School Update- Week 3 May 24-26

The whole class showing off their weaving loom



The finished weaving project!!




Time is continuously flying by and I am already on week 3!! I am constantly learning that teachers must be flexible and able to adjust to changes. For example, this week when I walked into my classroom everything was a wreck because over the weekend the school installed new carpet in my classroom. The teachers had no idea that this took place so when we walked in the classroom on Monday morning all of the desks, shelves, books, computers, etc… were in the wrong place. Needless to say the students went crazy. Situations like these have taught me how to think on my feet and make fast decisions.

This week I am beginning to take on small groups daily. I have my own reading comprehension group that I work with daily. I created a lesson plan for our group using the interactive board and books on castles. I am also working with a maths group daily. I am gaining a lot of teaching experience, each day it gets a little more challenging. I have learned a new way to reflect on my teaching lessons to help me improve in preparing and setting goals for each lesson so that it will be effective each time.

The students have been working on weaving the past few weeks. This week we are finishing our medieval weaving with wool. It is so interesting to see what the children can do at Point View School. They are so creative and love hands-on activities. They absolutely love weaving and spend all of their free time finishing this project. I am amazed by their skills and desire to learn.

I have noticed that in New Zealand it is all about bringing the outside environment into the classroom learning. I am enjoying observing the higher order thinking activities we do here at Point View School. This ties directly into what we want to see with the Georgia performance standards. I am learning how to teach in a way that focuses on “What students know and can do with their learning.” These experiences will be great for my own future classroom!

Away from the school aspect of life!!

I played racket ball (Squash) for the first time in my life on Monday night with Grant. It was so much fun and very challenging. The ball is so small and moves fast as lightening.

On Tuesday afternoon we had dinner and a movie with the teachers that I work with at school. We had pizza and watched The Notebook. It was a fun bonding experience for us all. The teachers kept asking me, “Is this what it looks like in America?” It is so funny to hear the perspective that they have of the States.

After school on Wednesday, we worked out to a Zumba video. It was good to release the stress and anxiety of teaching and work off all the New Zealand chocolate, ice cream and cookies.

Food of the Day: MORO Bars (Cadbury Chocolate and Caramel)