So far, I am most excited to regularly experience the Math block with my students. Having previously been departmentalized to this subject, my CT is eager to involve me in the subject. On Thursday, I sat in on some math planning with the 3rd grade team and we discussed the best way to teach the lessons leading up to the fractions test. I'm glad I was able to get a preview of these important conversations. This semester I'm taking a Teaching Mathematics course, and soon I'll feel confident enough to guide students on small group and eventually lead whole-class instruction.
One of the benefits of staying with my same CT would be how easy it was to pick up where we left off in my acquisition of more challenging responsibilities. Each day I was in the classroom this week, I led the writing lesson: I read aloud an article, modeled my plan and paragraphs, and conferenced with students about enhancing their writing. This week's freezing temperatures really set the mood for our "What would you do if it snowed in Florida?" prompt. I love reading the things they come up with!
Something that stuck with me throughout the week was a reading from my Instructional Planning course titled "Willing to Be Disturbed" by Margaret J. Wheatley. In essence, it was about being okay with not knowing everything and the importance of engaging others and experiencing different perspectives. This semester I expect to my values and philosophies to develop, and I welcome the growth that will come with this new year!