• What growth did you experience as a future teacher this week?  

I actually feel as if I experienced tremendous growth! As far as assessments go I really enjoyed a few things from the lecture, I think that it is wonderful that you suggested we work "please" into our directions on tests in order to make students feel less pressure and create a sense of invitation rather than obligation. I also feel like I grasped the concept of formative vs summative assessment. I thought that if it closed a lesson and was measurable it was considered summative, however I understand now that summative is specifically things entered in a grade book and often times not included in lessons. I also taught a lesson to my 4th grade children and then again to peers in other classes and honestly it did so much for me, it helped me see many flaws in the way I wrote the lesson vs how it played out and also gave me many ideas on improvements. 

• What challenges are you facing in your growth as a future teacher?

I am finding myself a little intimidated by the idea of writing assessments and rubrics. The portfolio assignments seem challenging to me. I enjoyed listening and reading about writing good tests and good assessment questions, but since I have not practiced yet, it all feels new and quite foreign still. I also had the pleasure of going to a small Halloween party and observed a child with more energy than I could imagine, he was literally bouncing off the walls and could not sit still. I found myself thinking "what bad behavior," and then I realized I needed to check myself. That is not the perspective I want to bring to the classroom and it really made me stop and think. I am looking forward to further growth and lots more experience!