Thursday!

I got to St. Andrew’s before twelve and I got ready to read with the kids in the all star reading program. I read first with Lauren, who read really well. The strategy for this week was sounds it out, and Lauren would sound out any word she did not know very well. After I brought Lauren back to class and got Pero. Pero read the book we choose really quickly and so we had plenty of time to play our activity. We played an activity where he had to build the words with blocks. Then we played a find the word bingo. Pero used the strategy very well this week, and it is obvious that Pero is improving in his reading. When it was time to get Noah he again forgot to bring his book back from home. We read a new book, and it took Noah a while to read it because all he wanted to do was talk. When we finally finished we couldn’t play our activity because Noah’s dad came to pick Noah up because he had a doctor appointment.

After my three all star students I went to Mrs. Greer’s room to see if she needed any help. She told me that the teacher at the end of the hall would need my assistance taking off all the art work on the bulletin board, and put up a new background on the bulletin board. It took me about thirty minutes to finish it all, and I was very proud of myself when I was done. The teacher thanked me and she asked if I could help the kids get ready to go home.

Wednesday!

Today when I got to St. Andrew’s Mrs. Slomka asked me if I could mix some paints for her afternoon senior kindergarten class. Mrs. Slomka wanted pastel colours to express the spring and Easter season. It took me about twenty minutes to find the colours and enough white paint to mix all the paints together. Cathy (another student from Holy Trinity) helped me mix the colours and when we were finished, I went to get all the stuff I would need for the all star reading program.

Fillip was my first student for the day and last week I did not get a chance to read with him. I went to Mrs. Smith’s room to get Fillip, but again he wasn’t there. Mrs. Smith told me that he was in the library and to just go and get him. When I got upstairs I asked Fillip’s teacher if she wouldn’t mind if I took him for fifteen minutes. She told me that it was okay to take him, and she wanted me to bring him back up to the library when I was finished. I agreed and Fillip and I proceeded downstairs. When we got downstairs Fillip read a book really well, then he wanted me to read a Pokeman book with him. We both read it together, and he enjoyed it very much. Overall it was a good secession. After I brought Fillip to the library I got Lauren, Noah and Pero.

Tuesday!

On Tuesday I arrived at St. Andrews and went to Mrs. Slomka’s room to gather all the materials I would need for the day. I grabbed four folders, stickers, two activities and the books the children were going to read. I noticed that today I had Forella as one of my students for all star reading. I noticed that I am not Forella’s only coach. On Thursday’s she reads with another all star reading coach, and last week the levels she choose for Forella to read at were to high. I questioned Mrs. Slomka about it and she told me that I could just continue reading the level books I was originally reading with her.

After I went to get the kids and I read with them individually. I have noticed that since I have been here for a couple of weeks, the reading with the kids has definitely progressed. I also noticed that each of the children I read with is different. They are all creative, intelligent and bright individuals, but each of them has their own original personality. Lauren is really outgoing and she loves to tell me all of her stories and daily activities, where as Pero is more shy and only talks about the task put in front of him. Noah never stops talking, and I have to force Forella to talk more. I find it really interesting how each child is so different then the other. The differences in children are beneficial for me in the future; when I am hope to be teaching. This is because each child I teach will be different then the other, so it helps to develop better teaching and verbal skills.

Monday March 26th!

Today I arrived at St. Andrews just before twelve. Mrs. Smith told me on Friday that I was going to play the game Top Story with the kids in her class. So I was prepared for what I was going to do today. When I arrived Mrs. Smith asked me if I could read with a student for about twenty minutes. Then she split the class into groups and she asked each group to get to each station. One of the stations was the station that included the game Top Story which was the station I was in charge of. I played the game with two groups and then it was time for recess. Mrs. Smith told me that I could have a short break, and when I come back from my break she wanted me to help her put the Socialistic book orders together for her class. It didn’t take me long to finish, and after she asked me to cheek of a list of students who finished their pen pal letters. After I helped the kids get ready to go home, and I reminded Mrs. Smith that I would not be in on Friday.

Journal # 6

It’s been a month since I began co-op and I am really enjoying it. I have a great schedule and each week when I arrive at my placement I know exactly what to do. With the all-star reading program and working with the kids in Mrs. Smith’s class, I am getting the full effect of my placement. When I am in Mrs. Smith’s class I get to help and work with the kids on their math, spelling, art or anything the child is having difficulties with. When I am a coach for the all-star reading program I get to work with a child one on one, to help them read. These are some of the things I need to know and participate in, to better me when I hopefully become a teacher in the future. With the all-star reading program I have really felt part of the team. All the moms who come in to help, always welcome me, and answer any questions that I may have. With the majority of the time I spent at my placement with the all-star reading team, it feels good to be part of a great team.

The part of the job that I like the best is when I read with the kids. Each of the kids that I read with are so different, not only in their reading levels but also their personalities. Pero, is the cuties kid who is so kind, and has a great heart. He reads so well, and he loves to read all the time. Noah, is very intelligent, and even though he talks a lot he is a great reader. Lauren has become one of my little friends. She is very bright and she is very confident when she reads. These are the three main students that I couch. They are all so happy and proud of themselves when the read a word that they didn’t know, or when they finish a whole book. Each child’s excitement makes me proud and it is definitely the best part of the job.

Asking questions on the job is definitely a must. Each day it seems there are many more questions that need to be answered and everyday I try to ask them. Most day’s I need to ask Mrs. Slomka about what level book to give to the child. Or what activity should I play with the child today. Each question I ask she is very helpful in answering. She encourages me to ask questions, because she wants the child to improve in their reading not fall behind. Even when I am in Mrs. Smith’s class, she also encourages me to ask questions, and if I am confused with something, or if a student asks me something that I don’t know, so encourages me to ask her for help.

Friday!

I arrived at St. Andrews a little before twelve and I waited with Karoline for Mrs. Smith to come back from her lunch break. At about a quarter after Mrs. Smith came back and she asked me to us the laminator and laminate two posters together. I told her that I did not know how to use the laminator and she explained it to me. I went upstairs beside the library which is where the laminator is, and I followed her directions. She told me that I had to first warm it up by pressing the on button and then allowing it to sit for a bit, until the light flashes ready. After, I had to align the paper with the measuring device on the machine. Then I pressed run and it went, when I wanted it to stop I had to press stop. Just as I was finishing the paper ran out, and because I didn’t know how to change the paper I left I turned the laminator off and brought what I finished downstairs. Afterwards, Mrs. Smith asked me to help the students with their math work. After recess, Mrs. Smith asked me to understand the game that I might be playing with the kids, and when the kids come back form recess, to help them with their art work. She wanted me to use glitter with the kids, on their paintings of Jesus on the cross. Most kids needed my help, so we didn’t get a chance to play the game. Mrs. Smith told me that we would be paying it on Monday.

Thursday!

Since I have been at this placement I have not once had all-star reading on a Thursday, even though it is scheduled for it. Something always comes up, and so for the first time I had it this Thursday. The schedule was different on this day, then any other day. It went Pero first, then I was in Mrs. Greer’s room, then Lauren and then Noah. I thought this was strange that in the middle of my all-star reading I had to go to Mrs. Greer’s room. I asked Mrs. Slomka and she told me that Mrs. Greer needed help, so I would help her on Thursday’s and do all-star reading. She told me to read with the kids first, then after recess go to her room. So that is what I did. After I finished with Noah who is in Mrs. Greer’s class, I helped him get ready for recess and then I asked Mrs. Greer what I could help her with. She asked me if I could take down the pictures on her bulletin board in the hallway. I agreed and it didn’t take me long. After she asked me if I could help a couple of students with their math work and I did. After that, I helped Karolina clean up the paints and her work area where she was helping the kids with their art work. Then it was time to go.

Wednesday!

On Tuesday after I was done I organized my books and my activities for the following day. So when I arrived at St. Andrews I was already prepared. I went to get my first kid who was in Mrs. Smith’s class, but she told me that he was with another teacher doing some work, so I decided I would come back later. Then I continued with my schedule and the three kids that I had left loved playing the rhyming games. My last kid Noah had some difficulties reading today, and he was really talkative. After recess I went back to Mrs. Smith’s class to go get Filip, but the class wasn’t there. One of the teachers next door told me that they went to the computer lab, so I went to cheek, but they class wasn’t there. I cheeked the library and they weren’t there either. By the time I found the class, it was too late to read with the student. So Mrs. Smith told me to wait until next week to read with Filip and I agreed.

Tuesday!

Today was my first day back from March break where I was going to do all star reading. I arrived early to get all the books ready and the activities for the kids. I got my four folders for my four kids. My first kid was ready and waiting for me to arrive and he was really excited to read. He told me that he didn’t read the book that I asked him to read with his parents, so we read it together. This week the strategy was what does the word sound like. Mrs. Slomka who is in charge of the all-star reading program has a bunch of activities for the couches to do with the students, which deal with the strategies. I was looking through the activities and I noticed that she had a lot of rhyming games. I thought that they would be perfect. So I grabbed a rhyming bingo game, and a rhyming card game. My first student was really happy to play bingo and he enjoyed the game so much he wanted to play it again the next day. After I was finished with him, I went to get my other student but she was in the computer lab and the teacher told me to get her after recess. So I continued with the next child and then the last one. After I went to get the child that was in the computer lab, and I was finished for the day.

Monday!

When I arrived at St. Andrews I waited for Mrs. Smith to come back from her lunch break. When she came into the classroom she asked me to sit with a student and read with her in the hall for a couple of minutes. We read the book and she enjoyed it the book and she read it with no difficulties. After Mrs. Smith asked me if I could photocopy some of her handouts for the class, I obviously agreed and she asked me to photocopy twenty copies. After, she told me to help another student with their math homework, the class was learning fractions. The girl I was helping understood the work and she didn’t need much assistance. After math, Mrs. Smith asked me if I could photocopy a couple more handouts for the class, and stable them together. She gave me a whole handful of sheets to photocopy, so it took me a lot of time to get it all finished. After, she asked me to help the kids clean out their math folders and to roll up all their work and then she asked to place an elastic around the work. After that, she told me to tell them to put it in their backpack, and to help them write their homework in their agendas.

Journal!

Some days at my placement there isn’t really enough to do, and then some days there is way too much to do. When I am in Mrs. Smith’s class, she doesn’t really ask a lot of me. I help these two girls in her class, and sometimes I help a young boy. I usually help them with the class work they are presented with, and sometimes Mrs. Smith wants me to read with them. However some of the time they can handle the work, and I am really not needed. On the off time she will ask me to mark or do a small activity for her that will save her some time later on. Such as marking a test or cutting things out, although that is rare. On the days that I don’t seem to be doing much, I try and make an effort to help the other students in her class, that may need my assistance.

Days that are so busy are during my all star reading days. During these days I have twenty minutes with each student, and it goes by fairly quickly. Then I have five minutes to write everything down, get the books and work out, for my other students, and go and get that student, all in that time frame. As soon as I arrive at St. Andrews, I have about fifteen minutes to get all the books, activities and equipment needed for the day. This includes the booklets for each child, one or two books per child, stickers, one or two activities and sheets to fill in for each child. I follow a schedule that is important and I need to be on time. If I am not on time, then one child may get a shorter time, which may result in them not finishing an activity or a book. This can slow down the child’s process.

This week however, I actually learned something new. Mrs. Smith on Monday took me to the back room in the office and she taught me how to work the paper cutter, the photocopier, and another and more efficient type of photocopier. She told me her code, for the photocopier and how to work the other two office equipments fairly quickly. It was straight forward, and she told me that I would be using the equipment frequently. I was glad to learn something new, because these new skills can be beneficial for me in the long run.

I also found it frustrating this week on various days. On Monday it was my first time using the paper cutter and Mrs. Smith photocopied the sheets that I needed to cut out unevenly. So when I was cutting out the pictures on the sheets of paper, it was really difficult and hard to keep the sheets inline. Also there is a new parent working with the all star reading group, and on Tuesday he came in to watch how the program works. However he kept on watching me read with the children, and the children were not paying any attention to me, or the book we were trying to read, because they were distracted by the new parent. It was hard enough getting their attention in the first place, but when they see a new face, it is even more difficult. Also I found it a little frustrating on Thursday as well. This is because the all star reading was cancelled and Karolina and another student Cathy, and I got moved to Mrs. Greer’s room to help her out. It was frustrating because she was asking us to do a hundred things at once, and it was difficult to get it all finished. Plus another teacher wanted our assistance as well. Overall it worked out, and these experiences will also be beneficial in teaching me how to stay calm under frustrating circumstances.


These are some of the books I read with the children in the all star reading program throughout this week:

14!

Today when I arrived at St. Andrews I thought that I was going to be doing all star reading, which is what a usually do on Thursday. However the grade ones had an assembly, so Mrs. Slomka told me that Mrs. Greer needed some help, so I went to help her out with two other students from Holy Trinity. When we arrived at Mrs. Greer's room she told us that her class was making kites, and she wanted all three of us to cut out diamond shapes, for the kites. There was lots of construction paper and she wanted all of it done. Then she said when we were finished to draw a line through the kites making a cross.

When we were finally done, she asked us to stable the solastic book orders together, and to cut out sentences that she had, and glue them on construction paper. In the middle of finishing, a teacher from another grade one class, said she needed some help. So she took Karolina and me out of Mrs. Greer classroom and we helped her tidy up her back shelves. When I was finished I helped cleaned up.

13!!!

Today was a lot like yesterday! When I arrived at St. Andrews I grabbed my books for the day and organized a quite spot for the kids to read in. I first read with Filip who was definitely a hand full. Then I had a lot of fun reading with Pero, because Pero loves to read and he is so cute, and he loves to share his stories. After I went to get Lauren, but her teacher told me that she was writing a test, and if I could get her after last recess. Of course I agreed. When recess came Karolina needed some help with some work she was doing, and I knew Lauren was my last student because Noah was gone for March Break, so I told Karolina I would help her. I read with Lauren who has learned all these different techniques dealing with how to read and what you should do when you come to a word you are unfamiliar with. When we were done reading I walked Lauren back to class, and helped Karolina finish up what she was doing.

12...

Tuesday..which means all star reading day! I arrived early and waited for my four kids to come in from recess. When it was time to get my first kid I took her into the back room and read with her. She was getting really frustrated so I decided to do an activity with her. She enjoyed the activity and I gave her a sticker and walked her back to class. After, I took the last tow kids for the day and they both enjoyed the books they read and the activities they played. When I went to get Noah my last student, Noah's teacher told me that he left early for his March Break, and that she needed help cleaning out her closet. She asked if I wouldn't mind, and because Noah was my last student, and I had nothing to do for the remainder 45 minutes, I agreed to help her. Karolina then joined me and together we got the closet cleaned and organized.

Day Eleven!

I arrived at St. Andrew's early and waited for Mrs. Smith to come back from lunch. The weather was really bad that day so the kids had indoor recess, and I helped the teacher on duty watch the kids in Mrs. Smith's class. When Mrs. Smith arrived she asked me to go out into the hallway and read with one of the students in the class. We read a book called the Messy Room. She read it really well. After she asked me to help this student work on their math work. It was pretty simple. They had to cut out four triangles and put them on paper, and make a quilt out of it. I also helped a kid in the class who was having a large amount of difficulties with it.

After last recess Mrs. Smith asked me if I could help her cut out the stages of the cross, and put them in a plastic bag. I wasn't completely finished, so I gave her the remaining picture, and she let me leave.

Journal...

Situations that made me feel good, is when I am reading with the kids who are involved in the all star reading program. When I read with them there are certain words they do not know. Before I started the all star program I had to watch a video that dealt with the techniques used when reading with the kids. There are several. Some of the techniques are looking at the picture, sounding out the words, skipping the word and coming back to it, moving on, and providing a word that rhymes with the word on the page.

When I am reading with the kids they always hit a word that they are stumped on. I reminded them of the techniques, and they try to use one or two of them when they are reading. It makes me feel good when they use the technique and they figure out what the word is. Seeing them smile and ask me if they are right, makes me feel great! It is obvious that they want to read, and get better and better at it.

Another situation that makes me feel great, is when I am helping out Mrs. Smith’s class. The students in her class ask me for help and that makes me feel amazing that they can come to me when they need anything. Also when Mrs. Slomka and Mrs. Smith ask me for a favour, or to help them with something. It makes me feel great to know that I can be of service, and that they trust me.

A situation that made me feel bad, was when I was reading with one of the kids, he was getting really frustrated and he didn’t want to read anymore. I was really disappointed because I thought he was reading well and he was almost done the book. But he gave up way to easily. I only had this child once, so I am hoping the next time I have him, I can help him more, and hopefully help him to enjoy reading.

Another situation that made me feel bad was when I would make a mistake, and grab the wrong level book for the child I was reading with. That would force me to go back into Mrs. Slomka’s room, and figure out what book the child can read, resulting in lost time with the child.

Day Ten!

I did no go into my placement on March 2nd due to the weather. I did however call in and let Mrs. Smith know that I would not be in.

Day Nine!

When I got to St. Andrews Mrs. Slomka wasn’t there, she was sick, so the supply teacher, Karolina and I sat and waited for the kids to come in from lunch recess. After I grabbed the folders I would need for the day, and I organized my day to start of with Pero since I missed him yesterday.

Everything was running smoothly until the storm outside started to pick up. Mrs. Esposito was making her way around classes asking teachers if they wanted to leave early because the storm outside was getting really bad. She then came to my room and asked the co-op students if we wanted to leave. I baby-sit a student from St. Andrew’s after school so I said it was okay for me to stay.

I grabbed Noah really quickly from his classroom and I read with him. He was fascinated by the storm outside so we didn’t do much reading. I brought back to his classroom and helped some of the teachers who were trying to leave early.

Day Eight!

Today was very similar to yesterday. I arrived at St. Andrew’s and waited in Mrs. Slomka’s room until lunch was over. I took the books and the four kids packages that I would be using for that day. I sit my station up in a quite room next door to Mrs. Slomka’s junior kindergarten room. After lunch recess I went to go get my first kid, Lauren who is really cute and always gives me a huge hug. She was having a good day and she read really well. After everything got confusing because speeches were being perfomed in the gym and the grade ones (which are the students that I have) were performing little skits. So I couldn’t find two of my students and everything got unorganized. Fortunately I found Noah and Nicholas, but I didn’t have time to read with Pero.

Day Seven!

I arrived really early for my placement, and Mrs. Slomka told me that I could set up what I was going to do today with the all star program and then she asked if I could help her cut out some paper hearts.

After lunch the kids came inside and I took one of the kids from their classroom and brought them with me to a quite room. We read and then played an education activity. He enjoyed the activity a lot. I did that the same for the other three kids that I had. During recess I helped some of the kids in the hallway get all of their outdoor clothes on. After recess I helped the kids get to class, and get their snacks.

Day Six!

Today was a typical day at my co-op placement. I arrived at St. Andrews early and waited for Mrs. Smith to come back from her lunch break. When she arrived she told me that I was going to sit beside one of the girls that I usually help and assist her throughout the lesson. The student needed help with her math homework and Mrs. Smith also asked if I could help her read. She took some time and she read with me.

After recess Mrs. Smith asked me if I could go through a script and highlight all the parts each student in the class was going to say. It was very easy but also time consuming. After I was done Mrs. Smith just let me leave early.

Day Six!

Today was a typical day at my co-op placement. I arrived at St. Andrews early and waited for Mrs. Smith to come back from her lunch break. When she arrived she told me that I was going to sit beside one of the girls that I usually help and assist her throughout the lesson. The student needed help with her math homework and Mrs. Smith also asked if I could help her read. She took some time and she read with me.

After recess Mrs. Smith asked me if I could go through a script and highlight all the parts each student in the class was going to say. It was very easy but also time consuming. After I was done Mrs. Smith just let me leave early.

Day Six!

Today was a typical day at my co-op placement. I arrived at St. Andrews early and waited for Mrs. Smith to come back from her lunch break. When she arrived she told me that I was going to sit beside one of the girls that I usually help and assist her throughout the lesson. The student needed help with her math homework and Mrs. Smith also asked if I could help her read. She took some time and she read with me.

After recess Mrs. Smith asked me if I could go through a script and highlight all the parts each student in the class was going to say. It was very easy but also time consuming. After I was done Mrs. Smith just let me leave early.