End of Placement:

4.18.23
It was a busy day! I hit the ground running this morning by trying to get some final
touches together for my portfolio to take to my interview. It didn’t have the entire completed
portfolio in it, but I was able to showcase my work a little! I did some review games with
students for their exams this week, and it was very clear which students were prepared and
which ones were not, but hopefully that is a wakeup call for them (even though their exam is
open note).
After 4th period, I left for the day and headed to Peters Township High School. Their
new building is absolutely gorgeous. I got there a few minutes before 11:30, and they actually
decided to take me for the interview then, since the girl that was supposed to be interviewing at
that time had not arrived yet. My original time was 11:50, so I was happy to have had that little
bit earlier time frame. I interviewed with one of the assistant principals and the principal of the
building, and I think it went well! It is going to be a quick turnaround, so I will hopefully hear back
sooner rather than later.

4.17.23

Today has been a very hectic but productive day to start the week. I somehow managed to have
a lot of energy to start the day (which surprised me) but maybe I just needed that weekend to
recharge.

During PTLW, I was able to help a student get prepared for a presentation the following period
by making a fake wound with her. I think it turned out fantastic! I also had some students just
pop in to say hi.

I had a professor from SHU come in to chat with anatomy today, and I definitely thought it was a
good idea! I enjoyed getting to sit back and listen, but also thought it was a nice change for the
students. Of course, it was also lovely to see her today as well. During the day, students were
able to start signing my stole that I am planning to wear At graduation, and a lot of them signed
it already. I had some students that signed it that I wasn’t expecting to!

After the school day today, I had a meeting with a mentor for a scholarship program, and then
headed up to campus to have “class”. We don’t have our seminar this week because of a
scheduling conflict, so we were to collaborate with peers on teacher autonomy discussions. It
was lovely to catch up, and helped put me into a work mindset, so I could put finishing touches
on the shortened portfolio I am taking with me tomorrow to my interview.

4.12.2023
Today was a fast yet productive day. I was shocked that almost all of my students were
present in every class - I think I only had maybe 3 missing all day? I can’t tell you the last time
that has happened! All of them were surprisingly energetic. I thought they would be a bit
lethargic since this was their Monday, but the break must have rejuvenated them.
 I had quite a bit to do when I came in this morning, but got most everything done.
Everything that I needed today was done, and I’m so thankful for my past self for thinking ahead
and printing nearly everything. I only have a few more things to print, and then I am done with
everything for my time there. I have a lot of lamination to cut again, but that’s okay!
One of the classes today completed a lab, and it was a bit of a struggle to keep them
focused. I reviewed the pre-lab questions as filler during the incubation periods of the lab, which
sometimes helped. There were a few times where I had to call students out by name, but
otherwise it ended up being okay. This lab had a lot of prep involved, but luckily worked out well
for me. I was a bit nervous about how it would turn out, because I mashed a few labs/resources
together for the students.

4.5.2023
Today went better than expected. I had a quick chat with both classes for anatomy,
talking to them about how I don’t want to have to yell at them but I have to hold them
accountable, and they have to hold themselves accountable. I also talked to them about
professionalism. I had a student email me last night in a rather unprofessional manner, so I
pulled her aside at the end of class and chatted with her privately about that, and she was
actually very understanding, and realized that what she had done was out of line.
Notably, I did have a student in my second period class talk about how rude the other
class can be towards me and Dr. Graziani, which I found interesting that she noticed.
During QRT, I received a phone call from Peters Township to interview for a full time
position for next year there! I also received a call from McKeesport about a potential interview
and opening as well. I am really excited about the opportunities!
The afternoon was far more laid back than the morning, and I was able to take some
students outside to sit and complete their work to enjoy the weather today. I am very ready for
break and look forward to taking a few days off! I do have a digital assignment to grade, but it
shouldn’t take me too long. I have a long car ride tomorrow, so I can maybe do so then.

4.4.2023
Today was a professional development day. With that being said, Dr. Graziani and I
were out and at the administration building. We were able to collaborate with the middle school
life science teachers on vertical/continual curriculum. I really enjoyed being able to hear what
awesome things they’re doing in middle school.
While we were working, I was able to get some assignments graded. They were all
digital, and unfortunately, there were a LOT of students who just copied and pasted answers
from a key that they found. I took 10 points off (which was about 30%), but sent them a
message to not do that again or it will be a zero. Immediately after (because students probably
didn’t read the message that I sent), one student attempted to share her document with another
student, and it sent me a message requesting that, since she doesn’t own the document (a
technology nuance). I am planning to give them both zeros, since it’s clear that they are
cheating and think they can get away with it. These students are both SENIORS, and that stuff
will not fly in college. I really hate to have to crack down like this, but they otherwise never have
any consequences. They said that they did not cheat, but I told them I will look into it and
reconsider, but make no guarantees.
3.30.2023
I again served as a substitute teacher today, but only for the second half of the day. The
students did a lot of independent work during anatomy today - either testing or working on an
introductory lesson for the next unit. The second period class worked so diligently and quietly
after they completed their test, which was nice. The other class was a bit chattier, and Dr.
Graziani was getting upset with them. She told me to make sure they were working, but they
were, even though they were talking. She yelled at them a few times, but I feel like she was
taking out annoyance on them. I also try to allow students to self regulate a bit more, especially
considering the fact that they are older high schoolers. I have noticed that she doesn't like to
allow them to just relax after a test and wants them to have something to do. I encourage them
to work on coloring, but I don’t like to assign something else. I feel like their brains are tired and
they deserve the break. Maybe that’s the still recent student in me, but I’m okay with them
zoning out for a little while after they finish their exam.
I was able to get all of the tests graded, into the gradebook, and organized by QRT
today, which felt nice to have off my plate. I have officially finished writing all of the lesson plans
for the next week leading up to spring break, and have all materials printed and ready to go. I
have a few materials left to print for forensics and some to laminate, and then all materials for
the rest of my time here are good to go for that class.
My goal is to get organized for the rest of my time here and finish my anatomy lesson
plans by spring break. I would like to bring in a guest speaker for the end of the
Lymphatic/Immune systems unit, but I’m not sure if it is going to work out. If not, I will be flexible
with planning an alternative assignment, but I will know more getting closer to the date.

3.29.2023
Today was a whirlwind, but I’m not sure in which way. I was the substitute today
because Dr. Graziani was in meetings about the new biology curriculum and the plan for next
year’s courses for most of the day. One of my classes took an exam today, while the other
started to work on some material for the next unit. That class was a bit rambunctious, but I am
hoping they will be ready to test tomorrow.
Later in the day, I was not supposed to have any students for QRT, but a few popped by
to say hi. One of the boys, who isn’t a current student of ours, has not stepped foot in the room
since Miss Pitty Pat arrived because he is terrified of birds. I was able to get him to at least take
a step in the door, but he ended up coming in and sitting in the back of the room eventually. I
wasn’t planning on having them stay at all, but that is when news of active shooter threats
across the area at other schools broke. I told them that they should either come in, or find
somewhere else where they would’ve been okay hanging out for a while in case we would’ve
gone into code yellow. I could tell they were a bit shaken up, and I was putting on a bit of a
brave face for them. One of them had even mentioned that he felt safe and comfortable in our
classroom all the time, so that felt nice to know that I can be a part of creating a space like that.
They ended up staying for the entirety of QRT, which had set back some of my planning and
grading a bit, but I decided that their mental health and safety was far more important. I was
able to finish the grading otherwise.
3.28.2023
Yesterday and today were such productive days! I feel like I am pushing myself to get to
the finish line (and spring break next week).
Yesterday I printed off the notes and coloring packet for the next unit, and the exam for
this unit. It was a whooole lot of printing, which I don’t enjoy doing but I know a lot of students
prefer to have printed worksheets. I try to do a balance of printed and digital work; I have had a
lot of students absent, so I want to make sure they can get their work done as well, even if
they’ve not been here. The students were very energetic yesterday, especially considering that
it was a Monday morning. I wasn’t really prepared for that. It caused some students to be a bit
disengaged with review material, which I was a bit upset about, but I continue to remind them
that this is their review time they are wasting and I am giving them every opportunity to do well
on their exam Wednesday and Thursday.
Today was a busy day because I was able to get the REST of the lesson plans/schedule
flushed out for my time here for the forensics class. I just need to gather materials/print off
worksheets, and then I will be completely ready! My goal is to get that done before spring break
so I don’t have to worry about it at all. I also was able to start planning the next unit for anatomy,
and I have an activity for the other class to do when they are not testing. I am doing my best to
include hands-on activities (even if they are virtual) because I know the unit could be tough
information to grasp without it. Additionally, I reached out to one of my biology professors and
asked if she was able to come in to speak to my classes, so we will see. I think what she does is
super cool, and I feel like my students would think so too.
Aside from the planning/prep aspects of things today, it was a very involved day. I tried
Blookit (a new review game software) with Anatomy, and they LOVED IT. The students were so
engaged and felt like they were actually getting good practice in. It combines luck and skill,
which then allows only the students to know how prepared they are (rather than broadcasting
their score based on their knowledge). I was even able to find a pre-made one that was
published with a very comprehensive review, so it was little prep for me. During the anatomy
double period, the little kids from the playschool came down to learn from our students and
meet the animals. It was a bit overwhelming - there were so many people around and I was
constantly getting called in different directions. Miss Pitty Pat and Carson had to take a nap
afterwards in the back room because there had been so much going on. The littles absolutely
loved seeing the animals though, and it was nice to see some of my students working so well
with the little kids. Some of the students who were so good with the kids are ones I would not
have expected, so it was nice to see!

Mid Placement:
3.20.2023
Today flew by yet again, which was a bit shocking considering it’s a Monday. Dr. G and I
were able to redecorate the room for spring (with flowers and butterflies hanging again). I also
finished cutting the rest of the laminated materials, but didn’t get to any grading today. I’m
hoping to be able to get that done tomorrow, considering I do not have students during QRT or
my prep period. My goal is to also start planning ahead for the rest of my time here, which is
only 20 more school days. Time is really flying! I cannot believe it’s already week 10. The
grading period ends on Thursday, so I am trying to give students some time to get materials
turned in before then.
Over the weekend, I adopted a new class pet, Carson the hamster (named after Rachel
Carson). He’ll be coming in with me later this week once his travel cage comes in.

3.16.2023
Today was another very involved day, especially since it was more or less the same as
yesterday. The heart dissection went well, and all of the students were very engaged, even the
ones who were hesitant at first. I was planning to have that class work on the guided coloring to
catch them up, but they really didn’t want to color. I gave them the option to do it today or
tomorrow, and they chose tomorrow. Hopefully they have time to complete it, but I think we
should. The other class did their coloring today, and it turned out great! The students were
engaged and put in some good work.

In forensics today, I noticed a similar trend as yesterday. Again, I have a student who does little
to no work and even didn’t want to participate today, but ended up taking charge and being very
involved. I’m happy to get to appeal to different learning styles, and I think that may be what is
lacking in the current curriculum. I’m going to have to think of some similar (but less prep)
activities for the next unit.

Tomorrow will be a very busy day, but I am hoping to get some clerical type work done (grading,
laminating, cutting, and putting things away).

3.15.2023
Today was a very involved day. As soon as I got into the building, I ran off some copies
of items for the forensics escape room later in the day. After that, I had to prepare the hearts for
dissection. Dr. Graziani was thankful to have me there to do the heavy lifting, as she can’t do so
right now with her shoulder, and cow hearts are quite heavy. I washed and soaked all of them to
try to get rid of some of the excess preservative, but the smell was still quite strong. I know it
was bothering some students, and even bothered me at one point (and I’m the one used to it!).
Dr. Graziani is also allergic to the preservative, so even better that I was there to help her out
with them.
The dissection felt like a bit of a role reversal from the last time we did a dissection, all
the way back to my first week. I was leading the dissection, and Dr. Graziani was the one
helping me out by starting and stopping the video and adding extra hands when needed. Some
of the students were really enjoying the dissection, which made me happy to see. Overall, this
one went over better than the eyeball, in my opinion.
The other class spent their class following along with a guided coloring sheet, but they
were very rowdy. We only got through about half of the sheet, but I had hoped to get through
the whole thing. Unfortunately for them, that just means that they will have to work harder the
next two days to get caught up to schedule. I’m sure they’ll complain again, but at this point, I
have to be a bit tougher on them to help them push through. The grading period ends next
week, and I wanted to get through most of the material for this unit to post to the gradebook.
For both classes, I did a pulse check using Socrative.com. Some students did really well,
and others struggled. I mainly did this to give them a bit of a wake up call if they needed to study
more without really telling them that. They were all worried they were going to be graded for
accuracy, and I ultimately just graded them for completeness. I think that feeling was coming
from the math department - there is one teacher that has been giving tests with low point values
and students are not doing well at all. Students across the board are concerned about their
grades in her classes.
The forensics class really enjoyed their escape room! I did give them a few more hints
than the 3 I originally told them they would receive, but I was able to still let them do all the leg
work. This class is typically a very quiet class and many of the students tend to not do much
work, but one student (who does very little) took charge and helped the group work together. I
was so proud of their teamwork. They were shocked that I created the escape room, and asked
to do another one soon. I will have to see what I can do! Tomorrow will be a flip almost of today,
aside from PTLW classes (today they made fake wounds, but tomorrow they are moving
forward).

3.9.2023
Being back in the classroom today felt like a bit of a Monday. I felt behind the ball a bit
trying to get everything organized for today and tomorrow, and then I also am trying to get some
other things prepared for next week. Printing and the time it takes to run down to the printer(s)
takes SO much time out of my day, and is honestly one of my least favorite things to do.
Last night, I was able to see the preview show of the musical and then see each of my
students afterwards. They did a fantastic job, and I wrote them each a note and brought them all
flowers. I know how much it means to them to have teachers appreciate what they do and their
hard work, and was happy to see other faculty/staff there last night as well. The students were
all pretty excited about the show, and after student ticket sales today during QRT, tomorrow’s
show is officially sold out!
As for the student interactions with the sub yesterday - she left me a note saying all of
the students were well behaved but they did note that she was extremely strict and scolded
them for talking “too loudly” during their partner test. She was also shocked to find out that part
of their test was with a partner! Maybe that’s a bit “new school” of me but I have noticed that I
have several students who do far better on lower stakes assessments than a traditional “test”.
Otherwise, I think the sub was grateful that she had a very clearly laid out plan and labeled
materials.
I thought that the rest of the day went well, and students in anatomy worked for almost
the entirety of their double period (which with that class can be very hard to get them to do).
They were all very concerned about when they will get to finish a lab activity they started
yesterday, which surprised me a bit. I think they are getting used to the way I am gently pushing
them and holding them to clear expectations. I did however notice that when they asked how
many note slides we were doing, I told them only 19 (about one period’s worth), and they were
surprised we didn’t go for the entire double period. Dr. Graziani said that she tries to never do
that to the students, but they made it seem like she does that often. I have specifically made
sure that there is an interactive activity for every day of this unit to allow the students to grasp
the material better, because it is an extremely content heavy unit that can be difficult.

3.8.2023
I spent today with a lot of the other science teachers doing professional development! In
total, there were 8 of us and I really enjoyed getting to know and bond with them each a bit
more. We were in the administration building, and had a professional on Zoom the whole time to
chat with as needed. Most of our morning was spent in subject areas (either biology,
earth/space/environmental science, anatomy, etc.). Dr. Graziani worked on her own on anatomy
material, and I joined with the biology teachers.
We learned about the new NGSS aligned standards that will be implemented in PA in
2024-25, and then worked on a standardized unit plan based on these standards. It was a bit
meticulous, but I am happy to have the experience so that I can scale the information in any
district that I may end up in. Franklin Regional is also ahead of the curve with getting teachers
trained in the new standards, especially since they won’t be implementing them until over a year
from now. Towards the end of the day, we received the email with the tallies for each class for
next year, which I could tell stressed some of the other teachers out. I am hopeful that what we
discussed works out (both for the teachers there and their course loads, and for me in hopes
that a new position opens for next year). I am interested to see how the class behaved for the
sub today and how everything went. I didn’t receive any panicked emails, calls, or texts, so I am
going to hope that all went well!

3.7.2023
Today was probably one of the hardest days I’ve had so far. To start off, our boys
hockey team lost a hard fought game last night, so their season is officially over. It didn’t help
that it was an away game that ended very late. That put a bit of a damper on the mood as a
whole, and then both classes had an exam. The single period class (period 2) had to do an
interactive partner exam, which I thought was a great way to ease my hockey player students
into the day. I was so proud of that class, because every single student that was present (which
was the whole class except for one) scored a perfect on the activity.
The next class period is where it went downhill. This anatomy class took their exam a lot
quicker than I anticipated, and then were not taking advantage of their time after the exam to
work on outstanding assignments or the next unit’s coloring packet. I had to remind the class
several times to not be using any outside resources, even though it was directed at one specific
student. I was looking directly at him when I said it each time, and even the other students were
catching on. I finally went back to him directly and told him he needed to knock it off or it would
be a zero the next time. He awkwardly laughed at me, but wouldn’t make eye contact. I wanted
to prove a point, but also give him the benefit of the doubt. For tomorrow’s test, there will be a
sub in, so that sub has instructions to take any test when she suspects cheating.
At the end of that double period, we had a student who had done no work all class after
his exam but had been reminded about his missing assignments come up and ask about them.
He had almost an entire class period where he could’ve been catching up, and instead sat on
his phone. One positive is that I think Dr. Graziani and I handle these situations well in tandem -
she had brought up what he hadn’t done and asked him about why he didn’t do it, and then I
ended up firmly instructing him on what to do next.
On a positive note, I was able to get everything set out for tomorrow for our sub, and
forensics went well (for the most part, except for a sick kid who really shouldn’t have been at
school). I’m happy that I have tomorrow out of the classroom for professional development to
decompress from the student interactions for a bit.

3.6.2023
Today went well. The other class completed their lab, and they had more trouble
grasping the concepts to start, but ended up completing the lab a lot faster than the other class.
Because of that, we spent time reviewing their blood review study guide and completed a quizlet
live. That class did also mess up the rotations (because they didn’t listen) so that had me a bit
worried to start. The other class was able to get through a kahoot and the review as well, but not
the quizlet live.
While I was teaching the second class, one of the students that has been absent for over
a week walked by, peered into the room, and then kept walking. Dr. Graziani luckily saw that,
and sent an email to admin and her learning support teacher. They were able to find her during
QRT (the period after) and chat with her about what is going on. She had very clearly been
crying all morning and was having some trouble at home. I wish I could do more to help her, but
she was not even going to come and get work for the class. I took her aside and explained what
all she needed to do, and to please come to me with questions or if I can be of any help to her.
So far, it seems like she won’t be coming to see me anytime soon, but I will keep extending the
offer. I cannot force her to come see me, but I will try to make sure she’s getting the help she
needs.
During prep period, I was able to get everything all ready for the next two days of exams,
including the substitute plans for Wednesday since Dr. Graziani and I will both be out for
professional development. I also was able to loosely plan out the rest of the week, which was
something that I was hoping to be able to accomplish.

3.3.2023
Today flew by. I really enjoyed connecting with a lot of different students today, including
some of my own, and students in the class I covered for. We had some downtime in the first
period class, and I got to chat a bit more with my students in that class as I was prepping
materials for the lab later that day. I really always think it’s nice to make those connections with
students. I covered a 5th period 9th grade class and brought them into our classroom. They
were a bit rowdy, but very excited to be in a classroom with so much going on, as their normal
classroom is more on the minimalist side. I was also happy that I was able to help them if they
needed, since it was a biology class.
All of my lessons today went really well - much better than expected. The review session
students worked hard for me, I think because they had a shortened period. The shortened
periods had me a little worried for the students that were doing a lab, but they absolutely loved
it. They had me a bit worried at first because they were asking a lot of clarifying questions, but
whenever they got started, I could see lightbulb moments going off in their heads. When I
graded the activities later, every single student got a perfect score! I am so proud of them.
The forensics class took me leading the classroom in stride, as I’ve already been getting
involved in their class by co-teaching with Dr. Graziani a bit. I am really excited for them to get
to do some of the hands-on activities and labs, and am hopefully going to be able to design an
escape room that we can close out the unit with. It’s intimidating to look at right now, but I know
that once I learn how to do it, I can apply it to other topics (especially if I have the opportunity to
teach biology “storylines” - a new curriculum under NGSS standards!). I’m looking forward to
being able to relax this weekend and step back to evaluate what I need to continue working on
heading into the second half of my field experience.

3.1.2023
Today was a long and rather eventful day. We experienced a partial power outage
partway through the day, and after keeping students in our 4th period class entertained for an
extra 10-15 minutes, I felt really drained. We played a game called “desert island”, where
basically I have a rule that the students don’t know, and they have to try to figure it out. That
class seemed to really enjoy it, but they’re also normally a very chatty bunch.
I taught notes to both anatomy classes today, and I was really concerned about how
many slides I would have to get through in one class. I was able to get through everything
relatively quickly in the class that only had one class period, so I did an interactive activity with
them that I had already done with the other class. I was really pleased with how well this class
worked on it and how much effort they put into it. The other class hadn’t worked nearly as hard,
even though they had more time to do it. Maybe that’s why.
I was able to share some real life experiences with the class that had a lab, including
some of the lab work that I was able to do during my undergraduate experience. Tomorrow,
we’ll continue with notes and the other class will do the lab exercise. Tonight, I’m going to do
some prep work and attend class.

2/23/2023
I feel like today was a textbook day of teaching to a degree. My first anatomy class was
the class that took their exam yesterday, so I ended up having to figure out something for them
to do because I couldn’t allow that much downtime. I was able to pull one of the assignments for
next week for them to do this week, and used it then as a preassessment rather than a
supplemental activity. My second anatomy class took their exam, and most of them did really
well. There was one section that really tripped many of them up, but the other class had minimal
issues with it, which I found interesting, considering the second class is the class that gets more
review and stays on task more. I spent a lot of time grading, because I know how much my
students appreciate their exams being graded quickly.
I kept working on materials for next week, including figuring out what I’m going to do
tomorrow for some introductory activities and cutting out even more laminated materials. During
our prep period, Dr. Graziani ran out to get some food for the class pets….and came back with
another one. We now have a bird in the bunch as well. We were supposed to have a faculty
meeting, but it was canceled due to the nice weather and we will have it sometime in the near
future. Also because of the nice weather, we had a fire drill during the last period of the day. It
was a bit chaotic, but nice to know how to do that now. We also had a heads up right before the
drill, so students weren’t left wondering if it was a drill or a real fire.

2/22/2023
It has been quite the day. I started off by running late, and while I got to school on time, I
was behind the schedule I had somewhat planned for myself. My second period class had their
test today, and I felt really bad during it, because there was a typo on the test from the
curriculum that we use and I didn’t catch it until during the test. Two students pointed it out, and
I told them it wasn’t a typo, and then I had to backtrack after I checked it again. This class is the
one I’m worried more about, and they also are always stuck being my guinea pigs - they’re first
in the day and typically take the tests first. I told them I can swap that for the next test, but they
said they like being first. I’m going to have to evaluate that moving forward, because I think it
would be fair to switch everything once in a while. While I was grading their exams, I also found
a typo in the answer key, which threw me off a bit at first. It’s frustrating that it was wrong, but it
happens. They did pretty well on their exam, but no perfects yet! I’m really proud of them.
Also in my second period class, I had a student who has not been here for over a week
because of something medical (it said on the chart that she was excused, but I otherwise do not
know why). She won’t ask for anything that she missed and was even going to attempt to take
the test with no notes or anything. I told her that she didn’t have to take it, and then I grabbed a
stack of everything she has missed, including already filled in notes, to try to catch her up. I
know she would never ask for something or help, which is disheartening, but hopefully this helps
her a bit.
For the rest of the day, I worked on getting more materials ready for the next unit. I
learned how to use the laminator (which took me a very long time to get started and laminate
everything). I have a bit more to do.

2/21/2023
Even though it was a busy day after a long weekend, today flew by. Last night, I went to
the FRHS Hockey game, so I was able to see some of my students play and several of them in
the stands. They were all really excited to see me, and one of my students scored 5 goals -
today was the most I’ve ever heard him talk after I complimented him. My 2nd period class was
a bit rowdy, and they are definitely a bit more behind than the other class for their exam
tomorrow. I am a little worried about how they will do, but I gave them ample time to work on
their materials (it’s an open note exam), but several of them didn’t utilize their time wisely. I
spent time reviewing a bunch with them, but didn’t get through everything.
The other class period was able to get through everything for review, and the timing
worked out perfectly. That class was far more engaged, and based on the results of the review
game, are already far more prepared for their exam. I have several resources available for them
to study off of, and I can’t really give them much more. Many students tend to have a sense of
learned helplessness since the pandemic, and I’m really trying to break them of that habit as
most of them get ready to move off to college.
Moving forward, I have all of the materials for the next unit printed off and ready to go,
aside from one activity that needs laminated. Other than that, I need to write my lesson plans,
and then the next few weeks will be good to go!
First Two Weeks:
1/26/2023
I felt like a “real teacher” for the first time today. I’m not sure what came over me, but I
jumped in to lead an impromptu lesson, and everything just came naturally to me. I was
multitasking a bit and calling on students by name. I didn’t even realize I knew that many
students’ names now! When I started the lesson, I overheard a few students whispering to each
other, and one looked at the other and said “she’s really good!”. I don’t think they realized I
heard, but it warmed my heart. I also tried something new during the lesson, and fully disclosed
that it was new and I wasn’t sure it was going to work. The students were a bit confused, but I
am proud of myself for trying it and thankful that they allowed me that space to do so. I wanted
to try to get as many students involved in this lesson as possible, and while my attempt didn’t
work out, I did get a few more students involved than before. I also again had the conversation
with students about why I wanted to become a teacher, which I still find interesting that they
want to know. Otherwise, I got a lot of prep done for tomorrow and Monday, as well as caught
up on grading papers. I think that Dr. Graziani forgets that she has me to help with some of
those things now, but we work well together. Tomorrow, we have an assembly in the afternoon -
a Unified basketball game with students from a nearby school for students with disabilities.
While I am not worried about stepping up to teach for the day tomorrow, I am a little nervous
about making sure my students get where they need to be, and that I am doing what I need to
be doing during that time.

1/25/2023
Today was a bit more laid back, but all of the students were very exhausted (as were
most teachers) because everyone was expecting a two hour delay or cancellation today. Most
of the students were just working on independent work, which gave me some more time to
prepare for the next few days. We made lots of copies of everything to prepare for Dr. Graziani
being out on Friday and Monday. I also had to meet individually with several students that were
absent yesterday to go over the lab that they missed. I had already returned the modeling kits
that we used, so I had to improvise a bit with students to help them learn what they missed.
While they missed out on actively doing the lab, I think they each gained a deep understanding
of the material because of the one on one instruction. Now, I am finishing off the day by
attending our first full group meeting for Student Teaching Seminar and working ahead on
lesson plans.

1/24/2023
I completed my first lesson today! I am really proud of myself for how it went. There were
a few parts of the lesson that didn’t quite go as planned (because the equipment didn’t work the
way I expected it to), but I was able to pivot and continue on with the lesson with minimal
interruptions. I would venture to assume that the students probably didn’t even notice what went
wrong, and that’s something I have to remember. I am honestly a little surprised that there
weren’t more hiccups with technology and such, but those seemed to happen outside of my
lesson. I had issues with the printer, which sounds silly, but I was so frustrated that I did give up
for a bit on what I was printing. It was preparations for next week, so I’m okay with that. After my
lesson, I conferenced with Dr. Graziani briefly and we came up with some fun interactive ideas
for this upcoming unit. She mentioned in passing to students that I would be leading a review
game on Friday before their exam as well as being very involved in leading the class the next
week or so, and they all were excited. It brings me some confidence to know that they are
enjoying having me in their class, and I’m grateful that they’ve welcomed me into it. During the
free periods that students had today, I was able to discuss a little with one student about why I
chose to pursue this career, and I think that it opened his eyes to my perspective, as well as
reminded me of his, which is always important. I’m looking forward to the rest of the week!

1/23/2023
Today was filled with planning, planning, and more planning. I am teaching a mini-lab
tomorrow, so I spent a lot of time finalizing the materials up for that lesson. I also went ahead
and set up some of the materials in another room and tested the technology, just to make sure
that everything can go as smoothly as possible tomorrow. I know that things don’t always go as
planned, but I can do my best to make sure that I am prepared. This upcoming week, students
are going to be preparing for an exam, so we’re finishing up the last of a unit. I also will be
responsible for the class on Friday and Monday because Dr. Graziani will be out. She had
suggested that the students normally just review in groups for their exams, but I thought that
since they will have shortened periods on Friday, I would help them study by leading a review
game. Dr. Graziani was very on board with the idea and I know the students will be excited. I
think it will be a great way to help them study, and will also allow them to get used to having me
lead the classroom a little bit. I’m excited that we were able to lay out so much of the next week
or so, which will be helpful for me as far as getting organized and prepared.

1/20/2023
Everyone was very excited for Friday today. In almost every class today, students were
chatty. For the most part, it was a non-issue unless they were watching a movie. The one
anatomy section was finishing up a movie and started off chatty, but with some gentle
redirection, they were engaged (especially because of the movie ending!). All of the lessons
were really hands on, and some students were definitely off task. This led to a conversation
between Dr. Graziani and I about choosing our battles. I definitely agree with her on this
instance - these students are taking an honors elective course, so they have to be responsible
for getting their own work done. I think that we have very similar teaching philosophies when it
comes to discipline and homework/assignments. We also spent time conferencing about plans
for the next week or two, and I am really excited to continue getting more and more involved in
the classroom. We also discussed lesson plan styles, which I think that going forward I may see
how other teachers (in addition to my cooperating teacher) format their lesson plans, and I know
that the lesson plan template for the substitutes is a bit different. Because of the way we’ve
been working with students this week with hands-on activities and a movie, I have yet to really
see how notes look in the anatomy class. I am a bit nervous about jumping in so soon on the
notes, but excited nonetheless!
1/19/2023
Today was a lot of behind the scenes work. Students were working on continuing
activities or were completing independent work to move into the next unit/topic, so I did some
prep work for our next few activities with Dr. Graziani, and then helped her finish grading some
outstanding work. I feel like I am settling in a bit more, but now my bigger challenge is going to
be how I want to manage my time and figuring out what type of teacher I want to be. I know that
this is a learning opportunity and experience, so I am taking every opportunity that I can. I spent
time today doing an observation of another science teacher, but in a subject outside of my
certification, which was eye opening for me. She also has a student teacher, so I would like to
be able to network and connect with him too.

1/18/2023
I started out today very similarly to yesterday. Because of the way the schedule is set
up, it was a flip of yesterday (so the class that was with us for a single period yesterday was
with us for a double period today and vice versa). I again co-taught the dissection, and I was
confident in my abilities as I was walking around and helping. When I started thinking about it
towards the end and afterwards, I was very critical of myself and my student interactions. While
I always hope to improve, my goal is to move forward and through any obstacles instead of
getting hung up on the “could have” moments. Dr. Graziani and I discussed the next unit and
how/when I will be teaching moving forward. I am looking forward to building more connections
with students and the other staff members at the school to finish out the week.

1/17/2023
Today was my first day in the classroom! Everyone was very welcoming, and I honestly
felt quite comfortable in the classroom right from the start. I just jumped right in, especially
during Anatomy. I helped prep the lab stations for the next class, and then was able to co-teach
the dissection. We had some technical difficulties during that class. Towards the end of the day,
Dr. Graziani had to leave for a doctor’s appointment, so I was able to help lead the classroom
during the last period, as well as spend some time preparing for tomorrow. I am excited to keep
immersing myself in the class!