Observation Journal Entry #6
Mar. 5th, 2013 01:31 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
aelfieTuesday.
More jump roping. OUCH. Several children decided to goof off while twirling the ropes with me and one chose to actively not listen. I so wanted to bonk this child one, but I didn't think it was a good idea. So, instead I walked over, looked him in the eye and said "You are hurting me by not working with me. Please do your part" But no. He didn't want to cooperate, so Ms. R called him over to her jump rope and another student took over. I thanked my new partner for stepping up.
Seat work. Several times a week, Ms. R leaves a half page worksheet for the class to work on while she is greeting everyone into the classroom. Today's sheets are phonics sheets and focus on one sound per page. 3-5 minutes.
I made a massive flub today. I forgot to bring in one of Tecumseh's speeches to read to the children, like Ms. R asked me. I managed to pull out one of the shorter ones that show''s off his clever use of language, but I totally blew it. I COMPLETELY forgot she asked me to do that. I felt awful. She said "No worries." We all forget to do things.
The work focus today is a continuation from yesterday. The children received their note taking sheets that they completed yesterday back from Ms. R. and she instructed them to start the draft of their first paragraph. I focused my time by helping a student do this. This child is....um....slow to get started, and gets distracted easily, but isn't disruptive about it. The problem is that no work gets done! He's very bright and articulate though, he seems capable of the work, just not in a classroom setting. I helped him transform his notes into a draft like I had with his introductory paragraph last week. As we'd talk about how to transform the notes into full sentences, I'd make suggestions, he'd consider what I said, and then come up with his preferred statement, which I wrote down for him. We were able to get through the entire draft by the end of the work time. In addition, by that point he came up with his fourth question and answer (which were blank on the notetaking sheet) on his own and we got worked into the paragraph nicely.
We heard the story of John Henry today, a factual story, rather than fable. This was new to me. Previously I've only been familiar with the fable that I've told Second Graders. Yea for new stuff! I'm teaching them several verses of the song later in the week (Did you know Johnny Cash recorded one? I didn't!) . I started drawing a picture today of John Henry. I've got it sketched out, and am starting to fill in, but I need more chalk colors than the ones available. I'll be bringing a few pieces of chalk from my collection at home. I've got a good start on the picture...but I think it still looks pretty sad. I just keep telling myself. I am learning to draw. I am drawing better each time I do so. Thankfully, though, the children don't laugh at my efforts.
It is supposed to rain tomorrow. I've offered to bring in a train themed game for the children to play. Since John Henry is about train track system building, it made sense to me to bring in a game that helps point out just what a pain it was for all these men to build it for real. I love playing games and especially enjoy inflicting new ones that I adore onto new people.
I am also currently memorizing the John Henry song, and Harriet Tubman poem I saw another fifth grade class memorize in a video.
Start of sketch of John Henry
And the first fill in.
More jump roping. OUCH. Several children decided to goof off while twirling the ropes with me and one chose to actively not listen. I so wanted to bonk this child one, but I didn't think it was a good idea. So, instead I walked over, looked him in the eye and said "You are hurting me by not working with me. Please do your part" But no. He didn't want to cooperate, so Ms. R called him over to her jump rope and another student took over. I thanked my new partner for stepping up.
Seat work. Several times a week, Ms. R leaves a half page worksheet for the class to work on while she is greeting everyone into the classroom. Today's sheets are phonics sheets and focus on one sound per page. 3-5 minutes.
I made a massive flub today. I forgot to bring in one of Tecumseh's speeches to read to the children, like Ms. R asked me. I managed to pull out one of the shorter ones that show''s off his clever use of language, but I totally blew it. I COMPLETELY forgot she asked me to do that. I felt awful. She said "No worries." We all forget to do things.
The work focus today is a continuation from yesterday. The children received their note taking sheets that they completed yesterday back from Ms. R. and she instructed them to start the draft of their first paragraph. I focused my time by helping a student do this. This child is....um....slow to get started, and gets distracted easily, but isn't disruptive about it. The problem is that no work gets done! He's very bright and articulate though, he seems capable of the work, just not in a classroom setting. I helped him transform his notes into a draft like I had with his introductory paragraph last week. As we'd talk about how to transform the notes into full sentences, I'd make suggestions, he'd consider what I said, and then come up with his preferred statement, which I wrote down for him. We were able to get through the entire draft by the end of the work time. In addition, by that point he came up with his fourth question and answer (which were blank on the notetaking sheet) on his own and we got worked into the paragraph nicely.
We heard the story of John Henry today, a factual story, rather than fable. This was new to me. Previously I've only been familiar with the fable that I've told Second Graders. Yea for new stuff! I'm teaching them several verses of the song later in the week (Did you know Johnny Cash recorded one? I didn't!) . I started drawing a picture today of John Henry. I've got it sketched out, and am starting to fill in, but I need more chalk colors than the ones available. I'll be bringing a few pieces of chalk from my collection at home. I've got a good start on the picture...but I think it still looks pretty sad. I just keep telling myself. I am learning to draw. I am drawing better each time I do so. Thankfully, though, the children don't laugh at my efforts.
It is supposed to rain tomorrow. I've offered to bring in a train themed game for the children to play. Since John Henry is about train track system building, it made sense to me to bring in a game that helps point out just what a pain it was for all these men to build it for real. I love playing games and especially enjoy inflicting new ones that I adore onto new people.
I am also currently memorizing the John Henry song, and Harriet Tubman poem I saw another fifth grade class memorize in a video.
Start of sketch of John Henry
And the first fill in.