The Classes
Again this year I have a variety of classes. But at least none are math. I guess I should go in order of schedule. Our classes are 50 minutes, which is shorter than the general education block classes of 90 minutes. That's quite a chunk of time, still.
I have Geography first. The book we are using is a bit dry. So I've decided to suppliment with other more exciting material. We did a bit of map work, even using a local map, which I think the kids appreciated. I only have 4 students in that class. It makes it so nice, I can help them if they need it. Unfortunately 2 of the 4 are absent often, so that makes it difficult for them to get the consistancy they need. The remaining 2 are quite sharp, and seem able to do all the work well. I'm thinking about giving out projects to do, instead of always question/answer from the book.
I'm not going to go in schedule order, because I'd like to group two classes together. I also teach a Social Skills class. I've never done this before, so I'm a little bit on shaky ground. But the teacher who had this position before left a whole curriculum to follow in the form of worksheets. So that's nice. It's just a shame that it's not too interesting. Once I really know what's going on, perhaps I can really do some useful things in this class.
I also have a Reading class. I love that class! There are only 4 students and they're doing so well. We're reading "The Face on the Milk Carton" and the kids like it a lot. They can't wait to hear what happens next. And they are really able to answer the prediction questions, and relate it to their real lives. So I think they're doing really well. We'll read the follow-up book next.
Now on to my US History classes. I have two. And I hate to say it, but one is a lot lower level than the other. I have a lot of non-readers in one class. It makes it really hard to teach them, obviously. This sounds obvious, but even the types of things I did in my first ED classroom in the D75 school seems to be to advanced for them. I'm struggling to get them to answer questions and remember the material. I really have to figure out a better tactic, I suppose. I have tried interpretations throught drawing, read alouds, videos, doing everything together, they just don't seem to understand or remember.
My other class, on the other hand, seems to get things with flying colors. Sometimes I think class is TOO easy for them. We've been reading harder excerpts from different books, and things like that, the beef up the material a bit. One student even asked me to borrow my "Black Elk Speaks" book that I read in college and she's reading it. That's amazing.
There's a lot to think about, and to act on. My collegues would call it very "formative" of me. And I try. I hate to go a whole class and then realize they don't understand what's happening.
Comments on parents forthcoming.
I have Geography first. The book we are using is a bit dry. So I've decided to suppliment with other more exciting material. We did a bit of map work, even using a local map, which I think the kids appreciated. I only have 4 students in that class. It makes it so nice, I can help them if they need it. Unfortunately 2 of the 4 are absent often, so that makes it difficult for them to get the consistancy they need. The remaining 2 are quite sharp, and seem able to do all the work well. I'm thinking about giving out projects to do, instead of always question/answer from the book.
I'm not going to go in schedule order, because I'd like to group two classes together. I also teach a Social Skills class. I've never done this before, so I'm a little bit on shaky ground. But the teacher who had this position before left a whole curriculum to follow in the form of worksheets. So that's nice. It's just a shame that it's not too interesting. Once I really know what's going on, perhaps I can really do some useful things in this class.
I also have a Reading class. I love that class! There are only 4 students and they're doing so well. We're reading "The Face on the Milk Carton" and the kids like it a lot. They can't wait to hear what happens next. And they are really able to answer the prediction questions, and relate it to their real lives. So I think they're doing really well. We'll read the follow-up book next.
Now on to my US History classes. I have two. And I hate to say it, but one is a lot lower level than the other. I have a lot of non-readers in one class. It makes it really hard to teach them, obviously. This sounds obvious, but even the types of things I did in my first ED classroom in the D75 school seems to be to advanced for them. I'm struggling to get them to answer questions and remember the material. I really have to figure out a better tactic, I suppose. I have tried interpretations throught drawing, read alouds, videos, doing everything together, they just don't seem to understand or remember.
My other class, on the other hand, seems to get things with flying colors. Sometimes I think class is TOO easy for them. We've been reading harder excerpts from different books, and things like that, the beef up the material a bit. One student even asked me to borrow my "Black Elk Speaks" book that I read in college and she's reading it. That's amazing.
There's a lot to think about, and to act on. My collegues would call it very "formative" of me. And I try. I hate to go a whole class and then realize they don't understand what's happening.
Comments on parents forthcoming.