My Path to Inspiration and Inquiry

I am really grateful the perspectives and feedback I am gaining the past few days from my FA, SA, TOCs, other teachers and staff at my practicum school. My lesson for my SEL books didn’t go very well the previous day, so my FA suggested I should give it another try with some modification, which I did. I have also discussed with the TOCs that were in my class at the time I was teaching. My SA was away during both days of my SEL story due to family emergency. I am really glad I had a second chance to see how my SEL story could work more effectively.

I told my kinder students up front, we will be reading a story that are quite familiar with. I am quite surprised by their acceptance. The kids were really welcoming in allowing me to re-introduce the same book to them today. I thought I might get a remark such as “not again,” “that’s boring.” I purposely didn’t show the cover until the very end of my retelling. I did not read the story word by word today, instead, discussion and food for thoughts were prompted by pictures I am showing on the document camera. The focus this time was placed on the emotions of the characters in the story. I followed the story with an activity what listening would look. I modeled what listening looked like with the TOC sitting on a chair so everyone can see. I emphasized they have to sit close to their partner, so they can pay attention and show their good listening skills to their partner. The kids had so much to share with each other during this activity.

Classroom Management Adaptations

I felt I actually physically had more control of the classroom atmosphere today. Perhaps because before I even begin the story, we brain-stormed together as a class on what good listening looked like.

-what listening looked like not only when a teacher talks, but also when your friends shares their ideas with the class

– I set the expectation up front with the class so everyone hopefully is all on the same page

-for future reference: I don’t want to let call-outs disturb the flow of the lesson. But, at the same time, I don’t want negatively point out their behaviours all the time. Perhaps, I can move them to a different right away to prevent any further disturbance if I had already set listening expectations with them.

I taught two lessons today, one math, and one SEL story.

The math lesson before recess went really well and the SEL taught just before lunch did not really meet my original lesson intent. One crucial factor I learned from my class was the importance of routine, a sudden change in their familiar pattern can impact their focus on any activity introduced. They were used to a story followed immediately by lunch. So, by the time I finished the story, their entire focus was shifted to lunch and hungry tummies though it was not lunch yet. Only a small crowd bought in and went along with the lesson still. Five minutes into my lesson, I knew things were not going to be easy as I felt strong resistance in the crowd. I tried my best to use different strategies to shift their focus from the look of the day posted on the board. For example, taking out the “work time” label to associate my lesson to relieve extra stress for them. However, my consideration was not enough to retrieve their interest.

There was a point in my lesson, I was thinking in my head, “this is not going well at all, this is not happening! I lost them! Stop panning the book, it’s too slow a pace! Just get on and finish the story as quickly as you can because as much as it is hard to endure for me, it must be the same for the kids too!” I scrapped quite a bit of my lesson, because I knew there was no point in continuing ahead when their mind was totally focused on something else. I eventually did a wheel on the bus brain break that I knew they enjoyed because while they were doing the follow-up art activity, they were still singing along with the tune. I rushed their art activity because I knew I wasted too much time in the previous lesson, were losing focus and they had to go to music class right after.

I did notice one student got a bit teary with the lesson topic, and I went up to him afterwards and did a check in with him. It was tricky to understand the context because he was mumbling. But, I did tell him, “Thank you for sharing your experience with me, I understand if must be difficult and sad to think about it again.” I recognized his emotions, I can see it was a stirring up a sad memory in him. He nodded, smiled and continued on with his art. I really appreciated he was relating his personal experience with the lesson. However, one thing I would keep in mind for next time is perhaps ask the kids to show me a silent linking with their fingers whenever they make a connection to their lives or experience as a way for me to gage their emotional status or relevant experience. I don’t want the kids to dive into an “over eight” emotional status without adequate safe closure time and environment.

I notice I was micro-managing too much and too often even when I am trying to listen to a student’s idea while focusing on another! Next time, I will set my expectation and warnings first before reading the story to prevent possible disruptions. I was a bit fearful of portraying myself as being too strict, rigid or disciplining, but now I understand if I am not explicit with my expectation, it will confuse them. I can be reasonable and firm and it does not equate to being mean.

I addressed each student with their name and encouraged active participation. In the afternoon before going home I read another story, it worked better this time because I positioned myself in the corner and the kids were close to me and fanned out in the corner in front of me. Each of them had a clear view of the book, and I did not need to have to endure awkward long silence when panning the book like I did with my SEL book earlier in the afternoon.

Change for next time

• do not label my activity as something they didn’t associate with, especially don’t do it before lunch and label it as a story. I will loose their focus again, if I label it as a story before lunch, even though it is a story.
• I am going to label it as “carpet work”
• Shorter lesson, more wiggle time
• Set listening expectation
• Use the document reader for visuals of the page, instead of wasting time to pan the book
• Be aware of how I position the kids to engage their focus
• It’s okay to move the kids if they were not listening. Set expectation, give warnings!

Pumpkin Patch Adventure

I really enjoyed and valued the pumpkin patch field trip experience with Ms. Sull’s kindergarten class. I have always tried to introduce myself and my role as a teacher candidate in the upcoming school year to parents as they drop of their kids in the morning at any given appropriate timing. However, it was usually really short and succinct. The field trip gave me an opportunity to get to know not only the parents on a more familiar level but also the kids. I was able to establish a closer rapport with the kids by the end of the 3 hours field trip, though it felt as if we were together for a longer time than that. I had more opportunity to help kids and to interact with them on a more natural and less-structured learning setting. I definitely notice more kids were addressing me as Ms. Chen more frequently than ever. I’m starting to realize more of my presence in the class not only as a friendly Thusdays visitor but also an educator they sought for help from and respect. Ms. Sull gave me three kids to supervise specifically on the field trip in addition to looking out for the class as a whole to ensure they don’t step out of boundary. On the bus back to the school, Ms. Sull asked me how the field trip went. She said there was a reason why she gave me the 3 kids: she wanted me to build a good relationship with them as they are quite crucial and quick to changing the dynamic of the class if their attention were not appropriately addressed.

What I found throughout the field trip unique was a technique that I used in summer camps and also now I understand more closely from the article we read earlier in the term of “saying no indirectly with a purpose.” Some of the kids were either consciously or unconsciously doing things that I felt potentially unsafe and could lead to someone getting harmed. I saw Ms. Sull once said it in class too when she saw a kid almost poking someone in the eye, “How do you feel about that?” and then giving the child time to think before she continues “I don’t feel quite safe about that. What do you think?”

I knew all the kids were really excited about Halloween, but I know I won’t be celebrating it with them as I would be at Cougar Canyon with my other group of kids next day. So, I decorated some healthy treat (mandarin oranges) and left it as a surprise for them next day. I also wrote them a big letter card because I know they are starting to read and focusing on literacy in class. I did let Ms. Sull know of my intention in advance by the end of the day.