Mile High

I am writing my final post as a student teacher on my flight back from Denver and I finally think I am ready to turn the page to the next chapter in my life. To say the past 5 years have been amazing is an understatement. I learned more about myself than I could have thought possible when I was a wide-eyed freshmen moving into East Holden a few short years ago. I have met so many wonderful people at Michigan State and continue to be inspired by my friends, family and colleagues. I had so many wonderful people surrounding me that gave me the support to be successful at MSU and I cannot thank them enough. Thank you everyone that made it possible to help me find my next stage in life.

Enough with the mushy stuff and onto my last words of advice/goals/plans/future…

Why am I flying back from Denver some of you may ask? Well, I was fortunate enough to find a school in Denver, Colorado to give me an opportunity to teach a 4^th grade class. I flew out to Denver to meet the staff, students and to explore some living options this week. I have been so impressed with everyone I have met in Denver, especially at my school. The kindness from each and everyone at the school is contagious and I cannot wait to get started. It is encouraging that the teachers are as excited and enthusiastic about teaching as I am and I truly feel like this is the place where I belong (only downside they don’t know much about hockey, yet!).

How did I find a job? Future interns…I was myself during the job search, I didn’t worry about the small stuff and I had a plan. My advice is to truly be you during the interviewing process and remain true to yourself. You want the right fit for you and what better way to find the right fit than to be yourself. Some of the things I did to prepare for interviews were…

· Visited job fairs prior to the MSU fair

· Prepared my portfolio in December during winter break

· Planned which schools I wanted to go to during career fairs (selected my top 5 and had 10 other possible schools to look at if I had time.)

· Researched schools before fairs; mission statement, philosophies, etc. I wanted to make sure the school fit for me, not that they had jobs available

· Made sheets with the schools I was to visit with sections for notes, information, contacts, etc…

· Stuck to my plan and hit the schools I wanted to go to first

· WAS MYSELF!

The thing I learned most about the intern year is to be prepared and it is never too early to start working on things…

After this year-long experience I have learned a lot about what it takes to become a great teacher and I have a ways to go. There are so many ups and downs in teaching; it is a matter of how well you can react and rebound from those that can really make a difference. I realize that I will undoubtedly make mistakes, but that is a part of learning and I will be continually learning from my peers, bosses, colleagues and most importantly from my students for the rest of my life.

My plan from here on out is to continue to write about my experiences as a first year teacher, second year teacher and so on. I want to reflect on my experiences in a way in which more people can benefit from it other than me.

I wish I could part from this last post with some wise words or inspirational message, but I’d rather leave that until my last days of teaching, when I have truly had the experiences to learn from and inspire the future leaders of tomorrow.

One thing I would like to end with though is this quote I read a few days ago…

“You don’t stop doing the things you love because you grow old, you grow old because you stop doing the things you love.”

Creating Classroom Community

If I could just take one thing I learned this year and use it for my future classroom it would be to create a classroom community. I feel that it is important for students to understand your expectations for how they work in your classroom from day one. This year, it was apparent that there were a lot of clashing personalities and there never seemed to be a sense of togetherness from the beginning. I want to establish friendships between my students and build relationships with them so we can have a successful learning community.

I was fortunate enough to visit a 5th grade class this past week where students worked incredibly well side by side. The teacher emphasized setting the norm in the classroom from day one. She even mentioned she didn't really start teaching content until after the first two weeks once the students were familiar with the routines and expectations. Students were much more focused on the task at hand than worrying about who they were sitting next to or who they were working with.

I plan on having several group building activities and being prepared for day one in the classroom. There are a few resources I have picked up that will be incredibly helpful to any teacher; "The First Day of School" by Harry Wong and "Strategies That Work," are great books to read to get ideas on how to create and maintain a successful classroom.

Michigan State Career Fair

I am nearing the end of my internship experience and that means it is time to start the J-O-B search! I flew out to Denver to test the western frontier and see if there were any opportunities out there. I attended two job fairs while in Colorado and I gained some great experience interviewing and getting used to being outside my comfort zone. It was an eye opening experience however, and I learned how much the economy really is affecting schools. I am very glad that I made this trip because it prepared me for the MSU Career Fair even more than I had anticipated.

Many students in my TE classes were anxious about how the MSU job fair would go and what to expect; traveling to Denver gave me a leg up on everyone else and considerably calmed my nerves. I went into the MSU career fair with a plan and stuck to it throughout the day.

The most important thing I learned while interviewing and attending the job fair(s) was to BE YOURSELF. I wanted the school districts and principals I talked to, to know who I was and what I stood for. I feel that it is so important to be yourself during these types of things so that you aren't fooling anyone and that you find the right place for you. Being prepared is another thing that helped calm me down. I wasn't at home the night before practicing answers to questions that could be asked, I was mapping my route to the schools I was interested in and knew I wanted to talk to. I learned more about the schools and was prepared to talk about why I would be a good fit there. I didn't stress over what could be asked and what I would say, I knew that with my experience the answers would come, and come from the heart. I took my time, took deep breaths and gave it my best. The job fair can eat you up and really be frustrating. It is all about how you handle yourself, your emotions and your expectations that can really make a difference between you and another candidate.

Reading Response Journals

I decided to end my lead teaching with the whole class reading the same book, The Sign of the Beaver. I created a journal for each student that includes questions and activities to complete after every section we read as a class. Once a week students will respond to prompts in their journals. Six times students will write responses to these prompts asking questions, answering questions, making observations and making predictions about the chapters we have just read. We will read the book aloud each day together. Sometimes I will read the entire text, other times we will read as a group and occasionally we will popcorn read to keep students on top of things. It seems like the perfect way to phase out of this year, as a class. This activity (I hope) will engage and allow everyone to enjoy reading a little more. It has been a challenge of mine engaging students in lessons and grabbing their attention 100% of the time . I really hope that students take ownership over their work during these last few weeks and enjoy the book and my last few weeks, as much as I have enjoyed them this entire year!

Freedom Writers

If you are a teacher or plan on becoming one, I suggest watching or reading Freedom Writers. It is an inspirational movie/book about a group of disadvantaged students take on their social stereotypes through writing and activism. I wish I would have watched this movie awhile ago because it is so moving. Yes, movies can be sensationalized, but after reading and watching the movie it is true the teachers can make a difference in student's lives. My job as a teacher is to give students the opportunity to be successful both in and outside the classroom, it is the students job to take that opportunity and run. Some students will take advantage of the tools you give them, others won't, but those that don't can't be given up on, they need to be challenged and approached in other ways. I'll keep this story in the back of my mind as I continue to grow and learn as a teacher and hopefully I will have success like the real life teacher in the movie. http://www.freedomwritersfoundation.org

Choral Reading

I had one of my most successful lessons this year this week. Students learned about the different kinds of poetry this week and on this day students had to perform a poem in front of the class using choral reading techniques. I was weary of letting students work in partners of their choosing, but I wanted to allow the students to pick their own partners so that they felt comfortable in front of that class during their presentations. Students worked on their performances for 15 minutes after we talked about choral reading and watched an example on YouTube. Students came to the front of the class and gave great performances! I was impressed with how well the students worked together and I was pleasantly surprised how engaged the students were with their performances. I highly recommend using choral reading as a relationship/fluency building exercise.

It's been awhile...

and I have a lot to write about. I have been '"lead teaching" or teaching and taking on the entire classroom responsibilities for the past 4 weeks. This 4 weeks has been challenging in and outside the classroom. On top of taking on the teaching responsibilities I have also been in search mode for a job.

Where I have been over the past 4 weeks...I traveled to Denver and Colorado Springs, Colorado last weekend to test the waters and see if there were any job opportunities out there. It seems there job market is as flourishing as Michigan's and jobs are far and few between. I did however, come in contact with some great people and had a chance to test out my interviewing skills a few times. I think getting in front of principals and school districts is important to landing a teaching job and by getting out to job fairs early, I think you can improve your chances of getting a job. Michigan State does a excellent job preparing you to be a great teacher, but they don't do the best job in preparing you to get a job so that you can be a great teacher.

What I am happy about...I finally feel as though I am on top of my planning and am starting to feel comfortable managing what little time I have to get things done. Being prepared is one of the things a teacher needs to be. It is so important to be prepared a week or two ahead just in case something doesn't work.

What I am disappointed about...I arranged my kids in groups in anticipation for exciting and engaging lessons, instead I ended up with clashing personalities and hurt feelings. It seems the students in my class cannot get along regardless of where I put them in the room. I am disappointed that I had to move the seating arrangement back to rows and I am even more disappointed that my kids couldn't get along. Over the next few weeks I am going to incorporate more team building activities to try and build relationships.

What I am excited about...lead teaching is winding down and I am finally getting a grasp on how I like to teach and I feel that students are enjoying me more as a teacher.

What I still need to work on...Talking!!!! Students continuously jabber and it can be really draining on my lessons and my day. I need to hold students accountable for their behavior, regardless of which student it is and when the behavior took place. I have missed the passed couple Fridays and students that weren't finished with their work for the week were getting off the hook instead of staying in for recess. This past week I was a stickler and made sure everyone that had missing work stayed in.

I will try to continue to post more and more as my responsibilities in the classroom lessen. I have learned a lot this year and am continuing to learn things everyday!

Stay tuned....

Talking...

The major issue I am facing during lead teaching is dealing with talking. Talking is a good thing, but at appropriate times and my students have no clue when the appropriate time is. I continue to use the "3 Check" system that my CT uses; 1st and 2nd check are warnings, 3rd check is a consequence. I have adopted this system to fit my style a little more. The 1st check will be a warning, the second the student will be sent to the hall to complete a set of questions called the "Plan of Action." Example questions students have to answer are: What happened?, What did Mr. Kay think happened?, What is your plan of action to return to class?, Next time in this situation I will...The third check is either going to be a call home from the student and myself or a trip down to the office.

I will be trying this out on Tuesday when we return to school, until then I am going to enjoy my snow day off and get some much needed work done.

Help for Haiti

This past Friday my two related arts classes held a bake sale during all school lunches. Over the past few weeks the classes have been learning about Haiti and other current events. Students felt compelled to do something to help out people in Haiti and they decided on holding a bake sale to raise money. We raised over $260!! I was very impressed with my students and I am really glad we had a chance to make a difference in people's lives.

Over Winter break I worked on my online portfolio, resume and cover letter. I took advantage of what little free time I have had and got some really important things done. I will be attending a teaching career fair in three weeks in Colorado. The College of Education does not tell you much about career fairs, only their own at the end of your intern year. I am unsure of what to expect in Colorado, but feel that my preparedness will pay off in the long run, because in reality, you not only complete the internship year to become a better teacher, but you also do it to get a J-O-B!

Check out my online portfolio @ www.bryankayportfolio.weebly.com. Keep in mind, this site is under continual construction as I am adding new things to it everyday.

Motivation..

Some kids have it, others don't. Motivation is a main reason people are successful in school and in life. While a majority of my class is motivated to turn in work and do well in class, I still feel there are some that just don't care. I have spoken to these students individually and tried to plan out ways they can be successful and what we can do so they change their habits. These students are the ones I have to call on numerously throughout the day to finish work or to get started doing whatever it is I have them doing. It is frustrating when a student doesn't care about the lesson you are teaching after it took you so long to try and create something that was engaging and fun.

One of my least favorite lines from my students is "this is boring..."! When students say that it means that the activity is really lame, its too hard or way too easy. I would like to think my lessons are exciting and that my tasks aren't too challenging or too easy, it just seems like some kids just don't care. I plan activities and assignments with the purpose of engaging students in things they are interested in, but even that doesn't work. I am not going to give up on these students but it sure would be easy too. I am sure that many teachers, after trying several things like myself for these kids, give up. I don't want to give up because I will be doing what most everyone else has done to these students, not care. I have to find a way to connect with these students and dig deep to find a solution. I would love some help...any suggestions? email @ kaybryan@msu.edu

Communication Is Key

A lot of my students struggle with turning assignments in and it is extremely frustrating. I have created a class website to involve parents more and allow them to see what we did in class, what is coming up in class and what assignments are due and when. The website was really easy to use because I used a site that is so user friendly. Check out our class's website @ room121.weebly.com

Our class has previously used Friday recess as a time for students to make up assignments and to act as a punishment for not turning in work. Friday is always a chaotic day and most students that haven't turned in work end up going to recess anyway because we never get around to telling them they are missing assignments. I decided to start recording those students with missing assignments on the white board in the back of class to let students know they are missing assignments. Once missing assignments are turned in, students can erase their name and attend Friday recess.

I have also started to meet with students during lunch to give them extra time to study or finish work. Most students these days don't spend their time after school doing homework, instead they are planted in front of a tv screen or sitting at their computers. I like to allow students time to finish their work in the classroom, but it is quite frustrating when students don't take advantage of that time I give them!

It also seems that a lot of what I do send home doesn't make it to the parents and therefore work doesn't get finished. Although it is not the responsibility of the parent for the student to get their work done, it is helpful to have parents involved in reminding and keeping their students on track. I want to establish a connection with the parents by emailing and calling on a weekly basis.

That is all for now...the first day of transitioning to lead teaching was a good one and I think it will continue to get better!

Back to Reality...

Two weeks is not long enough! Winter break flew by as I prepared to take over the classroom and organize my work over the past 4 months. Over break, instead of sitting back and relaxing (trust me I did plenty of that too!), I worked on my portfolio, resume, teaching statement, searched school districts I was interested in and began to outline my lead teaching time. This break was a great way for me to get ahead and begin thinking about the future. I used weebly to make my online portfolio because it is so easy and it looks great.

Next week I take over the majority of the classroom duties and subjects, I cannot wait! I am trying out new things with my class and am fortunate enough to have that kind of freedom. I am rearranging the desks, assigning student jobs and incorporating literature circles and other activities that I would like to utilize in my future classroom.

Over the next few weeks I am going to try and write a blog or two per week describing the new things I am trying in my class. I want to see what works and what doesn't for my class now and in the future.

I have added a new "gadget"" on the left side of the site to help anyone that would like a list of the resources I have collected over the past 4 months. Delicious is a great site to share resources and links with others. I also use Twitter to follow teachers and find great resources. For all of you Twitter haters, try it please! It really does work well for teachers and if used properly could be implemented in your own classroom.