Well, thankfully my mentor approved happily of my literacy medium term plans. Hurrah. She says that, all going well, she'll keep them to teach from next year, which is a weird feeling!
I've been playing around with them for ages, but I reckon in the future I won't get much chance to just happily mess around with plans, because I'll be too busy!
I'm also spending loads of time finding resources for children's self assessment (traffic light fans etc) and I'm finding exciting words to go around my 'Poet-Tree' display, to inspire my budding poets.
Monday is Inset day and I'll be setting up for tuesday (lots of photocopying, putting up display etc) and I have to take my folders in for my mentor to look at and sign off...I left my paperwork for the last couple of weeks while I was in school more. What a mistake! I keep thinking I've got it all filed when I find another piece, or something else that I need to do!
Lesson learnt: file paperwork at LEAST once a week, if not every night!!
Next week I'm teaching 2 literacy lessons, the week after, three literacy and three or four numeracy, week after - about the same and also double science (and possibly covering for my teacher when she's on a course), and the week after that - same as above and a foundation subject. It's all getting serious now!
Saturday, 27 October 2007
Tuesday, 23 October 2007
Half term at last!
Well, last week I taught some more maths starters - I hate maths and get just as nervous for a 10 minute starter as I do for a full hours literacy!!
Mind you, I'm surprised how quickly I got over the nervousness of teaching and how quickly I take on board advice and manage to slip it into my teaching. The first lesson I forgot positive correction, the next lesson I remembered that but the plenary was rushed...hopefully the next plenary will be better but doubtless they'll be something else I need to work on!
This half term I'm doing the medium term plan for literacy taking us all the way up to christmas. I'm excited about that as english is my 'thing'.
It's poetry and I'm having fun messing about with working out how to progress the kids over several weeks. It's taking ages, but I'm having to work out how to reference NLS strands etc. I guess it'll be quicker next time, and the time after that!
I've also planned the first two lessons, so I hope my mentor like the plan when I show her on thursday!
I covered for my mentor (with another supply teacher) at the end of last week and the kids were great (or I was!). They managed to work in silence for me during the spelling test! Woohoo!
Mind you, I'm surprised how quickly I got over the nervousness of teaching and how quickly I take on board advice and manage to slip it into my teaching. The first lesson I forgot positive correction, the next lesson I remembered that but the plenary was rushed...hopefully the next plenary will be better but doubtless they'll be something else I need to work on!
This half term I'm doing the medium term plan for literacy taking us all the way up to christmas. I'm excited about that as english is my 'thing'.
It's poetry and I'm having fun messing about with working out how to progress the kids over several weeks. It's taking ages, but I'm having to work out how to reference NLS strands etc. I guess it'll be quicker next time, and the time after that!
I've also planned the first two lessons, so I hope my mentor like the plan when I show her on thursday!
I covered for my mentor (with another supply teacher) at the end of last week and the kids were great (or I was!). They managed to work in silence for me during the spelling test! Woohoo!
Monday, 15 October 2007
Woohoo!!
I taught my first literacy lesson today and my mentor said she was 'impressed'!!! Hurrah!
Feeling totally chuffed.
I was so much more relaxed this time, I remembered positve correction - which really works - and I felt much more in control.
I'd asked my mentor to properly observe with a focus on behaviour management and she said that there were a few nitpicks, but mostly children doing things that they'd do for her too, and that I'd managed the kids well, brining them back from misbehaving without any problems.
Hooray!!!!!!!!
Feeling totally chuffed.
I was so much more relaxed this time, I remembered positve correction - which really works - and I felt much more in control.
I'd asked my mentor to properly observe with a focus on behaviour management and she said that there were a few nitpicks, but mostly children doing things that they'd do for her too, and that I'd managed the kids well, brining them back from misbehaving without any problems.
Hooray!!!!!!!!
Saturday, 13 October 2007
First lesson....
...My god, how stressful!!
Enjoyable, in it's own way, but stressful.
The maths starter was okayish, but the kids messed around a bit and, although my mentor had told me to be tough on the because they're that kind of class, I still didn't want to keep stopping and starting to tell off a couple of kids, so I kind of ploughed on. We were out in the playground counting up in fives by flashing the fingers on our hands, and a couple of boys were messing around. On reflection I should have stopped, refused to carry on until they calmed down, given out warnings and moved one of them next to me or the teacher. Stopping too often, I guess, made me feel like it wasn't going well, so I didn't, but I really needed to.
If I don't get bahviour under control, the lessons will never get learnt.
I started doing a thing where I clap out a tune and then they have to copy. It sort of worked, shut them up and got their attention, but needs some practice.
The PSHE lesson - nealr a whole hour, went surprisingly well for a first lesson, and barely thought through, if I'm honest!
About the only real problems were the general noise level - although work was being done, and I forgot the plenary completely! Apart from that it was okay.
I was so stressed and knackered that I spent the night feeling tearful and dwelling on the bad bits, but then had a chat to my mentor about it the next day and she said that background noise level was really a matter of preference, so something to work on but not too much to worry about, and that generally she was pleased.
She reminded me to do positive correction - table ticks for the quietest table, and stars for good workers, as well as shushing them and saying they are working too loudly.
Felt much more confident on friday, but am generally tired out by now. It's hard work, even when you're just observing and working with groups!
Teaching my first literacy lesson tomorrow and have spent all evening planning and peeing around with worksheets and IWB things, sorting out WALTs and WILFs and stuff.
Looking forward to that lesson.
Doing all maths starters next week, and covering, or helping to cover, lessons on friday.
Very much in the deep end, everything is out of my comfort zone, so very stressful, but learning quickly!
Enjoying it so far. Occasionally wondering if I can keep it up, or if I want to keep working this hard, but no where near close to quitting yet. I'll just be glad to get a few more lessons under my belt and hopefully get the crowd under control!
Enjoyable, in it's own way, but stressful.
The maths starter was okayish, but the kids messed around a bit and, although my mentor had told me to be tough on the because they're that kind of class, I still didn't want to keep stopping and starting to tell off a couple of kids, so I kind of ploughed on. We were out in the playground counting up in fives by flashing the fingers on our hands, and a couple of boys were messing around. On reflection I should have stopped, refused to carry on until they calmed down, given out warnings and moved one of them next to me or the teacher. Stopping too often, I guess, made me feel like it wasn't going well, so I didn't, but I really needed to.
If I don't get bahviour under control, the lessons will never get learnt.
I started doing a thing where I clap out a tune and then they have to copy. It sort of worked, shut them up and got their attention, but needs some practice.
The PSHE lesson - nealr a whole hour, went surprisingly well for a first lesson, and barely thought through, if I'm honest!
About the only real problems were the general noise level - although work was being done, and I forgot the plenary completely! Apart from that it was okay.
I was so stressed and knackered that I spent the night feeling tearful and dwelling on the bad bits, but then had a chat to my mentor about it the next day and she said that background noise level was really a matter of preference, so something to work on but not too much to worry about, and that generally she was pleased.
She reminded me to do positive correction - table ticks for the quietest table, and stars for good workers, as well as shushing them and saying they are working too loudly.
Felt much more confident on friday, but am generally tired out by now. It's hard work, even when you're just observing and working with groups!
Teaching my first literacy lesson tomorrow and have spent all evening planning and peeing around with worksheets and IWB things, sorting out WALTs and WILFs and stuff.
Looking forward to that lesson.
Doing all maths starters next week, and covering, or helping to cover, lessons on friday.
Very much in the deep end, everything is out of my comfort zone, so very stressful, but learning quickly!
Enjoying it so far. Occasionally wondering if I can keep it up, or if I want to keep working this hard, but no where near close to quitting yet. I'll just be glad to get a few more lessons under my belt and hopefully get the crowd under control!
Tuesday, 9 October 2007
Phew!
Well, time flies when you're outragously busy!
I've been to a few lectures, finished my presentations and I'm now in school full time until half term (2 weeks).
I'm teaching my first maths starter on thursday, and teaching a full (35mins) PSHE lesson then too. I've got the teacher's planning for both but have adapted them for my own 'style' - gosh, don't I sound like I know what I'm doing!
Feeling comfortable in class now, and have finally remembered all the kids names, mostly thanks to having a class photo emailed to me over the weekend and writing their names on it, and doing things like Strawberry Sophie (she has strawberry blonde hair) while staring at the face. Also Long Lucy (long hair - I get her mixed up with a short haired girl), and Umbrella Ella - don't know why it worked, but it did!!
I'm happy and confident reading in front of the kids and that's made me feel pretty confident about starting teaching. When asked today 'how about you teach PSHE on thursday (day after tomorrow) I was just like 'okay, fine. I can do that!'
Enjoying myself, and I get a hand drawn bookmark from one of the girls today, which was lovely!
I've been to a few lectures, finished my presentations and I'm now in school full time until half term (2 weeks).
I'm teaching my first maths starter on thursday, and teaching a full (35mins) PSHE lesson then too. I've got the teacher's planning for both but have adapted them for my own 'style' - gosh, don't I sound like I know what I'm doing!
Feeling comfortable in class now, and have finally remembered all the kids names, mostly thanks to having a class photo emailed to me over the weekend and writing their names on it, and doing things like Strawberry Sophie (she has strawberry blonde hair) while staring at the face. Also Long Lucy (long hair - I get her mixed up with a short haired girl), and Umbrella Ella - don't know why it worked, but it did!!
I'm happy and confident reading in front of the kids and that's made me feel pretty confident about starting teaching. When asked today 'how about you teach PSHE on thursday (day after tomorrow) I was just like 'okay, fine. I can do that!'
Enjoying myself, and I get a hand drawn bookmark from one of the girls today, which was lovely!
Tuesday, 2 October 2007
Another nice week.
Took the class again for more of the story that we read last week.
My mentor mentioned that she read some but I hadn't marked which page I got to in my relief at it all going well!!
It all went well but I'm still forgetting names since I'm only in class monday and tuesday.
Two boys kept giggling and fidgeting at the back and I had to move one, which my teacher complimented me on doing at the end. She also said I was a 'natural storyteller' which was lovely!
This week I moved the kids from mat to tables (it was end of day and they needed to collect their bookbags from their trays and sit back at their table). I chose a child and said ‘Ellie’s table go and get bookbags and go to your table’ but then found the kids nearest the bookbag drawers got stepped on! Next time will move children nearest to drawers (‘you 1,2,3,4,5 get your bags’) so the way is clear for the rest. Was a bit of chaos, and need to implement my own quieting technique before the next time. I think I'll use clapping a rhythm that they have to copy. Also will watch the Teacher’s TV episode on transitions.
Very happy though. Got to play with the IWB during the after school club, and that was good too!
Enjoying everything so far, now that my panic is over.
My mentor mentioned that she read some but I hadn't marked which page I got to in my relief at it all going well!!
It all went well but I'm still forgetting names since I'm only in class monday and tuesday.
Two boys kept giggling and fidgeting at the back and I had to move one, which my teacher complimented me on doing at the end. She also said I was a 'natural storyteller' which was lovely!
This week I moved the kids from mat to tables (it was end of day and they needed to collect their bookbags from their trays and sit back at their table). I chose a child and said ‘Ellie’s table go and get bookbags and go to your table’ but then found the kids nearest the bookbag drawers got stepped on! Next time will move children nearest to drawers (‘you 1,2,3,4,5 get your bags’) so the way is clear for the rest. Was a bit of chaos, and need to implement my own quieting technique before the next time. I think I'll use clapping a rhythm that they have to copy. Also will watch the Teacher’s TV episode on transitions.
Very happy though. Got to play with the IWB during the after school club, and that was good too!
Enjoying everything so far, now that my panic is over.
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