Post final placement reflection 26th May 2013
"Relevancy, real-life, applicable and appropriate paced content presented in an interesting and fun way. "
Preceeding lessons with "Why are we learning this? So what?" or "What in your every day life do you think this skill will become handy in?" or "Hands up those that would like to go over this again" or "For those that can work on this, return to your desks, those that would like to work on the floor with me, join me now".
Any notebook file that I was given was massaged into a colourful, fun, interesting 'show'. I have always seen myself as 'an entertainer' within my teaching role, to keep students engaged and learning.
"....link to past experiences and interests."
During shared reading when students were reading I would often stop the session and discuss an event in a book. I would ask students "who has experienced something like this?" Questions then would turn to the story and based on their own experiences we would predict the next part of the story. If the story contained situations that the students never had experienced I would discuss this and ask for predictions - which were more difficult. Comparing to earlier experienced situations students would understand why sometimes it was hard to understand the content of a book to to allow themselves a chance to 'experience' it from reading.
"....inspire young people to want to learn more, for them to experience a hunger of knowledge and learning."
Whilst teaching the water cycle I feel that I inspired students to seek out their own answers to my probing "Scientists keep testing out theories....retest what you see....make up your own mind from your tests." Three students performed their own experiments with watching if water size increases when frozen - I celebrated their efforts in front of the class. During Dinosaurs, a student had researched the time line of which I asked her to present her findings to the class.
"To create a place that is inviting, warm, friendly but at the same time, respectful to each other."
If the class had worked hard I would allow time for games or early breaks. The reward was negotiated (choice of game by students and students would teach the rest of the class). This resulted in these students feeling empowered and respected. During the game fairness was always followed and any situation seen as an opportunity to learn from.
Reflection
Without trying I have implemented parts of this philosophy in more ways than I originally thought I could. However, this theory lends well to a whole school approach and would be difficult to maintain.
Improvement in the way of consistency is needed - perhaps by having class posters up reminding the students (and me) of particular points. I would like to trial a negotiation between students in their own learning, but, feel that perhaps with lower grades and a large number of students, this would be difficult.
Preceeding lessons with "Why are we learning this? So what?" or "What in your every day life do you think this skill will become handy in?" or "Hands up those that would like to go over this again" or "For those that can work on this, return to your desks, those that would like to work on the floor with me, join me now".
Any notebook file that I was given was massaged into a colourful, fun, interesting 'show'. I have always seen myself as 'an entertainer' within my teaching role, to keep students engaged and learning.
"....link to past experiences and interests."
During shared reading when students were reading I would often stop the session and discuss an event in a book. I would ask students "who has experienced something like this?" Questions then would turn to the story and based on their own experiences we would predict the next part of the story. If the story contained situations that the students never had experienced I would discuss this and ask for predictions - which were more difficult. Comparing to earlier experienced situations students would understand why sometimes it was hard to understand the content of a book to to allow themselves a chance to 'experience' it from reading.
"....inspire young people to want to learn more, for them to experience a hunger of knowledge and learning."
Whilst teaching the water cycle I feel that I inspired students to seek out their own answers to my probing "Scientists keep testing out theories....retest what you see....make up your own mind from your tests." Three students performed their own experiments with watching if water size increases when frozen - I celebrated their efforts in front of the class. During Dinosaurs, a student had researched the time line of which I asked her to present her findings to the class.
"To create a place that is inviting, warm, friendly but at the same time, respectful to each other."
If the class had worked hard I would allow time for games or early breaks. The reward was negotiated (choice of game by students and students would teach the rest of the class). This resulted in these students feeling empowered and respected. During the game fairness was always followed and any situation seen as an opportunity to learn from.
Reflection
Without trying I have implemented parts of this philosophy in more ways than I originally thought I could. However, this theory lends well to a whole school approach and would be difficult to maintain.
Improvement in the way of consistency is needed - perhaps by having class posters up reminding the students (and me) of particular points. I would like to trial a negotiation between students in their own learning, but, feel that perhaps with lower grades and a large number of students, this would be difficult.