response 2

respond at least 150 words

I am completing my student teaching in a suburban title one school in the San Diego Unified School district, the largest school district in our area by far. I am teaching in a third grade classroom. The students all come from different backgrounds and cultures, there are five English Language Learners, one student with an IEP and push in as well as pull out services, and the students in the classroom are at all different academic levels, for instance the reading level spans from two levels below grade level to thee levels above grade level.

Currently my responsibilities in the classroom include bringing the students in at the start of school, the morning problem, reviewing homework, teaching the math lesson and then supervising and assisting during math practice time. My collaborating teacher was out Monday and Tuesday this week so I was in charge of instruction for these two days on my own as well, which was a wonderful experience.

Our goals for our students each include individual reading level goals, since there is such a variety of reading levels in the classroom it is important to have individual goals for each student. In a broad sense we want each student to be reading at least at grade level by the end of the school year, and those students who are already reading at grade level to continue to make improvements in their reading levels. In mathematics the broad goal is for all of our students to be at or above grade level by the end of the year. While these might seem like high goals, we must do our best to reach them due to our title one status. Our learning goals really come from the Common Core State Standards that California has adopted and from our district’s curriculum.