Classroom Reflections

 When thinking about class transitions, I think that is something that our class is still working on. When it's time to clean up and get ready for anything else, it seems to be a task for several students. My mentor and myself are finding that we need to remind children several times of the instructions that were given. I have hope for the class. They are in Kindergarten and still learning,  so it's my style to be a little more lenient with them, but I do find myself adopting my mentor's attitude of cracking down on them more.

When it comes to how the students relate with myself and my mentor, I do see some difference. It is kind of hard to explain, but they seem to be more "buddy buddy" with me right now. Not that they don't see me as a teacher, because they do. They don't walk all over me, but I think that I am more open in chatting with them so I have a little bit of a different relationship with them. I still have a good balance with them and am able to teach lessons and speak with them in more of a "teacher manner," while receiving back cooperation and participation (for the most part) from the students. 

Times during the day that are more challenging for the students would be the afternoons. Right now my mentor is trying to figure out a new way to restructure the afternoons. After lunch, most kids are tired and its hard to get good lessons and work in. This is also when it can become more chaotic in the classroom. For myself the end of the day is the most challenging, because the students are so tired. It can become a lot of watching behaviors and quieting kids down so my mentor can give lessons or read a book in circle time.
Strategies that we have tried have included: Free choice open work sessions, Teacher reads, and projects. These are things that students can relax and enjoy more then doing a lot of academics (but academics are not taken out of afternoons all together).
 

Professionalism

When I think of professionalism I think of someone who upholds to a high standard in their career or job. This includes their speech to how they dress. Their conduct with others to how they conduct themselves in their work. Showing respect to others and always keeping themselves away from situations that could cause them to lose their status or positive reputation.
I think that professionalism also is seen in the quality of the individual's work performance. Are they someone who others look to for advice or knowledge? A professional is an expert in their field and portrays those qualities. They adhere to ethics in the workplace and has a positive attitude while doing so.

2nd Week of Kindergarten!

So far I would say that school is going great for our students! After school one day, my mentor teacher read an email out loud to me which was from a parent simply saying thank you for making her daughter's first week of Kindergarten so wonderful! She expressed how she comes home so excited for school everyday. To me that means we are doing something right!
So the second week of school was a lot better now that the kids are beginning to understand the routine a little more of what is expected of them in the classroom and around the school. We are now introducing a little bit more of academics. We have done a lot of science so far and we started zoo phonics with the kids during week one. This week will be more focused on introducing separate lessons to individual students. I have been working with a couple students when I get a chance on letter sounds. I am already seeing progress and that is really exciting.
Last week I also began a art project with the kids. We have this old shelf that goes in the art area and when setting up the classroom my mentor teacher was thinking of getting rid of it, but I thought it might be nice and fun for the kids if we let them paint it. So the past couple of days I've taken groups of 3 outside where they were given the freedom to paint the shelf. That was a big hit in the class! The kids loved painting the shelf.
I have also done several read alouds in the class. The first book I read was, "King Bidgood's in the Bathtub" by Audrey Wood. We have also read and are continuing to do a drama during circle time with the kids of the book, "The Piggy in the Puddle."
Some literacy experiences that are in the classroom so far are:
-Songs with motions
-Drama
-Zoo phonics
-Alphabet puzzles
-Sand letters
-Hand writing without tears booklets
-Rhyming with objects
-Letters, sounds, and object matching