Monthly Archives: January 2019

Mathematics (1) Reflection

I have been worried about teaching maths. This is because I have never liked maths, therefore I felt as though I would not be good at teaching it. The reason I don’t feel passionately about it is because I remember maths as sitting quietly, doing ten questions then for the teacher to mark them and discover I’d got most of them wrong anyway. However, this session with Tara gave me an insight into how interesting maths can be.

Talking to the children about their maths was an idea I found quite surprising as I mostly always experienced maths as a subject where I would work quietly. Asking children to discuss and justify their answers not only allows the teacher to understand what is going on in their mind but also demonstrates to the other children alternative ways to work out a sum or a problem. This may help other children if they feel stuck or just give them alternative, easier ways to find a solution. This also develops communication skills and their confidence as they try to explain their thinking.

Referring to maths as a language made me realise the importance of it. It is a universal language, everyone uses numbers and therefore can be used as a means of communication. Furthermore we discussed the myths of maths that have arisen over decades. This made me feel responsible for getting rid of them. Just because I have ‘maths phobia’ does not mean that I should pass it on to the children that I teach. I would love to show the children that I am passionate about maths (even if I’m not) to motivate them to try their best and ensure that they enjoy the subject.

Maths can be taught through other curricular areas such as PE, science or even art. This is a great way to teach maths because even the children who dislike maths will still enjoy the lesson. It may allow them to discard the mindset of ‘I cant do this’, meaning they will allow themselves to do their best and won’t be stopped by this mental block. The interactive learning, such as doing games in PE, means that children of all levels can interact with each other.

Even though maths was not my favourite subject at school, I look forward to teaching it through talking, doing and seeing. I can use the knowledge I have gained to show children that maths is an intriguing and fun subject.

Health and Wellbeing 2 (TDT)

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During this session we discussed what health is and how to help the children to understand what health is and how to keep themselves healthy. I have planned some lessons relating to what we learned and discussed, particularly focusing on food health.

Lesson Plan 1

On the tables in the classroom, lay out a variety of food in bowls as well as a bowl full of sugar cubes. The children will be split into teams and then in each team should take turns guessing how many sugar cubes they think are in each food product by placing a number of sugar cubes next to each bowl. Once every team has guessed, the teacher will put the correct amount of sugar cubes next to each food which will surprise the children as it will probably not be what they expect. This is an interactive lesson which means that the children will feel more interested in what we are learning about. It also involves problem solving and team work. The competitiveness amongst the teams will motivate the children further. This is a fun way to educate them on how sugary some of our food products are. Being able to see all of the sugar cubes may have more of an impact on the children as well because they have a visual of the sheer volume of sugar. The teacher can then discuss with the children how these foods contribute to a healthy diet.

Lesson Plan 2

At each table, lay out packaging from a variety of healthy and unhealthy foods. Ask the children to work together, looking closely at the sugars on the food packaging putting them into piles of healthy and unhealthy foods. The teacher can then discuss with the children the impact that healthy and unhealthy foods can have on them.

Lesson Plan 3

Using the knowledge gained from the previous lessons, the children can design and create their own food diaries. They can customise/decorate their diaries to make them personal which will motivate them to actually use them. For 1 week, each time they eat a meal they can write down what they ate. This will allow them to reflect on their own diets and because they are paying close attention to what they’re eating this may encourage them to make healthier choices.

Reflecting on Dance Workshop 1

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This lesson pushed me out of my comfort zone as I was interacting with people whom I hadn’t before. For some children this may also be the case but I can see that it would build their confidence as throughout the lesson everyone became more comfortable with one another. I was put in the pupils’ shoes which allowed me to be on the receiving end of the teaching of dance and see how much impact it can have on the child. I discovered that dance builds motivation, confidence and relationships amongst the children. I have gained valuable experience for teaching on my placement and beyond.

We discussed that dance can be used to teach other subjects such as numeracy, literacy and sciences. These could potentially be quite ‘boring’ subjects but dance makes them fun and the children are more likely to take in the information because their concentration levels are higher than they would be if they were bored. Giving the children specific dance moves for phrases, grammar/punctuation or sums may enable them to remember helpful information. Even in the classroom, if the dance move if memorable enough then they will remember the sum to do or the punctuation to use.

Another good concept that I think I will take forward as a teacher is the idea of getting the children to find different ways to move around the hall. It allows children to build their team working skills whilst they are brainstorming to think of crazy ways to move around. The children will also become more confident as they share their ideas with others. This allows the quieter children the courage to share their ideas with the class which, in turn, builds their confidence in their own ideas and their work during other subjects.

When the groups came together and had to choose their favourite move to show the class, I could see how this could be challenging for children as most children would want to use their own move. They would have to debate who’s move to use and overcome the problem. Problem solving is a valuable skill that can be used by the children in many aspects. This gives the children a chance to embrace other people’s ideas.

I have learned that dance isn’t just for the children’s fitness but can be used as a way for them to learn and/or express themselves. I look forward to using these ideas and concepts during my teaching.