PREX901: Week 1

 

 

I have just finished my first week of prac at a small Catholic school in rural New South Wales.  My class is a combined year 1 and 2 class with 23 students.  There are a range of students in the class, some with learning difficulties. 

 

They are a rowdy bunch of students and at times the class is loud and active which does require a range of various strategies to get their attention.  Counting down works well; the count gets their attention and they know at the end there will be a 'shhh' or a 'zip it' which they then attend to.  Sometimes the teacher claps a rhythm and the students listening repeat it, after 2 or 3 quick repeats of this the whole class is usually joining in and quiet.

 

I have taught some of the small groups in both reading and maths and I have read to the class and organised them for various activities.  I did a book review with each reading group using their PM readers which was a great activity as using the same template it was suitable for all the levels depending on their abilities.  My maths group was working with numbers 1-20.  We played 'teen memory', 'number before bingo', 'floor walking' and 'dot patterns'.  All pretty simple stuff, but challenging for this group of students.  I did plenty of marking to help my ST.

 

We had two WET and COLD days.  The children were stuck inside and it was CHAOS.  There is no multi-purpose hall so we split the children between two of the classrooms and watched them inside.  The noise level was frightening and the mess was mega to say the least.  That first wet day was the only time I have questioned my abilities to be in charge of a classroom!  Thankfully the next day was not wet, just very cold so we did get out to run and play tee-ball and things were much better.  Maybe everyone was too busy shivering to be rowdy!  We also had school photos on one day which did add to the confusion.  Next week will be a normal week, and hopefully without rain; I feel guilty wishing for no rain as the crops around here need it badly.

 

They are such wonderful children, if a bit of a handful at times.  I am ready for next Monday when I have more reading and maths activities as well as the whole class for science.  I have organised a 'water walk' where we talk about how water is used and then walk around the school with a map and plot the areas where water is found.  We are taking the iPads so we can take photos for the water word wall and their science journals.  The principal (my supervising teacher) looked over my lesson plan and said it was great. I can't wait!!