Hi and welcome to our course! Please remember that one of the benefits of a blogging course is to have communication between participants. Remember to read and respond to other participants' comments each week. We look forward to working and learning with you. Please try to keep your responses within one allotted "comment" space to ensure that the blog remains manageable for all participants.
Also, you may want to type your comments in a Word Document and either copy from Word and paste onto the blog or save it in a folder on your computer and then post it to the blog. I have written a couple of lengthy comments that I lost before I was able to post it to the blog. This extra step may save you some frustration later on this term.
Last of all, we will write our comments to your posts on the blog, so you will need to check back to the corresponding week for feedback (and to make additional comments if you wish.)
Let us know if you have any questions. You can email us, but please put the words "Question for Classroom Instruction" in the subject line so that we can respond in a timely fashion.
Assignment #1: Introductory paragraph. Please post your introduction to the course blog in the blog archive under the posting: Week One: Introduction - Please tell us a little about yourself. Where do you teach? What grade and how long have you been teaching? How many students are in your class and do you have instructional support? What does your current literacy program look like? (If you aren’t currently teaching let us know what your educational background and experiences are.) What is your knowledge/training in the area of literacy? Does your district provide literacy training? If so, what exactly have they offered? Also, let us know a little about you outside the classroom: Interests/ Hobbies/ Family Life.
Also please read: Classroom Instruction that Works - Chapter 1 – Applying the Research on Instruction: An Idea Whose Time Has Come
Sign in to the blog (follow directions below)
o Click on the comment link below. If you do not have a Google account you will need to create a free one. Underneath the “leave your comment” box – click where it says “no Google account? Sign up here.” Then follow the direction to create an account.
o After you create your account you can just type in your user name and password from when you created the account and then click the button “publish your comment” and it will be posted. You should post Assignment # 1 explained below as your first comment.
(Please Note: In addition to posting your first assignment (Introduction) to the blog, please email it to us. This is to enable us to contact you individually should the need occur. Please also make sure that you label your assignment with your name when posting to the blog to ensure that you receive proper credit for your work.)
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16 comments:
Hi, my name is Heidi. I am currently teaching kindergarten (two half day sessions) at Willamette Primary School in the West Linn-Wilsonville School District. This is my 12th year of teaching. I taught kindergarten my first three years and then I taught first grade for the next eight years. I am teaching kindergarten this year because they needed someone to fill the spot. I agreed to do it for the year. I will loop up with a majority of these kindergarteners into first grade. I am excited about continuing on with these students. I have been learning a lot this year with the grade change and I am thankful that this opportunity came along.
Hello Heidi!
Welcome to class. I think looping is a great experience for you as well as the students! We look forward to hearing your thoughts as we work through this term.
Hi Heidi,
Nice to meet you! Teaching Kindergarten takes energy! You are a busy teacher. Look forward to reading your blog.
Linda Johnson
Hello, I teach in Clatskanie, Oregon, which is a rural community near Astoria, Oregon. I am in my third year teaching in Clatskanie. During the first year I taught Middle School Special Education, during the 2nd year I taught Middle School Special Education in the morning and in the afternoon taught Elementary Special Education and now I teach grades 7-12 Special Education (Resource Room). Prior to Clatskanie, I taught K-3 Special Education above the Arctic Circle, in Alaska for one year. Only one word to describe living and teaching above the arctic is, “Adventure.” Snow-machining on the frozen sea, dog-sled races, and freezing snow were everyday occurrences after the ocean froze.
I earned a Masters-In-Teaching degree and an endorsement in Special Education after working in a small-rural district as a classified employee for about fifteen years. Like many employees in a small district my days varied as school secretary, librarian, Title I, special education para-educator, lunch helper and recess duty assistant.
This year I have a caseload of about 26 Resource Room students with three full-time assistants. The largest class is approximately ten high school students. The District purchased a language arts program last year titled, “Language!” which is direct instruction. The program includes writing, grammar, reading fluency and reading comprehension. The District provided a three-day workshop for teachers and classified employees. There are two Language classes with about five students in one level and 3 students in a different level.
This year the District purchased Hands-On-Equations for Resource Room Math. We are just beginning to use this program. At this point, I have taught it one-on-one. This program appears to assist the student to understand pre-algebra concepts.
I have three grown boys. One has blessed me with a granddaughter. She is six years-old and we enjoy one another’s company. The other boys attend college. One is working on an educational degree and the other attends University of Idaho, working on a Natural Resources degree.
Living on the Columbia River is amazing! My husband and I enjoy kayaking, fishing and walking along the beach.
Hello Linda!
Welcome to class! How exciting to have taught in Alaska. It's amazing how many roles teachers and para-educators take on in a small district. I imagine the experience adds a great deal to your management of staff as you have experienced so many different parts of the education system.
Hi, my name is Barbie and I got a letter informing that I only needed 4 credit hours to renew my teaching license. I have been substitute teaching for David Douglas School District in Portland, Oregon for the past five years after staying home for 15 years to raise my family (while also volunteering at school and church). Two years ago I completed the requirements for my ESOL endorsement and now feel ready to start the next step of my teaching career. I enjoy teaching at every level, but especially middle school and high school. Originally, I desired to be a French teacher, so I love the days I substitute for the high school French teachers. David Douglas School District is a diverse community with a high ESL population as well as a high poverty rate. The staff at all the schools are very supportive and I am excited to learn new techniques that I can use in the classroom, even if I am just teaching for a day. Since I am really behind in this course, I am planning on catching up. I have downloaded the textbook onto my Kindle and I am ready to pull up my sleeves and get to work.
Hi Barbie,
Welcome to class. How great you were able to stay home with your children. I'm planning to take two years off to be home with my baby. (C-section on 5/24) I have two boys already ages 6 and 5 and we were able to stay home with them for 4 years. (Two years for me and two years for my husband.)
Subbing for a district has it's benefits as you are able to see where you'd like to be and learn the curriculum.
I think you'll be fine catching up. Make sure to enjoy the spring weather also, it's finally here in Vermont. :)
Hi! My name is Jennie. I am currently in my 5th year of teaching. I started teaching 4th grade knowing I was going to loop with my class up to 5th grade, which I did. My third year, I went back to 4th grade and then after that year was asked if I was interested in moving to 1st grade. I was very excited at the opportunity to teach in the primary grades and am currently in my 2nd year of first grade and loving it. I’m at a higher socioeconomic school with 2 ESL students in my class. My school is located in Beaverton, Oregon. I have 19 total students.
I use our adoption program for reading, Harcourt, in conjunction with the Daily 5 & Café model. I’ve read and base my reading group plans off the book The Next Step in Guided Reading by Jan Richardson. I’ve been working with colleagues to find a way to use Harcourt materials but keep the Daily 5 model. I teach two mini-lessons per day from Harcourt that tie directly into the CAFÉ components. I get through three reading groups per day and it’s amazing to see how independent first graders can be. They truly are amazing and I’m really feeling happy with how the structure of my literacy block goes. I had 4 students receiving reading intervention help for 25 per day, and am down to just 2 students receiving the extra help.
I am currently about 6 months pregnant with my first. My husband and I are due August 19th, and we’re also moving into a new house. A lot going on! It will be interesting next year to come into a school year having not started it myself. I will be on my maternity leave until December 5th. I’m trying to get myself as organized and planned ahead now as possible.
Looking forward to this class!
Jennie
Heidi: I taught French and Spanish at Willamette 20 years ago when it was a middle school, before Athey Creek was built. Two half day kindergarten sessions must take a lot of patience and energy. I have subbed in kindergarten but don't think I could last longer than a day or two! My daughter was in a loop from 3rd to 4th grade and it was a great experience for her.
Linda: I have driven through Clatskanie on the way home from Astoria. It's so beautiful and peaceful there. And I have always wanted to visit Alaska, what a great adventure. I am looking forward to reading your blogs and how you adapt strategies for the resource room. I have subbed in the ERC at our elementary school and I enjoyed working with small groups of students.
Mary: Wow, your life is going to get busy. My youngest will turn 14 next week, and it just seems like yesterday that she was born. I am glad that spring has arrived somewhere, it definitely is still cold and wet here! I am enjoying reading the book, but wish I could put some strategies into practice. I'm subbing for TItle I at a middle school tomorrow, so I'll see what I can do!
Jennie: You also will have a busy summer with a new baby and moving into a new house. Sounds like you have a great reading plan for your 19 first graders. I would like to start taking classes for a reading endorsement.
I am a fifth grade teacher at Fir Grove Elementary in Beaverton. As I am finishing up my fifth year here, and as a teacher, I have realized how much teaching has changed for me. My confidence and comfort level have definitely increased, along with the politics and pressure of testing. This year I have 28 students from very diverse backgrounds. Although learning the different cultures can be overwhelming at first, I absolutely love the families I work with. They are so appreciative of the educational system and our strong community we have built.
In a Title 1 school we are fortunate to have a very supportive instructional coach who offers new ideas in reading and writing. In the afternoons we do a smaller version of Daily 5. We have small groups/conferences running at the back table, read to self and literacy choice at the students' desks and a small group of students at the front using Tweentribune.com on laptops. I love that Tween Tribune has given my fifth graders the excitement for current news while encouraging them to be stronger writers as they post their comments and reactions.
This spring the instructional coach and I were representatives for our school at a 6+1 Writing Trait training. We attended the training and in return will be training our staff this fall. Along with that our principal is very supportive of thinking outside of the box. We've done book clubs, as a staff, on Daily 5 and inquiry circles. Our focus as a building this year was to become stronger narrative writers. We have submitted 3 writing pieces throughout the year which common goals.
When I'm not at school I am very busy with family and friends. I love to travel, work at the gym in the evenings and hang out with my girlfriends on the weekends. I think balance is extremely important and although I love my students, I try to keep evenings and weekends for myself. I am extremely thankful for the staff that I am a part of, especially my team. The three of us each carry out our unspoken roles and have the utmost respect for each other!
Hi Barbie,
Welcome to class.
Hi I'm posting this for Kara. -Mary
Greetings! My name is Kara (Holveck) Cook. My teaching position is different than most. Currently I am in my third year teaching in the Early Learning Center at Sabin-Schellenberg Professional Technical Center in Milwaukie. Our program works with high school students who are interested in working with children in the future. We have a community preschool that the students are involved in running, a daycare on site (part of a teen parent program), and student teaching internships at elementary schools. There are two different courses that I teach—Early Childhood and Careers with Children and Families. The Early Childhood class focuses on the development of children from prenatal to age three. We are currently running our first “Toddler Play Time” with these students where they have transformed a classroom into a space that is developmentally appropriate for toddlers in our community. Our Careers class is for seniors and focuses on the development of children in the elementary years and teaching practices. The students are in a year long student teaching placement in an elementary school. They complete an Action Research project, two teaching work samples, and explore the experience of teaching (many students realize that being a teacher is not what they thought it was!) I’m looking at expanding our class curriculum to include social work and family support, with internships at sites outside of schools.
My educational background is definitely a mix! I have my Bachelors in Agricultural and Resource Economics and a Masters in Early Childhood and Elementary Education. After I spent some time working after college I realized that I wanted to be a teacher, so I went back and earned my Masters of Arts in Teaching.
This year has been one full of changes. Not only has our district had a severe budget shortfall that has resulted in significant cuts to our program (and sadly, my position), but I am also a newlywed! Last summer my husband Jason and I were married and I moved from Oregon to Vancouver, WA. We love to travel, be outdoors, and spending time with family and friends. This summer I’m going to try my hand at gardening, but I tend to have a black thumb, so we’ll see how it goes.
Thanks!
Kara
Hi again. I'm posting this for Meagan. -Mary
MK said...
I am a fifth grade teacher at Fir Grove Elementary in Beaverton. As I am finishing up my fifth year here, and as a teacher, I have realized how much teaching has changed for me. My confidence and comfort level have definitely increased, along with the politics and pressure of testing. This year I have 28 students from very diverse backgrounds. Although learning the different cultures can be overwhelming at first, I absolutely love the families I work with. They are so appreciative of the educational system and our strong community we have built.
In a Title 1 school we are fortunate to have a very supportive instructional coach who offers new ideas in reading and writing. In the afternoons we do a smaller version of Daily 5. We have small groups/conferences running at the back table, read to self and literacy choice at the students' desks and a small group of students at the front using Tweentribune.com on laptops. I love that Tween Tribune has given my fifth graders the excitement for current news while encouraging them to be stronger writers as they post their comments and reactions.
This spring the instructional coach and I were representatives for our school at a 6+1 Writing Trait training. We attended the training and in return will be training our staff this fall. Along with that our principal is very supportive of thinking outside of the box. We've done book clubs, as a staff, on Daily 5 and inquiry circles. Our focus as a building this year was to become stronger narrative writers. We have submitted 3 writing pieces throughout the year which common goals.
When I'm not at school I am very busy with family and friends. I love to travel, work at the gym in the evenings and hang out with my girlfriends on the weekends. I think balance is extremely important and although I love my students, I try to keep evenings and weekends for myself. I am extremely thankful for the staff that I am a part of, especially my team. The three of us each carry out our unspoken roles and have the utmost respect for each other!
Hi,
My name is Michaëla Chevalier, I am completing my 7th year as a middle school teacher in Tigard. I have taught all three middle grades of Math and Science. I am currently teaching five sections of 8th grade Science plus one section of French as our French teacher retired and with budgets as they are a replacement has not been hired.
I got into teaching in a rather unusual way, after my BS in Science I ended up teaching at both Fred Astaire Franchised Studios and Arthur Murray Franchised Dance Studios for about two years, it was in that time that I discovered my gift for and love of teaching and decided to go back to the University of Oregon to earn my Masters degree in Education. I still teach ballroom dancing part time through my own small business, here is my website if any of you are interested www.dancingintherain.net.
Currently my classes at school range in size from 22 all the way to 32. Some of my classes are heavily loaded with ELL and special education students, however I do not currently have any instructional assistants. Currently our school has a literacy specialist (who is an experienced language arts teacher), she helps test individual students and also helps teachers on an individual bases. I have had her come visit my classroom and give me feedback several times and found it quite beneficial. Our district's literacy focus is on SIOP, I attended a two credit training this past Fall and have been implementing several SIOP strategies in my classroom.
On a personal note, I purchased my first home last Summer and I absolutely love being a home-owner. I am not married and do not have any human children (I have a cat). I love to crochet, I am always working on at least one crochet project. This year there have been quite a few staff members expecting babies so I have been busy making baby dresses, slippers and blankets. I love to cook, especially baking. I am passionate about my kids at school and about my dance students. Dancing has provided me with joy since I was a small child and I absolutely love sharing that with people. My greatest joy is watching them grow because of what we work through together. Holding a full time job while running my own business keeps me very busy and I often find myself without free time.
By the way, hello everyone!
Hello all again.
Both my daughter and I are out of the hospital, we had a little complication so she needed to be born early and we spent a week in the hospital. So I apologize for the delay in replying to your posts.
I'm not really sure what is going on with Blogger... I know some of you had problems posting and it looks like your posts are now showing when I'm not sure they were before.
So a welcome to Jennie, Meagan, Kara and Michaëla.
Jennie you do have a lot of things going on! It's great you'll be able to have some time to be home with your new baby! It's amazing how quickly the time goes by, my oldest is 6 and a half and it seems like yesterday that we were in Oregon with him when he was born.
Meagan, you have a healthy attitude about the balance between your home life and school! Good for you, not all teachers are able to find a happy medium.
Hi Kara! Congratulations on your marriage! What a wonderful time for you and your husband to build your lives together! I was so excited to be a gardner myself that in the past I would go to crazy and try to cram too much into little spaces. I've now developed the attitude of less is more in my gardens. I haven't cleaned any beds out yet and it's already June, but my doctor just gave me the OK to start weeding after my c-section, so I'm guessing this up-coming week I'll be out in the dirt.
Michaëla welcome to class! Congratulations to you on your new home. I agree, I love being a home owner! You do have an interesting background! I took ballroom dancing in college with my husband, but I have to say I am not very good at it. Though, I found if you have a great partner, they will lead you where you need to go! You are busy with your business and teaching full time!
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