Week #6: The Week of Snow ...

Monday
Today was definitely a Monday, because after a day at school - I can't think straight. I used my morning planning period to prepare materials for the day, including the texture buckets for the 4th grade. The second part of my collage lesson, 4th grade (which I taught twice today) went very well I think. Many of the students actually finished their collages and mounted their wire portraits on top of them (with clear tape) - they look awesome. I think I really got across the concept of representational art and layers during this project! Each student got to use a variety of materials (fabric, feathers, tissue paper, etc.) - it worked really well to call them up by their duty shape and let them pick out 5 items to start with for their background of texture. I also had wallpaper books on each table to look through and tear out of for solid colors/textures. I really feel like I'm improving on instructing on the fly - for example when a student asks a question that addresses something I've forgotten in instruction or something that might help the rest of the class - I get the class's attention and bring up by saying so and so asked about this and its a good question, the answer is ... I've also started using more student examples during class if a student is doing something well and others are struggling - rather than just showing my own examples - like today when I was teaching winter trees to the first graders and they were having a rough time really grasping it. I showed them one of the students trees and then realized what I needed to do to really show the students how to draw the tree branches. I think the next time I teach trees I'm going to use the letter V instead of Y - like I did today.
I was also observed today and got some really great feedback from my supervisor. I tried the next class changing "I want/need you too ..." to " You should ..." and I think the students definitely respond better to a phrase that is more self-motivational.

Tues - Fri. were snow days. Mother nature is starting to frustrate me as I go into my 7th week of teaching and I have not had a full week with a full class load. Bummer.