domenicateaches-blog

[domenicateaches-blog]

Ecosystem Soda Bottle Project

This “soda bottle ecosystem” project was something I actually did when I was in elementary school. It was one of my favorite memories from elementary school because it was so interesting to watch my own homemade ecosystem grow. My class started by cutting a soda bottle and then by filling the top portion with soil and the bottom with rocks, seaweed, and water. We then put in fish and snail eggs and had the opportunity to watch everything grow. This was such a simple project and I still remember it to this day. This is definitely something I would want to do in my future classroom. It could be incorporated into a lesson about a life cycle or different ecosystems!

[domenicateaches-blog]

Getting Children Involved

In every classroom, there are always going to be children who are more outgoing than others. That latter group, the children on the shyer side, may have trouble opening up. Especially in larger classrooms, it can be intimidating for children to come out of their comfort zone right away. It is always important to not push these children right out of their comfort zones but to encourage them to want to step out of it on their own. Setting up a welcoming environment can change a student’s perspective on school and help them become a more outgoing child. 

[domenicateaches-blog]

The Importance of Early Childhood Education

Early Childhood Education lies the foundation of schooling for young children. As shown above, there are also numerous reasons why children should attend preschool or at least receive a beneficial early childhood education. 

Growing up, I knew some of my friends did not attend preschool and this always made me think. Of course a lot of time spent in preschool is spent coloring or playing games, but there is also so much learning going on throughout these developmental stages. Even if children are just surrounded by kids their own age, I think it is extremely important for them to gain this experience. The long term benefits of receiving an early childhood education last a child a lifetime and every child should have that opportunity.

[domenicateaches-blog]

Gender Roles in the Classroom

Throughout psychology and numerous education classes I have taken throughout my past three years as an Education major, a lot of things my teachers have discussed involve gender roles in the classroom. Going along with this topic, something I found really interesting is the fact that teachers tend to favor female students. They sometimes give them more attention, and a different kind of attention at that. Teachers, and even parents, tend to give boys a mentality that they need to be tough. In other words, they teach them that boys don’t cry. In reality, when dealing with students who are as young as 3 years old, it is completely normal for them to cry. Teachers also tend to stop little girls from running or tell them to “act like a young lady.” 

I think it is important for teachers to always keep in mind the words they use and the long term effects it could have on a student. It is also important not to enforce gender roles on a student because that limits what he or she thinks they will be able t do in the future. 

[domenicateaches-blog]

Language Barrier

This semester, I was placed in a predominately Spanish speaking school district to do field observations. My biggest fear was that when I taught lessons, the students would not be interested in what I was going to say because they would not understand what I was saying. I also feared I would not be able to help students because I would not know how to properly communicate with them. However, I quickly realized that a lot of the students were bilingual -- something that really surprised me because they were only about 4 or 5 years old. A lot of these students that were bilingual actually served as translators for those that were not. Watching the teachers interact with students made me realize how important it is to understand a language other than your own. Even if I may not become fluent in another language, I could always learn simple phrases before going into a classroom in order to communicate and connect with students better.

[domenicateaches-blog]

Computers in the Classroom

Websites like PBSKids and NickJr offer educational games for children to play. Although these are educational games, the websites also offer other games that may not be so educational. After observing classrooms, a lot of teachers let their students on these websites during free time. However, so many of these students get distracted with the other games and often end up getting yelled at. Or, the teacher does not notice until it is too late and the student spends a whole class period playing on the computer, instead of actually learning. I think websites like this are great to use, but students need to be closely monitored while they use them. Other than that, these are very beneficial websites.

[domenicateaches-blog]

Spatial Classrooms

The way a classroom is set up says so much about the learning going on in the classroom. A messy classroom sets off a vibe that the learning is all over the place while a tidy classroom shows a teacher is organized and is on top of his or her job. An organized classroom also shows students what they will be doing. Having an open space allows students to freely move around the classroom and not be confined to one area. Having books around the classroom and educational games show visitors what happens in the classroom and what is valued by the students.

[domenicateaches-blog]

Bringing Stories to Life

Growing up, I always loved reading. However, I know not every child shared this same interest. Especially in the technology-ran world we live in today, I think a lot of children forget how important reading is and would rather spend their time behind a computer screen or in front of a TV. However, I think a large reason why I loved reading so much was because my teachers would always make stories come to life. I loved reading stories in class rather than at home and I especially loved putting on plays that my class would put together from stories we would read. I think this helped get the class more engaged in the story and would also help with reading comprehension. Having the story come to life meant the class would visualize the story and have a better understanding of what was going on. It also made reading fun and there was never a dull moment in the classroom. As an aspiring teacher, this is definitely something I would want to incorporate in my future classroom. There have been so many great ideas I can remember from my own schooling that I would love to use in my own classroom one day. 

[domenicateaches-blog]

Free Food in the Classroom

While observing classrooms over the past two semesters, one of the first things I realized was that both of the schools I observed at, offered students a free breakfast and lunch option. This surprised me because it was something I was completely unaware of. This was also something that never happened in my schools when I was younger. However, I think it is a great option for students to have. Not every student goes home to a home cooked meal or wakes up to a balanced breakfast. These are all things to keep in mind as a teacher. A student’s life at school or what may be expected does not fully reflect how that student is in school.

[domenicateaches-blog]

Cooperative Learning

After observing classrooms, something that really stood out to me was how much emphasis my cooperating teachers put on cooperative learning. They especially emphasized this when it came to doing simple tasks like opening food packages or tying their shoes. When a student would ask my cooperating teacher for help, she would reply “ask one of your friend to show you how to do it.” Therefore, not only was one child able to show that he or she could do it, but it allowed them to help another student and show the importance of helping one another. The teacher would also first recommend that the child try to do it themselves. This surprised me because I am always so quick to help a child out right away. However, my teacher explained that she really wanted her students to gain a sense of independence. She also explained that eventually these children will be going on to Kindergarten and beyond, where their future teachers will not have as much one-on-one interaction. Although I never really thought of this on my own, I completely agree that this helps students become more independent. It could also open them up to talking to other students. These are all things I would like to enforce in my future classroom!

[domenicateaches-blog]

As an aspiring teacher, this is one of my favorite quotes. It is so easy to lose sight of why people do what they do, but as a teacher you need to remember that the #1 skill to have is passion. Without passion, it is impossible to be an effective teacher.

[domenicateaches-blog]

Tips for respecting children’s spaces, competence, and general existence from a preschool teacher:

Listen to them

Ask them, “Do you want to say hi to your auntie/grandma/cousin/dad/whatevs” (Hint: they will be honest and this can result in a simple hello or a hug or a silly “No!” depending how comfortable they feel)

If they don’t want to hug you realize it’s not that they don’t love you it’s that they don’t know you/don’t feel like hugging.

Just like every other person who doesn’t want a hug

In the event that you need to move a child EXPLAIN TO THEM WHY and WHAT YOU ARE DOING don’t just move them like PROPS they are CHILDREN and NOT props

For instance, “I’m going to move your chair over so we have room at the table for everyone!”

Or  “Sorry there was a person running by I didn’t want you to get smushed so I had to pick you up!”

Remind them that they are people not objects using your actions

Asking children to do something they don’t want to do but NEED to do often doesn’t work, instead give them a choice, “Do you want to eat bok choy or yams?”

NOT “Do you want to eat your vegetables?”

“Do you want to brush your teeth in the bathroom or the kitchen”

This exercises their ever-growing free will and is especially useful during TERRIFIC TWOS okay TERRIFIC not TERRIBLE they’re TERRIFIC

Children will copy you, MODEL FOR THEM

Being over enthusiastic IS beneficial for them understanding emotional and social competence

“I hung this picture uneven, that makes me sad, hmmm! Oh goodie, I found my mistake! Now I can fix it, I’ll feel much happier when I’ve fixed it!”

You think it sounds ridic yeah well hearing you do that children around you just learned to not get so discouraged by their mistakes and that it’s okay to try to fix them

ADULTS CAN APOLOGIZE TO CHILDREN

You make a mistake that hurt a child, APOLOGIZE and show them how to do it properly and genuinely

Realize children are fully competent and are capable of making meanings from YOUR implications about race, culture, gender, ability, sexuality, EVERYTHING

Many three year olds know what the N-word is, what gay means, can identify which children are visably disabled, and YOUR REACTIONS of their answers of questions about their culture

Children like to talk about themselves so do not ever dismiss what they say about themselves as illegitimate just because it sounds silly or unlikely sometimes it’s true

Stop talking about how you hate children, just leave them alone if you don’t understand them you don’t have to be complete jerks to PEOPLE you’ve never met

I will post more and if people have question PLS ASK ME I WOULD LOVE TO ANSWER WHAT I KNOW

[domenicateaches-blog]

Starting my field observations last semester, my teacher advised my class that we should all start taking vitamins. With young kids come a lot of sicknesses and germs that they carry. I remember my teacher explaining how important it ws to try and stay healthy while surrounded by little kids.

When I start getting a sore throat three weeks into the new school year

[domenicateaches-blog]

Last semester, there was a boy in my observing classroom that always caused disruptions. He would speak without raising his hand, call things out, and make unnecessary comments. I watched my teacher struggle with him in her classroom every week. However, the one day he was absent, there was a completely different vibe in the classroom. My cooperating teacher’s reaction was exactly like this^. It made me realize that in my future classroom, there are probably always going to be students that I do not look forward to seeing. However, they will still be my students and I will put up with them regardless. 

When the out-of-control student is absent

I’m like:

[domenicateaches-blog]

This diagram really follows my previous post about children learning through play. This diagram shows the natural cycle of what happens when a child plays. He or she is curious and this curiosity eventually drives them into a confident child that feels capable of attempting the next challenge. This really just reiterates how important it is to allow children to play!

[domenicateaches-blog]

Establishing Classroom Rules

Something I have noticed in each classroom I have done observations in, is that each one always has a list of “classroom rules” somewhere in the room. After discussing this in a lot of my education classes, I have realized how important it is to establish rules in the beginning of the school year. Because I want to work with young children, I would want to simplify the rules as much as possible. I would also ask students what they thought would and wouldn’t be appropriate for the classroom and incorporate all of their ideas into the list. Establishing these rules in the very beginning of the school year would set a good example for students because they would know what is and isn’t acceptable in a classroom. This would also prepare them for their next few years of schooling, as most classrooms usually have similar rules.

[domenicateaches-blog]

15 Important Qualities of an Outstanding Preschool Teacher

Here are some qualities of an outstanding preschool teacher.

]http://bit.ly/2lnCNtI