Redbank Valley Junior/Senior High School
While at Redbank Valley for my pre-student teaching placement, my partner and I had the opportunity to teach junior-level World History as well as sophomore-level American History II. Perhaps one of the best lessons that we had the chance to design and implement in this placement were a series of political cartoons by Dr. Seuss. The students were so excited to recognize the characters in the pictures and relate new ideas to Seuss. An interactive power point showed the students what to do with the assignment (identify the countries or people being represented; the ideas the cartoon was trying to convey; what the general feelings toward isolationism was the picture giving off). It was the first of many success stories. The classroom had 20 students and 12 of them had Individualized Learning Plans (IEP's) that had to be considered and adhered to when it came to notes, projects and test taking. It was realized that if students were just given the chance and not assumed to do horribly at it, they succeeded 90% of the time with flying colors. In the three weeks we were there, the grades improved tremendously.
Du Bois Area High School
Clarion University requires student teachers have the opportunity to teach at two different 7.5 week placements in order to produce the most prepared and well-rounded teacher in each content area. My first placement contained what many would call "the challenge" of teaching seniors at DuBois Area High School (DAHS). My cooperating teacher had a course load containing the mandated senior class of American Government and senior elective Psychology. I met the challenge head on and began teaching the Constitution and Bill of Rights as well as the developmental theories of Kohlberg, Piaget and Gilligan.
However, my approach was different from most teachers that these students had before. I provided notes in various forms to fit the student's needs. These included improving listening skills through oral notes, improving note taking skills and visual cues through power points, as well as guided note packets for my inclusion classroom. The concepts were then driven home through interactive lessons, which included analyzing Law and Order, first amendment current events presentations, gun control debates, and even understanding Piaget's theories through watching Monster's Inc. with my Psychology classes. Perhaps one of the most enjoyable days for the students was Read Across America Day. That day I brought in 11 dozen homemade cookies decorated with Yertle the Turtle and Horton Hatches the Egg themed toppings. The students were able to read about Seuss's early life and then, after picking from a list of books, read to and had to perform an assignment based on the course content. In Psychology, the students had to identify which stage of moral development each character was in according to Kohlberg and then identify the moral of the story. For homework, they then completed a similar activity with any children's book as well as provide a summary for that book. The government classes were able to read three stories and decide whether or not the book encouraged a person to challenge authority. It was truly an enjoyable day and it gave the students extra connections to the content in their brains.
However, my approach was different from most teachers that these students had before. I provided notes in various forms to fit the student's needs. These included improving listening skills through oral notes, improving note taking skills and visual cues through power points, as well as guided note packets for my inclusion classroom. The concepts were then driven home through interactive lessons, which included analyzing Law and Order, first amendment current events presentations, gun control debates, and even understanding Piaget's theories through watching Monster's Inc. with my Psychology classes. Perhaps one of the most enjoyable days for the students was Read Across America Day. That day I brought in 11 dozen homemade cookies decorated with Yertle the Turtle and Horton Hatches the Egg themed toppings. The students were able to read about Seuss's early life and then, after picking from a list of books, read to and had to perform an assignment based on the course content. In Psychology, the students had to identify which stage of moral development each character was in according to Kohlberg and then identify the moral of the story. For homework, they then completed a similar activity with any children's book as well as provide a summary for that book. The government classes were able to read three stories and decide whether or not the book encouraged a person to challenge authority. It was truly an enjoyable day and it gave the students extra connections to the content in their brains.
DuBois Area Middle School - Alternative Education
My second student teaching placement was with a group of seventh graders at DuBois Area Middle School. The principal at this school placed me with my cooperating teacher because he also teaches social studies to the alternative education students, which he thought would be a great experience for me to have.
I would have to agree with him on the great experience part. I created an interactive project that the kids genuinely enjoyed and actually learned from. For this project, I used prep periods to create a bulletin board sized map of PA and then drew in elevations and counties. I proceeded to cut out each individual county, type labels and make a key of rivers, roads and cities within the state. The student reassembled and labeled the state and all its features with minimal assistance from me, the acting teacher. All the while raving about how fun it was. In fact, a student who had graduated out of Alternative Education and was back in the regular classroom for social studies, would finish his science assignments quickly in order to help with the project.
I would have to agree with him on the great experience part. I created an interactive project that the kids genuinely enjoyed and actually learned from. For this project, I used prep periods to create a bulletin board sized map of PA and then drew in elevations and counties. I proceeded to cut out each individual county, type labels and make a key of rivers, roads and cities within the state. The student reassembled and labeled the state and all its features with minimal assistance from me, the acting teacher. All the while raving about how fun it was. In fact, a student who had graduated out of Alternative Education and was back in the regular classroom for social studies, would finish his science assignments quickly in order to help with the project.
DuBois Area Middle School - World History
While I did have the chance to work with Alternative Education, the majority of my placement was spent in the classroom teaching World History - specifically Ancient Rome. The picture (left) is my advanced class of 32 students who were used to just getting A's because people assumed that they were smart. During my time with them I challenged them to think outside the box, dive into in depth learning, be accountable for their own grades and actions as well as to genuinely strive to be better people and students. Together we learned about outlining and note-taking, something they had never before had to do as well as how to read for understanding. In short, I made all my students, not just the advanced ones, step it up to the next level. I really think that the advanced students though were the ones who it not only took the longest to get used to the new and challenging way of doing things, were the most appreciative and upset to see me leave them to graduate.
After being given the go ahead from my cooperating teacher to teach any way I saw fit, the classes went from a classroom environment of daily rote learning, to one where we dissected each section into several lessons, took notes, did group work and structured projects to add to learning. Some of the favorites for the group were creating comic book panels, learning stations, and creating their own war elephants when studying Hannibal. They found themselves being assessed directly and indirectly, making test taking easier because the information was presented and cemented in several different ways.
After being given the go ahead from my cooperating teacher to teach any way I saw fit, the classes went from a classroom environment of daily rote learning, to one where we dissected each section into several lessons, took notes, did group work and structured projects to add to learning. Some of the favorites for the group were creating comic book panels, learning stations, and creating their own war elephants when studying Hannibal. They found themselves being assessed directly and indirectly, making test taking easier because the information was presented and cemented in several different ways.
Substitute and Homebound Teaching
After receiving my undergraduate degree from Clarion, I was given many opportunities to interact with students in a plethora of local school districts. From 2011-2014, much of my time was spent in Allegheny Valley School District building relationships with the students, faculty, and staff at Springdale Jr./Sr. High School. I found myself being involved in more than just the classroom, attending and chaperoning events; assisting with testing, tutoring, and homebound instruction; and picking up supervisory duties during the school day. Being visible and involved gave me the chance to build a rapport within the district. This built into an ease of classroom management and content deliver with older students in the district. The freshman of my first year there will graduate in 2015, and are still excited to see me in the building or community.
Since 2011 I have also had the chance to carry out three separate homebound instruction assignments with differing circumstance and content. Two of these placements occurred within Burrell School District and another with Allegheny Valley. The challenge of creating individualized instruction plans within a specific content area or areas to meet the needs and considerations of a student's reason for absence is truly a rewarding one. It affords a certain luxury of independence that a normal classroom setting would not provide and allows for greater levels of creativity and responsibility. Content areas delivered through my instruction include business writing, American government, ancient civilizations, and world history. All three students were able to return to the classroom successfully and/or pass these classes with my assistance.
Kiski Area School District -
Intermediate School/ High School Building Substitute
2014 brought a welcome surprise when I was contacted to become a building substitute at Kiski Area Intermediate School. In this role, I provide support to staff and students three days a week in various capacities. A large part of this program is facilitating the Student Assistance Program, or SAP, which targets students who are struggling in core classes and helps them get back on academic track. Building substitutes also provide daily and period based coverage alongside extra duties throughout the day monitoring students. This job opportunity keeps me constantly on my toes, allowing me to impact the learning community and gives me the opportunity to build both academic and professional relationships.
Due to needs within the district, I was asked to bring my skills and talents to the high school for the final nine weeks of the 2014-2015 academic school year. Here, building substitutes are asked to provide extra support in alternative and special education, as well as to keep the large school building safe and secure for learners when not in a specific classroom assignment. This position also affords me more time in classrooms specific to my content area, allowing me to spend time teaching on a weekly basis in the areas of United States and world history, several Advanced Placement classes, and humanities. While the dynamics of this group differ from those in younger grades, the work is equally rewarding.
Intermediate School/ High School Building Substitute
2014 brought a welcome surprise when I was contacted to become a building substitute at Kiski Area Intermediate School. In this role, I provide support to staff and students three days a week in various capacities. A large part of this program is facilitating the Student Assistance Program, or SAP, which targets students who are struggling in core classes and helps them get back on academic track. Building substitutes also provide daily and period based coverage alongside extra duties throughout the day monitoring students. This job opportunity keeps me constantly on my toes, allowing me to impact the learning community and gives me the opportunity to build both academic and professional relationships.
Due to needs within the district, I was asked to bring my skills and talents to the high school for the final nine weeks of the 2014-2015 academic school year. Here, building substitutes are asked to provide extra support in alternative and special education, as well as to keep the large school building safe and secure for learners when not in a specific classroom assignment. This position also affords me more time in classrooms specific to my content area, allowing me to spend time teaching on a weekly basis in the areas of United States and world history, several Advanced Placement classes, and humanities. While the dynamics of this group differ from those in younger grades, the work is equally rewarding.