feedback (a work in progress)

When it comes to feedback I am now realizing this an area that I need to work on. I am very good at receiving feedback but it has recently been pointed out to me that I may not always be the best at taking initiative once I receive this feedback. That is to say, I need to work on taking the feedback to heart and making changes in my teaching practice to better reflect the feedback I receive. After every lesson my PPP will give me feedback, but according to her I need to work more on being reflective in my own lessons and implement feedback to myself. If I could change anything about how I receive feedback it would that my teacher gives me more corrective feedback. As it stands right now, in my opinion, the feedback I receive is very one-sided and negative. I think this is something that will need to come from time, at least that is my hope. My PPP and I have two very different personalities and I think that this fact is something that becomes an issue when we partake in reflections or feedback.

Relationships with parents

In order to build relationships with the parents of my students there are many things I try and do. One of these things was addressed in the family communications project, with the sending of an introductory letter. I also try and take any opportunity possible to speak to my student's parents. When there is an event in the classroom that requires parent participation I always talk to them and try to build a rapport that makes them feel comfortable about me being involved in their child's life.
I am very fortunate in the fact that my PPP already has an incredible relationship with her parents, and they all work together to ensure the students are always put at an advantage. For me this is an extremely important part of teaching, I want the parents to trust me. Without trust I can not effectively show them that I do want what is best for their student. One specific time I can think of where I communicated with parents happened when we received a new student. My teacher introduced me to them and I was able to explain exactly what my role was in the classroom. A few weeks later my teacher was absent, that morning when the parents dropped off the student I was able to speak to them and express how much progress this student has made in just the 2 weeks he had been in the class. Another example I can think of is during a parent/teacher conference I attended. Although my teacher was the one who spoke throughout the duration of the meeting, I was able to speak about my personal experience with the student and what a joy she is to work with. Overall I would say that my communication skills with parents is one that is developing very well under the guidance of Ms. Maloney.

Rotuines

The first month of school is a very crucial part of the school year. In many ways, the first month is what sets the tone for the entire school year. The first month is where many of the expectations are set up that follow students throughout their year. Routines like walking to the classroom, lining up, walking in the hallway, when to talk and when not to talk are all crucial procedures that help a classroom run smoothly. Without these routines the classroom would fall apart and not facilitate a good learning environment. In the classroom I am currently interning in the classroom expectations and routines are all simple and precise, as to reflect the age of my students. For the most part the routines in my classroom are extremely effective and work well for the students. However, one routine I do not agree is being utilized to the best of abilities is transitioning centers during center time. As it stands now the students switch when a timer goes off every 15 minutes. I like the autonomy this practice gives the students, but I do not feel like it is used effectively. When the timer goes off I think if a student wants to switch their center, they should first be asked to clean up what they are working on before changing. Right now that does not happen, instead they switch and worry about cleaning later. I think that teaching students to not leave the center they left a mess, would help build accountability and responsibility in an age appropriate manner. The biggest problem I have with making any sort of adjustment in my classroom is the lack of communication and trust between my PPP and I. I hope to build this relationship, but I do not know how effective this will turn out.