Today is Wacky Hair Day! I didn't know until Mr.Herridge told me in the morning, so I didn't prepare a "wacky hair style". BUT...to fit in and get into the spirit, I tied my hair in a ponytail on the side. Although it wasn't all that wacky, it was still more fun! One student came to me and said that she forgot to make a wacky hair, so I used an elastic band to tie her two pigtails together, and she was happy with it. I can tell that they really enjoyed these kinds of special days, and they were so excited all day long. It was great to see all kinds of wackiness throughout the grades, and even greater, the wackiness of the Greensborough staff!
While Ms.Carson was doing Art with the class, I did Math assessment with individual students in the hallway. Ms.Carson showed me what she wanted to assess, so I assessed a few students while she was working with them. It was a great experience, because I am going to do an assessment with them next week, so it really prepared me for it.
In the afternoon, I did a PowerPoint lesson on how to read the class website that I made for the Grade Ones. I think it went well, because the students seemed to be engaged and excited about it. I was touched when they started singing "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" with my music on the website, because I didn't expect that. It is great to see that they are so engaged in learning, and it is the teacher's job to keep their passion of learning throughout their life. A lot of students seemed to have lost their interest in school after they passed certain ages, and I really want to figure out what went wrong in their education. Who are failing them?
After school, I helped Ms. Carson to change the class's seating plan. We discussed about who should sit with who and who shouldn't sit with each other, and I am surprised by how much I know the students by now. I know which student would argue too much with another student, who are the helpful ones, and who needs help from other students. I am also starting to write down my observation of each individual student -- things that they have said and done, how they interact with others, how well they are doing in the subjects, etc. I think that doing this is as important as reflecting on the general picture.
Thursday, November 23, 2006
Friday, November 17, 2006
Nov.17, 06
let's jot down some notes b4 i forget
- wacky hair day
- one girl felt left out (not the first time)
- counting assessment
lesson
- didn't count laptops beforehand (a few short)
- the presentation went really well, and they love it
- mr. herridge was there
- took a long time for students to login, 'cause they had trouble moving the cursor & clicking
- spent another slot of time typing in the website address, and it DIDN'T WORK!
- student accounts can't go into certain sights 'cause of safety blocks
- they ended up playing games on Yahoo
- one said that he knows it's not Baxtor's voice
- kept going around 'cause there are so many questions
- wacky hair day
- one girl felt left out (not the first time)
- counting assessment
lesson
- didn't count laptops beforehand (a few short)
- the presentation went really well, and they love it
- mr. herridge was there
- took a long time for students to login, 'cause they had trouble moving the cursor & clicking
- spent another slot of time typing in the website address, and it DIDN'T WORK!
- student accounts can't go into certain sights 'cause of safety blocks
- they ended up playing games on Yahoo
- one said that he knows it's not Baxtor's voice
- kept going around 'cause there are so many questions
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
Nov.10, 06: Lesson Reflection
I think that the lesson was pretty effective, because the students were able to transfer their knowledge from doing the large graph as a class to drawing their own graphs on a template. I attempted to teach them how to organize data into a graph, the meanings of the x and y axis (without using terminology), and to let them try drawing their own graphs. I believe that I accomplished what I attempted to do, with some help from Ms. Carson.
I need to work on explaining in better clarity, because some students were trying to copy the large graph that I did with them, without understanding what the numbers mean. Since the proportion of the template and my large graph is different, some students were not able to transfer their knowledge from one graph to another, due to a lack of understanding. Some had trouble because they could not figure out a way to draw neatly and accurately on the template. Ms. Carson helped me explain that to the students, so afterwards they were able to do it on their own.
If I can do this lesson again, I will revise the graph template so that it is less confusing. I will adjust the scale, and I will physically show the students how to use a ruler and a pencil to align the x and y axis, so they can draw a neat and accurate bar. My greatest achievement today is that the students had fun connecting their colourful squares together. In doing so, they were able to understand that each bar in a bar graph is created by individual pieces of information. It was a touching moment when one student came up to me and said, “Thank you Ms. Chung for teaching us this lesson, I really enjoyed it.”
I find that students, at least younger ones, need very clear instructions on how they should approach something. It might not be true in every case, but in terms of data management, in order to achieve accuracy, students must be taught how to go about to do it – in my case, how to draw a bar properly.
One bad thing about this lesson was that I did not include two students in the taping exercise. I did not think about it beforehand, but these two students were the only ones who chose green and yellow as their favourite colour. So while others were finding classmates with the same colour squares, those two could not participate. I believe that the activity or the graphing method must be changed in order to include everybody, so no one would feel left out.
The students were generally attentive, so classroom management was not a problem today. I also learned that sometimes being silent is more effective than yelling over students. When they saw that I was waiting for them, they eventually quieted down. I learned this from my professor in my Music Pedagogy class. I have also heard from a guest lecturer that there are teachers with all kinds of different personalities. Some people might think that gentle teachers are not good leaders, but it really depends on how they make use of their gentleness. I think that it is very true, because different kinds of teachers teach their students different life skills, and students learn from every one of these mentors in their life.
Overall, the lesson did not go as well as I expected, but it was not bad as a first lesson. Ms. Carson said that I did a great job, which I would take as an encouragement to do better next time.
I need to work on explaining in better clarity, because some students were trying to copy the large graph that I did with them, without understanding what the numbers mean. Since the proportion of the template and my large graph is different, some students were not able to transfer their knowledge from one graph to another, due to a lack of understanding. Some had trouble because they could not figure out a way to draw neatly and accurately on the template. Ms. Carson helped me explain that to the students, so afterwards they were able to do it on their own.
If I can do this lesson again, I will revise the graph template so that it is less confusing. I will adjust the scale, and I will physically show the students how to use a ruler and a pencil to align the x and y axis, so they can draw a neat and accurate bar. My greatest achievement today is that the students had fun connecting their colourful squares together. In doing so, they were able to understand that each bar in a bar graph is created by individual pieces of information. It was a touching moment when one student came up to me and said, “Thank you Ms. Chung for teaching us this lesson, I really enjoyed it.”
I find that students, at least younger ones, need very clear instructions on how they should approach something. It might not be true in every case, but in terms of data management, in order to achieve accuracy, students must be taught how to go about to do it – in my case, how to draw a bar properly.
One bad thing about this lesson was that I did not include two students in the taping exercise. I did not think about it beforehand, but these two students were the only ones who chose green and yellow as their favourite colour. So while others were finding classmates with the same colour squares, those two could not participate. I believe that the activity or the graphing method must be changed in order to include everybody, so no one would feel left out.
The students were generally attentive, so classroom management was not a problem today. I also learned that sometimes being silent is more effective than yelling over students. When they saw that I was waiting for them, they eventually quieted down. I learned this from my professor in my Music Pedagogy class. I have also heard from a guest lecturer that there are teachers with all kinds of different personalities. Some people might think that gentle teachers are not good leaders, but it really depends on how they make use of their gentleness. I think that it is very true, because different kinds of teachers teach their students different life skills, and students learn from every one of these mentors in their life.
Overall, the lesson did not go as well as I expected, but it was not bad as a first lesson. Ms. Carson said that I did a great job, which I would take as an encouragement to do better next time.
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
Nov.10, 06: Remembrance Day Assembly
Almost everyone in the school wore red and black today, from the Kindergartens to the principal. Everyone was responsible to present something during the assembly, which was very well put together. Even the Grade Ones were reciting a poem, which was fantastic! There were touching moments, with lighting and music to establish the whole atmosphere. I was moved when a student came to Ms.Carson afterwards and said, "I was crying...I felt sad for the soldiers." I think it is very powerful for a young student to understand and have emotions for the importance of Remembrance Day. The assembly was very successful.
In the afternoon, I taught my first lesson to the full class. It was a Math lesson on data management. I prepared a pile of colourful papers that were cut into squares. I asked the students to sit in a circle, while I spreaded the papers on the carpet. Then I asked volunteers to sort the piles by colour. After that, I asked questions to see what they know about a graph. Then I asked each of them to choose their favourite colour from the colourful papers and hold on to it. They then had to find all the people in the class who has the same favourite colour as them, and tape the pieces together edge by edge. Then they gave the long pieces back to me, which I taped on the board. Posting questions and guiding them, I wrote down the headings of the horizontal and vertical axis, which completed the large graph. Then I asked them questions about the graph, such as "Which is the most popular colour?", so that they understand that the graph provides certain information. After that, I showed them how to transfer the large graph onto a graph template that I prepared, and asked them to do it individually at their desk.
Ms.Carson said that it was a great lesson, and she helped me out in clarifying some points for me, which I really appreciated. She also asked the students to write sentences behind the graph to show what information they acquire from it. I think that the lesson wasn't really bad, but it wasn't as good as I expected. I believe that I need to work on classroom management and clearer explanation. I need to understand that they are Grade Ones, so they can get pretty loud when it comes to "moving around" lessons. Also, I need to be precise in explaining to them because a lot of things are new to them.
Ms.Carson said I can do morning message and the calendar with the students next week, and I look forward to it. I have learned their calendar songs, which I find very interesting! Ms.Carson incorporates a lot of music and body movements in the classroom, and it is great to see that because the students are learning and having lots of great fun at the same time!
In the afternoon, I taught my first lesson to the full class. It was a Math lesson on data management. I prepared a pile of colourful papers that were cut into squares. I asked the students to sit in a circle, while I spreaded the papers on the carpet. Then I asked volunteers to sort the piles by colour. After that, I asked questions to see what they know about a graph. Then I asked each of them to choose their favourite colour from the colourful papers and hold on to it. They then had to find all the people in the class who has the same favourite colour as them, and tape the pieces together edge by edge. Then they gave the long pieces back to me, which I taped on the board. Posting questions and guiding them, I wrote down the headings of the horizontal and vertical axis, which completed the large graph. Then I asked them questions about the graph, such as "Which is the most popular colour?", so that they understand that the graph provides certain information. After that, I showed them how to transfer the large graph onto a graph template that I prepared, and asked them to do it individually at their desk.
Ms.Carson said that it was a great lesson, and she helped me out in clarifying some points for me, which I really appreciated. She also asked the students to write sentences behind the graph to show what information they acquire from it. I think that the lesson wasn't really bad, but it wasn't as good as I expected. I believe that I need to work on classroom management and clearer explanation. I need to understand that they are Grade Ones, so they can get pretty loud when it comes to "moving around" lessons. Also, I need to be precise in explaining to them because a lot of things are new to them.
Ms.Carson said I can do morning message and the calendar with the students next week, and I look forward to it. I have learned their calendar songs, which I find very interesting! Ms.Carson incorporates a lot of music and body movements in the classroom, and it is great to see that because the students are learning and having lots of great fun at the same time!
Tuesday, November 07, 2006
Nov.3, 06
In the front of Ms.Carson's classroom, there are three little containers, labelled "ones", "tens", and "hundreds", with popsicle sticks inside them. They are used for counting the days that the students have been in school. When the "ones" container has 10 popsicles, Ms.Carson would tie them together and put the bundle in the "tens" container. I think it is a very good way to teach place values, and through practicing it everyday, students would be able to grasp the concept and relate it to their daily life. They would have a concrete understanding of what "tens" and "ones" mean, and also their relationship.
Today, I did guided reading with three students. Last year, in my course Worlds of Childhood, one of the requirements was to read with a literacy buddy from Shoreham Public School (near York University) once a week. Therefore, I have spent a significant amount of time reading and writing with my Grade One buddy, whom I have learned a lot from. I find this experience very useful, because as I read with the students today, the processes of going through the pictures and posing questions seem natural to me. I felt the confidence because I have done something similar before.
From observing during the first two months in Greensborough P.S., I noticed that one of the girls in this morning's guided reading group is shy and have some problems socializing with her classmates. She does not talk much, but she has problems sharing with others, and would sometimes lead to arguments. While I was reading the book "Out in the Weather" with them, she seemed to have lost focus while the two other students were eager to answer questions. Therefore, I began to pitch questions at them individually, so she had the chance to answer. I began to see a smile on her face, and she seemed to enjoy it much more afterwards. I feel that it is important to make connections with each child in the classroom, because students would want that close teacher-student relationship. Addressing them, recognizing them, and making them feel important are essential.
I was faced with a classroom management problem today. At about 10:30am, Ms.Carson had to go down to the staff room to prepare the treats. She asked me to supervise the class, to have them do silent reading for 10 minutes, then line up group by group to wash hands, and line up at the door to get ready for snacks. The silent reading was fine, other than one or two students who were a bit distracting. When they were lining up at the door, they began to play Rock, Paper, Scissors with each other and got pretty noisy. Since I didn't want other classes to be distracted, I told them to keep their voices down. They did, but it was still too loud, with 18 children talking all at the same time. Therefore, I decided to have them seated on the carpet. That calmed them down a bit, but then they started getting noisy again. After a few attempts to keep them quiet, I sat in the front of the class and began reading a story to them. That worked! They all sat nicely and paid attention to the story, except for one student. He turned around to stare at another student, who complained to me. I warned him a few times, but he was still being rude. In our classroom, there is a piece of green, yellow and red cardboard hanging from the board. If a student behaves badly, his/her clothes pin would be clipped to the green spot. The second warning would bring the pin to the yellow spot, and when he/she reaches red, he/she would spend the recess in the office. Unfortunately, I had to move that misbehaving student to the red spot, since he was already at the yellow cardboard.
I find that it was a very tiring experience. I usually speak at a relatively soft voice, but I had to raise my voice to speak over 18 talking voices. Since I am not really their teacher, they might not feel the need to listen to me under certain circumstances. However, I believed that I have made my best effort to handle the situation, and that it would be easier for me afterwards.
I think that Ms.Carson is a very creative teacher. During Art lesson, students are always creating differenit types of art work. Today, they were making a triorama. It's a 3D piece of art work, and the theme is fall. Ms.Carson let them work individually after giving instructions and showing them how to do the basic things, and she would give creative suggestions as they were working. For example, when they were cutting construction papers to make little people, Ms.Carson told a girl that she could use a pencil to curl the hair. She expects a lot of details from the students, and I think it's good because it makes the students observe and try to express their ideas aesthetically.
Today, I did guided reading with three students. Last year, in my course Worlds of Childhood, one of the requirements was to read with a literacy buddy from Shoreham Public School (near York University) once a week. Therefore, I have spent a significant amount of time reading and writing with my Grade One buddy, whom I have learned a lot from. I find this experience very useful, because as I read with the students today, the processes of going through the pictures and posing questions seem natural to me. I felt the confidence because I have done something similar before.
From observing during the first two months in Greensborough P.S., I noticed that one of the girls in this morning's guided reading group is shy and have some problems socializing with her classmates. She does not talk much, but she has problems sharing with others, and would sometimes lead to arguments. While I was reading the book "Out in the Weather" with them, she seemed to have lost focus while the two other students were eager to answer questions. Therefore, I began to pitch questions at them individually, so she had the chance to answer. I began to see a smile on her face, and she seemed to enjoy it much more afterwards. I feel that it is important to make connections with each child in the classroom, because students would want that close teacher-student relationship. Addressing them, recognizing them, and making them feel important are essential.
I was faced with a classroom management problem today. At about 10:30am, Ms.Carson had to go down to the staff room to prepare the treats. She asked me to supervise the class, to have them do silent reading for 10 minutes, then line up group by group to wash hands, and line up at the door to get ready for snacks. The silent reading was fine, other than one or two students who were a bit distracting. When they were lining up at the door, they began to play Rock, Paper, Scissors with each other and got pretty noisy. Since I didn't want other classes to be distracted, I told them to keep their voices down. They did, but it was still too loud, with 18 children talking all at the same time. Therefore, I decided to have them seated on the carpet. That calmed them down a bit, but then they started getting noisy again. After a few attempts to keep them quiet, I sat in the front of the class and began reading a story to them. That worked! They all sat nicely and paid attention to the story, except for one student. He turned around to stare at another student, who complained to me. I warned him a few times, but he was still being rude. In our classroom, there is a piece of green, yellow and red cardboard hanging from the board. If a student behaves badly, his/her clothes pin would be clipped to the green spot. The second warning would bring the pin to the yellow spot, and when he/she reaches red, he/she would spend the recess in the office. Unfortunately, I had to move that misbehaving student to the red spot, since he was already at the yellow cardboard.
I find that it was a very tiring experience. I usually speak at a relatively soft voice, but I had to raise my voice to speak over 18 talking voices. Since I am not really their teacher, they might not feel the need to listen to me under certain circumstances. However, I believed that I have made my best effort to handle the situation, and that it would be easier for me afterwards.
I think that Ms.Carson is a very creative teacher. During Art lesson, students are always creating differenit types of art work. Today, they were making a triorama. It's a 3D piece of art work, and the theme is fall. Ms.Carson let them work individually after giving instructions and showing them how to do the basic things, and she would give creative suggestions as they were working. For example, when they were cutting construction papers to make little people, Ms.Carson told a girl that she could use a pencil to curl the hair. She expects a lot of details from the students, and I think it's good because it makes the students observe and try to express their ideas aesthetically.
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