There was such soft light flowing in the classroom, when I arrived. The students and I didn’t end up closing the blinds until the sun started pouring into the classroom, during late morning. When I arrived, I knew it was going to be a great day.
I am passionate about teaching in the role of guest teacher. I have only a short while with the children and I want to be the very best that I can be to influence empathy, peace and learning. I was excited to be working in Carli’s Grade three classroom and she’s given me permission to share this post with you, in the case that you want to extend off of any of these ideas and explore some alternatives. It’s funny that we run to Pinterest for ideas when right across the hall from us, are a whole number of masters who can mentor us and inspire us with new ‘ideas’.
To begin my morning, I read over, for myself, the posted Pedagogy for teaching. I remembered this from another visit, but wanted to remind myself.
The community group tables allow for easy access to materials and tools that might be needed. There is shared responsibility for their organization and upkeep.
Student notebooks/workbooks are stored in those little white bins on the shelves…they are stored throughout the classroom in order to avoid traffic jams. The students know where each of their items is located.
I love love love the books and really enjoyed looking at the book, Where Children Sleep by James Mollison. I need to get myself a copy of this. Instead of circulating and having the children read aloud to me during our individual reading time, I had several students come to me and read from this book as I sat in a comfy chair. It wasn’t long before one of the children came to me with a student-made book on the same topic, created last year, by the Grade twos. I think this is a beautiful idea.
Books can be a discovered throughout the classroom, linking up visions with concepts and making learning real and rooted in literacy.
Students created, in science, their own Rock Museum. They enjoy using their vocabulary.
They had done lots of research and study!
When students have a guest teacher, they get to wear the mantle of the expert and spill over with conversations about the things they have learned. Our birthday girl brought in crystals and minerals for her sharing from the comfy chair. The kids were overcome with excitement by the ‘rare’ stones.
I appreciated the student-made posters illustrating the Rights of Every Child. Those are three D models of the structure of the ear done in partner work…made out of modelling clay. The students have left rocks and minerals and have begun their study of sound, hearing and the ear. I have to say, as an adult, I had forgotten the various physiological components, but these guys could give it to me rote. I LOVE THESE MODELS!
I felt this cold coming on and felt a bit of a headache. I asked the students, if later, I could try out their Peace tent. They enthusiastically told me, YES! I have to confess, when they went out for recess, I climbed in and just chilled, exploring their posters, their sayings and their origami paper folding.
Math centers were tons of fun, with the kids, getting up and rotating through the four stations every 15 minutes. This gives the students opportunity to move and to shift focus. Awesome. I discovered that I’m not very good with Tangrams.
For those of my readers who follow me, you know that I enjoy engaging nature where and when I can…getting out daily, with my border collie, Max. Well, if you can’t get out there, then try to bring bits of it inside!
And never ever forget that you are always learning…and that it’s a treasure to others that you share what you learn. Thank you, Carli Molnar! Thank you, Grade Threes!
More on Carli’s classroom HERE.