Happy Halloween!!!

 I just noticed I forgot to post last week. My bad. I have been very overwhelmed this past month . Last semester I just went to college as I wasn't working due to Covid reasons and now that I am back to work and going to college, I am really struggling to keep up with the course work in all my classes. Add in field experience for two classes and that just adds to the stress. I am done with my hours for this class, I just have to finish up the assignments and get them submitted. I enjoyed the experience though. It always amazing me how adaptable our kiddos are. I come into their school and there is no fear or hesitation shown. They all just want to show the new person everything they can do.   It is so amazing and heartwarming. I am still working on my presentation and I hope that you will still accept it. The hardest part for me is the citation. I have a book from a previous composition course that comes in handy though. 

This weeks IRIS module came at a great time. I am having some behavior issues with a student I tutor at work so I plan to print out the ABC data collection sample they provided and get data on his behaviors and hopefully come up with a hypothesis and intervention to help curb the unwanted behaviors. I worked with this kiddo in preschool and again in first grade. Now as a 3rd grader, my old tricks of getting him to think what we are doing was his idea are not working. =) Oh well, need a new bag of tricks for the older kids I guess. 

Thank you for your understanding. Struggling with mental health issues is never easy but even worse when I am worried it is going to keep me from passing my classes this semester.

Weekly Update

 This past week, I started my field experience at Steven's Elementary in Dawson. I am observing an ECSE teacher. I was able to get in five hours this past week and enjoyed interacting with the staff and students in Dawson. Besides observing within the school, I was able to go on a home visit with my mentor teacher and two others, an OT and a PT. This was a very interesting visit and helped me understand the role of an ECSE teacher outside of the walls of the school building. Since my major is ECSE, I think this was a valuable experience that gave me more insight into what my future career will be like. 

This past week I also started working on my professional development disability presentation. I am glad you changed the syllabus to say that we could use PowerPoint as I am not a huge fan of Prezi and hadn't even heard of the others that were mentioned, much less used them. I have chosen to do my project on emotional disturbance. This is an area I am interested in learning more about.

Weezie's Update

 This weeks IRIS module was incredible. I think I spend way more time working on it then was needed, but I enjoyed doing all the activities within the module. I think it is interesting that what is commonly perceived as "appropriate behavior" typically reflects white, middle-class cultural norms and values. This can create numerous problems within the classroom. In our school, even out here in rural Minnesota, over half our students are not from middle-class white families. We have a large Micronesian population in our school district and in their culture they prepare meals on the floor or even on the ground outside. I have seen videos of it on Facebook and while that appears to be unusual to me, I understand that it is normal in their culture. I think taking the time to get to know the cultural background of our students is a huge part of having a successful classroom behavior management plan and in building a relationship with our students and their families. 

Another thing that stood out to me from the IRIS module is that black and Latino students are subject to more frequent and harsher discipline compared to their white peers. This holds true starting as young as preschool and continues through high school. This just makes me sad, even though a teacher may not even realize they are doing it. They suggest that you ask a peer or administration to observe your class to provide you with feedback on how you are doing in regards to treating everyone fairly. I think that is a wonderful concept if staffing allowed for that to take place. I feel that we should be able to self assess ourselves as well. If nothing else record yourself giving a lesson and review it after school. I do not think I have done this when working with students but I am definitely going to be more mindful of it. 

I start my placement in Dawson this Friday. I am hoping that goes well.

Weekly Thoughts

I GOT A PLACEMENT!!!!!! YAY!! My self placement at Stevens Elementary in Dawson was approved by the SMSU placement department and I can began logging my hours with the amazing Jenna Williamson. I am so excited. This weeks IRIS module was amazing. I loved learning more about implementing a comprehensive behavior management plan in the classroom and learning how I can try to close the cultural gaps by learning more about my students and their cultural norms. We have a large Micronesian population in our school district that I work in and I have noticed that in their culture it is normal for the children to go from one house to another and for them to care for each others children while their parents return to the island. They also have many different cultural norms then I do. The children do not have a set bedtime and are allowed to stay up late thus making them tired during school. We have tried different things over the years to make changes to what is normal for them to benefit the students ability to learn but perhaps a different approach should be taken. When should something that effects a students ability to be present and attend to instruction be addressed and when should it be left alone because that is just how it is in their culture? Lack of sleep isn't something the teacher or student can change without the parents being on board with the change, especially when most of these kiddos are living in a house or apartment with one, two or more other families. Wow, I didn't mean to go off an a tangent about that, but it really does make you think. One last thought. I am not sure what to change on my Chapter 3 question answers that you want me to re do. Can you give me a little more guidance please and thank you.