Interview with Ms. K
My introduction with Ms. K took place on Thursday, September 28th. Ms. K is a fourth grade teacher at the school I have been assigned and she gave me a great vision of what my classroom could look like. Our interview took place in her classroom during the students scheduled time out of the regular classroom for music and art. I was inspired by the class layout and her honest answers to my questions. She didn't pretend that every day would go as planned and that teaching would be easy. She said that some students are more of a challenge and that teachers need to remain flexible. I would observe flexibility in my time in her classroom and I feel that I will be a better teacher for it. We spent about an hour together discussing how she planned her lessons, created a community, and how I could best contribute to her class during my time with them.
Instructional questions
I asked her to describe some of the challenges of teaching in a classroom where group learning is the primary method. She explained to me that transitioning to independent work after working in groups could be difficult. Students often had a difficult time not talking to their peers when they are so accustomed to sharing their ideas with each other. This class is very social and can be very chatty which makes transitioning from one lesson to another take longer.
Ms. K explained her successes as motivating children to become involved in their own learning and creating a community where all of the children were respected. She believes that the characteristics of a successful teacher are creating an environment where students feel safe taking risks, feel secure, and feel that they belong. She suggested that I read The First Six Weeks of School by Paula Denton to help me to set up my classroom from the start of the year.
Social studies and science are taught twice a week in her classroom, which she feels is enough. Currently they are doing an author study of Roald Dahl which has included lesson in social studies, reading, writing, art, music and drama. In November they will be performing a play about Roald Dahl for the parents and students. They are just about to finish a unit on the North Carolina Coastal Region and she suggests that I teach a social studies lesson on either Roald Dahl or the North Carolina Mountain Region as they will be beginning that region during my second week.
Science is taught by a science specialist who comes in to the classroom once a week. A follow up lesson may be taught by Ms. K if there is a need for more time or further explanation. I will meet with the science specialist to discuss my science lesson.
I met with the science specialist who told me that the fourth grade would be learning about matter during my time in the school. I could choose to teach a lesson about rocks and minerals, or properties of matter. She said that I could have access to any materials that she had when it was time to teach my lesson.
Classroom Management Questions
The motivation methods used in the classroom come back to the community that has been created. The students work together to make sure that everything runs smoothly. They have classroom jobs, which they apply and interview for, and the students understand that they succeed together. When students are not cooperating or are not engaged they are spoken to in a private way so that they can talk about what is hindering them. Ms. K says that having a teaching assistant, Mr. J, has been a huge help. Mr. J is able to pull students aside when needed for behavioral management or to encourage them to become more engaged in the lesson.
Part of the process of building the community is The Standing O. During this time a student is chosen to sit in a special chair and the rest of the class takes turns complimenting the student on anything that they have seen or heard that they liked. Ms. K gives examples of things that students might say as, I really liked when you played tag with me at recess or I love how you laugh at everything. During The Standing O the student who has been chosen gets experience with receiving compliments and the class gets experience giving compliments. It is also a time to work on speaking and listening skills.
There is a student in the class that often calls out of turn and they are given several chances to correct their behavior before they are removed from the classroom by Mr. J to have a time to talk about why their behavior is not acceptable. There are a few of the students who are very active and have shown positive results from massage. These students may be given a weighted vest to wear for periods of time during the day. The vests help the students to be calm and less disruptive.
Planning Questions
Lessons are planned in teams. There is a different team for math, reading and social studies. The lessons are planned in units and the individual teachers can add to them as they want. For example, Ms. K told me that if she was teaching a reading unit and felt that her students would benefit from a particular mini lesson on grammar she would add it to her plan.
I asked Ms. K to give some examples of how she plans for diversity in her classroom. She was able to give me several examples of ways that she plans for diversity and how she encourages learning. The reading workshop allows students to read at an independent level and they are paired homogeneously for follow up activities. Since readers are reading at similar reading levels, they are able to share books that each of them may want to read. There are two Spanish speaking students, who are fluent in English. During Spanish instruction, these 2 students have a separate assignment to work on such as writing a poem in Spanish and English. Math groups are homogeneous as well and the lessons are taught twice a week in centers. Since students are grouped based on similar math needs, they can work on centers that build on those skills.
Ms. K has many years of teaching experience and I feel that I have a lot to learn from her. She has excellent suggestions about classroom management and I look forward to seeing them in action. After my meeting with her I am especially eager to see a reader’s workshop in action and learn how she has used Roald Dahl in so many subjects. I feel at home in her classroom and I am excited to get started.
Instructional questions
I asked her to describe some of the challenges of teaching in a classroom where group learning is the primary method. She explained to me that transitioning to independent work after working in groups could be difficult. Students often had a difficult time not talking to their peers when they are so accustomed to sharing their ideas with each other. This class is very social and can be very chatty which makes transitioning from one lesson to another take longer.
Ms. K explained her successes as motivating children to become involved in their own learning and creating a community where all of the children were respected. She believes that the characteristics of a successful teacher are creating an environment where students feel safe taking risks, feel secure, and feel that they belong. She suggested that I read The First Six Weeks of School by Paula Denton to help me to set up my classroom from the start of the year.
Social studies and science are taught twice a week in her classroom, which she feels is enough. Currently they are doing an author study of Roald Dahl which has included lesson in social studies, reading, writing, art, music and drama. In November they will be performing a play about Roald Dahl for the parents and students. They are just about to finish a unit on the North Carolina Coastal Region and she suggests that I teach a social studies lesson on either Roald Dahl or the North Carolina Mountain Region as they will be beginning that region during my second week.
Science is taught by a science specialist who comes in to the classroom once a week. A follow up lesson may be taught by Ms. K if there is a need for more time or further explanation. I will meet with the science specialist to discuss my science lesson.
I met with the science specialist who told me that the fourth grade would be learning about matter during my time in the school. I could choose to teach a lesson about rocks and minerals, or properties of matter. She said that I could have access to any materials that she had when it was time to teach my lesson.
Classroom Management Questions
The motivation methods used in the classroom come back to the community that has been created. The students work together to make sure that everything runs smoothly. They have classroom jobs, which they apply and interview for, and the students understand that they succeed together. When students are not cooperating or are not engaged they are spoken to in a private way so that they can talk about what is hindering them. Ms. K says that having a teaching assistant, Mr. J, has been a huge help. Mr. J is able to pull students aside when needed for behavioral management or to encourage them to become more engaged in the lesson.
Part of the process of building the community is The Standing O. During this time a student is chosen to sit in a special chair and the rest of the class takes turns complimenting the student on anything that they have seen or heard that they liked. Ms. K gives examples of things that students might say as, I really liked when you played tag with me at recess or I love how you laugh at everything. During The Standing O the student who has been chosen gets experience with receiving compliments and the class gets experience giving compliments. It is also a time to work on speaking and listening skills.
There is a student in the class that often calls out of turn and they are given several chances to correct their behavior before they are removed from the classroom by Mr. J to have a time to talk about why their behavior is not acceptable. There are a few of the students who are very active and have shown positive results from massage. These students may be given a weighted vest to wear for periods of time during the day. The vests help the students to be calm and less disruptive.
Planning Questions
Lessons are planned in teams. There is a different team for math, reading and social studies. The lessons are planned in units and the individual teachers can add to them as they want. For example, Ms. K told me that if she was teaching a reading unit and felt that her students would benefit from a particular mini lesson on grammar she would add it to her plan.
I asked Ms. K to give some examples of how she plans for diversity in her classroom. She was able to give me several examples of ways that she plans for diversity and how she encourages learning. The reading workshop allows students to read at an independent level and they are paired homogeneously for follow up activities. Since readers are reading at similar reading levels, they are able to share books that each of them may want to read. There are two Spanish speaking students, who are fluent in English. During Spanish instruction, these 2 students have a separate assignment to work on such as writing a poem in Spanish and English. Math groups are homogeneous as well and the lessons are taught twice a week in centers. Since students are grouped based on similar math needs, they can work on centers that build on those skills.
Ms. K has many years of teaching experience and I feel that I have a lot to learn from her. She has excellent suggestions about classroom management and I look forward to seeing them in action. After my meeting with her I am especially eager to see a reader’s workshop in action and learn how she has used Roald Dahl in so many subjects. I feel at home in her classroom and I am excited to get started.