, but I don’t know if that’s going to work.” Since I have made quite a few changes, despite his feedback I have made great changes to physical part of the gym, the atmosphere when students are present, and the student behaviors. I believe that he is now beginning to see my direction and that the changes being made are to promote learning, respect and good attitudes. He did not exactly, tell me that he liked the changes I made, but when he invited the principal in the gym to see the physical changes, I am sure by his invitation that he does appreciate the small improvements I made in his gym.  

                                                      Decision-Making Process

As for the upcoming week, a new behavior plan must be implemented for the upper grades. I will talk more with the upper grade teachers to see what is working best for them and their students, and make the necessary modifications so they can be used appropriately in a physical education setting. Even though I felt like I was not being heard from the older students, it is time this week for the students to become more respectful, regardless of how they feel about me teaching or the units that I plan to teach. I am looking forward to a full five-day week. This gives me the opportunity to have more time with the students that have had no P.E for the last few Mondays.