Reflection Week Three

Another week down and we are moving right along!  This has been a particularly crazy week, we had filming for the TPA before break, students going nuts over the prospect of a few days off, and fitness testing is finally coming to a close.  Students have been bouncing off the walls, I love the energy but it has been hard to channel into productive means.  I have to say though; my six period class went above and beyond their responsibility to help me out in my filming.  Students were aware that Tuesday was filming day, and that I had to film their class and sent in as one of my requirements to be a teacher.  That day I had so many student helpers I didn’t know what to do with all of them.  Students were jumping up to pass out sportfolios, and be student leaders.  I never once had to spend time looking for timers (shuttle run time testing) because they had come up to me already asking if they could time their peers (at really good times so not to interrupt me instructions too).  It was a tough class, I had to do state testing for the shuttle run.  This creates complications because the state only allows me to test three students at a time and I personally have to log the scores so not time changes occur in the documentation.  This takes all of my attention so there is unfortunately more down time than I like, and I don’t get to give feedback to my students to the level I like.  But my students were on it.  When I was focused on the testing no students were acting out of line in the background, everyone stayed on task, and everyone even included the written worksheet I assigned (that I know they were not happy about).  When one race was done and I was logging in times, the next group of students were already up, waiting, and ready to go.  I was so proud of how on top of everything this class was.  I had students coming up to remind me, not to forget to test the timers too!  I love it, I want them to help me remember all the little workings of the class.  I encourage them to do so, when the time is appropriate and they are really good at gauging that “time”.  I want them to be a part of how the class is run, it is their class too and they know they can help make it more fun.  My favorite part, at the end of class I forgot that equipment needed to be picked up.  Equipment is normally left out so I don’t have to set up every class, except for the end of the day after this class.  I had brought everyone in for closure, then realized I forgot about the equipment.  I do this often, and the students know it.  Sure enough when I turn around to see the damage, it was already picked up.  Every piece of equipment was already cleaned up neatly.  The students were still with me as I gaped at their actions.  Not once did I have to desist or bring attention back into focus.  They were there the whole class, ready to go.  I told them how thankful I was that this class was so on top of everything.   Reflecting back I want to capture the essence of how this class dynamic was created because I want it for all my classes.  Everyone is to kind to each other, helping out not just me but peers too.  I know the actions of today was not just because the camera was on the courts with us, because this is a daily routine for this class. They are amazing every day!  I truly hope anyone reading this has something similar to this, because it is truly a blessing to have such a great student body who has taken it upon themselves to help me become a teacher.