11/30/2014

WeeklyStudentTeachingUpdateJaclynKlein

Weekly Student Teaching Update

Jaclyn Klein
Sun 11/30/2014 2:24 PM
Inbox
To: Jaclyn

Klein <jaclyn.klein@drake.edu>;

From:JaclynKlein
To:DIANESTILLEY
Sent:
Sunday,September28,20141:01PM
Subject:WeekofAugust25thStudentTeachingUpdate

Goodafternoon!HereismyweeklyupdatefromIndianola!

1.Howdidyouspendyourtimethisweek?Whatresponsibilitiesdidyouhave?
Thiswasmyfinalweekofhavingcontrolofallclasses.The12thgradershadauniton
communicatingideas,the9thgraderscontinuedtheirshortstoryunitwith"GiftoftheMagi"and
usingBluesmusictostudytheme,andthe11th/12thgradersarestillworkingthroughDivergent
andbeganrevisionsonacreativewritingprojectfromlastweek.Iagainhadfullinstructionaltime
foreachoftheclasses,aswellassomeresponsibilitiesconcerningtheIEPsand504sofsomeof
mystudents.IcoordinatedwithMs.KandthespecialeducationteacherMs.Honorganizingthe
11/12classforthecomingweeks.

2.Whatwereyourmostsatisfyingexperiences?Whatwereyourmostchallengingexperiences?

OneofthethingsIparticularlyenjoyedthisweekwasthevastarrayofmediaIused.Icreateda
reallygreatlessononironyusingcomicstripsfromhumorist"TheOatmeal"andTEDtalks.My12th
graderswereworkingonideasandformalistvs.transactionaltheory,sowestudiedpoetryfrom
slampoetryperformancestoeecummingstoasongbytheWhiteStripsbeforegettingintotheir
owncomposition.Ireallyenjoyedbeingabletoincorporateseveraldifferenttypesandstylesof
mediaintomylessonsthisweek.

Unfortunately,theweekdidn'tgoperfectly.Imadeabadcallwithmy9thgradeEnglishclass.We
madeanagreementatthebeginningoftheyearthatiftheywereabletoworkproductivelyandact
respectfully,theymaysitbytheirfriends.Afteradayorsoofunproductivework,weswitchedto
seatingarrangementandtheatmosphereimproved.However,asItoldmystudents,Ibelievein
https://pod51030.outlook.com/owa/projection.aspx

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secondchances.Iexplainedthatiftheycouldshowmetheycouldberesponsiblelearnersandstay
ontaskfortwofullweeks,wecouldgobacktoanopenarrangement.
ThisThursday,theirtwoweeksforaseatingarrangementwasup.Whilethestudentshadgenerally
beenmoreproductive,Iwasn'tsurethatmovingbacktoanopenarrangementwouldbeusefulI
worriedthattheywouldjustgobacktosocializingandnotfocusonthecontent.Aftergoingback
andforthforafewdays,Iultimatelydecidedtogivethemasecondchanceandallowedthemtosit
wheretheywanted(withtheunderstandingthattheystillneededtobeproductiveandrespectful.)
Wedidthisforonedaywhilewetalkedaboutthedifferencebetweendramaticand
narrativecharacterization.ItwasasIhadfearedmanystudentwerenotpayingattentionand
distractingtheirpeers.Thenextday,wehadaquizovercharacterization.Overhalfofthemcalled
meovertoinformmethatwe"nevergoneoverthis."
Needlesstosay,Iwasextremelydisheartened.Ihaven'tgradedthequizzesyet,butIamnot
lookingforwardtoseeinghowmuchthedistractionimpactedtheirgrades.We'reabsolutelybe
backtoaseatingchartbyMondayandI'mplanningonshiftingsomelessonstoreteach
characterization.I'mjustdisappointedthatthisprobablycouldhavebeenavoidedifIhadstuckto
myguns.

3.Whataretheplansfortheupcomingweek?
The12thgradeclassistransitioningbacktoMs.K'scontrol,sowe'llbecoordinatinglessonson
howtoconductaliteraryanalysis.Wewerebothdisappointedbytheirworklastweek,andsohave
decidedthatsomeareasneedtoberecovered.The9thgradersarefinishingtheirshortstoryunit
withLadyandtheTiger,thentakingafinalassessmentonThursday.I'mlookingforwardtobeing
abletoseeaunitallthewaythrough,frompreassessmenttofinalassessment.The11/12th
graderswillcontinuerevisingandreadinginDivergent,aswellashopefullydoingsomeinteractive
techniqueslaterintheweek.

Hopeyouhadagoodweekend!SeeyouonFriday!

Best,
Jackie

From:JaclynKlein
To:DIANESTILLEY
Sent:Sunday,October5,20145:01PM
Subject:WeekofAugust25thStudentTeachingUpdate

HereismyweeklyupdatefromIndianola!
1.Howdidyouspendyourtimethisweek?Whatresponsibilitiesdidyouhave?
https://pod51030.outlook.com/owa/projection.aspx

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ThisweekIbegantophaseoutintheclasses.The9thgradersroundedouttheirunitonliterary
elementsandtooktheirfinalassessmentonThursdayandFriday.The12thgrade
compositionstudentsstartedaunitwithMs.Konhowtomoresuccessfullywritealiteraryanalysis
andrealizingtheyneededsomeexplicitinstruction.The11thand12thgradersfinishedtheir5
paragraphessaywritingassignmentandcontinuedwithreadingDivergent.Istillhadcomplete
controlinthe9thgradeclassandbeganphasingouttojusttroubleshootingand
redirectingstudentsinComp.and11/12bytheendoftheweek.

2.Whatwereyourmostsatisfyingexperiences?

Mymostsatisfyingexperiencewasgradingthefirstpartofthe9thgradeEnglishtest.Over90%
ofthestudentsscoredan85%orabove.Itwasreallygratifyingtoseehowstudentsimprovedand
toknowthattheynotjustgotthematerial,butthatastrongmajorityofthemhadmasteredit.I
veryhappilynotedthatreteachingofcharacterizationwassuccessful,asabout98%gotall
questionsoncharacterizationright.I'mreallygladthatImadetimetoreteachthetermwhile
havingstudentsinasetseatingchart.Whilestudentswereinitiallyupsetthattheywerenolonger
abletositbytheirfriends,manyofthemowneduptothefactthatThursdaywasabitoutof
controlandtookresponsibilityforlosingtheprivilege.AndeventhoughIregrethowunproductive
theclasswasthatday,I'mgladthatIatleastgavethemthechanceandkeptmypromisetothem.I
thinkImayhavelostcredibilitywiththestudentshadIimmediatelyshutthemdown.

3.Whataretheplansfortheupcomingweek?
MylastdayatIndianolaisWednesday.OnMondayI'llbedoinganobservationwithatheatre
teacherinthedistrict,andIimaginetheothertwodaysI'llbecompletelyphasedoutto
observationinalltheotherclasses.Theexceptionwouldbeinthe11th/12thgradeEnglishcourse
themorepeoplerunninginterferenceinthatclass,themoresmoothlyitruns,soI'llprobablystill
helpoutthere.IhavequiteabitofgradingtocompletebeforeIcheckoutofthedistrict
completely,sothatwillprobablytakeupmuchofmytime.

Hopeyouhadagoodweekend!I'llseeyouonTuesday!

Best,
Jackie

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