1. Learning with my students My journey as a pre-service teacher in the Regis College MAT program By Shelly Williams Laquinta April 2011

4. Educational philosophy: I aim to build my students’ self confidence as a foundation for learning. I strive to model respect for myself and others and expect my students to follow my example. I will work to open doors of opportunity for my students by fostering literacy and self esteem. I hope to always love learning not only from books but from experience and my students.

5. A Quote from Buzzy the Bumblebee by Denise Brennan Nelson that nicely summarizes my educational philosophy:

6. “ You’re doubting yourself, fear is blocking the way. Listen to your heart Buzzy, Not to what others say.”

7. “ Ignore labels and limits, they seldom do good, they make you think you can’t when inside you know you could!”

8. Buzzy thought about what they had said And knew his parents were right It’s belief in ourselves That helps us take flight.”

9. … .. and sure enough Buzzy flew. And do you know why? By believing that he could, Buzzy was able to fly!

11. Third grade math unit: measurement fun! Being a good measurer and nonstandard units (cubits). Kinisthetic: how many trips to specials will it take to “walk a mile at Woodland School”? Measuring partners in Feet and converting to Inches! Measurement Benchmarks: group exploration

12. Hands on measurement math Stations: finding area and perimeter hands on and with partners. Balanced teacher driven, group and individual exploration of content. Integrated technology into lessons.

13. Considering the multiple intelligences in math curriculum Kinisthetic: area and perimeter Musical: Lemonade Stand song to learn capacity Kinisthetic & logical: hands on measuring to the fraction of an inch Spatial & logical: manipulation of “squares” to find square area

19. What’s your Angle?: Geometry Used Geoboards and straws and connectors to explore right, acute and obtuse angles. Watched brainpop jr. to solidify understanding.

21. Mini writing lesson: great beginnings State Standard: 19.9 students will Write stories with a strong beginning. My objective: students will understand the importance of a strong beginning in text. Assessment: looked at strength of student crafted beginnings, as well as, the state standards: 22.3: write legibly in cursive 22.4: use knowledge of correct mechanics 22.5: Use correct spelling and 22.6 spell most commonly used homophones correctly

23. Transitions: exemplary student work!

24. Transitions: more exemplary student work!

25. What a plant needs to grow: kindergarten science lesson State Standard: Recognize that animals (including humans) and plants are living things that grow, reproduce, and need food, air, and water. Used song, interactive graphic board, cut and paste labeling activity, book The Dandelion Seed , and planting as well as observation to develop understanding of objectives.

26. What do plants need to grow? State Standard: Identify the ways in which an organism’s habitat provides for its basic needs (plants require air, water, nutrients, and light; animals require food, water, air, and shelter). Activity: What will happen to the plants that we don’t give sun (keep in the dark) , the ones we don’t give water?, what about the seed we planted in sand?

28. Phases of the moon: third grade science unit

29. Phases of the moon: third grade science lesson State Standard: Earth and Space 15. Describe the changes that occur in the observable shape of the moon over the course of a month. Activity: students learned “Phases of the Moon” song through a Utube video. They saw the phases of the moon displayed with a “moon in my room”. They then made the phases of the moon with oreo cookies. In another lesson they shined a flashlight from the “sun” and saw different parts of styrofoam balls illuminated illustrating the “phases of the moon”.