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