2nd week "second lesson on numeracy"

In this numeracy lesson I used different of instruments to achieve the aim of the week which was about using a variety of manipulatives and pictorial representatives of numbers to 10. The lesson has to be connected with the theme so in the activity I used umbrella template that match with the season's topic. In the whole I used different of instruments with flash cards that has numbers. I used each time one of the instrument and I asked each time one of the students to count and when I stop they have to pick the number from the floor. I noticed that using the instruments grabbed their attention and made them engaged to the lesson.

As I noticed in the previous week that the students enjoyed using the sponges with the paints so for this week I wanted to use the paints again however with different things.

The students had an umbrella template in front of them and they had to paint the umbrella with purple color because it was the color of the week. After that they had to put their thumbs on the paints and stamp it on the umbrella. I differentiated the activity to be suitable with their level and I asked them to count while they printing. I went through the activity with some of the students to avoid the problem that happened last week with the sponge's activity however in this lesson the problem that occur was with one of the children during the plenary time. He becomes out of my control and he was moving around his friend and distracting them. He was not listening or responding to my rules so I ignore him to finish the lesson.

 

Next time I think to avoid any distraction like that I may ask the child to sit beside me and help me so I will keep him busy. Also I will try to point on him if he did something right as reinforcement.

2nd week "literacy lesson"

In the second week we had a new theme which was about seasons and it’s the first time that they took something about that even in KG1 they didn’t learn about it. So it was big challenge to me to introduce something new and hard especially in the UAE we have only two seasons.

                                                                                                                 This is the pictures of the seasons and the weathers that I used in the lesson.

At the beginning of the lesson I used pictures of the 4 seasons with different weathers. My aim for the second week was to let the students to identify two seasons especially summer and winter and know the different weathers. I used some clothes to explain what we feel in summer and what we feel in winter and what kind of clothes we wear in each seasons.

The problem that I faced was losing the students attention about the lesson because I was focusing on how to deliver the new information to them. I was translating a lot which I didn’t like especially in the first day so in the second day I thought of solving the problem by spend more time in the whole and using more of pictures to make the listen interesting. Because of that, I lost the students attention which I noticed later that what I have done is wrong especially they are kids and their attention span is short. Later on, during the activities I figure out that the students may get the concept while they are working or talking with their friends. Moreover, they may get the information later on at the end of the lesson during the plenary or at the end of the week.

Next time I will spend short time in the whole even if they didn’t get what I was aimed for and I will send them to do the activity and during that time they may understand something because during the activities the students may understand more while they are on the carpet which I forgot this point totally. After that in the plenary time I could revise with them what we had started with however with different way.

First week "second lesson"

In the first week I did numeracy lesson which was about equal groups using manipulatives. I used plastic fruits in the first whole to explain the meaning of equal. Most of the children know the meaning of the word same however they don’t know what is the meaning of equal. I used two cartoon plates and I used different of fruits such as Grapes, oranges and an apples. Also I used the students to make the lesson more meaningful at the end of the lesson and what I did is I asked three boys to stand up on my left side and three boys on my right side and I asked them some questions. I repeated the same activity with the girls also however I let three on my left side and four on my right side to show them the difference and I asked them how we can make them equal.

Before we went to the activity corners I had to explain what they have to do especially in the focus group. The transition wasn’t too bad maybe because they were small group however what they did is asking to move to other corners and shouting to do the other activity which I asked them to do another. During the activity they had to use small flower sponges and they suppose to put it on the paints and print it on the cartoon plate that has divided already for them. They had to print three in each side to show that they understood the meaning of equality. I had to differentiate the activity however we still didn’t classify them in different ability group while I know each child level.

 I faced a problem during the activity with two low ability students which they were printing more than the number that I asked for even they had the model in front of them. What I did to solve the problem is I stopped them and I showed them what their friends did and how they did it nicely and I will stick their works on the display. What happened is I gave them another cartoon plate and they did it again as I asked and I assessed them by questioning to be sure that they got the concept. The solution worked well with the low ability student however next time I may use another strategy with them which I may do the activity and go through each steps together.

 

First week "literacy lesson"

Sorry for being late to write in the first week and that happened because of all the changes that I had to deal with and find solution for it. I found from the first day that there are lots of changes happened when I missed three weeks. The big change was in my class before I had 23 students while now 13 and every day 4 or five students absent so totally I teach 8 students most of the time. Most of you will find teaching few students better however I found it difficult especially it is the first to me.

After being away for three weeks the first lesson that I did was literacy lesson which I used a very nice story which is "the very hungry caterpillar". The planning was very good and the preparation as well. I used picture walk of the story and different pictures start with the letter 'p'.

 This is the picture walk that I used in the 1st whole.

This is the focus activity which the students had to cut the pictures that start with the letter 'p' and glue it on the color paper and who finish quickly try to write the letter 'p'.

Before I start the lesson my MST asked me to monitor the student alone because they were 8 students so I had to take risk and monitor them without my both MST's. The lesson started very well at the beginning and they were recalling the event of the story while I was using the picture walk however something occurs during the activities. I had two activities one which I focused on and the other which the students practicing writing the letter so I had to observe both which I didn’t plan for and to assess them in the same time. Some of the students in the writing corner were not responding and finishing their work and when I asked them to tidy –up they were still working. Moreover, my group didn’t clean-up the place very well and suddenly both of the groups were out of control.  To solve that problem I had to stop what they were doing and bring them to the carpet and say to them what they did that make me sad and explain in it Arabic. Also during the plenary time I didn’t see all their work because they were still not listening so I took their work and I showed them a video of butterfly lifecycle and during that time they become calm and engaging with the video. Next time I may stop everything and not showing them the video also to show them that what they have done is wrong. Also I may ask them to go and finish tidy up and talk with them more about what they have done and if its write or not and what they have to do next time.