Name: Katelyn Anderson

Host School/Grade/Teacher: Rolling Meadows/6th/Moore

Anecdotal Record
Date Notes

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Kids were tired and quiet surprisingly, very little management needed the first day back from break. We kept work easy and to a minimum, which proved to be key when returning from Christmas! Again, students were quiet and tired (no complaints). Today we slowly introduced one activity/lesson in addition to math. *I decided to keep on students in regards to expectations so they wouldnt have the opportunity to get out of hand after the break. STILL quiet! Kind of difficult to get students to respond and participate because they were still so tired. Frontloaded math (now teaching algebra concepts) with vocabulary. *Have vocabulary examples on board with: word, definition, and example. Also, provide an example of the end product when introducing algebra so they know what the goal is as opposed to teaching the steps and students are unaware of what their usage is. Students are finally awake and interacting! Made a huge difference when teaching math. *It was so crucial to begin the new year (2014) with clear expectations and do NOT provide the opportunity for students to push the limits be a stickler from the get go when coming back from break. *Begin the day with heavy emphasis on class points so students know you mean business and will stick to your guns in regards to expectations for the day (do this throughout the year). Also, when in the workroom look like you are in line for a copy machine because if you dont someone will step right in and you wont feel comfortable saying you were waiting. Teina had a family emergency and I had the privilege of teaching students independently for the day!!! So amazing. Realized that I instinctually DO know what to do BUT I need to STOP second-guessing myself. I worry too much but luckily it didnt create any problems. Found out firsthand how important it was to have emergency sub plans. SO glad I did that assignment already and was able to pull from my fresh stack of resources. I knew exactly what to do that pertained to the curriculum and our current studies without wasting time. Students still needed to work into deep learning still a little lazy from the break but did extremely well. *First week back from break needs to be expected as a less intense week just so we can all adjust well. In addition to Emergency Lesson Plans, I need backup activities for times when whole group instruction is interrupted (DIBELS). Learn about & navigate online teacher resources (Imagine It, Junior Scholastic, Etc). Assists with having meaningful learning resources as opposed to busy work. Reserve mornings for DEEP THINKING. Writing at the end of the day is a BAD idea! Had students do an argumentative piece the final hour of the day and although it went well it logically makes sense to do things like this earlier on in the day at latest, right after lunch. When teaching math for multiple values of a variable provide a tangible example (algebraic expressions). SMART Board wasnt working but still have student-directed learning (students work problems) on the whiteboard. Dont get into such a habit with the SMART Board that you forget the old school whiteboard is still there. How do you provide additional learning opportunities as opposed to busy work for students who finish things DAYS before others. (Particularly art King Tut). I dont want to penalize students who are slower at art, theyll be behind if I provide another assignment.

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Grading program has some glitches could be more teacher friendly. Writing training: Nothing I havent heard before, but a great refresher in terms of CORE and mechanics. Writing Training: GREAT! Begin making binders for resources and print Dr. Angela Peerys resources from her website. HOWEVER, I am SHOCKED by the number of teachers who do NOT know how to use a holistic rubric. MLK NO SCHOOL Workshop is a challenge for me. Im visual and cannot merely have plans to go by until the morning of. I need to have worksheets and text prepared ahead of time so I dont feel blindsided from now on. Does the comfort come when planning solely on my own? Students did not understand the distributive property during math. I need to spend extra time finding a more hands-on approach to the concept prior to teaching the review next week. Workshop was a nightmare!!! I need to have something in place for times when everything seems to be failing and I want to rip my hair out. Also, survey students in regards to hand written or computerized spelling test administration. I asked myself how I want to find a little momentary solace when I feel like Im going crazy. I initial thought chocolate but remember, you dont want to be fat try to remember that you brought your TEA. Retaught 7.8 today because every student who did not come to after school for tutoring failed their homework. I need to scaffold our math lessons even more so than I already do so I can more effectively evaluate their understanding of the concept. Observed by a district coach during my science lesson Galileo. Feedback there are three types of questions and they directly correlate to engagement. Plan out questions to be asked during a lesson beforehand as opposed to on the spot like I typically do. MORE think-pair-share and signaling (show me with your fingers how many facts you discussed with your partner). How do I want to keep track of the types of questions I actually ask during a lesson? New seating assignment students picked their spot (within reason). They had to pick a new table; this ensures that chatty students and friends wont end up by each other. FUTURE when assigning seats, place students with struggling relationships within a reasonable distance of one another so they cant avoid but arent in direct line of fire. BRAINSTORM How do I want MY classroom materials to be managed? Table materials, individual materials, teacher distributed, etc? SICK DAY When running Step-Up with an Aid account for inconsistencies. If necessary, spend the time going back over missed material. Staying on track serves no purpose if students do not gain anything from the process. Math Review Use questions from Extra Practice and checked/HOT problems in text. Workshop is a challenge, ASK QUESTIONS. To help workshop run smoother create a master schedule of concepts to be taught on specific days. Keep things consistent and challenging, be creative. How do we introduce spelling and vocabulary using the online component? How do we fit all of the word structure and worksheets in during the first 2-3 days? Can some of this be moved to a later day during the week (Thursday)? Set aside time to discuss Workshop concerns with Teina. How do I implement ALL of the LA requirements in half the time necessary? Im feeling overwhelmed. Math test scores were the best weve had all year! Field trip to Valley Junior High. DO NOT assume that sixth graders know how to be safe on a main road. Take away dont feel bad for having gotten angry when it involves their safety. Be logical and less emotional when reflecting on daily situations. Started implementing exit slips during math, daily. Utilize the math talk HOT

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problem the students do NOT know how to do these. Review problem first thing during math the following day. Test grades from previous chapter were discussed with class point out successes! Highest rate of passing so far this year, keep reminding and discussing to encourage. NOTE SHEET! Taught science in a small group format. Constellation lesson took twice as long as space lesson students need a note sheet to hold them accountable to reading the entire contents for the space lesson. *How can I more efficiently teach the Twelve Days of Astronomy Class??? The formatting took too long for one teacher. Its a culminating activity so it cannot be done too early in the solar system unit but the students need sufficient time if they are to type up the poem in small groups. BRAINSTORM THIS! Space spinoffs went extremely well; continue using this interactive site (NASA @ Home and City). Find an additional support for early finishers luckily it wasnt a problem this time around but is potentially one in the future. Presentation? ALL students passed the spelling test with a 90% or higher. What made the difference? Was it the reminders to study each night? Investigate this! DO NOT get wrapped up in grading during the hour read each week READ with the students the ENTIRE time. Continue to be flexible make sure to keep tight management on these days! Teina requested that Twelve Days be complete for conferences in the evening sent two blocks working on them. Students did well this works if it is extremely engaging and hands-on. Do not become lax on off days or problems occur. Am I comfortable enough to release high performing students toward the end of the math lesson? How do I assure that Im providing equality for all students in this situation? What are my thoughts on utilizing the enrichment portion of the lesson? Is it busy work or truly an academic support? FRONT LOAD EXPECTATIONS on off days. Never forget this! Students have numerous questions pertaining to Junior High, naturally. Be prepared to discuss potentially (mature) questions especially in regards to dress code. Make students aware of FLIP FLOPPED schedules first thing in the morning! WOAH!!! Get plenty of rest before party days. Again, front load expectations pep talk in the morning helped and went well students were surprisingly honest about concerns in regards to classroom management. Students expressed concern with unusual schedule so many days in the past few weeks. LEAD BY EXAMPLE! We can role with the punches, show control, and make the most of the situation. Schedule: Talent Show, Apollo 13, and Valentines Party. Teaching personification during small group ELA (Workshop) my rotation. Took students two days to grasp concept. Would a video clip from a Disney film assist in teaching this concept? TRY THIS* 8.6 Equalities with decimals (Division Property of Equality) students did NOT grasp, based on homework scores. Reteach this concept and remember that decimals are a source of confusion as well as fractions. Introduced new story with content video on eSuites. Students PREFERED this method of ABK. How else can I reach them in regards to reading informational text aside from whole group, partner, and guided reading using eSuites? Is it just something that will always be a challenge for them? READING how can I improve here? Observed/interviewed by Jo Crawley positive feedback, excellent interview. REMEMBER the things Granite has to offer and why they go above and beyond to support their teachers. I am never alone, ASK for help! *Ask Jen Ellsworth* LESSON LEARNED When using a review created by another member of the grade level team CHECK it before using it. Students were NOT prepared for science test based on how review went. Adjust schedule and bump test to next week,

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allow for another day of review. TWO areas that students struggle with in terms of the Solar System SIZE and ROTATION/REVOLUTION. SONG?! FIND A SONG* *As a student teacher I sometimes feel out-of-the-loop in regards to behavioral issues outside of our classroom. All of the grade level teachers know but Im always the last to find out. This is a challenge I interact with all students at many levels so I feel it is important. ASK Ben how he handled Caesar immediately following the incident. Getting the perspective from a male teacher may provide other ideas for me to use in my own classroom next year. How do we support Safety Patrol in addition to teacher posts? Do we have them check in after post each day? Incident on bridge (drug sale) occurred twice and Braxton forgot the first time? HOW? If they report would this increase the likelihood that we can attend to issues quicker? Where was the teacher on post? Talk to Teina/Malynda do they need to reiterate how important it is that teachers be on post at the appropriate times to ensure these things do NOT occur? *Head together science review LOVED this format. Teams of 3-4 with whiteboards. TONE of voice when reading questions seems to impact answers, be AWARE of this. Discuss approach for administering test next week with Teina* Mixed things up in LA with weekly story students utilized eReader. How else can I make weekly read aloud more engaging? Students are not demonstrating knowledge from reading comprehension but simply information from review questions. Is there a LA curriculum that has movies? Watch a little, read a little, watch a little, read a little *In addition, students are still struggling with main idea and detail LOOK for additional resource for explicit instruction of this concept. Students grasped first concept of figurative language after three days of small group (personification). I discussed MANY Disney movies NEXT TIME, show the actual clips from the movies! Reviewed science test (results) with students. SHOCKING that some students didnt know revolution and the order of the planets. As an educator, how do you not let this frustrate you? Math review went well with exception regarding fractions to be expected. Math test administered went EXTREMELY well. HOWEVER, student work did not match answers. Sent students back more than once and results still were not satisfactory for STE. Test will be given again tomorrow morning. Discussed consequences of missing work with students no class party or serving lunch with missing work. *The missing work was coming in QUICKLY with this in place. Introduced new science unit students LOVE experiments!!! Made sure to tighten down on management and set clear expectations so as not to lose control. Students will love this unit! Im feeling a lack of confidence teaching the upcoming unit. Intro Microbes with yeast experiment and scientific method. STE administered math test a second time multiple-choice questions were removed from test. Open-ended questions proved a challenge for students but forced them to solve using appropriate work. School wide collaboration with training on new pilot program being implemented for the remainder of the year at Rolling Meadows. Ongoing issues with spelling test administration if working with ImagineIt, read the list and have a *hardcopy test. The woman who reads the words on the program has a strange way of articulating words. Create day-by-day plan for microorganism science unit, 2.5 weeks is a tight schedule so hit core requirements!!! Taught a microscope lesson to introduce bacteria investigations for science use a REAL microscope to point out features as opposed to an illustration only. Each microscope is different and its crucial that students know how to use the resources they have. When discussing Van Leeuwenhoek WRITE the phonetic pronunciation

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on the board. DO NOT always trust resources on Safari Montage to be free of hiccups. Preview ENTIRE movie not just the majority before showing students. Is there a way to provide a note taking opportunity while watching a movie with entire grade level? ALWAYS ask grade level teachers if they want resources youre using for a unit, no one wants to be left out. Does small group mathematics instruction provide the improved abilities of students, or is it the step-by-step problem solving completing during the after school program? Improvement is undeniable when homework is 90-100% without the after-school program. How do you test this hypothesis? ALLOW students to fail an assignment with the ability to improve and redo YES! DIBELS dropped mid-year. LACK of fluency practice and accountability within the classroom setting. Follow-up in regards to comprehension constructors provided at the beginning of the year. Implement 15 minute read-to-someone immediately following lunch. BUILD FLUENCY!!! Is there any reason to provide classroom specific incentives for fundraiser accomplishments when it directly affects sixth grade? Are school wide incentives sufficient? How can I implement something simple and effective? Hour read is ineffective if its done merely for fulfilling the duty. Without follow through of conferences and comprehension constructors what is the purpose? PONDER THIS! ICE CREAM PARTY!!! Rewarded students for passing class average on Chapter 8 math test. EMPHASIZE that the feeling they had was the feeling of success and accomplishment continuously encourage that feeling! PLACE NO LIMITS ON THESE CHILDREN!!! They CAN succeed!!! Western assembly. It is CRUCIAL to participate and lead by example in challenging situations as well. In addition to participating in fun activities with the students I really saw how much the enjoyment of the job lies in those you share it with having a good team is one of the keys to happiness on difficult days! SAGE practice eye opening for students. Spend sufficient time preparing so students are familiar with question format and tools. Students are more likely to achieve when setup with the tools necessary to do so. *Another wonderful day at Rolling Meadows. Glad to say that nothing surprises me anymore and Im grateful for the consistent calm nature I exude in challenging moments. Abel Air soft gun @ school. Taught Bens class, loved the opportunity to experience a challenge outside of my own classroom. *Take opportunities to observe/experience life outside of your own classroom if ever possible. Kept me on my toes to be faced with a new set of challenging students. Helpful/harmful bacteria. PRESSURE! Trying to fit so much in before SAGE but sometimes you have to step back and realize that you can only do so much before you overload the kids and set them up for failure. SCAFFOLD!!!* Began fungi when ending bacteria. Bill Nye series on microbes is GREAT. Bread mold experiment MUST do. Bens class all day SO incredible! Experience of a lifetime reaffirmed that I am putting in tremendous effort and time. My students are provided the resources necessary to succeed. *If you give students the respect they deserve then they will give it in return more frequently than not. St. Pattys Day! Made the day a little extra special with cookies and a trivia game, complete with a prize for the winner! Feeling stuck and insufficient for the first time science is not going well. What can I do differently to help students gain the information necessary in the most efficient manner??? Overtime, and each year this will improve but having two weeks for a big unit like microorganisms is an uphill battle. Deep breathe and accept that you cannot create more time in the day and you

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just have to do the best you can. Students do not know how to navigate resources and take notes teach EXPLICITLY. CAREER FAIR Why is it so difficult for students to input numbers in a formula and solve? Math SEEMED to go well and as I sat down with ONE student to provide further assistance six others came over as well! What is it going to take for these kids to ASK QUESTIONS! When exhausted, be honest with the kids do not be short or stern for a random reason. WARN them that you are a little tired and cranky and you need their help. They are VERY capable and understanding. This helped out immensely at the end of the day. Always reassuring to have another kid each day say goodbye at the beginning of the year it was one or two, now it is more than half of the class that individually say goodbye. THIS IS THE REWARD! Remember the payoff on challenging days. COLLABORATION DAY Spent entire day collaborating with grade level team on priority standards and developing common formative assessments. TOO MUCH INFORMATION to go standard-by-standard and overlap objectives with priority standards. FABULOUS experience. After numerous conversations with grade level team and confiding in Teina decision was made that we needed to put effort in to include Bens class in rewards and positive experiences that other classes are enjoying. After substituting his class twice last week I made a deal with them that they had the potential to earn a large class treat from me if they met the standards and expectations I put forth. Surprise, surprise! They met the requirements and voted between an ice cream party and donuts they picked ice cream. SO rewarding to see the relationships Im fostering outside of my own classroom. I want ALL of the kids to know that I care about them and want them to succeed. I knew Ben would back my decision and he was pleasantly surprised that I put forth the effort with his class. Always consider whether an expectation is class specific or grade wide. I LOVE teaching science in small group form. Essentially, like a second workshop each day. I have found in the past few weeks that my students are more productive and we reach more content. Today was proof that students do better when lessons are NOT too much at one time. Saw the play Annie Jr. kids were exceptionally well behaved. They LIKE watching peers and show respect for them. First day without small group math and it shows students who struggle in math did not grasp the concept. GEOMETRY is enjoyable but challenging for them. Overall, it went well but I need to BRAINSTORM a more kinesthetic approach. Students LOVE LOVE LOVED interactive simile/metaphor lesson. SAVE this lesson and use it EVERY YEAR. *ALSO, find some easier literature to use to support learning. Interactive music lesson for simile/metaphor is more abstract and I needed to support more with concrete literature based examples. *TYPE up quiz questions and save in ELA file. *READ Parts book, I LIKE Even More Parts Maturation program. Very educational for students! Girls was significantly more uncomfortable than boys however, boys laugh and girls did not. *Remember to be cool, calm, and collected and they will be as well! *WEAR WATERPROOF MASCARA on the last day of school! Students appreciate and desire individual attention and acknowledgement. *WRITE individual notes to each student with their favorite candy bar. DO NOT expect much, or ANY direct instruction on these days. NEVER forget a class picture.
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