Week 4 - Reading Lesson & Final Reflection!

We did it! It's the final week of Summer Learning Place! We have successfully completed four weeks of learning - both on the students' part and the teachers'! I know I've learned so, so much as we made our way through this program. I knew that this would be an incredibly powerful experience, but didn't realize just how much of an impact it would make on me! That first week, I was so nervous about the program as well as the new role I am stepping into this coming year. I now feel more prepared and well on my way to becoming an effective special education resource teacher

In the beginning of the program, I set some goals for myself. One goal I had for myself was to refine my skills of flexibility and adaptability. This is such a crucial part of the teaching process and I sometimes struggle to find the balance between being ultra-organized and over-planned vs. flexible and adaptable. I challenged myself these past few weeks to find that balance and to strive to be more adaptable. I believe I accomplished this goal. Our kids constantly threw things our way that forced us to think on our feet. Whether we were dealing with mental roadblocks or behavioral difficulties, we had to constantly adapt to our the needs of our students and get creative in our solutions.

A second goal of mine was to try to reach every student, both personally and academically. I wanted to build meaningful relationships with every student in our classroom so that SLP was a safe and fun learning environment. Morning meeting was a great way to build relationships with students and between students. Unstructured social time during the morning before school and during our break were also great opportunities to build personal connections. Academically, I focused heavily on differentiated learning, ensuring that all learning styles were reached and that students were able to demonstrate their learning in a variety of ways. I feel that I was able to accomplish this goal effectively.

My third goal was to work on my data collection. Although I did make a concerted effort to jot down notes whenever possible and to monitor progress in a very concrete way, this goal is definitely something that I need to continue working on. Going into this school year, this will be a professional goal of mine and I hope to attend professional development workshops to assist me in achieving this goal.

Coming into these four weeks, Miss Gilbert and I had little idea of what we would be teaching, who we would be teaching, or how we would be teaching. This was a major concern of mine going into the program, but it forced me out of my comfort zone and I learned a whole lot. Our four weeks looked something like this:

Week 1:

• Procedures and behavioral expectations established
• Social opportunities and community building activities fostered
• Pre-assessment data gathered and analyzed

Week 2:

• Community building, procedures, behavioral expectations continued
• Narrative writing (heart maps, paragraph structure, writing process)
• Addition fluency practice and strategy building (single-digit, multi-digit, regrouping, number line)
• Reading connections (text-to-text, self, world, etc.)
• Word work with student-choice boards

Week 3:

• Community building, procedures, behavioral expectations continued
• Opinion writing (OREO strategy, paragraph structure, writing process)
• Subtraction strategy building and word problem strategy building (CUBES, number line, standard algorithm, etc.)
• Reader's theater and preparing for performance
• Word work with student-choice boards

Week 4:

• Community building, procedures, behavioral expectations continued
• Post-assessment data gathered and analyzed
• Math word problem strategy building
• Reading comprehension strategy building (thick vs. thin questions, sketch-to-stretch)
• Reader's theater and preparing for performance
• Word work with student-choice boards

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Reading Lesson 7/30/2019

Brigid Duffy

Reading Comprehension - Sketch to Stretch

My third and final observation lesson was a lesson regarding the "sketch to stretch" reading comprehension strategy. In this lesson, we explored the concept of visualization to help us stretch our comprehension of the text at hand. We did this through discussing each of the five senses, coming up with concrete examples of each, and making connections between the senses we feel in real life and the sensory details that authors provide us with. Our class used the mindfulness technique of palming and closing our eyes, then used our imaginations to watch "brain tv" as I read a very descriptive book out loud. I did not show any pictures and the students all kept their eyes closed during reading.

After a few pages, we would stop and discuss what we were seeing, hearing, tasting, feeling, etc. on our "brain tv's." About halfway through the book, we stopped and completed the anchor chart graphic organizer (seen below) to sketch and stretch our understanding of the text. During our discussion, we made sure to dive deep into what the text was telling us. This served as the teacher modeling portion of the lesson. 

At the end of the read aloud, I asked students to flip to the blank side of their graphic organizer and focus on sketching their favorite part of the book (different than what we completed together). After a few minutes, students shared their drawing with a partner and discussed what they decided to include and why. Students were very eager to share this! 

Finally, students completed the graphic organizer on their own. This time, instead of using our read aloud, students used their lines from the reader's theater that we have been working on. This reader's theater will be our final presentation and we have been working on getting the students to really think about what they are saying while they are performing, rather than just saying the words. 

What went well:

I think that students liked how different their read-aloud experience was today. Normally, read-alouds follow the same structure: the teacher reads, the teacher shows the pictures, the teacher stops and asks a question, the teacher continues reading, etc. This time around, the students were given a very specific job to do. It was on them to create the images in their minds and truly dive into the words that the author is telling us. They were very engaged during this portion of the lesson and enjoyed sharing their "brain tv" experiences. 

I also liked the mindfulness activity that we did to prepare our minds and bodies for our visualization strategy. It's called palming and I learned about it at a recent professional development. If you would like to see a demonstration and get further explanation, watch this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRKpNaVaP84 

What didn't go as planned:

I think I was trying to fit in too many components into one lesson. I liked that we were able to get some additional reader's theater practice in and that students were able to think more deeply about their lines. However, some lines from the reader's theater don't provide as much sensory detail as our read aloud had. This made it slightly more difficult for students to fill in the sentence stems on the "stretch" part of the page. Also, switching from our read aloud to our reader's theater texts was difficult for some students to do. They were wanting to sketch more about Puddles rather than I Like Myself.

How to change for subsequent lessons:

In future lessons, I would simplify things for myself and just center the lesson around the read aloud, rather than on working with multiple texts.

Today's graphic organizer:

Today's read aloud:

Our reader's theater book:

Week 3 - Writing Lesson

And just like that, our program is almost finished! It's crazy to think that we only have a few more days left with our kiddos! As time goes on, I am learning so much from each student. We have been able to learn so much about their individual quirks and personalities and that has been so much fun! More importantly, we have been able to explore their individual strengths and needs. With trial and error, we have worked to meet these individual needs and develop effective strategies when working with particular students. This experience is invaluable and I am so thankful to be a part of it!

This week, I taught a lesson on opinion writing. We used the OREO model, as seen in the photo below, to structure our writing. A big focus of this lesson was not just the opinions themselves, but the supporting reasons and explanations behind those opinions.

In the lesson, we explored "The Perfect Pet" by Margie Palatini as a mentor text. In it, the main character is trying to persuade her parents to get her a pet. She goes through a long list of pets and provides reasons that each would be perfect for their family. When met with parental resistance, the main character improvises and there is a cute twist to the story. I won't spoil anything, but it's a great option if you are teaching opinion/persuasive writing!

After our read aloud and analysis of the story, we introduced the OREO model with an anchor chart and a mega-stuffed Oreo. Students were asked to analyze their Oreo cookie and observed that it had three very important components: two cookie sandwiches and icing filling. If one of those components was missing, it would not be as delicious of a snack. We related this to our own paragraph writing - if one component of our paragraph is missing, it is not as strong of a writing piece! Also, the icing is the sweetest part of the cookie. The more, the better! This connects to the details, reasons, and explanations in our own writing!

We went through each component of the model (Opinion, Reason, Explanation, Opinion) while pointing to the corresponding part of the cookie in our hands. Then, we were able to enjoy our sweet treat as we used the anchor chart to collaboratively complete the OREO model as if we were the main character from our story.

After this, students were given a graphic organizer identical to our anchor chart. (Image included below). This graphic organizer provided sentence stems for students to use as they wrote. On these, students were challenged to come up with their own opinion as to what animal would make the best pet, then provide three reasons and explanations.

Students who finished early could move onto their rough draft, taking everything from their graphic organizer and transferring it onto a piece of loose leaf paper. We also had a text set on different kinds of pets and how to care for them available for students to explore! It was definitely a fun lesson for all and we got a little treat out of it too!

What went well:

I think student engagement was the best part of this lesson. Students absolutely loved the interactive read aloud and were eager to analyze our main character's opinions, make connections, and share their own opinions as we read. The twist at the end had them making all sorts of faces and kept them at the edge of their seats! I had SO much fun with this.

The cookies themselves were a hit too, of course! I think providing a physical representation of the mnemonic device model made an abstract concept more concrete. It provided a visual reminder of why we write the way we do. It added a multi-sensory element to a lesson that could have easily been just an anchor chart and graphic organizer. The cookies boosted engagement and motivation - I may have promised a second cookie if we worked hard all throughout the lesson!

What did not go as planned:

As always, I was a bit pressed for time during this lesson. I always get so caught up in the activity that we're doing that I don't want to stop and move on to the next phase! In this particular lesson, our interactive read aloud and discussion took up more time than anticipated. This was not necessarily a bad thing, as our discussions were rich with connections and ideas. However, it meant that we had less time to work collaboratively on the anchor chart before we moved onto independent practice. Instead of providing three reasons on the anchor chart, we only did one. My original intention was to more gradually release responsibility to the students. In this case, it was a bit more abrupt. I think that with more modeling, the students would have been able to transfer to their own graphic organizers during independent practice. 

How to change for subsequent lessons:

In future lessons, I will try keep myself on a more strict schedule so that all components of the lesson get their fair share! That gradual release of responsibility is much too valuable!

Week 2 - Math Lesson Reflection

Candidate: Brigid Duffy
Lesson Topic: Number Line Addition
Date: 7/16

This week, I felt more like a teacher and less like a chicken running around with its head cut off. (Okay, that might be an exaggeration). Regardless, I came into this week with a greater knowledge of my students' personalities, strengths, and abilities. With this knowledge and with the data we gathered from pre-assessments, I felt ready to differentiate my instruction to meet the needs of each student in our class.

My observed lesson this week was during our math time. Pre-assessment data indicated that each of our students struggled in their addition skills. Not a single student was able to successfully use a number line to add. As such, we decided to address addition skills before anything else. We covered the traditional algorithm using color coding supports, utilized manipulatives and games, and even practiced our addition facts using jumping jacks. But I wanted our students to be immersed in the addition problems even further. I wanted to create a multi-sensory lesson that was catered to all learning needs and provided students with visual, auditory, kinesthetic, and tactile opportunities. I wanted to incorporate a gradual release of responsibility, beginning with teacher modeling and direct instruction, guided practice, peer practice, and eventually independent practice.

We accomplished this through a lesson using a life-sized number line on which each student "hopped" out each problem to solve the number sentence. Peers assisted one another in making their way down the number line and completing addition problems to a sum of 20. After this, students were given their own number lines (again, through 20) which were made from manila folders. Using these and small pom-poms, students "hopped" their way along their own number lines once again to solve more problems during guided practice. Each problem was both verbally spoken and visually written on a white board within the view of each of the students. Then, we paired students up to play an addition game, using their personal number lines and a graphic organizer recording sheet. Finally, students were given a formative assessment during independent practice to close the lesson.

What went well:

I think our multi-sensory approach to addition was incredibly successful. Not only did it provide multiple means of representing the content, but it actively engaged students in their learning. They were able to practice the number line addition strategy in a variety of ways and weren't just restricted to a paper/pencil assessment.

The life-sized number line allowed students to get out of their seats and physically become part of the problem at hand. Our students absolutely loved it. Not only were they eager to participate and motivated to learn, but they were actively conceptualizing our strategy in real time. They were able to conceptualize that in addition, we start at the first number, then add on the second, etc. This increased their understanding of number sense as well.

The personal number lines made from manila folders allowed them to generalize their understanding from our life-sized number line. Using the pom-pom ball appealed to our tactile learners, as they use their sense of touch and physically moved the pom-pom across the line to solve each problem.

Throughout all of this practice, I was not only modeling the strategy but also writing the number sentence on a white board to make sure that students were connecting what we were doing on our number lines to real-life equations. We also used visual timers for students to reference. These appealed to our visual learners.

Our auditory learners benefited from verbal directions and explanations as well as auditory cues for transition between activities.

I was proud of the fact that this lesson was able to reach each of the diverse learners in our class. With the multi-sensory approach, use of graphic organizers, and gradual release of responsibility, all students were able to demonstrate their knowledge effectively!

What did not go as planned:

After introducing our number line strategy using our life-sized number line and practicing using individual number lines, we moved onto a peer-to-peer game. The game was almost like war, the card game. Both students had a stack of notecards with a number written on one side. Students were to flip their cards, then add the two numbers together using their personal number lines and pom-pom "hoppers." After they got their sum, they were to record the full number sentence on their graphic organizer to keep track of the problems that they completed. Sounds simple enough, right?

I was a bit pressed for time and went through the directions quickly on my own, then modeled expectations with the help of a student and asked clarifying questions before transitioning the students into the activity itself. Looking back, I should have spent more time on the directions because as soon as the students were paired up and began the activity, I could see the confused look in many of their eyes. Abby and I were circulating around the room to assist these students, of course. With a little bit of clarification and encouragement, those students were on their way. However, some students kind of came up with their own rules, taking two cards from their own pile to add up. With only about five minutes to complete the activity, I figured that was acceptable as long as they were getting the practice in. Sometimes, you have to pick your battles!

How to change for subsequent lessons:

In subsequent lessons, I would keep a closer eye on the clock to make sure that each activity was given enough time. I feel as though our game was not given the attention it deserved because we were so pressed for time! My directions for the game, as I previously mentioned, were subpar. This is something that I need to keep in mind as I plan future lessons. It is important to provide explicit directions, modeling, and practice time.

Week 1 - Goals & Expectations

After much anticipation, the first week is finally underway! The kids are here, we have our assessments done, and we are establishing a baseline of our students' academic and behavioral needs. Phase one: complete!

Coming into this program, I was incredibly nervous. I'm a planner, as most teachers are. When I was told that I wouldn't know the details of my caseload until right before the program started, I panicked just a little. Not knowing who I was assessing, what I was assessing, and how I was assessing also didn't help the situation! But also like most teachers, I am quite flexible and adaptable. Those skills are definitely going to be tested throughout this program, as I learn to constantly adapt to the vastly diverse needs of each student in our class. Learning to refine these skills of flexibility and adaptation in effective ways is one of my personal goals as we move forward with this program.

I am absolutely in love with our students. They are the sweetest, most eager-to-please group I have ever encountered. Each student brings a unique set of strengths, experiences, and struggles with them to Summer Learning Place. It is our job to elevate their strengths, learn from their experiences, and assist in their struggles.

One student in particular has behavioral and communication needs that are more complex than many students I have worked with in my short career as an educator. Another personal goal of mine is to connect with this student and develop effective strategies in working with him communicatively, behaviorally, and academically. He is such a joy and I really want to make sure that my actions are impactful for not only him, but our other nine students as well. I want to reach each of them personally, providing them with a safe and positive space for them to learn and grow.

I also want to make sure that my expectations are clear and followed. I know that we're in a bit of a "honeymoon phase" right now, but I already feel very connected to each student. There was one student who was a bit standoffish at first, but when I got her talking about Tangled and Beauty and the Beast, that hard exterior melted away almost immediately. Yet another student decided with tears in the middle of our math assessment that her stomach "had acid" in it. I calmly took her into the hall and offered her water, words of comfort and encouragement, and some additional support on the math. Funny - her stomach didn't hurt her for the rest of the day! I think our students are starting to realize that we aren't here to make them feel less-than or not good enough. In fact, we are doing quite the opposite! I have received many hugs, smiles, and laughs already! These kids have SO much potential and I can't wait to see what they are able to accomplish over these next few weeks!

A third personal goal for myself is to make a concerted effort to collect as much meaningful data as possible to monitor student progress and inform my teaching practices. Coming from a mostly general education background, this progress monitoring looked a bit different and was mostly district or school driven. In a program like SLP, we are working with students who have academic and/or behavioral needs in a very short period of time. Therefore, we don't have any time to waste in evaluating if what we are doing as teachers is effective or not. Student data - whether it's formal assessment or informal anecdotal notes - provides us with a clear picture of who's getting it and who might not be. I need to make sure I am being reflective and that each decision I make has a clear purpose.

I think that this course will be the most powerful learning experience I have ever had regarding the world of special education. Sure, I've encountered different SPED field experiences, I've attended IEP meetings, worked with our school resource teacher, and helped with extended school year programs, but I have never been in charge of my own class of students with exceptional needs. The perfectionist in me is screaming because I already know I have so much to learn and will not come even close to being the perfect teacher for these kids. However, I do know that I will try my darn hardest to be and that I will learn so, so much.

Enjoy some photos of our students from their first day! (Exploring awesome books, writing and illustrating "summer selfies," and decorating their work/behavior folders!)

Welcome!

Greetings, fellow teachers! Happy summer and welcome to my blog! I can't wait to see what these next four weeks have in store for us here at the Summer Learning Place 2019! Stay tuned 😄