Video Reflection:
I really enjoyed watching the video of Sheila Owen’s
kindergarten classroom. There were so many times during the video that I could
relate what she was saying back to positive teaching practices we have learned
about in other courses. The focus in the classroom on the gradual release of
responsibility for reading and writing was a great example of how to scaffold
and make the learning more student centered as opposed to teacher centered. One
of the things I liked most that the teacher said was that she builds her
classroom based upon the needs of her students. This is such an important,
effective way to look at organizing the classroom. There were a lot of practices in Ms. Owen’s
class that I would like to incorporate into my own future classroom. When the
students were involved in the read aloud, before starting the book there was a
discussion so the students could make connections between what they already
knew and what they would be seeing in the book. Having a conversation
throughout the story allowed the students to remain engaged and provided an
opportunity to the teacher to check for understanding and comprehension. There was
also a great amount of opportunity for students to practice their reading and
writing even if it wasn’t time for language. From the world wall with letters
above and sight words below, to the learning centers modeled before they were
put out for use, Ms. Owen’s had a great grip on teaching language to her
students. The video was extremely informative and gave me a lot of great ideas
for the future!
"One of the things I liked most that the teacher said was that she builds her classroom based upon the needs of her students."
ReplyDeleteI agree that this is a critical aspect of fostering a positive learning environment within the classroom. There were several practices throughout the video that reflected this. I also walked away from the video with some ideas that I could take into the classroom or keep in mind when I develop lessons. It was clear that students were the central focus and their engagement throughout the activities certainly reflected that.
I liked that you pointed out that my keeping the conversation going throughout the story allowed the teacher not only to maintain students' engagement but also to continually check for understanding. It's something very important to keep in mind when I start teaching. Thanks :-)
ReplyDeleteyou are very welcome Rosalba! :]
ReplyDeleteHaving students talk about story is essential to facilitate students' understanding and analysis of texts, as well as informally assess students' understanding of the story. Great job. :)
ReplyDelete