WEEK 7

WHAT
This past week in school I started my science unit for the second time with another 4th grade class. I was really please with how it went. I felt like I knew the material better than I did the first time because I did, from being able to teach it before. I felt much more comfortable teaching the unit on soil this time around too.
The students also learned about how to add and subtract fractions with unlike denominators. Most got it, but quite a few didn't. It's so frustrating how much I can work with one child so hard and for so long on a concept, and they get it, and then the next day it is completely gone. I am just at such a loss with this and so sad.

SO WHAT
It was amazing teaching my science unit for the second time because time flew by so much quicker. The first time I taught my soil unit, the first day, it took me about an hour and a half for the students to complete what I had planned for the day. This time around it only took forty minutes. Which was awesome because it gave me so much for time to do other things that needed to be done.
It's amazing too the more you teach something the skills that come along with it. Such as the ease of teaching a concept like adding and subtracting unlike denominators. At first I was at a loss. I know the concept well. I understand it. It's a completely different ball park knowing a subject though and being able to teach it well. I think that it is a lot more difficult to be a good teacher than it is to be a smart teacher.

NOW WHAT
This next week I will be working on decimals in math which I am not at all excited about. My cooperating teacher told me that fractions and decimals are very hard for the students to catch on to. Hopefully I won't be too confusing and that they will understand decimals.
I am on the downhill of my student teaching and I find myself getting excited, sad, and stressed all at the same time. Sad because I have come to love teaching these children and being in an actual classroom. Excited because I finally get to graduate and be done! And finally, stressed because I will have so much do coming up for graduation. I'm just so glad that I have kept up with my blogging all semester long. :) I just need to really buckle down now and start working hard on my senior portfolio and putting my unit all together. Wish me luck!