PHASE III

The final phase of the Blog reflection is due by the first day of finals week of class.  The Blog and then reflect on the overall experience.

Describe:

1. (a) how your understandings for each the categories listed below changed based on your experiences this semester and
2. (b) describe how this might impact your future teaching experiences.

• Assessing Prior Knowledge

Using prior knowledge and relating the lesson to the students everyday life experience facilitates in enabling the teacher to get the students interest in the lesson that is about to be presented. Students have different life styles, come from different backgrounds and have different styles of learning. 

As a future teacher starting my lesson using prior knowledge will engage the students in the lesson.  Using prior knowledge as a support will help the student make connections to their own lives.  When connections are made the new knowledge will merge with the prior knowledge.    

• Planning Instruction

Planning instruction was like the rough draft of all that was going to be taught.  Having to consider each step such as, prior knowledge, modeling, guided practice, independent practice, assessing, conclusion, and each step had to be thoroughly thought over and creativity had to kick in. 

As a teacher planning instruction for this lesson made me realize that students need to be taught step by step or scaffolding in order to get the main idea of lesson.  Once the main idea is taught, I will be able to add other lessons to their new knowledge.  As a future teacher I will be aware of lessons that work and don’t work or learn how to modify to be successful.   

• Designing Instruction

Designing instruction was very tedious; the lesson had to be well thought out, accommodations for all students had to be considered.   Step by step PPT instruction is a considerable amount of thinking. 

·         Developing a rubric to assess the students when presenting and/or working together in groups.  

·         Designing work sheets, checking out websites that students can safely log into. 

·         Be sure all students are placed together in groups according to their learning styles.

As a future teacher I would connect myself with the computer lab tech. I would plan at least three lessons for students on how to complete a PPT.  I would plan this lesson to take at least four days and class time would be about 30-40 minutes.  Continually checking for understanding and modifying as needed according to the students needs.

• Planning Assessment

Assessing daily progress is the key point to assessing to assure individual students partake in within their groups.  Giving feedback will make the students realize that they are accountable for their own actions and work. Developing a rubric alleviates the guessing of the students expectations. 

A checklist and a list of instructions were developed specifically to be able to complete tasks. Creating a folder with all their resources and items that they need to be successful and gain their new knowledge and to better prepare them for the final assessment. 

• Instructional Decisions/Teaching

Instructional decisions made for this lesson were to be clearly defined to all students exactly what the lesson was about.  The lesson at first did not flow very well but collaborating with my peers help make the lesson engaging. 

As a future teacher I will need to collaborate with the members of my grade level.  Expect some constructive criticism and ideas on how the lesson will impact my students.  Be willing to start over and realize that I will learn from my mistakes. 

• Assessment of Learning

Assessment of learning was clearly defined by the objectives. Using the objectives to guide my lesson helped develop the assessment. 

As a teacher I will carefully align the lesson to the objectives and use variety of ways to assess the students.  Effectively assessing students will help guide my future assessments and lessons.