Classroom and Time Management

In Tuesday Experience, I am learning a lot about different teaching methods that I could apply in my classroom. I am also learning that sometimes things do not go as planned and you may need to adjust or re-teach certain subject material. For example my teacher was not sure what to do for a math lesson, so I was able to talk to her about a math lesson that I could do. We both decided on a math lesson based on counting coins, since the children have a hard time switching from one coin to another. It turned out to be a very good lesson but I feel as though sometimes even the best teacher may be unprepared. I am really learning a lot about having good time management. It is so hard to fit everything into a day never mind if you don’t know what lesson to do. Another aspect of teaching that I am learning a lot about is transitions. It is so difficult to transition to children from one subject or activity to another. They seem to be all over the place, not listening, and not prepared for the next lesson. The teacher I am working with has discussed this with me and has even said that transitions are very tough for her. Does anyone have any ideas that may be useful for a first grade classroom for transition times?

The one subject that I am learning so much about is language arts and writing. I did not quite understand how reading groups worked until I was able to take over a reading group. I did not realize how many different reading levels children in your classroom may be at. I also did not realize how difficult it may be to find books for children in a reading group. In being able to work with all four reading groups in my classroom it is making me feel more comfortable with what I need to do when I become a teacher. As I have written about in Professor Chatel’s Blog writing is a very important aspect in her classroom. I talked about the different types of writing activities my teacher incorporates into her classroom and how responsive the children are to them. I am learning so much just be being in the classroom it is unbelievable. I do not think that I would know as much as I know now if I was not able to be in Tuesday Experience. We have learned so much in all of our classes but actually seeing it applied makes a huge difference for me since I am visual learner. I hope that as Tuesday Experience comes to a close I can take away a lot of useful information that I will be able to use in my classroom.

Read Aloud

In the first grade classroom that I am working in for Tuesday experience, the teacher loves to do a read aloud book almost everyday. When I am there on Tuesday’s, I am the one reading the read aloud book while the children listen carefully. During the read aloud a student is able to ask questions or talk about the book only if they raise their hand and it really does pertain to the story being read. As I have witnessed in this room the children seem to like being engaged in the story and it helps them to focus on what is going on in the story. For example when Miss Rausch just reads the book, the children seemed to get bored and they became inattentive, but when they were able to interact during the read aloud they were more attentive, focused on the story and also what was happening in the story, rather than out the window. This is very important because it helps facilitate the students to understand and comprehend the story that is being read. I also like that Miss Rausch mixes up the stories that she reads, or has planned for me to read. She reads both non fiction and fictional stories, and even the students are able to read the stories. I think it is great that the students get exposed to so much different literature at such a young age.

You can tell how much her class focuses on reading and writing. Every free moment that the students have in that classroom is either focused on reading or writing. They are able to work on the stories that they are writing, or read a book if they finish their work early. You can see how much the students really enjoy reading, especially when they get to read in front of the class. They love sharing their stories with the class. It is amazing to see their faces light up when they are called to read their story. I love how Miss Rausch gives each student a chance to read their story and if they do not want to share they do not have to share. I am really learning a lot about different comprehension styles and different techniques to try to facilitate reading comprehension. I am learning so many different ideas that I can use in my classroom someday and I am really taking so much away from this experience.