Full week 4

 Week of Reflection: Friday February 26, 2021

I will rank this week as a 4/5. While I have been quite busy with edTPA and have had to adapt my lessons again to schedule changes (a remote day added at the last second), I have felt so supported by my family, professor, and clinical educator/accompanist. I believe that I was an effective teacher this week, and have been so excited to be able to sing with my students in class now for the first time. This week, I had to rehearse my advanced group without my accompanist. They’re singing a piece that is rather challenging to play, so I was excited with how I was able to confidently lead them. Students in cohort A were a good deal more successful with sight reading this week than in cohort B, because cohort B students were absent one day last week due to weather. While I was a bit surprised that they were behind, it told me that my instruction was effective at helping students improve. I am still working toward encouraging student confidence with sight singing. Dr. Johnson showed me some cool ideas for engaging students, and I am excited to implement new strategies next week.

This week, I have grown a lot more confident in my edTPA submission. It is still one of the hardest portfolios that I have ever put together, and I am still TIRED but I am starting to feel successful. I am hoping to continue fighting off the anxiety as I keep working toward submission.  

My short term and long term goals are aligned because I am on track to submit edTPA! I have spent some time this week looking back on how I have improved throughout this semester so far. When I started in January, finishing edTPA seemed impossible and I was so afraid to manage my classroom. I am so proud of the way that I have grown into the semester, and I am hopeful for a good edTPA score.

This week, I analyzed my edTPA unit and the work samples there. I also analyzed student performance and have developed lessons that will be better suited for our new classroom conditions. I have been pleased with my student’s growth this week!  My advice for my student teacher friends this week: Don’t give up! We’re almost done! 

I was a teacher leader (NCTCS 1) when I conducted more effective rehearsals that focused on better vocal techniques. I improved my NCTCS 2 standard this week by accommodating my lessons to my student’s paces, and by providing support and reinforcement for my students who struggle. I demonstrated knowledge of my content (NCTCS 3) by teaching accurate rhythms in a really rhythmically complicated song for my show choir. I planned instruction appropriate for my students (NCTCS 4) by walking around and spot checking with students, and providing reinforcement based on their needs. I reflected on my practice (NCTCS 5) when I noticed that students in Cohort needed reinforcement for their rhythmic sight reading so I re-taught them using the scaffolded presentation I had covered previously. 

(Dr. Johnson and I have not yet discussed my expectations for my portfolio. My CE and I do not need additional support at this time).