These past two weeks have been non stop go, but in a good way. I am up to my ears in lesson planning, classroom management requirements, and figuring out how to instruct with a more hands on, interactive, and cross-curricular integration approach. (Reggio Emilia, in a nutshell)
So far, I have learned that lesson planning really DOES help. As does physically writing on top of my plans, rewriting, rehearsing, and re-rehearsing. (And maybe writing and rehearsing on top of them all again).
Flexibility is a must. Especially when you create an art lesson intending to introduce colour theory to students, and you find out that not only do they not know which colours mix to create a secondary colour (orange was a foreign concept to them) but you realize the five minutes you had for assessment of prior knowledge actually turns into a half hour lesson on primary and secondary colours. (But hey; I now have less planning to do for my next lesson, as I can now continue from where I left off.)
I learning that you can't talk over students; as soon as you finish explaining, I can guarantee they'll be the first ones to have their hands up asking what we're supposed to be doing.
Mistakes will happen. So far, I've managed to completely bomb a social lesson (iPads and the national anthems of India and Peru are apparently the most hilarious concepts ever to grade three students). As awful as some of these mistakes will be, it is better to experience it and know how to adapt my lesson planning, as opposed to not experiencing it until I'm further down the road, and having a mini panic attack because I don't know how to handle it. I for one remember the bare minimum from grade three, so chances are, my students are going to remember just as much.
I have a LONG way to come. (So long. Sooo so long. The light at the end of the tunnel is a very dull flickering right now) but I know that with practice, I will get better. I have and will continue to learn from my mistakes. I will find a way to translate those wordy SLO's into learning objectives. I will find a way to differentiate my teaching strategies and as many learning styles and levels as I can. And I will continue to try and make this as engaging and exciting for the students as I can.
So far, I have learned that lesson planning really DOES help. As does physically writing on top of my plans, rewriting, rehearsing, and re-rehearsing. (And maybe writing and rehearsing on top of them all again).
Flexibility is a must. Especially when you create an art lesson intending to introduce colour theory to students, and you find out that not only do they not know which colours mix to create a secondary colour (orange was a foreign concept to them) but you realize the five minutes you had for assessment of prior knowledge actually turns into a half hour lesson on primary and secondary colours. (But hey; I now have less planning to do for my next lesson, as I can now continue from where I left off.)
I learning that you can't talk over students; as soon as you finish explaining, I can guarantee they'll be the first ones to have their hands up asking what we're supposed to be doing.
Mistakes will happen. So far, I've managed to completely bomb a social lesson (iPads and the national anthems of India and Peru are apparently the most hilarious concepts ever to grade three students). As awful as some of these mistakes will be, it is better to experience it and know how to adapt my lesson planning, as opposed to not experiencing it until I'm further down the road, and having a mini panic attack because I don't know how to handle it. I for one remember the bare minimum from grade three, so chances are, my students are going to remember just as much.
I have a LONG way to come. (So long. Sooo so long. The light at the end of the tunnel is a very dull flickering right now) but I know that with practice, I will get better. I have and will continue to learn from my mistakes. I will find a way to translate those wordy SLO's into learning objectives. I will find a way to differentiate my teaching strategies and as many learning styles and levels as I can. And I will continue to try and make this as engaging and exciting for the students as I can.
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