Practical Number Two

And so this week I completed my second day of practical. It was nonetheless another great learning experience for me and by this stage I am actually starting to remember names! I must say though, what stood out for me today was the mathematics lesson as it was a great opportunity for me to see co-operative learning put into practice. I was in charge of one of three groups (which rotated around the room), with my group activity involving a game using counters and dice. This was done in pairs which allowed the students a great opportunity to work on their turn-taking skills with peers they weren’t too familiar with. Through this method they also worked on improving their social skills (Arthur, Gordon & Butterfield, 2003) and the academics of mathematics in a fun and achievable way without even realising it! Below is an interesting model of co-operative learning called the "PIGS of Cooperative Learning" (from Pedagogy website) It's an odd model but I think it reflects this concept very well.

Now my experience managing each group of approximately 15 kindergarten children is another story (and ofcourse learning experience). Let’s just say I have a new-found respect for kindergarten teachers! I was able to work on Element 5, Aspect 5.1.5 of the NSW Institute of Teachers’ Professional Teaching Elements (Demonstrate knowledge of practical approaches to managing student behavior and their applications in the classroom). My first group of students were quite excited at the prospect of not doing “work”. And from there things got slightly out of hand (yes, that may be an understatement). Dice were being thrown across the room and counters were magically disappearing. However, by my last and final group I had mastered the art of control. How? Simply by physically arranging the students in a different manner. Rather than allowing them to sit where they liked, I lined them up into two neat lines facing each other and it was in that arrangement that they sat. It worked incredibly well and I now truly understand how crucial classroom management is!

Stay posted for next week’s practical.

References

Arthur, M., Gordon, C., & Butterfield, N. (2003). The impact of curriculum and instruction. In Classroom Management: Creating Positive Learning Environments (pp43-52). Thompson: Southbank, Victoria.
Social Interactive Model. Retrieved March 25, 2011, from 
http://pedagogy21.pbworks.com/w/page/15478348/Social-Interactive-Model

My first day of practical!

I had my first day of practical teaching  yesterday with a wonderful group of 42 kindergarten children! It was quite intriguing to see how the teachers juggled teaching with the numerous complaints of “sore” eyes, arms, feet, teeth etc. Additionally, there were the never-ending requests to visit the bathroom or to get a drink. And as if that isn’t enough, there were also the special needs children to attend to! I must say it was a huge eye-opener as to the reality of teaching and the huge responsibilities teachers are faced with. I also came to understand how crucial good classroom management is and how necessary it is to implement excellent teaching strategies.

Direct instruction is a teaching strategy which was used by the classroom teacher and has often been criticised and frowned upon in our current society (Killen, 2007). However, I do believe it does have its benefits especially when dealing with a class of kindergarten students. After a good discussion with one of the classroom teachers, I discovered how great the variations in academic levels are between children starting out school. It is huge! Some begin school not knowing any of the alphabet whilst others arrive nearly knowing the whole alphabet. In order to bring students up to roughly the same level, I do believe direct instruction is important to teach the basics. This is not to say that getting children actively involved in discussions or group activities is a no-no. I am simply saying that kindergarten may perhaps need more direct instruction than the older grades.

Other strategies which were prevalent within the teacher’s lesson were the use of probes and the teacher’s level of enthusiasm. I found her use of probes quite effective as they were specific and thus directed the children onto the right path. It enabled the students to remember more clearly and efficiently, thus fostering their learning. And ofcourse, the level of enthusiasm displayed by the classroom teachers was phenomenal. Again this is so important as it plays a significant role in getting children to focus.

All in all, my first practical experience was an enjoyable one. I learned much from it and I’m sure I will keep learning in the following weeks to come!

References
Killen, R. (2007). Using direct instruction as a teaching strategy. In  Effective Teaching Strategies: Lessons from Research and Practice, (4th ed.), (pp 101-124). Thompson Social Science Press.