Lesson

1 – Week 2 – 03/05/2016
Mother’s Day Craft

On the 3rd of May, I conducted my first lesson of this ten-week practicum. Prior to
this lesson, I was feeling nervous, unconfident and lacking in practical knowledge.
Although I had these feelings, I planned for a lesson that, at the time, I hoped would
turn out good. During the planning process, I found it easy to design a lesson plan
that would not only allow me to follow the steps easily but also allowed me to
understand the concept and how to teach it.

The lesson planned was based around the concept of Mother’s Day. To begin the
lesson, I read the children a story called, ‘I Love my Mommy”. This story allowed the
children to connect with the children and mother in the book. Before I read the
children the story, I asked the children numerous questions to gather the children’s
understanding of what Mother’s Day is about. Although I planned to ask specific
questions, I did ask a few more questions that were not planned for. I found that this
allowed me to gather more information on what the children know, want to know
more about and what they do with their own mommy.

After I asked the children questions, I read the story. During the reading process, I
pointed out some activities that the child and mother were doing. Through doing so,
the children were able to make connections with the characters within the story.
Although I was able to point out some aspects of the story, I need to improve my
reading strategies. For example, I did not hold the book so that all of the children
could see the pictures clearly. Next time, I will hold the book so that it is on an angle
to the side of me. I will also move the book around so that children can see the
pictures every time I change the page. Whilst reading the book, I also need to change
my voice in a way that makes the story interesting and engaging. For example, when
reading as a specific character, I will change my voice accordingly.

Once I finished reading the book, I asked all of the children to sit quietly. After doing
so, I explained to the children that they would be completing a range of activities to
do with Mother’s Day. Although I gave the children clear instructions on what
activities were to be completed, I was not firm and strong with how I said them. For
example, I said my instructions in a soft and calm voice instead of having a strong
and firm voice. I will improve this by practicing talking louder with my friends and
family. I will also try and improve my confidence when giving instructions, as this will
allow me to talk louder. When giving instructions on what activities are to be
completed, I need to provide the children with an example of the work. Next time, I
will complete the activity prior to the lesson and I will show it to the children on the
mat.

After the children were briefed on the activities and expectations, I transitioned the
children from the mat. I transitioned the children by choosing children to go to
specific activities. This did not work well as it took time and the children did not
complete the activities to the best of their ability. Next time I will ask the children to
put their hand up if they would like to complete a specific activity first.
The activity completed with me required the children to place green paint on their
hands, place it onto a blue piece of paper and place colour fingerprints around their
fingertips. The final result looked amazing as the children’s handprints and
fingerprints made them look very personal for them and their mothers. During this
activity, I ensured that I told the children what they needed to do and how. Next
time I complete this activity, I will ensure that all children are briefed on the
expectations earlier. I will also make sure that all of the children have an example of
the artwork in front of them. This will allow the children to see visually what is
expected of them during this activity.

Although the children did behave fairly well, I need to make sure I use a loud voice
when correcting poor behaviour. Through doing so, the children will understand that
I am serious and their will be consequences for their actions. I will also use the peg
chart more frequently so that the children try hard to behave well.

































 Lesson 2 – Week 3 – 11/05/2016
Patterning - AB

This lesson was conducted on the 11th of May in the third week of my practicum
experience. So far this experience has been interesting, overwhelming and most
importantly, challenging. It has been challenging, as I need to apply all of the
knowledge I have acquired over the past few years into ten weeks. Although I have
applied some strategies and procedures, I am still finding it difficult to adjust to the
new procedures and expectations within the classroom. I will improve on this by
observing Hannah and Jess as they start to prepare for the lesson, pack them away
and set them up. I will also observe small procedures, such as how the reading books
are processed each week. Through doing so, I will be able to apply this procedure to
my classroom in the future.

Before my lesson, I ensured that all of my materials were well organised and ready
for each step of my lesson. Although most of my materials were ready, I need to
make sure that I have a student checklist available. Through having this checklist, I
will be able to see who has and who hasn’t completed the activity.

To begin this lesson, I asked the children a range of questions about patterning. I
then placed six red and yellow handprint nametags on the whiteboard. I began by
placing the red and yellows. Then I asked the children if it was a pattern. I then
placed the remaining 3 on the board and asked if it was a pattern every time I added
one. After all of the handprints were placed on the board, I asked the children to say
the pattern out loud with me. I believe that this ensured that the children were
engaged in the learning process.

Six children were then asked to stand up in a line. They were then asked to stand in a
boy and girl pattern. The children were first modeled on how to do. After they
constructed a pattern, the class said the pattern out loud. Next time I complete this
activity I will ask the children to create a different pattern using their bodies. For
example, brown hair and blonde hair.

After the children were modeled some patterns, the activities were explained to the
children. I did so by showing the children the activities and an example of what is
expected from them. I also made sure that I spoke in a loud and firm voice. I could
tell that this allowed the children to understand what I was talking about, as they
were all engaged and listening to me during the explaining process. I transitioned the
children from the mat to their activities through asking the children what activity
they would like to complete first. They did so by putting their hand up and I chose
four to five children for each activity. I decided to transition he children this way, as
my strategy last lesson did not work effectively.

For my activity, the children were required to place pigs and wolves in an AB pattern.
They were given 3 pigs and 3 wolves. I then asked the children to place the pigs in a
patter. Although I asked the children to place the pigs and wolves in a pattern, I did
however, assist the children during this process. This decision was not effective as I
did not know what they were capable of and their understanding of what an AB
pattern is. Next time I will ensure that I give the children the materials and I will ask
questions such as, can you please place these materials in a pattern for me please?
This will allow me to assess the children on the main objective, constructs a pattern
using the materials provided.

Whilst my activity was being completed, there were other activities open. Through
having other activities open, the children were more engaged in the learning-taking
place. Although there were a number of activities open, the children seemed to have
drifted towards the reading corner. This raised the noise levels in the classroom and
allowed for some behaviour problems to occur. I therefore opened the home corner
and the aliens on the mat. Next lesson, I will ensure that I open these areas earlier
on in the lesson. This will provide the children with an opportunity to be exposed to
different activities during the lesson rather than just a few.

During my activity, I was positioned so that my chair was facing towards the
interactive whiteboard in the classroom. This positioning did not allow me to see the
children in the home corner and back table. It also did not allow me to see any
behaviour problems that arose from the home corner. This therefore resulted in one
of the children tripping over. Next lesson I will ensure that I am positioned in a way
that I can see all of the children in the classroom.

This lesson I felt worked a lot better than my previous lesson. I felt more confident
and relaxed, which resulted in my ability to be more firm and strong with the
children.






















 Week 3 – Lesson 3 – 13/05/2016
Phonics Mat Lesson and Rhyming Activity

I completed this lesson on the 13th of May in the third week of term. For this lesson, I
was asked to conduct the morning lesson, which ran from 8:45am to 10:30am. This
lesson challenged my teaching ability, as I have not conducted a morning session
before. Although I was nervous and unsure as to how I would go, I gave it my best
shot.

I began the lesson by preparing my materials and lesson plan. I ensured that all of
the materials were ready in the morning and were set up on the tables. For this
activity I ensured that I prepared all of the activities prior to the lesson. In my first
lesson, I was not prepared and I ended up putting no thought into the activities. As a
result, I now make sure that all of lessons are well prepared prior to the day of my
lesson. This will allow for my lesson to run smoothly and I will be able to focus on
how I present my lesson to the children.

This lesson began by going through the different sounds. I showed the children a
letter flashcard and they needed to tell me the sound that goes with that letter.
After doing so, the children were asked to segment and blend words that I gave
them. They began by segmenting words such as had or cat. They would segment by
chin walking the sounds I have them. The children were then asked to blend words
that I segmented. For example if I chinned walked the word cat, they would need to
blend the word back together. The children would then sound the word out
together. After doing so I asked the children find words that rhymed with a range of
words. For example, if I had the world hat, the children needed to find words that
rhymed with hat. Throughout this phonics mat session, I replied to the children’s
answers by saying either good or ok. Next lesson, I will ensure to reply in an
enthusiastic manner with variations of words. This will motivate the children to be
engaged in the learning process.

I then asked the children to go through the sight words on the wall with me. There
are about 20 words that the children needed to go through. Next time I do this
activity, I will ensure that I choose different types of children to reply. For example, I
will choose the children who are wearing jumpers to say the sight words out loud.

The children then completed a range of activities. I explained these activities in a
firm and strong voice that allowed the children to understand the activities and what
was expected of them. I then transitioned the children to these activities by asking
them to put their hand up when I called an activity out. One of the children said that
they did not want to complete an activity. I then told the children that they needed
to complete all of the activities.

During the mat session, some of the children were quite fidgety. I was not able to
control these children, as I was not as firm with them. Next lesson I will ensure that I
am more firm and strong with each child on the mat. I will also ensure that all of the
children are in my view. This is due to one of the children being positioned behind
the table so that I could not see him. This position allowed the child to be distracted
and not engaged with the lesson.

For my activity, the children were required to find words that rhyme with pig. They
were then asked to cut these words out and glue them in the circles. Once the
children finished, they were then required to colour in their work. For this activity,
the main objective was, identifies words that rhyme with pig. Most of the children
were able to meet this objective. However, I need to ensure that I mark the
children’s work as they complete the activity. I also need to ensure that I write
anecdotal notes and provide a checklist with more detail on the children’s ability.

At the end of this lesson, I asked the children to pack away. Unfortunately I lost track
of time and they were not able to pack away properly. This therefor resulted in the
children leaving for recess late. In future, I will finish my lesson at 10:20 so that the
children have enough time to pack away and sit on the mat quietly.