Week Eight of Student Teaching

This has been an interesting week. I teach English to Sophomores and this is the time that they register for the next year. At Spanish Fork, instead of having the students do it all on their own they come into the English classes (because they know that every sophomore will be in an English class) and teach them how to do it. Then the next day, after the students have had a chance to talk to their parents and get their schedules organized, the counselors take all the students to the computer lab and help them register for all of the classes themselves. It seems like a pretty good method except for students who are absent. Anyway because that was going on we had to keep delaying our presentations, and the students even got extra time to work on them. The main thing I did this week was a vocab sheet. I know lots of teachers look down on vocabulary but since vocabulary is one of the biggest indicators of intelligence I can't ignore it. I like the way my co-operating teacher does it.

She has a worksheet which has a a grid on it. At the very top right is the root we are studying and its definition. Then below that are four words which have that root in it. Then moving across the page are the following boxes which they must fill in. Definition, Connotations (they need three), sample sentence, drawing (they do a quick illustration which defines the word), and finally personal connection (a sentence which somehow ties the word into their personal life) There are two sides, each with its own root word. They complete the worksheet and then we take a quiz.

I plan to use this method in the future. I think it hits so many levels of learning, and the students also seem to think its pretty fun. They aren't cheering when we bring them out but they don't complain a whole lot either. One big thing I would like to change somehow is for them to use the vocab words in their writing more. I haven't decided on how I wan't to incorporate that but I know that it will be an important aspect of their learning. I am on the lookout for more vocabulary ideas, I really think it is so important and is something that they will use for the rest of their lives.

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