Blog 8

If I have learned at least one thing while doing my field work in the kindergarten class I was in, is that each child is so different. Its so interesting to see what kids just get it and what kids need a little extra attention. But the most important thing is that they are all treated the same and showing your students that you care about them. If they know that they will feel safe and want to learn. Ive learned how each child works and knowing what works for them and getting them going. Someday re overwhelming but what a kindergarten teacher must remember is that they are 5 and 6 years old. And are just learning how to act in school and what to do.I really enjoyed my time and will finish of the rest of the school year helping in the class room. I look forward to teaching my own room and doing things my way someday.

Blog Entry 7

Miss R has a list of classroom rules posted on her wall. One of them being raise your hand before speaking.This is something most kindergartners have a hard time with, which is understandable. But once one students speaks out of turn, then one more does, then another, and another etc..This results into instant punishment. Like putting their heads down on the desk or taking beads out of the bucket. I think Miss R's approach has good intentions but I have not noticed any change.  I have mentioned before that this is Miss R first year teaching. She definitely has a lot to learn and with experience more effective strategies will come to her that may work for her classroom a little better.

Blog Entry 6

One of the strategies that Miss R uses for her class is when she asks them to be quite and counts all the way to three she will go over to her desk and take out handfuls of beads out of a jar and puts them in another jar. If they are good she adds beads to the class room jar. I'm not sure what happens if they fill the jar for good behavior. But overall I think they strategy works OK. Some kids don't care to get beads or when beads get taken away. It wont always please everyone so maybe the reward can be something big that way it gets everyone excited.

Blog Entry 5

I think since volunteering one of the most important roles as a teacher is caring for each child. Letting them know you are there to teach them and learning is fun, making them feel important and smart.
The most challenging would be patience. Each child is so different and has their own strengths and weaknesses. Being able to understand each child and still make them feel important. It would be difficult with a special needs child or ADD. Having patience wold be most challenging.

Blog Entry 4

When I go into to volunteer in Miss R class I help with rotation tables. Every day the students have a number and letter they work on and practice reciting and writing. At my rotation table we practice tracing the letter of the day with our finger on black paper that has been written with chalk, next we have the actual letter where we shake it, drop it, fix it, and trace it with our finger. Next we practice tracing it with a pen over a paper, and last we have Tupperware filled with salt and they love tracing the letter with there finger in the salt.
The last few days there has been a student aid who takes one student aside at a time and will go over the alphabet and the sounds they make. also ask them to count as high as they can. She then records each students results.

Blog Entry 3

In the class that I am volunteering in there are no students that have severe disabilities. The one child that come to mind is Fabian who doesn't have a physical disability but more mentally. The teacher often puts him on a different table alone. He has a difficult time paying attention and following instructions. But for the past few times that I have been there with him, I have given him some special attention. Praising him when he is doing what he is suppose to be doing and encouraging him when he gets off track. Giving him compliments has really boosted his self esteem and I have already seen a change in him.
There are two or three girls in class who speak Spanish or would consider Spanish to be there first language. I don't see that there is a problem or a language barrier between them and the teacher. The teacher does not do anything differently for them.

Blog Entry 2

Today Miss R had me help with the small group time. The children were practicing writing the word "go" and the number 3. I had the kids work on a worksheet which had the word" go" for them to trace over and over. After they practiced writing the word "go" they had to each tell me how to spell it. So each one of them took turns with me while i watched them trace the word and the spell it out. It was interesting to see some of the children tell me "og". in their mind as long as they had all the letters then it was correct. Or when they practiced writing the word I noticed a couple students had their sheets upside down while tracing. So it was important that I showed them the order of the letters and how to sound it out. Miss R has a well planned out schedule everyday with her students. She also has meeting that she goes to after school. Or for example this Monday is "Minimal Day" where the teachers have a shorter teaching day and have meeting after school gets out early.

Blog Entry 1

Today was my first day volunteering for my son's kindergartens class. I was very excited to be able to help Miss R and intact with the children. Today Miss R had me help out with practicing the word "no" the kids rotated to different stations and would rotate to my table. I loved the different ways she had me teach the kids "no". We had black paper with the word written in chalk. The kids enjoyed tracing it with their finger. The next thing we did to practice the word was tracing it in pie tins with salt in it. And finally the last way was with the actually letter (kind if like the magnet letters) and they would shake them, drop them and assemble them to spell out the word. This was definitely hands on and I feel the children responded well and most of them wrote and spelled the word correctly. There were a few that spelled it backwards or the word "on". I think some thought as long as they had all the words, the order they were in didn't matter. Having them practice tracing and assemble the word helped them understand the order of the letters. It is interesting to see what kids can listen to instructions well and what kids need to be told several times and then help getting started. Most of the girls can get right to the next task. The  boys tend to be distracted and take a bit longer to focus. It makes me feel bad for the kids that need that extra attention. There is one child in particular who has a very difficult time paying attention to any instructions or any task. He walks around poking and hitting other children. He stomps on anything he sees on the floor. He doesn't talk or participate when the teacher asks a question. My heart just breaks when I see that he does not accomplish much in the short time he is in class. Miss R has a great curriculum. She has them practice writing often, they practice saying letters and the sound. This is Miss R first year teaching. She is fresh out of college. I think she has learned a lot already and will know what things to do and not to do for next year.