Putting my findings to Practice.

I have currently took over some teaching classes for a friend of mine as she is on maternity leave. There are three classes which I teach, which are free based classes all of the young age group two to five years old. From my research there are some teaching points that stood out to me that I felt I would like to incorporate into my classes to see how the outcome develops.

 

The first point I wanted to add into my lesson was ‘encouraging the children to think for themselves’ this had came up in my interviews as they stated they liked to encourage creativity and also if the children had an idea themselves to peruse it as it was something the children where interested in and would focus on. In my classes I tend to do a  miming game with the children where I suggest we go to the beach or the forest. So with this exercise I decided to let the children develop this and see where there imaginations wanted to take them. I allowed them to pick the location, This time we went to a magical fairy land. Then let each child add a description about the land as we ‘walked through it’ This exercised worked out well, the children were really engaged and excited about the exercise and wanted to continue it on for much longer. This is something that I will now continue to develop in my future lessons as I feel it is helping stimulate the children’s minds as well as there body’s

 

The next teaching method I used in my classes but felt I could use it in more productive ways. This is the use of props. I use musical instruments in my lessons to tap along to rhythms but from my research I feel I could take this further. Two of my interviewees suggested props to grab the children’s attention when the class was becoming tired or distracted or to better explain something. I chose to put both of these together by using some scarves as props. They were a new addition to the class and brightly colored so immediately the children were interested and I had there attention. I then used the scarves so they would help the children over exaggerate the movement and fully stretch it out. For example I suggested waving them from side to side, making big circles with the scarfs. We even did some throwing and catching of the scarves so children could work on there coordination skills, and we even did a fun ‘cleaning of the room’ activity which aloud the children to use there imaginations also.

 

The final point I wanted to add to my lessons was the parental involvement. I had to think about this as these classes are not my own so I did not want to come in change everything and disrupt the balance within the classroom. I spoke to the teacher I had took over from and made a suggestions. As it is the run up to Christmas I would like to invite the parents to come into the classroom during the last lesson so that they can watch the class and see what the children have learnt. Another way I decided to bring the parents more involved with my lessons is linked with the point above. Props. I gave a suggestion at the end of the lesson this week of a Christmas tree prop as we are beginning the run up to Christmas I have decided to make my lessons Christmas themed with mimes and little dances and decided to bring a bare Christmas tree to the lesson so the children can hang there Christmas tree prop on it at the end. The prop could be something the parents have made with the children or bought, but I thought adding this helps the lesson carry on outside of the classroom and makes the parents feel more involved. I hope!

 I will blog the outcome of this next week.

 

Update

Today i have spent the morning catching up on peoples blogs and taking inspiration from them. The first one i have taken inspiration from is Sarahs Blog

As you can see. I enjoy the way she documents ‘where she currently is and what she has achieved and what she has left to do. I find this useful as it gives you a visual on what you have overcome, the achievements you have made and where you need to go next.

So here is my update.

-i have compleated and wrote up all my interviews.

-Some interviews because of time restrains i was not able to take place so i would like to dcument some thoughts on this and how it affected my artifact.

-i have gathered my literature and information from there.

-i feel further expansion could be done on my literatures.

-my artifact ideas are starting to come forward, as you can see in my Artifact Blog

-i need to break this down to start to develop the idea. 

–will it be photos or pictures involved, how to make it accessible to both parents and teachers. Ect.

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Another blog i took inspiration from was Emilys blog

Here i like the way she stated that instead of using the feedback she has had now and re-edit her inquiry, to keep side notes and to edit her inquiry later on as it is an ongoing process. I want to take this information and use it myself. I have flew out to italy to be with my partner for a few days so i really wanted to get the basis, (very basic ) draft down onto paper, before i left so i felt i had achieved something, and compleated a chapter so to speak. Now having done this from reading blogs and continuing into my research whilst i am here i ama ready seeing things that i want to add in and edit or explain and develop things further.So i have decided to keep a seperate document of the things i want to change, add into my inquiry or expand upong, so when i go back to editing and finalising my work i have easy access to the information i want to change.  A first edition of my development doc can be seen here;

Additions, Edits, Explanations

So thanks for the inspiration guys and keep blogging J.

Continuing on

I finally feel as if things are commingle together, my interviews are competed with my notes wrote up providing me with the information I need to co-inside with my literature findings and I am beginning to piece together my written frame work.

However I have had a mind blank of how to quote and reference my interviewees any help n this would be much appreciated.

Thoughts about my artifact seem to be forming now also.

Being a teacher myself i thought of ways of how i would like the information easily presented and accesible to me. My first thought was with all the technology and social networking i would like to make my artifact an app, a sort of how too app, offering useful tips and sharing ideas with people. (however i then remembered i am not that technical so had a rethink and maybe one day.) so instead i decided i would like to make my artifact a two parter a hardcopy and a virtual copy. For the hard copy i would like it to be a booklet offering ten key tips and teaching methods i have came across the most in my research and that i feel are valued the most. The current working title would be something like......ten tips for teaching tots. I would then like to make the virtual copy as a similar set up, in slide format prehaps that can be downloaded and easily accessed on phones for people on move and so they can have access to it atany point and anywhere.

I hope to continue on with this progress.