[RED

414 – FIRST SIX WEEKS CLINICAL – READING RESPONSE] 1

Name: Karlyn Buchanan

First Six Weeks of School, Second Edition; 2015; by Paula Denton and Roxann Kriete

What were the key points of your assigned readings? List any questions or discussion topics
These can be listed in bulleted format under each chapter. you would like discussed in class.

Introduction – Using this Book – Key Terms

• Briefly define and identify 1 application idea you have for your RED 414 Clinical.
• Creating a Climate of Warmth, Inclusion, and Safety: To build the trust essential for learning, •
students need to know one another and develop a sense of belonging and significance in the
classroom. Students will need to know that we will set reasonable boundaries for behavior
and ensure that everyone is included and staying safe. As I start my fall student teaching, I
think it is extremely important to get to know the students on a personal level as well as build
a classroom community and establish relationships with all of the students.
First Day of School
• Goals & Overview for All Grades
• Briefly, What does the 1st Day of School “Look Like” for:
o Kindergarten, First & Second Grade
o Third & Fourth Grade
o Fifth & Sixth Grade
• Goals and Overview for All Grades: feel a sense of belonging and significance throughout the •
day, start to learn classmates’ names, learn and practice a few key routines, and experience a
sense of excitement and competence about the academic work and learning ahead.
• K-2: Greet students, find name tags, morning meeting, tour the school, morning snack,
recess, lunch, quiet time, clean up classroom, and closing circle.
• 3-4: create name tags, signal for quiet attention, morning meeting, tour the school, recess,
lunch, quiet time, clean up classroom, closing circle.
• 5-6: Make name tags, complete a personal survey, signal for quiet attention, morning
meeting, recess, lunch, quiet time, check with students on where they need to go, clean up,
closing circle.
Week One
• What are the Week 1 Goals?
• Identify 2 application ideas for your RED 414 Clinical.
Be sure to save your reflections on your computer, as this could be an artifact for your Standards of Effective Practice electronic portfolio.
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• Goals: Experience a collaborative and inclusive learning environment, make personal • What are some fun or unique
connections, practice essential academic routines, explore some key academic supplies, morning meeting attention
generate learning goals, and brainstorm a list of possible classroom rules. getters/games?
• As I start student teaching, one of the goals I have for the first week is to learn all of my
students’ names. I am hoping to illustrate morning meetings around this.
• Another goal I have is to generate a list of learning goals. Personally, I am the type of person
who loves to set goals. Hopefully, I can make a bulletin board or poster of some sort for my
students to see and visualize their goal for the week.
Week Two
• What are the Week 2 Goals?
• Identify 2 application ideas for your RED 414 Clinical.
• Goals: continue to build connections with all classmates, have opportunities to practice and • Is there a fun/creative way to
polish routines, experience more academic choices, gain more confidence in speaking and make a classroom rules
strengthen listening skills, and work together to finalize the classroom rules. chart/board?
• I want each of my students to feel comfortable with one another in the classroom. I am
hoping to incorporate more partner and whole group projects/assignments. This will
continue to help students gain more confidence as well as building connections with
students.
• At the end of week two, I am hoping that as a class we can finalize the classroom rules as well
as continue to review the routines.
Week Three
• What are the Week 3 Goals?
• Identify 2 application ideas for your RED 414 Clinical.
• Goals: continue to build stamina in all content areas, continue to practice routines, •
experience the rules coming to life in the classroom, and learn about logical consequences.
• Entering the third week of school can be tricky sometimes because it is a transition week
where as a class, we will be stepping more into independent academic learning instead of
partner or whole group work. As a class, we need to remember to be encouraging, positive,
and reinforcing with one another.
• At morning meetings, we might do an activity where students have the opportunity to take
turns reading the morning meeting message out loud. However, I will ask for “volunteers”
instead of calling on kids.
Weeks Four to Six
• What are the Week 4 Goals?
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• Identify 2 application ideas for your RED 414 Clinical.

• Goals: being an active member of the learning community, fully engaged academically, and •
more self-efficient.
• One of the goals I have for weeks four through six is to take time to step back to gain more
perspective and observe my students individually and as a whole class. I need to make sure
to reinforce what is going well for my students and redirect where my students need more
support.
• Another goal I have is to keep an eye out for adjustments of my students’ energy. If having
issues take the time and compare it with other chapters to see what adjustments might help.
Appendix A-D
• Choose 1 idea from EACH of these Appendices and briefly describe how you might use it.
• Appendix A: Closing Circle: I would use this at the end of the day when the kids are about to • How long do “sub plans” need
go home to discuss something that the students learned or challenged them about that day. to be? How long do they take
• Appendix B: Clock Partner: I would definitely use this for stations to help build more of a to make? Is there a right or
classroom community as well as giving student choice to each of my students, so they can wrong way to plan?
choose their own partners. • What are some fun
• Appendix C: Read-Alouds: I will definitely do a read aloud for my students every day because ideas/games to incorporate in
I think they are crucial for academic learning. Using read aloud books to help students build a closing circle?
vocabulary, reading comprehension skills, and listening skills.
• Appendix D: Planning for a Substitute Teacher: Using the term “guest teacher” instead of
“substitute teacher,” help convey a sense of authority, welcome, and respect.

Be sure to save your reflections on your computer, as this could be an artifact for your Standards of Effective Practice electronic portfolio.