ARCHIVE - Walking the Wheel Projects

1/19/06

Kindergarten Classroom #1

I started my observations in one of the classrooms I will be observing/volunteering in. I helped with the gym time the kids had because it was a little wild robbing the cookie from the cookie jar with 40 Kindergartners. It was a lot of fun though.

1/21/06

Education Seminar Group

So this was our first meeting and it went well for a large group, we came up with ideas and shared some resources that we will be considering.

1/24/06

Middel Level Math/Science Classroom

This is my first time working with a higher grade level teacher but this was the first meeting so we just talked about what was needing to be done and decided on the hours I will be in the classroom. So I will be helping private school 7th and 8th graders mostly with math and also helping with "recorrecting" papers. I really just want to get the feel of an older age group since I have been working with Kindergartners until now so this will be interesting.

1/25/06

Education (Curriculum) Seminar Group

This was our 2nd group meeting, a short one but we made important decisions about books and group topics.

1/26/06

Kindergarten Classroom #1

I go back and forth with my observations and participation in this classroom. I am really starting to learn what works with this age group and what definitely does not.

1/29/06

Education (Curriculum) Seminar Group

This was a very successful meeting. We brought books and ideas together and came up with a plan of how to set our end product up along with the process we will go through to get there.

1/29/06

1st Day With My Nephew

This is an individual project I chose to take on because I want to make sure my nephew is not struggling in school. I began working with him on letters and we took a trip to the library. It was fun. I had a few different types of activities planned in order to see where his interest in reading lies. I let him guide me through the activities he was showing interest in and did not give him a time limit for each one. I have started a folder with his work and my reflection on the time I spent with him.

1/31/06

Kindergarten Classroom #2

This is the classroom of my nephew that I am working with at home. I chose to go into his classroom so I can get a feel of what and how he is learning there and to see if there are any differences in his behavior during this time. What I saw and heard was frustrating, not with my nephew but in general and at this time if there are questions, you can ask me personally.

1/31/06

Northwest Afternoon Show for LNY PSA

My husband joined me for this trip to Seattle which turned out to be more fun than I thought it would be. We did our announcement before the show and sat in the audience for the rest.

2/2/06

Kindergarten Classroom #1

My third day in this classroom and I didn't do much participating this time in the P.E. activities but I did have the chance to play with a very special little girl with an amazing personality during this time.

2/3/06-2/4/06

Tai Ji Workshop Set-Up & T-Shirt Sales

Before the workshop I got to run around with Marlene to put signs up and then take them down, and then put them up, and then take them down again. It was rough with the rain but I managed to get it done. The t-shirt sales were actually fun. I was lucky enough to be able to buy one which I am enjoying very much. The workshop and the concert were amazing and definitely have had an impact on some of my thinking.

2/7/06

Kindergarten Classroom #2

Today I noticed a few things about the way my nephew learns while I was both observing and participating. There is a little quark that I am trying to figure out in how he is learning and what he truly does understand. Next week there will be a Valentine's Day party which is somewhat unusual in current times but I will have fun because it just happens to be the day I will be there. There were some more frustrating moments today, like when I learned of the spelling tests that they will be starting next week but I will continue to do what I can to support his learning and give him any help he may need enduring this interesting/challenging concept for a kindergartner.

2/7/06

Middle Level Math/Science Classroom

This was my second visit to this classroom and I enjoyed observing and grading papers. I have not yet decided which school I am going to carry out an activity but this may be an interesting one. This is a private school and I would like to see them get outside for a science project especially since Spring is coming but I have not made my final decision yet.

2/7/06

Activities for My Nephew

So after seeing an interesting way of how my nephew is recognizing letters (on the abc train on the wall) I decided to make him his own simple train-like alphabet that he can use at home to figure out letters. Today while working on his letter Rr worksheet, I gave him a letter sound and he quietly sang the ABC's to himself while following the letters on the wall. This is the connection I am trying to figure out because although I only gave him the sound, seeing and singing the actual letters is what helped him connect with the sound. This is telling me about what kind of learner he is.

2/12/06

Education (Curriculum) Seminar Group

At this meeting we talked about the benefits of the multiple intelligence learning theory and we talked a little more about organization of our final project. I will be typing that format up as well as getting an example ready in case anyone needs to see what style we chose to do to keep some consistency in the format throughout the whole binder we will be putting together. I will also be working on writing a quick note about intelligences to include in the binder.

2/14/06

Kindergarten Classroom #2

Today was a really fun day in Kindergarten. We passed out valentines, made valentine hats, sang songs for the office and a couple other classrooms and made a big mess with cookies and candy after recess. My nephew said he wishes everday would be Valentine's Day :o)

2/14/06

Middle Level Math/Science Classroom

So my third visit, I graded some more papers and I'm realizing that these kids do some really hard math. I don't remember a lot of the stuff they are doing and I know that I could not do most of it now. I still have not decided what I will be doing for my curriculum activity but I am pretty sure I will be working with the 7th graders. This is somewhat intimidating being that most of them are taller than me and I have mostly worked with young children so it will be a challenge.

2/26/06

Education (Curriculum) Seminar Group Research

Before the group meeting, I decided to type up some of the activities I've chosen to inlcude in our book. It took a little longer than I expected but I also feel like this is a great experience for me because as a teacher I will need to be able to come up with activities like this that are adaptable to multiple ages. So I also had fun with it.

2/26/06

Education (Curriculum) Seminar Group

So we got a lot done in this meeting. We talked about what we have and what we still need. We also talked a lot about the presentation and how we would like to present what we've learned.

2/28/06

Kindergarten Classroom #2

In watching my nephew at home and at school, I am realizing that he really is not struggling with reading. He has his own way of learning and it may take a little longer for him to get a good grip on it but I believe he is progressing and that reading is just not his thing. He is a good student and enjoys learning but enjoys playing much more...of course, why not....he is a child.

2/28/06

Middle Level Math/Science Classroom

I observed the eighth grade science period today and I talked to the teacher about the curriculum. They read the chapter aloud and discussed questions that pertain to global warming and the greenhouse effect. Some of the things they came up with were very interesting. I gave her an idea of what I will be doing and she thinks they will enjoy it.

Arts, Environment and the Child: Walking the Wheel of the Seasons

Project Reflections

Date	Place	Reflections
1/19/06	Kindergarten Classroom #1	I started my observations in one of the classrooms I will be observing/volunteering in. I helped with the gym time the kids had because it was a little wild robbing the cookie from the cookie jar with 40 Kindergartners. It was a lot of fun though.
1/21/06	Education Seminar Group	So this was our first meeting and it went well for a large group, we came up with ideas and shared some resources that we will be considering.
1/24/06	Middel Level Math/Science Classroom	This is my first time working with a higher grade level teacher but this was the first meeting so we just talked about what was needing to be done and decided on the hours I will be in the classroom. So I will be helping private school 7th and 8th graders mostly with math and also helping with "recorrecting" papers. I really just want to get the feel of an older age group since I have been working with Kindergartners until now so this will be interesting.
1/25/06	Education (Curriculum) Seminar Group	This was our 2nd group meeting, a short one but we made important decisions about books and group topics.
1/26/06	Kindergarten Classroom #1	I go back and forth with my observations and participation in this classroom. I am really starting to learn what works with this age group and what definitely does not.
1/29/06	Education (Curriculum) Seminar Group	This was a very successful meeting. We brought books and ideas together and came up with a plan of how to set our end product up along with the process we will go through to get there.
1/29/06	1st Day With My Nephew	This is an individual project I chose to take on because I want to make sure my nephew is not struggling in school. I began working with him on letters and we took a trip to the library. It was fun. I had a few different types of activities planned in order to see where his interest in reading lies. I let him guide me through the activities he was showing interest in and did not give him a time limit for each one. I have started a folder with his work and my reflection on the time I spent with him.
1/31/06	Kindergarten Classroom #2	This is the classroom of my nephew that I am working with at home. I chose to go into his classroom so I can get a feel of what and how he is learning there and to see if there are any differences in his behavior during this time. What I saw and heard was frustrating, not with my nephew but in general and at this time if there are questions, you can ask me personally.
1/31/06	Northwest Afternoon Show for LNY PSA	My husband joined me for this trip to Seattle which turned out to be more fun than I thought it would be. We did our announcement before the show and sat in the audience for the rest.
2/2/06	Kindergarten Classroom #1	My third day in this classroom and I didn't do much participating this time in the P.E. activities but I did have the chance to play with a very special little girl with an amazing personality during this time.
2/3/06-2/4/06	Tai Ji Workshop Set-Up & T-Shirt Sales	Before the workshop I got to run around with Marlene to put signs up and then take them down, and then put them up, and then take them down again. It was rough with the rain but I managed to get it done. The t-shirt sales were actually fun. I was lucky enough to be able to buy one which I am enjoying very much. The workshop and the concert were amazing and definitely have had an impact on some of my thinking.
2/7/06	Kindergarten Classroom #2	Today I noticed a few things about the way my nephew learns while I was both observing and participating. There is a little quark that I am trying to figure out in how he is learning and what he truly does understand. Next week there will be a Valentine's Day party which is somewhat unusual in current times but I will have fun because it just happens to be the day I will be there. There were some more frustrating moments today, like when I learned of the spelling tests that they will be starting next week but I will continue to do what I can to support his learning and give him any help he may need enduring this interesting/challenging concept for a kindergartner.
2/7/06	Middle Level Math/Science Classroom	This was my second visit to this classroom and I enjoyed observing and grading papers. I have not yet decided which school I am going to carry out an activity but this may be an interesting one. This is a private school and I would like to see them get outside for a science project especially since Spring is coming but I have not made my final decision yet.
2/7/06	Activities for My Nephew	So after seeing an interesting way of how my nephew is recognizing letters (on the abc train on the wall) I decided to make him his own simple train-like alphabet that he can use at home to figure out letters. Today while working on his letter Rr worksheet, I gave him a letter sound and he quietly sang the ABC's to himself while following the letters on the wall. This is the connection I am trying to figure out because although I only gave him the sound, seeing and singing the actual letters is what helped him connect with the sound. This is telling me about what kind of learner he is.
2/12/06	Education (Curriculum) Seminar Group	At this meeting we talked about the benefits of the multiple intelligence learning theory and we talked a little more about organization of our final project. I will be typing that format up as well as getting an example ready in case anyone needs to see what style we chose to do to keep some consistency in the format throughout the whole binder we will be putting together. I will also be working on writing a quick note about intelligences to include in the binder.
2/14/06	Kindergarten Classroom #2	Today was a really fun day in Kindergarten. We passed out valentines, made valentine hats, sang songs for the office and a couple other classrooms and made a big mess with cookies and candy after recess. My nephew said he wishes everday would be Valentine's Day :o)
2/14/06	Middle Level Math/Science Classroom	So my third visit, I graded some more papers and I'm realizing that these kids do some really hard math. I don't remember a lot of the stuff they are doing and I know that I could not do most of it now. I still have not decided what I will be doing for my curriculum activity but I am pretty sure I will be working with the 7th graders. This is somewhat intimidating being that most of them are taller than me and I have mostly worked with young children so it will be a challenge.
2/26/06	Education (Curriculum) Seminar Group Research	Before the group meeting, I decided to type up some of the activities I've chosen to inlcude in our book. It took a little longer than I expected but I also feel like this is a great experience for me because as a teacher I will need to be able to come up with activities like this that are adaptable to multiple ages. So I also had fun with it.
2/26/06	Education (Curriculum) Seminar Group	So we got a lot done in this meeting. We talked about what we have and what we still need. We also talked a lot about the presentation and how we would like to present what we've learned.
2/28/06	Kindergarten Classroom #2	In watching my nephew at home and at school, I am realizing that he really is not struggling with reading. He has his own way of learning and it may take a little longer for him to get a good grip on it but I believe he is progressing and that reading is just not his thing. He is a good student and enjoys learning but enjoys playing much more...of course, why not....he is a child.
2/28/06	Middle Level Math/Science Classroom	I observed the eighth grade science period today and I talked to the teacher about the curriculum. They read the chapter aloud and discussed questions that pertain to global warming and the greenhouse effect. Some of the things they came up with were very interesting. I gave her an idea of what I will be doing and she thinks they will enjoy it.