First Six Weeks of School Reading Reflection Journal
First Six Weeks of School Reading Reflection Journal
First Six Weeks of School Reading Reflection Journal
What were the key points of your assigned readings? List any questions
These can be listed in bulleted format under each chapter. or discussion
topics you would
like discussed in
class.
Introduction-Using this Book- Key Terms When it comes to
• Briefly define and identify 1 application idea that you have for your RED 414 Clinical. these application
ideas, are we free to
During my RED 414 clinical, I really want to develop a strong classroom community because I feel it is the try what we want or
strongest way to foster the students’ learning. I will do this by creating a warm, safe, and inclusive do we have to follow
climate for the students. I will also teach classroom routines and behavior expectations. The students exactly what the
need to understand what they are expected to do and how they are to behave in the classroom. Along teacher does? I’m
with this, I will help the students get to know the classroom, and establish expectations for their guessing that we can
academic work. arrange something
after we talk with the
cooperating teacher.
Briefly, what does the 1st day of school “look like” for:
The students will be nervous, but the main focus is making sure that they have a smooth transition from
summer to school and feel welcomed, safe, and excited about learning.
Beginning of the First Day
You’ll greet the children and give them something to do that will help calm their nerves such as
decorating name tags. You’ll then signal for quiet attention. Most teachers use a calming chime as the
signal. You want to teach the students how to stop, get quiet, and look at you when you give the signal.
This is followed by morning meeting, and you will explain that every morning you will gather as a class to
begin the day together. (Greeting, Sharing, Group Activity, Morning Message). Today morning meeting
will be relatively short. Touring the school before recess and lunch will help the students feel more at
home. You can stop at different locations in the school and use Interactive Modeling to teach the
routines for these areas. Then the students will have a morning snack- a regular snack time helps fuel
students for learning and allows them to take a break. You will also model and practice snack time
routines today.
You will have to introduce and guide students to explore materials, as well as also introduce a few simple
academic routines that they will build on. Today, make sure to choose learning activities that enable all
students to participate fully. We want to build excitement for learning and reinforce students’ efforts on
the first day of school to set the tone for the rest of the year. We also want to teach discipline right from
the start, and we can do this by using teacher language to create a positive tone. We can also set up
routines for positive discipline and use redirecting language with our students to fix misbehavior.
A primary goal for today is to teach your students how to work together in the classroom and be
successful as individuals and as a group. You can use Interactive Modeling to introduce supplies intended
to be used, and let them practice using them. Make sure to focus only on the most essential and
straightforward routines today because the students will be excited and anxious. It is important to use
teacher language to create a positive tone in the classroom; using reinforcing and reminding language
can be very beneficial. It is very important that we are redirecting misbehavior right away in order to
create a safe, caring learning environment.
Don’t assume that just because the students are older that they know how to use materials. Instead you
should use Interactive Modeling to show them how to use and care for the materials. You should also use
Interactive Modeling to teach academic routines such as partner chats, reading routines, and writing
routines. It’s is nice to use envisioning language with your students today to get them excited about the
year ahead. One the first day you can help your students get to know each other by having them work on
a small project that allows them to share their interests and favorites. Just like the other grades, it is
easier to just focus on a few classroom routines that are essential for the students’ success today.
Appendix C: 10 Sources for Read-Aloud Books---National Education Association(NEA) Teachers’ Top 100 Books for
Children
I went to this website and I thought it would be useful to use in my future teaching. It lists Teachers’ top 100 books
for children, and I could use the website when picking out books to have in my classroom. I could make sure that I
have several of those books available to my students, and then I read one of them several times with my class, so
they become very familiar with it. It could be like a “class storybook”. This source makes it quick and easy to pick
quality literature for my students.