Today I noticed that the station activities were all connected to the conversations that the students had last week.
“Some rocks have dirt in them and some don’t. If they have dirt in them then they are nature”
The students could use this bowl to crush the rocks and see what was it made of. There was the light table for students to see the rock slides. Different types of rocks were displayed so the students could study them with magnifiers.
Today the nature talk between students went even further. This was very interesting to be around with, and it showed so much thinking from the students. It was also one of the memorable moments that I would like to share:
“Rocks are not nature because they are before the big bang. The big bang threw out the rocks and created the world. Also, the big bang is not nature. ”
“What is ‘nature’ if everything is nature? Then they shouldn’t even use the word nature because it is too plain. Things that are made of nature does not mean that they are nature too. How is this plastic ruler nature? Your T-shirt is not nature. ”
One of my goals for my two-week practicum is to get comfortable with read-alouds in front of the class. Here are some strategies that I might try:
- Get the book ahead of time and prepare it
- Practice and practice
- Accept the facts that it will not be perfect at first and mistakes are ok
Thanks for sharing these observations, Nina. It sounds like you are starting to notice how learning takes time, as the same topic of inquiry is revisited over and over again through different learning experiences. I look forward to seeing how you will contribute to this inquiry through lessons on practicum, as we discussed.
Your goal sounds like a manageable one for this week. It’s true that we need to learn to accept imperfection, but I also know this can be difficult at first. Each time you do a read aloud, remember to focus on the kids! Their enthusiasm and engagement can be a great motivator and help us worry less about ourselves. Practicing is a great way to increase your confidence.
What did you notice about questioning this week?