ECED 461

Randi Rhodes

TWS 8 Reflection, Self-Evaluation, & Professional Development

A. Whole Class
Most of my instructional decisions were monitoring and adjusting
instruct based on the students responses. When I first started
the unit, I was trying to be more general so that the students
would not get preoccupied with one certain topic and not allow
their minds to imagine more topics. I quickly learned that instead
of getting the general idea they did not get the idea at all, so I
made the decision to give examples of all-about topics that they
could use but also stressing that I wanted them to come up with
their own topics. This decision made a positive impact on their
learning because they not only understood the main concept of
picking out a topic that they know all about, but they were
coming up with their own great ideas. I also decided to work
more closely one-on-one with each student as much as I could
because I found that students need that interaction to really
excel. I started to pull small groups and conference with each
one about their stories. I could see the progress that the students
were making just in that short time. For most of the students,
they were just stuck on one or two minor things in their story
that prevented them from finishing their book and with that oneon-one or small group time they were able to overcome those
issues and move on.
As I described above, the students did not understand the topic
concept when I was just simply talking about topics. I explained
to them that the topic they choose needs to be topics that they
knew very well. I also referenced some of the how-to topics that
we picked and explained that those topics worked with how-to
books because the students could tell step-by-step the process of
how to do it, and the all-about books were a little different
because the topics would not be explaining how to do something
they would simply telling facts about one specific topic. I asked
the students to tell me topics they know all about and the
students responded with how to ride a bike, how to swim, how
to build Legos. I knew that the students did not understand the
concept of all-about topics because they were still fixed on the
how-to statement. I explained to the students that we were not
telling someone how to do something anymore but we were just
telling them facts about a topic. I took the topic of how to swim
and turned it into an appropriate topic for all-about books. I told
the students that we could use that topic as long as we did not
say how-to but instead the topic could be all about
swimming. I told the students some facts that we could write

ECED 461

Randi Rhodes
about swimming and then actually wrote it down on chart paper
for the students to see. The students helped me with some of the
facts for swimming and I knew that the students were gradually
beginning to understand the concept a little better. Once I
realized that the students were not responding correctly after
explaining how to pick a topic, I had to make a decision. I based
my decision on the contextual factors I already knew about my
students. I knew my students learned best when they come up
with their own ideas and if I was there as a guide, so I decided to
give them an example to go off of and encourage them to think
of their own topics. I also decided to have the students talk
among their partners about different topics that they could come
up with. This enhanced the ideas and thinking process for the
students by hearing other inputs and viewpoints.

The students in this kindergarten class already have an interest

for writing so it made it easy to motivate them to write excellent
stories. The especially love to teach other people things, so I
motivated them in the sense that they were the teachers. They
loved the idea that they were the teachers and they were
teaching someone all about a topic. I asked them to think about
what I did as a teacher and how I taught them things throughout
the day and then relate that their writing and pretend they were
the teachers. Allowing them to be in control and responsible for
their own effectiveness in their books was enough motivation for
them to succeed.
As I mentioned before, I used demonstration at the beginning of
each lesson throughout the unit and would do this in whole group
instruction. There were some days that I would have the students
turn and talk with their partners about what we just talked about
or I would allow them to get in groups based on the table that sat
and come up with facts about a topic we chose for the day.
Towards the end of the unit, I had the students beginning writing
an all-about book. I decided to start pulling small groups in order
to help the students more closely. I also went around and
conferenced with each child during the remainder of the unit.
The majority of this unit was based on thinking skills and
brainstorming, therefore, I did not have much need more a lot of
manipulatives. However, I did use chart paper and the
SMARTboard as visual aids for the students to reference back to.
I recorded the ideas that the students stated each day and built
on to those ideas as we progressed in the unit.
The students were both actively and passively involved
throughout this writing unit. The students had to be able to write
and spell their sight words on their own and be able to develop

ECED 461

Randi Rhodes
the sentences we discussed in group instruction. The students
were actively engaged during this time of independent writing;
however, they were passively engaged by helping me with the
example that I came up with. The students were working as a
group trying to help me plan out an all-about book by listening
and responding to me.
At the beginning of the unit, I do not think I presented the
information in a clear and logical manner because the students
did not understand the terms and meaning of what I was saying.
When I gave examples and related the writing to them and
where they could understand it, they began to understand and
the instructions became clearer. I believe the rest of the
instruction was clear as well, except for when I was trying to
explain about the audience they were choosing to write to. I
believe the concept was a little hard for them to understand in
any simple form but I had a hard time finding the right words to
describe it. I decided to give examples of this as well and the
students began to understand what the audience was supposed
to be.
The resources I selected for this unit was childrens books that
were designed for All-About stories. The first one I read was All
About Diggers and this told the students facts about bulldozers
and diggers of all kinds. This set up the way and process that the
students were supposed to write his or her all about stories. The
second and third book was All About Tractors and All About Fire
Trucks. The students loved listening and learning from the book
that I think it motivated them even more to want to write a book
like the ones presented.
This unit was based around the students lives because this was
supposed to be something they knew all about and something
they could show pride over. The students get to express their
knowledge about one component in their life that they know a lot
about and teach someone else that does not know much about
it.
Writing is a hard concept for kindergarteners to grasp because it
takes time to explain, brainstorm, and sit and write it out. These
students had a hard time focusing and staying on track so I
would take little breaks and have the students move and stretch
to give their minds a break. I also tried to motivate them in ways
that would give them self-pride and responsibility. For example, I
would explain that these stories are something they create and
they are going to want to show their families and friends so the
stories should be outstanding. I also established at the very
beginning and authors (the students) write in peace and quiet so
that they can think of great ideas and write them down before

ECED 461

Randi Rhodes
they forget. I talked about writing posture, which is feet on the
floor right in front of them, their bottom all the way back in their
seat, and their sitting up straight. I knew it was time to their stop
the lesson or give them break when the postures changed and
the noise level went up.
Throughout this writing unit, I tried to give the students just as
much one-on-one or small group instruction as whole group
instruction because that is what children at that age really need.
I believe my interactions with the students were positive for the
most part. I tried to help each child the same amount so that one
student was not getting more help than the other, but it was also
based on each students accommodations and needs. Since I
realize that writing is a struggling concept for most of these
students, I provided unlimited encouragement and motivation.
At the end of the my writing unit, I made sure that I set up the
rest of the unit in a way that the students would understand how
it all related and how much more they could do with all about
books. I explained to them that writers always want to write
more and that their books should have more than one sentence
on each page and their pictures should have detail, labels, and
speech bubbles in them. I reviewed everything that we learned in
the past week and told them that they will be writing an all about
book all by themselves.
The time I set for this unit was just a little too short for the
students to really grasp the concept like I wanted them to. There
were factors that I did not anticipate throughout the unit, such
as, how quickly the students became restless and how often they
needed breaks from writing. There were also two or three
concepts that I had to review each day so that the students
would apply them in their writing instead of just forgetting about
them. I could have used just one more writing lesson to be
satisfied, but the students did a great job with the time that was
allotted.

B. Three Individual Student

The most successful student during this unit was my high-level student
I have focused on. She is very determined and self-regulated and she
always gets her work done on time and efficiently. She participates in
all of the lessons, regardless of who is teaching them, and the whole
class likes her. Her parents are both teachers and she was well
prepared before entering kindergarten. She has an older sister that has
gone through the same material recently. These factors could be one
reason for her success; she comes from a good stable background that
allows her the nutrition and education she needs to successful. She is

ECED 461

Randi Rhodes

one of the few students that do not have a problem focusing and
staying on task for a whole group lesson. This could also be one of the
reasons she exceeds more than others. She does great work and is one
of my students that I can truly count on.
The least successful student was my lower-leveled student that I
observed throughout this unit. She is a bright student that can produce
good work if an adult is there to guide her every step of the way. She
does not participate in group-discussion as much as some of the other
students, and I have to call on her for behavior issues at least twice a
day. I believe she lacks the confidence and maturity it takes to
complete these challenging task independently. I think one of the
reasons why she is not very successful in most of her work is indeed
the facts that her confidence and maturity level is not where it should
be for her age and she education level. Another reason for her lack of
success could be that she was not prepared as well for kindergarten as
other students. I do not know much about her background, except that
it has been a challenge to get a hold of any legal guardian for her for a
conference and/or a simple phone call.
The average performing student was identified as my middle-leveled
student that I observed throughout my unit. This student loves to
participate during small or whole group discussions and is very active.
He has a hard time focusing on any task and needs multiple brainbreaks. He is on medication for ADHD and is very noticeable. He is a
bright student that needs structure and discipline to get anything
accomplished. I think one of the reasons that he does not excel from
other students is that he does have a problem focusing and staying still
during a lesson. Even though he takes medicine, he still struggles
greatly. One possible reason of why he does succeed as much as he
does is because of his outgoing personality. He does not mind asking
questions in whole group instruction to find out more information.
Students that have this kind of interest and curiosity tend to have more
motivation to learn.
On the third day of the unit, I had the students go to their table and
write or draw a fact they know about dentist. When I was walking
around observing the students, I noticed that my low-leveled and
middle-leveled students wrote down things that were still on the lines
of how-to books. For example, the low-leveled student drew a picture
of how to sign in at the dentist office. I noticed more and more
students writing or drawing this similar mistake. I called the students
back to the carpet to go over what a fact is and how it relates to the
all-about books. After I explained it and gave an example, the students
went back to their tables and finished the assignment correctly.
C. Professional Development
1. One of my professional goals is to be a better planner. Through this
experience I have learned that I need to plan out every step of the

ECED 461

Randi Rhodes

way and do not just assume things will work out. For example, the
reason that I had a hard time explain the lesson in a clear and
thorough way is because I did not think out what the best way to
present this would be. I had enough material and objectives there,
but I did not have the details of the lessons as precise has I would
like them in the future.
2. The second professional goal is to have more patience with
students. I realized that writing is a hard concept for kindergarten
students, but I still found myself frustrated because they were not
doing as well as I had hoped they would. I need to take time, realize
the age of my students, and have patience when they are learning
new concepts.