Alexa DAuria

Reflection

4/20/15
EDUG 868

This morning, I did my last informal lesson on science. Although I was hesitant to
have a mixed up schedule because science is usually in the afternoon and I was afraid our
special needs students would have a negative reaction, I did not have a choice since Mrs.
Tighe and Mrs. Schassler had RCs CSE meeting at noon. I was very confident and
comfortable with this lesson. I was surprised and happy that both of my cooperating
teachers made no corrections or other suggestions after reading my lesson plan. I usually
plan it with Mrs. Schassler and differentiate it with Mrs. Tighe, but Mrs. Tighe made no
comments and Mrs. Schassler was pleased with the way I took the information she had
given me and put it all together in my lesson plan format.
I began the lesson by introducing the book Alexander and the Wind-Up Mouse.
Most of the students called out that they read this book in kindergarten, so I just asked
them to put their thumbs up if they have read it so I controlled for the noise level. I wrote
down the three vocabulary words (envy, quivering, and in vein) on post-it notes and told
the students to listen for these words while I am reading and try to think of what they
mean. Some of the students pointed out that they already knew a word, but I told them to
use the words in the text to help them come up with a more accurate definition. This was
not something I wrote in my lesson, but I figured that they were important words to add
to the fancy word wall. Although I was able to recognize the inappropriate behavior, I
should have been more mindful of the time and cut my lesson so that the students were
on the rug for less time listening to the story.
I asked the students what the regular mouse, Alexander, and the wind-up mouse,
Willy, were feeling throughout the book. I also asked them prediction questions. I felt that
I had difficulty maintaining the students attention during the read aloudmaybe because
some of them already knew the book. Unfortunately, the same students were raising their
hands, so I handed out turn-cards and called on students I didnt hear from yet. I even
gave the teacher a point on the scoreboard because I had to repeat myself so many times.
After I read the book, the class agreed (by putting their thumbs up) that their pet
objects were non-living. I asked the students and wrote on the chart paper What do
living things need? I did this instead of making a t-chart with living and non-living and
to save time so I didnt need to write all of the opposite needs for non-living things. The
students were able to come up with a few of the terms on their own, but I had to
categorize them into broader terms. For example, one of the students said that living
things need shelter, so I told her that the teachers guide says that is known as a response
to the environment. I also had to ask guided questions to the students so they would be
able to come up with grow and develop, as well as reproduce and excrete waste. I
was worried that the students would joke about these terms inappropriately, but I was
glad to see that they listened to the directions. I showed the students the t-chart worksheet
that they would be working on at their desks and the pictures that they would have to cut
out first. I called on RC to repeat the directions and he did so perfectly. I was pleasantly
surprised that he was listening and really participating in the lesson.
Mrs. Tighe mentioned to me that when I was speaking to the class I did not
correct their grammar. For example, one student said mouses instead of mice, and I
did not recognize what the student said so I did not know to correct him. Another

grammar mistake that I made was when I repeated the word winded, which is what one
student said, instead of the word wound. She told me that if I was doing an observation
with the old principal at the school for a teaching position he would not have hired me
because of those little mistakes. I think that I speak fluently and I know that everyone
makes mistakes. I also am aware that sometimes I let my nerves get the best of me and I
need to learn to ignore the person observing me.
After the minilesson on the rug, I called the students by row to get the picture
sheet from me and begin cutting them out at their desks. I told them that when they were
done cutting to raise their hands and me or Mrs. Jacobson would give them the t-chart for
them to paste. I also reminded the students when they were at the desks to recycle their
scraps. I had to constantly remind the students to cut quietly and focus. Some of the
students were finishing way before others because a lot of the students like to socialize. It
may have been easier and quicker to have dotted lines around each of the pictures. I had
to tell the students to come to the rug with what they had finished because we were
running over time. Instead of going over three pictures for each category (living and nonliving), I chose two pictures that I saw the students struggle with: a picture of water and a
stick. Both of these are considered non-living, and when I asked the students what they
categorized it as all of them said non-living, even though when I walked around the
classroom they did not. I know that some of them were helping each other, but I felt
responsible to clarify and make sure they all understood the reasoning.
Mrs. Schassler and Mrs. Tighe suggested that I could start to teach lessons
consecutively for half a day (every day) by the end of the week so I could get used to
managing time and transitioning the students into different lessons. I was very happy that
they suggested this because I did not feel that it was in my place to ask them for this
privilege. I am grateful for all of the experiences and responsibilities I have taken on in
this classroom and I am looking forward to trying new things and continue learning.