CD Virtual Field Experience: Kindergarten Module

Was there anything in this portion of the Virtual Field Experience that was new to you? 

I was surprised by two scenarios, in particular. First, I was surprised to see how well a Kindergarten teacher implemented cooperative learning. She had taught her students how to effectively partner with one another. For example, during circle time, she engaged all her students in answering her questions by having her students whisper to their partner the correct answer. This was followed by the partners holding hands with one hand and raising their hand to answer the question with their other hand. She would then call on one partnership to answer her question aloud in front of the entire group. She would acknowledge the correct answer before continuing with the next question.

Second, I was surprised when she used peer helpers. In the past, I would have considered this particular student/teacher exchange as tattle telling. Instead, this teacher used it as a teaching moment. When one student complained to her that another student was not keeping the rules, the teacher uses that student to help teach the other student how to better follow instructions. She ends the students’ exchange with, “Thank you for helping him.”

Was there an “ah-ha” moment in this section?

To correct misbehavior, the teacher would often explain why the misbehavior was not appropriate followed by a directive. Her explanations were simple, and then quickly followed up with a short instruction to keep the entire class on task. The “ah-ha” moment came when I saw how easily the teacher combined the two  — an explanation, followed by a request. Here are some examples.

• Excuse me, he’s asked you to stop. It’s hard for him to learn when you’re talking to him. I need everyone showing me their ready to learn. I need pretzel legs, hands in your laps, and eyes on me, please.
• When everyone’s talking at the same time, I can’t hear what anyone is saying. I need everyone’s attention, please.
• I get confused when someone is talking when they should be singing. I need to hear everyone singing, please.

What information are you going to take for your current/future students?

Overall, I was inspired by the 2004 Ambassador Teacher of the Year. Through 29 years of teaching primary students, it was obvious she had honed many positive teaching skills. She helped teach and reinforce many classroom management concepts.

Her best skill, I believe, included consistently remaining respectful and positive toward her students. Here are some examples from the CD Virtual Experience.

• The Teacher addressed misbehaving students politely but firmly with frequent use of “excuse me” and “thank you.”
• She reinforced acceptable behavior with positive recognition. “I like the way, Joey, is sitting — pretzel legs, hands in his lap, looking right at me. It shows me he is ready to learn.”
• She did not criticize a student for forgetting a paper from the Rise and Read program. Instead, she praised the student for attending the program.
• Rather than express annoyance over the spilled sand, she thanked the student for cleaning it up.
• She used positive comments to help the student correct his error. She never used the words “no” or “wrong.”
• When helping a student with a project, she does not allow another student to interrupt. When finished, she helps the second student in the same positive way.
• She uses other children as good examples. She recognizes the positive. I like the way Jordyn is sitting.

The teacher explained that in order for children to learn respect, they must be treated with respect and caring. She said yelling only creates fear. She also said that research showed that when students are yelled at, they cannot learn and that they stay that way for 45 minutes. 

When she did have to correct one student for misbehaving three times throughout the day, as per her classroom procedures, she sat with the boy, and together they wrote a letter home. When she asked him what happened, he said he was a bad boy. The teacher reminded him that no one is their classroom is bad. She said people just have bad days sometimes. She asked him what made it a hard day for him. The student said he was talking. The teacher helped him elaborate, “You were talking instead of what?” She helped her student identify that he needed to listen instead of talking. She also encouraged him to choose to be a better listener tomorrow. 

I would like to incorporate as many of these positive teaching attributes going forward. I would love to make these skills intrinsic to my teaching abilities. I’ve developed a couple of direct and polite sentences I’m trying to currently incorporate. Here are the sentences. “Excuse me. It’s difficult to teach when students are being disruptive. I’d appreciate everyone’s attention, please. Thank you.” My alternate is similar. “Excuse me. It’s hard to learn when students are talking. I need everyone’s attention, please. Thank you.”