After completing my PGCE I returned to Canada and was offered a position teaching grade 2. I taught that grade for 4 years. Although there are many subject areas I enjoy teaching, the one subject that makes me smile is family life. The details of how babies are made are limited in grade 2 but there is enough information to turn those little ones into inquiring minds!
Now, I am a strong believer that if a child asks a question then they deserve an answer. However, the content of family life is always a little controversial and so it is best that a teacher doesn't go too far beyond the grade level curriculum.
During the third or fourth lesson on the parts of our bodies we began to talk about how the sperm and ovum meet in the uterus to create a baby. Some of the students were very interested others were more interested in the snow that started falling outside. As I looked out at the sea of innocent faces one little girl raised her hand and asked, "Um, how does the sperm get into the mommy's uterus if it is from the daddy?" For some reason this question got the attention of the snow watchers.
This wasn't part of the curriculum for a number of years! I attempted to explain that there are some things that they will have questions about that I was not really able to answer but they should ask their parents that question when they get home.
Now, every class has a creative mind who always wants to discover the answer to everything, in this class it was JJ. As the lesson proceeded to the growth of the baby, JJ was still thinking about how the sperm and the ovum get together. His hand shot up like a bullet, his eyes popped out and his expression was like he had discovered water on mars!
"Mrs. C! I know, I know how they get together!" he almost screamed, "The mommy and daddy go to bed at night and lie very close to each other; they have to touch sides." I wanted to stop him just in case but I was very curious. "So, when they both fall asleep the mommy's and daddy's sides split open like a zipper or something and then the sperm jump across like dolphins into the mommy's uterus!"
I would have breathed a sigh of relief but I was too busy holding back a giggle! "Very creative thinking JJ. You should ask you parents if that is how they made you."
Monday, January 31, 2011
Sunday, January 30, 2011
A lesson in language...
Having lived my whole life in a small town in Canada I decided I would study abroad in Scotland and get my Post Graduate Certificate in Education. During all of my teaching placements I learned a little about classroom management, lesson planning and assessment. This I expected. I did not expect that I would be taught a thing or two about language!
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After finishing one of my first maths lessons in a P6/7 class, I assigned seat work for the students to complete. While walking around the class I was approached by one of the male students. He seemed a little shy and would not look me in the eye. "Miss," he said, "I have been told to try to be more prepared. I was wondering if you had a rubber I could borrow?" I stood thinking about how to respond to this boy when he then said, "I really don't want to make a mistake with you."
"Do you think this is an appropriate thing to ask a teacher?" I replied. It was at this moment when the classroom teacher walked by and passed him an eraser.
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My first placement was in a nursery class. Those little munchkins are so adorable and you just never know what they will say or do!
It was a chilly fall morning when I welcomed the little ones in for the day. Each of them wanted to tell me a story as they entered. "Miss, I got a cut on my finger last night.", "Miss, today is my birthday and I need to go to the toilet." Sometimes I think that Jack Handy got his random thoughts from nursery aged kids.
It was the last little boy who walked through the door that taught me to think before I respond to anything. "Miss, I got new pants last night!" I nodded and smiled. "Would you like to see them, Miss?" Of course I responded positively and acted very excited to see them. He showed them to me. Now I know that in Scotland pants are called trousers and underwear are called pants.
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Ask a teacher what they love about teaching and you may be told a story about when a student who struggles finally makes a breakthrough and finds success and pride in their accomplishments. That is a great feeling! Well, at least until you tell that student where to stick their work!
During my third placement in a P3/4 classroom, I worked very closely with a young girl on her writing. The teacher had told me that she needed a lot of assistance with her writing assignments and she was unlikely to complete most tasks. We had set up small attainable goals and her quality and quantity of work began to improve.
One morning she was given a task that should have seemed a little daunting for her. I watched her struggle but she persevered and completed it to the best of her ability. From across the room I saw her face relax and then a smile spread across her face. I was proud of her and more importantly, she was proud of herself. She brought her work to me. I looked it over and smiled, "You did a great job on this! Go stick it in the bin and then you can get your lunch." Her smile was replaced with a look of confusion. I kept smiling and nodding to go ahead. She turned and began to walk toward the door slowly, turning to look back at me twice. Finally, she reached the door where there was a table with a plastic bin where work was submitted. Instead of placing her work in there she threw it in the garbage. Apparently, a garbage pail is called a bin!
________________________________________________________
After finishing one of my first maths lessons in a P6/7 class, I assigned seat work for the students to complete. While walking around the class I was approached by one of the male students. He seemed a little shy and would not look me in the eye. "Miss," he said, "I have been told to try to be more prepared. I was wondering if you had a rubber I could borrow?" I stood thinking about how to respond to this boy when he then said, "I really don't want to make a mistake with you."
"Do you think this is an appropriate thing to ask a teacher?" I replied. It was at this moment when the classroom teacher walked by and passed him an eraser.
________________________________________________________
My first placement was in a nursery class. Those little munchkins are so adorable and you just never know what they will say or do!
It was a chilly fall morning when I welcomed the little ones in for the day. Each of them wanted to tell me a story as they entered. "Miss, I got a cut on my finger last night.", "Miss, today is my birthday and I need to go to the toilet." Sometimes I think that Jack Handy got his random thoughts from nursery aged kids.
It was the last little boy who walked through the door that taught me to think before I respond to anything. "Miss, I got new pants last night!" I nodded and smiled. "Would you like to see them, Miss?" Of course I responded positively and acted very excited to see them. He showed them to me. Now I know that in Scotland pants are called trousers and underwear are called pants.
_______________________________________________________
Ask a teacher what they love about teaching and you may be told a story about when a student who struggles finally makes a breakthrough and finds success and pride in their accomplishments. That is a great feeling! Well, at least until you tell that student where to stick their work!
During my third placement in a P3/4 classroom, I worked very closely with a young girl on her writing. The teacher had told me that she needed a lot of assistance with her writing assignments and she was unlikely to complete most tasks. We had set up small attainable goals and her quality and quantity of work began to improve.
One morning she was given a task that should have seemed a little daunting for her. I watched her struggle but she persevered and completed it to the best of her ability. From across the room I saw her face relax and then a smile spread across her face. I was proud of her and more importantly, she was proud of herself. She brought her work to me. I looked it over and smiled, "You did a great job on this! Go stick it in the bin and then you can get your lunch." Her smile was replaced with a look of confusion. I kept smiling and nodding to go ahead. She turned and began to walk toward the door slowly, turning to look back at me twice. Finally, she reached the door where there was a table with a plastic bin where work was submitted. Instead of placing her work in there she threw it in the garbage. Apparently, a garbage pail is called a bin!
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