Field Practicum II
Field Practicum II
Picture taken with the Kindergarten 1 children at the end of my practicum. Faces of the children are blurred for privacy reasons.
Assistant Preschool Teacher
Skool4Kidz @ Yishun Orchid Spring
October 2019 - November 2019
During the second practicum, I was attached to the Kindergarten 1 class. Unlike my first practicum, I was required to be at the centre every day for a duration of one month.
What Did I Do?
During the second practicum, I was tasked to plan and implement three lessons - Art, Music and Movement and Numeracy. On top of that, I assisted the host teacher with daily routines such as showering and lunchtime. I also assisted her in preparing the resources for the lessons.
During my Art Lesson, I was introducing the different textures of natural materials. Faces of the children are blurred for privacy reasons.
Skills I Have Developed:
Classroom Management:
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The practicum this time round is more hands-on as I was required to conduct my own lessons. Hence, I asked for advice from my host teacher on ways she manages the class. I also used the knowledge that I have gained from the module, Learning Environment and Classroom Management. With the advice and the knowledge, I put it in place during my lessons.
Creativity:
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I had to plan three different lessons and at the same time, incorporate the theme into the lessons. Hence, I consulted my host teacher for ideas on how to incorporate the theme into my lessons.
Communication:
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I communicated with both the children and the staff during the practicum. I learnt how to get my message across more effectively. For example, I made eye contact and use gestures. When talking to the children, I made sure I get down to their level.
Time Management:
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On top of preparing resources for my lessons and practicum responsibilities, I also had to juggle between my other schoolwork, assignments as well as time with friends and family. Hence, I planned my time by jotting down in a planner. Not only that but, I also had to make sure I end my lesson within the stipulated timing (40 minutes) so that I do not affect the other teachers' schedule.
Here I am allowing the children to feel the texture of a twig.
This child is in creating her own nature collage. Faces of children are blurred due to privacy reasons.
Art Lesson Plan
Music and Movement Lesson Plan
Numeracy Lesson Plan
Lesson Plans:
The main theme for the three lesson plans is Plants. This is because it was the current theme for the level. Click on the PDFs to view the lesson plans for Art, Music and Movement as well as Numeracy.
Art:
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The main activity was to create a nature collage. I focused on textures for the lesson.
Music and Movement:
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I focused on dynamics, where the children would have to sing and play the instruments either softly or loudly
Numeracy:
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I focused on simple addition from numbers 0-20. The main activity is also done in pairs so that children will be able to work with one another.
A child is sharing his artwork with his peers. Faces of children are blurred due to privacy reasons.
Challenges I Faced:
A challenge I faced was definitely conducting my lesson smoothly. Since it was my first time implementing lessons in front of a group of children, I was nervous and was not confident when it was time to do so. I overcame this challenge by asking my host teacher for tips when implementing a lesson. When it came to implementing my lesson, I felt much less nervous and felt more confident.
What Did I learn?
At the end of the practicum, I learnt how to identify the milestones of a 5-year-old. This is important as by identifying the milestones, I am able to plan developmentally appropriate lessons and resources for them.
Here I am reading a book about simple addition. This is the warmup activity for the numeracy lesson.