First Lesson Taught in the Field

This week I taught my first lesson.  I kind of felt silly, like I wasn't really teaching a lesson, because it was just a transition.  I got the kids lined up and took them to music and picked them up and brought them back to class.  However... I really learned a lot!  Rather than just having the students line up, I created a learning experience.  I told the students I was going to create a pattern as I tapped students lightly on the head to line up.  Once they were all lined up, I asked them to identify the pattern and what type it was.  Patterns are something that the students have been working on and this little lining up activity helped the students to practice the skill and allowed me to talk to them about it.  

Mrs. Patterson just got two new students.  She now has 27!  She explained that it happened unexpectedly and that you need to "just roll with it".  You can't stress out about having more students in the classroom, but rather make the appropriate adjustments and get them up to speed.  I have planned my lesson around 25 students and had to adjust it based on having two more.  I think being flexible and accommodating is an important skill to have as a teacher.

The other lesson that I learned through teaching my lesson is how difficult it is to watch an entire line of 27 students.  At one point we had made it to the end of the hallway and students were still coming out of the classroom.  I was really proud of the students for behaving well in the hallway and doing just as I asked... quite mouths, hands to yourself, and stay in a straight line against the wall so that other classes can pass.  I now realize how critical it is to have an aid in Kindergarten.  You really have to keep an eye on all the children and continually reiterate appropriate behavior.  Having one teacher at the front of the line and one at the back really helps.

I used some of the Lemov techniques that we have been reading about in class.  I used Call and Response and Pepper when talking about patterns.  I asked quick questions that built on each other, and alternated between asking specific students and the whole class.  I repeated the appropriate behavior I expected from the students while walking to music demonstrating the Tight Transitions technique.  Rather then telling the students "don't touch him" or "behave", I have specific directions and comments on how I expected the students to act with comments such as “remember, Emily, we are quiet when we walk by other classes so we don’t interrupt them” and "Quincy, we are walking in a straight line against the wall so that if another class needs to pass us they have plenty of room.”

I felt really good about my short lesson and am looking forward to teaching an hour long lesson next week.  From what I'm observed in the class, independent practice takes place in small groups, which rotate between the lead teacher, the aid, and working independently.  I think this will make the lesson planning challenging, but as a kindergarten teacher you have to be responsible for planning what all the students will be doing, even when they are at various stations.