simieles

Sitting here now and looking back at my experiences this school year is a great feeling of accomplishment.  When starting anything new, there is always a sense of apprehension.  Leaving a comfort zone and entering the unknown:  new colleagues, students, parents, programs, and expectations.  Even though I've been teaching for ten years, this year I felt as if I were beginning again.  With each new challenge, I felt more confidence and strength. 

The most difficult part of this year was figuring out new strategies and techniques to reach a multitude of levels, interests, and learning styles.  This is something I feel will always be challenging, yet rewarding.

 The best parts of my year were learning and growing through all of the training and opportunity I've been offered and coming to the realization that there are places that offer support and acknowledgement of the positive.  

My plan for my teaching future is to continue to learn and grow and share my knowledge with students and colleagues.

Dear Mrs. Simiele,

     Hi, it's me Jimmy and I am in your fourth grade language arts resource center class.  We have five students, but I am always the one who has my hand half way up or says, "I'm stretching" when you call on me.  Since September, I have really felt more comfortable and am participating more in your class.  At first, I did not want to say much and was afraid of speaking in front of the whole group for fear that I might say the "wrong" answer.  Now, I know that all of us are in the same boat and are learning together.  

    I really like the way I am able to share my ideas with my friends and classmates I did not know as well.  I feel like I've made more friends and have been given an opportunity to grow.  Each week when we read our story, I know what to expect and feel safe to share my ideas.  After we do our "picture walk" and talk about story background, I turn to my partner and give my prediction.  We then share with the group and compare ideas.  As we read the story, you let us get up and switch seats to check and compare how our predictions change with a new partner.  It is nice to hear different ideas and get a chance to talk to others about the story.  This way of learning helps me to better understand what is happening while I read.  

    I know now that I can learn new things in a fun and not so scary way.  This way of communicating and learning helped me open up and took away my fear to be a part of things.  Now, you see my hand held high and I am not just "stretching".

                                                                                                                                                                                    Thanks,

                                                                                                                                                                                    Jimmy 

During my grade four language arts class, I used nonlinguistic representations to teach a grammar lesson regarding action and linking verbs.  I began the lesson with a bodily-kinesthetic activity of "Simiele Says", and had the students clap, jump, hop, laugh, talk, etc.  We then defined action verbs and discussed other examples.  Students then picked one action verb and illustrated it on a large index card.  Next, we discussed the role of a linking verb and matched a linking verb with our action verb.  The linking verb was put on a long strip of paper and "linked" or connected to the action verb on the index card.  Last, the students created a complete sentence using both the action and linking verbs.  One example was:  The monkeys were swinging from the vines.  The illustration and link connected together made concepts more concrete for students.

From today's class on nonlinguistic representations, I plan to utiliize the Generalization Principle Patterns organizer as a pre-writing activity for picture prompts in connection with the NJASK.  Students can write their main idea or topic in the large rectangle at the top (this can be the main idea or become the title of their story).  In the three smaller rectangles below, students can write details regarding the beginning (what happened before the picture), middle (what is happening in the picture), and ending (what happened after the picture) of their story.  This will help students brainstorm ideas before writing their story. 

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The above graphic organziers demonstrate part 1 of 2 of this lesson.  The objectives include summarizing main ideas and details from text using a graphic organizer.  The combination notes were modified to have students focus on identifying specific information in the story.  This lesson is first modeled and guided by the teacher and then student directed as they write their summaries and illustrate a scene of the story independently.