Alexzandra+Neville


 * =**This wikispace logs Alex Neville's experiences in the classroom during the spring 2010 SEED 296 ****Paraprofessional Experience **=

This is the first field experience of the teacher education program. Its purpose is to provide insight into the real world of teaching in the K-8 and 7-12 setting. It provides a “hands-on” experience in which students may ask questions and share concerns they may have regarding the teaching profession. The experience will provide an opportunity to observe, record, and assess student behavior, effective teaching practices, and characteristics of different learning environments appropriate for children. This course will provide structure and guidance for the students as they observe, gather information, and reflect on teaching as a career. John Dewey, one of the most famous American educators, wrote extensively about reflective teaching. He defined reflective teaching as avoiding the “routine” and “impulsive” behaviors in favor of taking the time to “give serious consideration” to our actions. According to Dewey, the intelligent person thinks before he or she acts, and action becomes deliberate and intentional. In order for students to secure knowledge and insight from the field experience, their observations and participation have to be made with careful, analytical, and deliberate planning. Paraprofessional students develop their leadership skills while contributing to, learning from and influencing the learning of others.  2010SyllabusPara.pdf ParaChecklist.doc

Placement Course List Goals Contextual Factors FBS Interview Observation of Effective Teaching Lesson Plan, Analysis of Lesson Plan, FBS Feedback form for independent lesson Resume Working Journal Recorded Activities Time Sheet

**Alex Neville's Fall 2009 Paraprofessional Placement** || 

||  || Back to Syllabus and Contents ListSchool: Vermilion High School
 * Field-based supervisor: || John Dimock ||
 * Content area or grade level: || English 9-12 ||
 * FBS e-mail address: || john.dimock@k12.sd.us ||
 * FBS phone: || (605) 677-7035 ||
 * USD instructor || Mary Collins, Phone: 605-677-5155, e-mail: mary.collins@usd.edu ||

= Course List = The course list is a list of all of the courses I have taken, including the ones in which i'm currently enrolled in. Use a table format and categorize courses in sections. In each section, list the prefixes alphabetically, i.e. ENGL before ESCI. If you have multiple courses with the same prefix, list them in numerical order, i.e. PE 100, PE 271, PE 354, PE 468. Please refer to Rita Book's example. Be sure your name is at the top of the page. Upload your course list and put a link to it in this section. It will also go in your electronic portfolio. Back to Syllabus and Contents List

= Goals =

Write 3 SMART goals that you would like to accomplish during your field based experience this semester. These achievable goals should be based on School of Education Standards (available in Content and Materials).


 * S**pecific
 * M**easurable
 * A**ttainable
 * R**ealistic/**R**elevant
 * T**imely/**T**imebound

Standard:**
 * __Goal 1__

Standard:**
 * __Goal 2__

Standard:**
 * __Goal 3__

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**Contextual Factors**

** TASK ** Write a description of your paraprofessional placement. In your description, include the following: The rubric is on the Contents and Materials page. Upload your paper and put a link to it in this section.
 * **Community, district, and school factors:** Address geographic location, community and school population, socio-economic profile and race/ethnicity. You might also address such things as stability of community, political climate, community support for education, and other environmental factors.
 * **Classroom factors:** Address physical features, availability of technology equipment and resources and the extent of parental involvement. You might also discuss other relevant factors such as classroom rules and routines, grouping patterns, scheduling and classroom arrangements.
 * **Student characteristics:** Address student characteristics you must consider as you design instruction and assess learning. Include factors such as age, gender, race/ethnicity, special needs, achievement/developmental levels, culture, language, interests, learning styles/modalities or students/skill levels.
 * **Instructional implications.** Address how contextual characteristics of the community, classroom and students have implications for instruction.



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= Professional Interview of FBS =

a. Format: word processed b. Recommended length: 1-2 pages c. Include:
 * 1) 5 professional questions
 * 2) Field-based supervisor’s responses to the 5 professional questions
 * 3) Description of how the responses relate to the corresponding SOE standards.

Upload your paper and put a link to it in this section.



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**Observation of Effective Teaching**

Record your observation of the following ten categories. Use this wiki throughout your placement; remember that these situations will not occur in one day. Record the date(s) of the observation and a paragraph description of the methods/strategies observed. Everyday, Mr. Dimock has the kids come into freshman English class with a two "DOL" (Daily Oral Language) sentences on the board. He expects them to start them immediately after entering the classroom. This get students focused and ready for the main lesson of the day. Mr. Dimock uses these grammar lessons as a transition between between classes and class. It has been seen to be very effective. This students do as they are supposed to without being told and it seems to calm them down from the excitement of the halls.
 * Criteria for Observation of Effective Teaching **
 * Time Effectiveness **
 * 1. Focus **
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Date of observation: ** Everyday

<span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">In Mr. Dimock's freshman English class, Mr. Dimock explained to the student that Romeo and Juliet left off the night ready to get married and Romeo was off to make the arrangements with the friar (all of which the just covered in the previous classes). Then Mr. Dimock set the scene for the student's telling hem what they were going to read about today and where it was set. He told them it took place on a street, or more closely a public square, who was in the scene (Mercutio and Benvolio), how they were feeling at the time, and some things that we might be foreshadowing.
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">2. Objective/Purpose **
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Date of observation: ** 04/05/2010

<span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">One of the core requirements for the freshman English class is to do their first big research paper, this usually takes up the first half of the semester. After grading their first drafts, Mr. Dimock handed each person back their paper with the corrections. The general consensus for each paper was that they were quite rough. Knowing this, Mr. Dimock made sure each student understood what they were to correct, and if they needed further help, he had them set up a time to meet him outside of class to work on their paper together.
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">3. Monitoring/Adjusting **
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Date of observation: ** 03/24/2010

<span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">With one of the students that was having a lot of problems with her research paper, Mr. Dimock sat down and told her what should go in each of her eighteen paragraphs and what doesn't belong. Afterwards, she went to the library, with a newly constructed outline, and finished her second draft.
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">4. Guided Practice **
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Date of observation: ** 03/31/2010

After doing the usual grammar lesson, Mr. Dimock set the ajenda for the rest of the week in his freshman English class and then sent the students to the computer lab. Once their each student grabbed a computer and started working on their research paper. Mr. Dimock and I stood at the front of the room and answered questions when they were posed. However, the question was usually a asking for a quick definition of a word or how to fix a simple grammar mistake. Some kids did seem to get off task for a brief moment but that was easily corrected when Mr. Dimock threatened to grade their paper as is.
 * <span style="color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;">Student Motivation **
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">5. Independent Practice **
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Date of observation: ** 03/03/2010

<span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">In Mr. Dimock's Creative Writing class, all the students were sick of sitting in the room and writing by themselves. Some boys in particular were even acting out. So, in order to get them back on track, Mr. Dimock promised them a change of scenery and took the student's to the library to work on their final project and once their, Mr. Dimock and I didn't hear a peep out of any of the students, they were all really well behaved.
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">6. Student Interest/Motivation **
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Date of observation: **

<span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">In Mr. Dimock's first freshman English class, we are in the __Romeo and Juliet__ unit. Mr. Dimock believes this must be read in class, because if assigned to take home, students would just get frustrated with the language and quit. So everyday he assigns parts to new people and everybody reads for participation credit. Not only does everyone read, but after Mr. Dimock translates certain parts, he asks questions to everyone in the class and everybody answers. Today, instead of verbally answering the question, he had students write their answers down and then share their ideas. It works quite effectively, its a small class and they seem to be quite close knit therefore making it easier to speak in front of one another.
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">7. Student Involvement **
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Date of observation: ** 03/30/2010

<span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">When the Freshman English students come into class, Mr. Dimock greets them and then gets to work. A lot of his teaching involves discussion with the students. Everyone participates and gets involved. There never seems to be any fights among students in class, they all seem to get along. Even the seemingly shy kids participate. Not only this, but Mr. Dimock seems to share a similar sense of humor which the students love. Because of the fact that they can laugh together at certain jokes has seemed to create a great amount of respect with the students on Mr. Dimock's part.
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">8. Classroom Climate **
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Date of observation: ** 03/03/2010

<span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">In Mr. Dimock's Freshman English class, every student is doing a research paper. After their first drafts, some of the students' papers were so poorly written that that student had to go back to their outline and start over. With one of those student's, Mr. Dimock had her come in during study hall and he would work with her from the beginning. Even though her paper was really poorly written, Mr. Dimock told her that her merit was good and would point out certain lines that were perfect even though he continued to work on the structure of the paper with her.
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">9. Constructive Criticism **
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Date of observation: ** 03/31/2010

During class, after reading another section of __Romeo and Juliet__ in freshman English, Mr. Dimock decides to have the student journal. In order to understand the implications of Juliet marrying Romeo who is hated by her family, Mr. Dimock gave the students a prompt about making a list of other options that Juliet could have choosen rather than to have married Romeo. Once they were done journaling the prompt, Mr. Dimock asked each student to present an idea and why it would have been better of worse for Juliet to make that certain decision.
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">10. Prompts **
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Date of observation: ** 03/29/2010

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= Lesson Plan and Analysis = = Upload your lesson plan and analysis and put links to them in this section. <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> (You do not need to hand in anything from the lesson that you co-teach.) You will hand in a hard copy of the FBS feedback form from the lesson. = Back to Syllabus and Contents List

= Resume = Back to Syllabus and Contents List

= Working Journal: Four Journal Entries =

<span style="color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; text-align: left;">Framework for Writing - Use this format of **Description**, **Analysis**, and **Reflection** for __each__ of the four entries. One entry should describe your work with an individual or group of students; one entry should describe your creation of a bulletin board or PowerPoint, or your use of the internet for researching material for a lesson; one entry should describe the lesson you cooperatively teach with the Field Based Supervisor; and one entry can be an observation/interaction of your choice.


 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Work with an individual or group of students **
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Description: **<span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> In another English teacher's classroom, a multitude of students were invited after school to do an ACT prep class. I was asked by one of the teacher's if I would like to work with the students as a proctor and grade their essays and give them feedback. I was more than happy to oblige.


 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Analysis: **<span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> When reviewing their essays, it was clear which students knew what they were doing and which one didn't even though they didn't put their names on their papers. Students who took all the time that was given (thirty minutes) and did an outline for their paper, had a significantly better outcome. Other students didn't seem to care.


 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Reflection: ** In the future, I think it would definitely benefit me to spend more times with the students. Because they were not my FBS's students, I did not know them prior to this session. I believe I gave them good feedback, especially considering I just took the ACT one year ago. Now, all I can hope for is that they take my advice. However, the teacher invited me to visit her class more often, this would give me the ability to work with those students more closely, therefore building trust so that they will value my opinion more.


 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Your creation of a bulletin board or PowerPoint or your use of the internet for researching material for a lesson **
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Description: **<span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> For Mr. Dimock's AP Lit, Creative Writing and Freshman English, he is teaching them about literary devices. Because Mr Dimock has a specific way of teaching, I decided to create a poster/bulletin board rather than a PowerPoint about literary terms.


 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Analysis: **<span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> I decided to make the title big and colorful. I put my art skills to work and did the title in free hand graffiti. It definitely will catch the eyes of the students which is what I hope for. Secondly, I put all the words Mr. Dimock is covering on the poster with their definitions to help he kids remember them on a daily basis without having to look each individual one up in their book.


 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Reflection: **<span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> I think the poster is a really effective idea and because of the poster's presentation, it really caters to the students like visually. If I were to change something in the future, rather than me doing the whole poster, have me still make the main part of the poster, but each student be assigned a word and have them find the definition for their word then Velcro or tape it on the poster. This would get every student involved, have them remember definitions and it wouldn't take much time.


 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">The lesson you cooperatively teach with the Field Based Supervisor **
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Description: **<span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> On Monday, April 26, 2010, Mr. Dimock and I put the students in Freshman English into groups. Each group is assigned a scene from the play __Romeo and Juliet__. Each person in each group gets a character and are told to rewrite their parts in their own words and later in the week they will perform their interpretation. As the students were translating their lines, Mr. Dimock and I walked around and helped each group to interpret some of Shakespeare's verses.


 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Analysis: **<span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> It is clear that the Freshman aren't experts at analyzing Shakespeare, and they are not expected to be. However, I believe by us pointing the students in the right direction for their translations, they will be able to do more translating on their own in the future.


 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Reflection: **<span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> It was obvious to me that the students were really learning. They were also really focused on their school work. I believe telling them that they were going to perform their scenes was a good change of scenery and motivated them. Overall, the project was a success and gave me the opportunity to be more involved with each individual student. There is nothing I would have done differently.


 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">An observation/interaction of your choice **
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Description: **<span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> It was my first time at the middle school in 7th Grade Theatre. The students were working on their own scripts, prop lists and stage blocking for their performance later on in the week. I was working with each group in order to help give them ideas on what to bring in order to fulfill their requirements.


 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Analysis: **<span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> I believe the students understand that if they fail the class, that there is no consequences. A good portion of the class would not help their groups and instead would misbehave, leaving a few select students to do all that work for their groups. I was extremely difficult to even get a few of the students on tas k. Mr. Dimock ended up keeping six students after class.


 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Reflection: **<span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> Because the threat of failure is not a problem in some of the kids' eyes, I do not believe it would do any good to threaten them with a failing grade for the play. However, because of their repeated disobedience, stricter policies must be put in place right away. I would have gave them one warning and sent the to the principals. That, to me, is the only way to get through to them. Plus, not only would you make good on your threats and they would get the hint, but since they are not helping their groups anyways, they should be out of the way so they don't distract the select students who are working hard.

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= 30 hours of field-based classroom participation =
 * **Date** || **<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Hours ** || **<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Description of my activities/participation in the classroom.... ** ||
 * 02/23/2010 || 1 || We discussed my expectation in the classroom and my schedule for future visits. ||
 * 03/01/2010 || 4 || I observed conferences, I conducted the interview for my FBS and we talked about the core structure of the classroom. ||
 * 03/03/2010 || 1.75 || I observed class, looking for certain characteristics involved with contextual factors. ||
 * 03/19/2010 || 2.5 || Another day of Freshman English, we did a grammar and vocab lesson accompanied by some reading of Romeo & Juliet. ||
 * 03/22/2010 || 1.75 || We continued in Freshman English with another grammar lesson and Romeo & Juliet ||
 * 03/24/2010 || 2 || I got to observe Mrs. Kozak's early bird class today (Honors Sophmore Comp). I walked around and interacted with the students about their cause and effect papers. I also went to Mr. Dimock's Freshman English class were we continued Romeo & Juliet. ||
 * 03/26/2010 || 2 || Instead of going to the computer lab, we decided to stay in the classroom and continue Romeo and Juliet. ||
 * 03/29/2010 || 2 || We continued Rome & Juliet and watched a clip from modern day version on VHS. ||
 * 03/30/2010 || 3 || More Romeo & Juliet, the students journaled about it today and I also got to be a Proctor for an ACT prep session for one of the other English teachers in the school. ||
 * 03/31/2010 || 5 || I went for Freshman English, the last part of AP Lit, all of Brit Lit, Creative Writing and Mr Dimock's study hall. I gave my solo lesson today, I lectured on Romeo and Juliet while incorporating group discussion, it went well. ||
 * 04/05/2010 || 8 || I spent my first full day at the high school and middle school. I observed Freshman English, helped student in 7th grade theater, observed AP Lit, Brit Lit, Creative Writing and Study Hall. I'm working on my poster. ||
 * 04/07/2010 || 2 || Freshman English: DOL/Vocab and Romeo and Juliet ||
 * 04/09/2010 || 2 || I was supposed to do my cooperative lesson today, but once again, it was canceled. So he just lectured on Romeo and Juliet again. ||
 * 04/26/2010 || 2 || I finished up my classroom experience with my cooperative lesson, we broke the kids up into groups to translate a Romeo and Juliet scene. ||

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