Getting back into the swing of things at Marymount was not too difficult. The children started off the day on Wednesday the same way that they do every day, they were able to choose from an art activity, playing with cars, coloring, play-doh or water play. Then we did morning meeting and I am amazed at how well the children do with days of the week and their morning songs. Even though they do not speak much English (if any at all) they all sing along and understand everything that the teacher says to them. It really is amazing that these three year olds are fluent in Italian and can understand English. Even though it has created some issues for me with communication. I am very impressed at what these kids are able to absorb. For example, one of the classrooms sings a song every morning which incorporates six or seven different languages into one song. Then the children go around and say "Good Morning" to the child next to them in whatever language they choose. That is a great way to incorporate diversity in the classroom and make you, as the educator, be more globally competent.
During music class I observed how important structure is for three year olds. There was a substitute music teacher and she was very nice but was a little frazzled and the children definitely picked up on it. They are hard to handle sometimes but having to keep looking at her notes on top of not knowing the songs and handing out the instruments too early, it was a bit chaotic to say the least. Things worked out though. Ms. Claire stepped in and after that point the children were much more attentive to her.
Lunch on Wednesday and Thursday was especially crazy. The kids were very hyper and it was quite a tiring time. I have mastered the lunch chart and even had a chance to sit and talk to some of the kids while they were eating lunch. Even though it is often overlooked, mealtime is a great time to interact with students. It is a low stress time for the children and you can simply enjoy the company of one another.
As always the children spent a portion of the day outside. I do not think that I have ever been in a classroom that spends so much time outside but having learned so much about the power of play in my last few courses at JMU I think that it is great. The kids are talking to each other, exploring nature, jumping, running, climbing, pouring, digging, the list is literally endless. They work on fine motor skills, cognitive skills, social skills, and gross motor skills. Ms. Claire was even telling me that a month earlier they had found a frog outside and that sparked an entire unit on life cycles. Sometimes the best ideas come to you in unexpected ways. Children are much more receptive to learning when it is relevant to their lives and finding a frog in the garden is a perfect example of that.
I am definitely in a new environment and I am having to adapt how I interact and communicate because they do not speak English. I am having to work much harder but I feel that I am gaining their trust and that is a great feeling! Communication is so vital to the running of a classroom and working with these English Language Learners has given me some inspiration on the topic for my Inquiry Project.
During music class I observed how important structure is for three year olds. There was a substitute music teacher and she was very nice but was a little frazzled and the children definitely picked up on it. They are hard to handle sometimes but having to keep looking at her notes on top of not knowing the songs and handing out the instruments too early, it was a bit chaotic to say the least. Things worked out though. Ms. Claire stepped in and after that point the children were much more attentive to her.
Lunch on Wednesday and Thursday was especially crazy. The kids were very hyper and it was quite a tiring time. I have mastered the lunch chart and even had a chance to sit and talk to some of the kids while they were eating lunch. Even though it is often overlooked, mealtime is a great time to interact with students. It is a low stress time for the children and you can simply enjoy the company of one another.
As always the children spent a portion of the day outside. I do not think that I have ever been in a classroom that spends so much time outside but having learned so much about the power of play in my last few courses at JMU I think that it is great. The kids are talking to each other, exploring nature, jumping, running, climbing, pouring, digging, the list is literally endless. They work on fine motor skills, cognitive skills, social skills, and gross motor skills. Ms. Claire was even telling me that a month earlier they had found a frog outside and that sparked an entire unit on life cycles. Sometimes the best ideas come to you in unexpected ways. Children are much more receptive to learning when it is relevant to their lives and finding a frog in the garden is a perfect example of that.
I am definitely in a new environment and I am having to adapt how I interact and communicate because they do not speak English. I am having to work much harder but I feel that I am gaining their trust and that is a great feeling! Communication is so vital to the running of a classroom and working with these English Language Learners has given me some inspiration on the topic for my Inquiry Project.
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