Last Monday marked the beginning of my second teaching placement in a Grade 1/2 split class, and right off the bat I feel as though I've found my teaching-niche! I am amazed by how much I am enjoying teaching this level. The students are so eager to learn, and absorb everything like sponges. I started the new literacy unit on point of view on Tuesday and the students are so quick to try and use this new term and apply it to what we are reading and learning. It's only been a week, so it's a work in progress - but I love their enthusiasm. It has been such a thrill reading the read-a-loud's too. Last week we read "Waking Beauty" and "The Jolly Postman" - the students loved how there were actual letters and postcards included with the second book, which worked so well as we were working on our letter writing at the time.
One of my favourite things I tried last week was using Clickers with the students. I used them at the end of our literacy period Wednesday through Friday as an exit card strategy. I found this worked really well providing myself a gauge on how they are grasping point of view as the questions I posed were all related to the stories we read with directed point of view questions. The students had a blast using the clickers as well, and thankfully were very careful and respectful of them too - perhaps my strict guidelines on handling them before, during, and after their use helped. I would highly recommend anyone considering using them to give it a go - I used the Turning Point set which are very basic and perfect for young students.
Another highlight my first week was the opportunity to teach gym class. My first teaching placement had a dedicated gym teacher so I never got the chance, so I am relishing the opportunity now! It was so much fun playing a few different types of games all designed to encourage 'sending and receiving' - the unit I'm starting. The students were pretty tired at the end, but were laughing and smiling the whole way through - a win in my books! I cannot wait for the weather to warm up so we can start having gym outside!
Next week when we return to the classroom after March Break I am looking forward to starting the new Math unit on Geometry, and completing the mapping unit in Social Studies so I can begin my World Communities unit. So much to do, and so little time - I know these next six weeks will fly by!
If anyone has any amazing ideas related to these units that have worked well for them in the past I would love to hear them. I am also hoping to Skype another classroom to learn about World Communities or share stories for Literacy - if anyone would be interested please send me a message. Also, if anyone has had success teaching their students how to tweet about their day and what they learned I would be very interested in how you scaffolded those lessons because I am interested in trying that out. I have a few ideas, but always keen to learn more. Cheers!
Ryan, it is wonderful to read about your first week. I can feel your excitement and energy as you reflect about your own learning adventure. I am particularly interested in your use of the Clickers for assessment. What were you assessing? In general terms, what did you learn from it? How wonderful that you are using social networking tools to guide and inform your own practice. Skyping other classrooms will support you greatly when teaching kids about primary sources of information. I do hope that you have had a chance to investigate Skype in the Classroom.
ReplyDeleteWhen Tweeting in the classroom, I'd suggest you use a classroom account and not have students set up their own accounts unless you have discussed first with their parents. There are ways to teach the skills associated with social networking. Consider checking out my recent post about "Paper Tweets".
Thanks so much for sharing Ryan.