Spoon River Valley Jr.Sr. High School near London Mills, Illinois

1
Spoon River Valley Jr./Sr. High Schoolnear
London Mills, Illinois

• Michelle Olson
• C I 493.14

2
Demographics

• 144 students in the high school
• 74 students in the junior high (Grades 7-8)
• Little diversity mostly Caucasian
• 98 Graduation Rate
• 35 Low Income

3
My Teaching Assignments

• 7th Grade Keyboarding (1st Qtr and 3rd Qtr)
• Lunch Duty (2nd Qtr and 4th Qtr)
• 8th Grade Computers 12 week rotational
• Computer Concepts (8-block 85 minutes)
• Computer Concepts II (8-block)
• Yearbook Independent Study (8-block)

4
The Dreaded Lunch Duty

• 2nd and 4th Quarters I have lunch duty for high
  school lunch
• Walk around monitor behavior of students
• Make sure they stay in cafeteria (no off-campus
  lunch)
• Make sure trays are taken up and trash thrown
  away
• 30 minutes seems like 60

5
8th Grade Computers

• A 12-week Rotation 1st rotation ended yesterday
• This 12 weeks I had the Life Skills class. (low
  ability)
• 7 students - students with autism, physical
  handicap, mental retardation

6
Curriculum for Life Skills

• Goal Teach them a wide range of computer skills
  that they can use in the future.
• Projects Completed
• Microsoft Word Create fact book about the 50
  States, prepare dividers and cover for recipe
  books, type documents
• Microsoft Excel - Tracking the weather for two
  weeks in an Excel spreadsheet and then making
  charts. Record the contents of bag of MMs and
  then chart the results.
• Microsoft Access Create a database of addresses
  and then create an address book.
• Adobe Photoshop - Manipulate photos and color
  pictures
• Microsoft PowerPoint created presentations that
  included pictures, charts, tables, etc. Example
  Homecoming and About Me
• Internet Using internet scavenger hunts to find
  information about specific topics such as
  Christopher Columbus, 50 States, information
  about specific careers such as veterinary
  assistant

7
Life Skills Class Red Ribbon WeekHat Day
8
Computer Concepts

• First section 12 students 5 special ed
• Second section 17 students 2 special ed
• Curriculum Covered During 1st Quarter
• History of Computer
• Microsoft Word
• Editing and formatting documents
• Working with Tables
• Creating Mail Merges
• CHALLENGE Addressing needs of all students.

9
Computer Concepts II

• First section 10 students 3 special ed
• Second section 21 students 5 special ed
• Curriculum Covered During 1st Quarter
• Creating web pages with HTML
• Creating web pages with Microsoft FrontPage
• Creating brochures, flyers, newsletters in
  Microsoft Publisher
• CHALLENGE Section with 21 students is the last
  class of the day. Its hard to get them on task
  and keep them on task.

10
Yearbook Independent Study

• 7 students scheduled in three different time
  slots
• As part of curriculum they create ladder for
  yearbook, design cover, sell ads, send ad
  invoices, sell yearbooks, and design yearbook
  pages.
• CHALLENGE Having them during times when I am
  also teaching a class

11
Classroom Management

• I feel like I am becoming more effective in this
  area.
• I have had few discipline problems.
• Couple instances of students being disruptive in
  class
• Life Skills student became agitated
• Being organized is also key.
• Walk around during guided practice to help if
  they are having difficulties and make sure they
  are staying on task

12
Contact with Parents

• Open House in September
• Weekly Eligibility Lists
• Parent/Teacher Conferences were held November 2
  and 3.
• Conferences arent scheduled. Parents can come
  in anytime Thurs 5- 8 or Fri 8-1130a.m.
• I had conferences with 14 parents

13
Parent/Teacher Conferences

• As usual most of the parents who came were those
  of students that are doing well.
• One conference with parent of struggling student
  it was positive
• Discussed the reading difficulties of student and
  how to address them
• Taking part of test in Resource Room
• Meeting with student during Homeroom to give
  extra help

14
Interaction with Administrators

• Superintendent/ Principal Mr. Dave Gilliland
• Can discuss problems and concerns when necessary
• One Formal Evaluation
• He evaluated me during my taped ISEs
• He didnt have any concerns when assessing my
  teaching.

15
Curricular Issues

• I am continuing to modify and add to my
  curriculum this is especially necessary when
  teaching technology.
• This program has helped me to vary the teaching
  activities.
• Example Analysis Activities such as the Loan
  Assignment

16
In Conclusion

• The first quarter of classes went well.
• I have improved in the area of classroom
  management.
• I had positive contact with parents during
  parent/teacher conferences.
• I continue to improve my curriculum with new
  skills that I am learning.
• Are there any questions?