MadisonMancini

WeeklyReflection
1

Whatwentwell?
Mondaywasatypicaldayinkindergarten.Iranpreassessmentsandleadateacherselected
lesson.WednesdayisadayIwouldratherhighlightinthisreflection.Ireceivedanemail
TuesdayfrommymentorteacherthatshewouldnotbeinclassonWednesdayandtherewould
beasubstitute.SheaskedthatIprettymuchleadtheclass,sinceIknewtheroutineandwas
familiarwiththestudents.WhenIarrivedinclassonWednesdayIwasallalone.Nosubstitute
evercame.ForthefirstthirtyminutesofclassIwelcomedtheclass,didthecalendar,saidthe
pledgeandwasflyingsolo.Thentheparaeducatorarrived.Mrs.Bisanaidtooneofthestudents
andishelpfultintheclassroominotherwaysaswell.Herarrivalhelpedmemaintainclassroom
managementwithsomeofthemorelivelystudents.StillasleadteacherIleadtheclassthrough
alltheirlessons.Nosubstituteeverarrived.Ihavequestionsonthelegalityofthathappening.
Whatwouldhavehappenediftherewasntasuperawesomeandcapableseniorpracticum
studentthere?Allinallitwasthebestdayofmyteachingcareer.Itwasfunandexcitingandwas
nochallengeatall.Thisexperiencebrightenedmyeyestoteachingalloveragain.
2.WhatdidIlearnaboutplanning?
Mondaywasabreezeleadingalessonandcollectingdataonmypreassessmentformyunit.I
wasabletofindtheareasortheholesintheknowledgeofthestudents.Manystudentsknowthe
purposeoftheirbodypartsbuttheydontknowhowtheyrelatetothesenses.Iplantoteach
associationofwhatthesenseareusedforandwordtodescribestatesofmatter.Thisplanisbased
onthepreassessmentoutcomes.
3.WhatdidIlearnaboutteaching?
IwassoloteachingonWednesdaybecausemyteacherwasoutandnosubstituteeverarrived.I
havereflectedbeforeaboutroutine,whichwasmysavinggrace.Therefore,Iwillreflectonthe
importanceofclassroommanagement.BythisImeanthatthereneedstobeorganizationand
disciplineinlinetohaveasuccessfuldayofkindergarten.IwasfortunatethatIdidnothaveto
reprimandanychildrenonWednesday,butIbelievethatthiswasbecauseofmyclassroom
managementskillstopreventbehaviorsfromhappening.Forexample,wehaveastudentwhois
constantlyofftaskandhasauthoritativeinstructiondisorder,meaninghedoesntlistentothe
teacher.Asthesubstitute,Ihadtokeepmyeyeonthischildallday.Atonepointtherewasa
guestspeakerwhocametotheclassroomandspoketothechildrenfor25minutesafterten
minutestheonetroublemakerwaslyingdownandkickinghisneighbor.Hehadbeengoodthe
wholedaywithmeandnothadanoutburstofdisruptionsoItoldhimifhewantedtoliedownhe
couldgotothesilentreadingareabuthehadtoreturntothematwhenthespeakerfinished.The
childisnottypicallygrantedpermissiontodothis,hiseyeslitupandheagreed.Thiswasexactly
whatthechildneededtohelphim1)followdirectionsand2)notdisrupttheclass.Iwenttohim
attheendofthespeakerstalkandIremindedhimthatheneededtogobacktothemat.Ionlyhad
tosayitonetimeandheobeyed,whichisalsouncommonforthischild.Innovationchangedthe
reactionofthischild.
4.Whatdidmystudentslearn?HowdoIknowtheylearned?
IsurehopemystudentslearnedwhatItaughtthem.Itaughtseverallessonsthisweekbeingin

chargeforonewholeday.Whileteachingtheletter,whichisthelessonIhavebeenteaching
regularly,Itaughtthelettery.IhaveworkedoutaroutineinwhichIshowtheletter,saythe
letter,drawtheletter,havethestudentsskywritetheletter,andthenthestudentscomeuptwoat
atimeandwritetheletterontheboard.Igivethemfeedbackandallowthemtotryagainifneed
beorsendthemtoworkontheirletterwritingworksheet.Itravelaroundtheclassroomandcircle
thestudentsbestwritteny,andtellthemtomakemorelikethat.IfIseeachildthatneeds
additionalhelpIprovideit.
5.HowdidIteachbythespiritand/ormodelChristthemasterteacher?
Ialwayspray,andthisweekIsaidonebigprayeronWednesday.InadditiontoprayerIshowed
myloveandkindnesstoallthestudentsandanoutpouringofkindnesstothosewhoneeditmost.
Thisisnotthosewhoaremostdeserving,thosewhoneeditmosttendtobetheonesthatarethe
mostdisruptive.Itreatthemwiththeutmostloveandrespect.Iamgracioustothemthatthey
mightrespectmeinreturn.
6.WhatimprovementswillImakeinanefforttobemoreeffectivewiththisspecificgroupor
classofstudents?(Yourgoalfornextweek.)
WhileleadingtheclosingcircleandpackinguproutineInoticedthereidstillsomeflaws.Itwas
agoalofminebeforetohelpwiththisareaandIamgoingtoreinstatemygoalofassistingand
creatingasmootherpackuptransition.