assessment

I have to say that I am better at summative assessments than formative assessments. However, I have been trying to assess my students on how well they met my objective each lesson. Things that have been helping me are a anecdotal record sheet for each subject where I make notes about the students and I keep on a clip board and exit tickets.

The demands on bilingual kindergarten teachers to do three different kinds of aimsweb assessments, one-on-one with each kid was a major challenge for me the last few weeks because it takes 20 minutes to do each test with each child. Formal assessments like these bring some good information to assess how the student is growing but take a lot of time away from instruction... I wish there was someone in my room that could help me with one or the other because it is so hard to balance them both and still make sure the activities are meaningful for all students. It has been pretty amazing to see how much some of my little kindergarteners has grown though.

Mixed Emotions

Repeated sentences in the loudest tone possible, dying to be heard

Little pokes in my hip, back, and side- the words maestra seem to never stop flying through the air.

Redirect after redirect to keep their attention

Tears roll as problem after problem arise

Brilliant creations and thoughts shining through all of the little things they do.

Fingers that wrap around just the tips of my own.

Little gifts filled with love presented to me by my tiny fan club

Smiles and laughter fill the air as another day in Ms. Johnson's Kindergarten class begins... do I dare?

Reflection

I would like to implement the "ask three before me" in my classroom because I think it helps with a sense of community and makes students somewhat more independent. Also, I think that it would help be with less people needing my attention.

To better myself or to make me crumble?

I had my first formal evaluation two weeks ago and I found myself completely upset afterwards. Upset with myself and with my students. Why don't they act the same when other people are in the room... or is it merely that I care a whole lot more about their actions when someone is watching? I felt as if I couldn't help but crumble after this evaluation and it wasn't about the scores, but that I had let myself down. The view I had of myself and how the lesson would go was not met and I was disappointed. After doing the postconference, I am feeling better about this learning experience. I really need to work on not being so hard on myself because the evals are there to improve our teaching, but it is still hard when I don't do as well as I had hoped. Better luck next time, huh?

Floating or tredding water?

I've realized that each day can vary tremendously in my feelings about teaching. One day it is as if I'm floating... the kids are lighting up that little light in my head which tells me why I chose this profession and everything just feels right. Then, there are the days where I feel that I am barely tredding water, where I feel like there is a whole army of 5-year-olds in need of my immediate attention, hours of planning for ONE day, and meetings that make me feel like I am way in over my head and that teachers must be superheroes. I am thankful for those floating days and weekends. At least I'm not drowning... yet! :0)

First Day of School is over... whew

I had never anticipated that I would ever be scared of 5-year-olds... But on Wednesday, I was. The day overall, went much better than I expected. From the time I got them in my classroom, I knew I would be fine. I am glad that my first day wasn't awful, with the exception of sending my kids to the wrong specials class and confusing everyone. They are all such sweet kids and we had a lot of fun! I look forward to teaching kindergarten... I am now hopeful and think this will turn out to be a great year!!!

El primer dia... ready or not!!!

WOW!!! No one tells you how incredibly much you have to do to prepare for the first day of school. I couldn't believe that it took me two hours to write names on various cutouts, laminate, and cut them. I am exhausted (mentally & physically), yet excited for what's to come. The first day of school for kindergarteners is such a big deal, and I feel like I am sharing some of the same feelings that they might have... nervousness, scared, excited, curious. Overall, I think it will be important to get to know them, teach them what we expect of them, and make sure that they feel safe in my classroom and at school. Here I go, diving head first into the unknown of a first year teacher teaching kindergarten in her second language!!