Week+5+Journal

=__Week 5 Journal __=

This is my week zero between working with team one and team two in my building. I am currently researching how to approach the math class I am about to enter. I have looked in several places for resources related to math, and have been frustrated by the lack of information found. I intend to sit in on part of both classes I will be joining next week to get a feel for the class, students and needs. I have been thinking obout an artifact that was shared in my cohort at the last coaches meeting, and wonder if a similar project would be useful. The project I was shown was a small group (2 or 3 students) asked to create a google site to explain the associative, commutative and distributive properties. Our students will be working on decimals and fractions for the next few weeks, maybe we could do something along the same lines?

Hit the Barnes and Noble and Borders earlier this week. While it ahs been easy to access resources online for the Moodle class, I am tired of reading online text! My eyes are weary, and I enjoy having a book in my hand. I have been able to find some good resources online for use in both the ELA classroom and the math classroom I am about to enter. I have never taught in a math classroom, and I must admit, I am a bit apprehensive about it! So, off the the bookstore I went. I came a cross a book by Lainie Schuster and Nancy Canavan Anderson called __[|Good Questions for Math Teaching: Why Ask Them and What to Ask - Grades 5-8].__ I am hoping to learn some good questioning techniques that will assist me in being effective in the math classroom.

The ELA classroom I am entering this coming week has the students beginning to think about poetry. I set up a Wallwisher site for students and teachers to post their thoughts about why people write poetry, Check out the site[| here]. I'll be interested to see what the kids come up with. Both myself, and the student teacher in the ELA classroom have already made entries to the wall! I also came across a book titled __[|Teaching Beyond the Test]__ by Phil and Dori Schlemmer. I think this book will be helpful in developing differentiated project based lessons, not only for my team members, but also for my social studies classroom!

The last book I bought was __[|High-Tech Teaching Success!]__ by Kevin D. Besnoy and Lane W. Clarke. This book highlights 21st century tools and how they can be used in the classroom. There is an entire chapter devoted to using these tools in the math classroom...yippee! Though I expect to be spending some time this weekend reading, I hope to also get some ideas to share with the team next week. This past week, my technology coordinator helped me set up some PD for my team, and also for my entire building. We have scheduled a Learn With It, Leave With It workshop sponsored by SOITA for iPod touch. If the teachers sign up to come to both afterschool sessions, they will get an iPod Touch to use in their classroom. Everyone is really excited about this opportunity! I think this will also help build "community" within our building. Having these iPods available for ALL members of our staff, and not just those of us lucky enough to be involved with the grant, will help ensure "buy in" from the entire staff. Here is the flyer I sent out announcing the workshops. I'm excited for next week! I know both teachers I will be working with are great, and I think we can really do some terrific things for our students.

Fritzi, I know you are interested in Formative Assessment -- I'm going to have to check and see what I have on that related to decimals and fractions. I'll try to get back to you in the next couple of days. Kathy