My Teaching Philosophy

My personal beliefs about teaching are we should engage all the children in activities, discussions and solving Dilemmas. Because all the children can learn, but there are need some supports like the teacher should use the body language 'Gesture' to convey the message clearly to the children particularly if it's their second language. Also, ' model the language to build the children's scheme about the topic. For example, when I taught the children about the uses of water. I model the language (I/You drink a water, I/You brush my/your teeth and I/You wash my/your hands). Then I asked the Ss to turn and talk to discuss the uses of water. I observed that the most of students shared their answers with me and they used the pronoun (I). We should use a variety of learning styles because each child has some intelligent. We have to focus in develop the 21st learning skills for the children such as, critical Thinking skill. When I taught the children about the water, I asked them what will happen if we don't have water? I think we should use like this dilemma to improve the Ss' critical thinking skill. Second, creative Thinking skill. I let my students make a collage of the water (Rainy cloud, water drops) that help them to be confident about their works and be more creative. Also, collaborating and communicating skills. I observed my EMT put in one group three different levels that help each child to learn from another one because that I did a differentiated activity based on the student's levels to scaffold the Ss learning.

TASK 8: Interview your mentor on the roles and responsibilities of a teacher

Roles & responsibilities	Questions to ask mentor	Comments
Planning	How do you plan your lessons? Do you differentiate your plans? Do you plan weekly or daily? Do you plan individually or in a group?	''We usually have a ‘planning time’ every day, in different times so each of us have only ‘half slot’ to plan her lesson. Then every Tuesdays, we sit with our co- teacher to discuss the plan then we write it in one template. So my Arabic teacher first writes her parts, then she sends it to me. Then I write my parts. On Thursdays, the plan should be sent out to the LST (Learning Support Team)''.
Pastoral	How often do you meet parents? What does your pastoral work involve?	''With reference to the school community also we hold an open house policy for parents and workshops every month to support them in helping their children’s learning.  This works excellently because the role of parents in our student’s education is fundamental- as the parents are ultimately the primary educators of our children''.
Professional Development	What PD do you do?  How often do you have PD?	''A vision of professional community: My principal leads a meeting twice a week: Sundays and Mondays. On Sunday we part-take in Professional Development. where Head of Faculties explain various strategies to use in the classroom. They also demonstrates how to effectively implement these strategies by doing a mini lesson  to ensure we all understand  it''.
Class Management	What do you need to manage your class? How do you manage your class?  Do you have any problems with class management?  Which classroom rules do you use? Why?	''We established a behavior system at the very beginning of our school year. We gave our students our expectations including the parents. We discussed the classroom rules and the carpet rules clearly with Students''.
Teaching Strategies	What is your favourite teaching strategy? What important strategies should we follow?	''I like doing Dilemmas in class and then ask Ss to share their answers using Turn and Talk Strategy''.  ''The Sheikh’s Vision is to raise the educational level to international standards and so a Al Yahar KG we are currently focusing on developing 21st century learning skills for the students to order to meet the Sheikh’s Vision. We now encourage critical thinking and scaffolding in the classroom and ensure the learning environment is child centered- inviting the children themselves to become active participants in the education process''.

TASK 7: Scientific resources in the Classroom

Resources for Science teaching classroom:	Scientific Skill(s) / Concept(s) that can be developed with it.	Exploring on possible activities to develop mathematical skills and concepts using these materials
Magnets	Magnets are made of iron or steel and can attract other pieces of iron or steel. They do not attract any other material. Magnets can attract or repel each other (make them move away) depending on which way the poles are aligned. Magnets can attract other pieces of iron or steel though various materials (including glass and through water) depending on the materials thickness. We can use magnets to draw pictures on magnet boards.	The children write the numbers or letters by magnets and put it in the board. The children try to attract the iron or steel and try to attract other materials like plastic. The Ss assumed that the magnets can attract the iron or steel but it can't attract other materials like plastic.
Sand Tray	Properties of dry sand; feels smooth; can be poured, falls through most holes, can make things move (pouring) – can turn wheels; big containers full of sand are heavy; small ones are light; Properties of wet sand; sticks to hands; is heavier than dry sand; is cold; feels rough; not easy to pour; doesn’t fall through holes; moulds itself to containers and retains that shape when emptied out; holes dug are more solid.	The children touch the dry and wet sand and know the difference between them. Also, the teacher put inside the dry sand goats and camels but she was put some insects inside the wet sand. The children try to search about the animals and naming them.

TASK 6: Mathematical resources in the Classroom

Mathematical Resources found in the preschool classroom:	Mathematics Skill / Concept that can be developed with it.	Exploring on possible activities to develop mathematical skills and concepts using these materials
Multilink	Counting, calculating including ‘more / less than;’ addition, subtraction. Comparing size and ordering – ‘bigger / longer, smaller, shorter;’ Sorting, matching according to color; patterns; copying patterns. Estimating / Measuring length & weight– how many bricks long, tall, wide? How many bricks will balance a pencil, book etc?	The students were measuring the long of the pencil by using multilink. They are counting while they were measuring.
Camels Colored counter Blocks	Counting, calculating including ‘more / less than;’ addition, subtraction. Comparing size – ‘bigger / more, smaller, less;’ Creating patterns.	Camels: The students created patterns by camels according to the camel paper. Colored counter: The students watch the number cards then they take out the colored counter as the number card. Blocks: The students sorting, matching the blocks according to color. Also, the students create a big and small shapes then they comparing between their size.
Geo shapes Geo boards	Counting. Comparing size – bigger / smaller. Ordering, sequencing, creating patterns. Tessellation (fitting shapes together). Identifying shapes in the environment and making shape pictures. Naming shapes: circle, square, rectangle, hexagon. Naming colors: red, blue, yellow, etc.	The children create a shapes and naming the colors and shapes.
Beads	Counting, calculating including ‘more / less than;’ addition, subtraction. Comparing size and ordering – ‘bigger / longer, smaller, shorter;’ Sorting, matching according to color; patterns; copying patterns / sequencing. Estimating / Measuring / comparing  length	The students did a patterns by put one bead red and another one is white OR one bead red and another two are white.
Cubes	Counting, calculating including ‘more / less than;’ addition, subtraction. Comparing size and ordering – ‘bigger / longer, smaller, shorter;’, But the cubes according to which number in the cups. Sorting, matching according to color; patterns; copying patterns.	The activity is simple. The teacher writes a number in a plastic cup and the students put cubes on the number that on the cup .
Plastic links	Counting, calculating including ‘more / less than;’ addition, subtraction. Sorting, matching according to color; patterns; copying patterns. Naming colors: red, blue, yellow, etc.	Create patterns by using plastic links and naming colors while that there are counting the plastic links.
Number page	Counting, calculating including ‘more / less than;’ addition, subtraction. Sorting, matching according to color. Naming colors: red, blue.	The students put the wood sticks into each page according to the number.

TASK 5: Learning styles

	Math	Science (My lesson)	Reading	Other Art
Auditory	The teacher played song about large, medium and small.	I played the water sound. The students guessed water.	The students listen to gingerbread man story.	The students listen to the UAE national song.
Visual	The Ss sorted the foxes, cars and hats by putting them under the correct word (Large, medium and small).	I played video about the water. And I used model of rainy cloud and  pictures to teach a key words (rain, sea, river).	The teacher brought a pictures for the children to classify the events of the story.	They  watched video about the UAE flag.
Kinesthetic	Each three children compare their self-who's (The large, the medium and the smallest one). The students do some actions while they are listen to the song.	The Ss create their own work using different materials to make a collage of the water (Rainy cloud, water drops). The students do some actions while they are listen to the song.	The children draw a story in small booklet. The children act a story.	The children made the UAE flag by different materials such as, papers, cloths and pipes.

Answer the following questions:

  ●     Which learning styles did all the children seem to enjoy and why?

          Kinesthetic, I think the children like this learning style because they have their own opportunity to explore something or to create their own work. Also, the children like the tactile activities that help them to understand and to enjoy.

     ●     Why do you think the teacher incorporates a variety of learning styles for the children?

I think the teacher use several of learning styles for the children because each child has some intelligent. For example, in my class some child his name Nasser and he has musical intelligent the appropriate learning style for him is auditory. Also, to scaffold the children's learning. As will contextualized their knowledge by teach them in several learning styles.

●     Notice which activities are repeated with a variety of learning styles e.g. read a story, listen to a story, act the story, draw the story. Can you find other examples e.g. math or science

English

Auditory: Listen to Jolly Phonics for example (S, A, T).

Visual: Watch the flash cards of each letter (S, A, T).

Kinesthetic: When the Ss watch each letter, they write it in air. Also, they do some special action for each letter.

●     How can teachers improve student learning by using a range of learning styles?

 When the teacher identifying a student’s learning style and then providing activity with that style contributes to more effective learning. 

TASK 4: Reframing Behavioural Characteristics

TASK 3: Discover and learn how students think and learn

Class List for Class: KG2H.   MENTOR Name: Miss Saleha.
	Name / Photo of Child / Age	Student profile (Learning styles, interests and areas of concern)
1	Nasser 5yrs old	Nasser can learn by visual-Spatial style, for example, when the teacher shows the Ss the cards of Jolly phonics. He remembered the sound of the letter from the picture (e-elephant enormous) and from the musical style.  Nasser did well in mathematics because he can count and write from 1 till 20. He likes the computer center, science, and numeracy center. But Nasser has some hardness in writing part because he can’t write the letters well.
2	Athba Ghanem 5yrs old	Athba did well in verbal-linguistic part for example, she can pronounce the letters very excellent, read some words and answering clearly when the teacher asks about something and she is so excellent in writing part because she can write the letters clearly. In addition, Athba has a lot of friends in the class so, she is great in the interpersonal part. She is like an art center, speaking and listening center. But Athba has some troubles in math such as, she confused between number 6,9 and she wrote some numbers in opposite side.
3	Taleb 5yrs old	Taleb did well in logical-Mathematical part for example, He can count from 1 to 20 and he knew the difference between more, less and same. Also, Taleb  was so fabulous  in verbal-linguistic part such as, he can pronounce the letters very well and he started to read some words like: Cat and Pat. Taleb is like the art and reading centers.  However, He had some difficulties in writting part because he wrote some letters in opposite side.
4	Noura Ismail 5yrs old	Noura is a polite girl.She followed the directions. For example, when she finishes from some work she rises the finish sign without say ‘Miss I am finished’. I observed her did well in the art center. She is so creative. Also, Noura did well in writing part due to writing the letters in a nice and clear font. Noura likes the art and computer centers.  She has to improve some skills like the logical- Mathematics skill by counting the numbers and write it daily.
5	Nouf 5yrs old	Nouf the most active girl in the class. She did the morning activity enthusiastically so, she had bodily-kinesthetic skill. In addition, Nouf learned by musical style. For example, when the teacher sings a song, she understood more than see pictures. Nouf likes the play center, speaking and listening center. I think she has to develop her verbal-linguistic and writing skills because she didn’t know to pronoun all the letters and to write it.

TASK 2: Classroom rules

TASK 1: School Profile

Name of school: Al-Yaher Kg.               Location: Al-Yaher.
Principal: Tracy ware.
Tel: 03-7379611              
Address: 1243@adec.ac.ae            
Teachers’ Starting Time: 7:30AM         Finishing Time: 12:15PM
Students’ Starting Time: 7:45AM Finishing Time:12:45PM

Total Number of Classroom Teachers in the school Department: (Kg1 & Kg2) 18

Total Number of Children in the Preschool Section: 406

Teacher / student ratio: 441

Number of Classrooms: 18

Facilities available to student teachers: 

• Pray room.

• Canteen.

• Kitchen.

• Resources.

Class for this Practicum: Kg 2H.

Mentoring Classroom Teacher:  Miss Saleha.

Classroom Teaching Assistant: -

Number of children in this class: 23 Students.

Number of children identified as having SEN in this class:-

Additional information: e.g. English, Arabic, Islamic Studies teachers

*EMT: Miss Saleha.

*AMT: Miss Smeera.

*Sport: Miss Ahlam.

*Liberian: Miss Shaikha.

School Nurse: Sahar.

Librarian: Miss  Shaikha.

  

Task 9b: Integrated subject areas (e.g. Math/Science/IT/Language)

(Science class)

Concept	Activity	Language
Light	Learning from where we get the lights.	Light
Shadow	Teacher gets the learners outside to see their shadow.	Shadow
Push and pull	The student pushing chairs forward one by one. And pull chairs by moving backwards.	Push and pull

Observation Task 9a: Activities in a specialist class

(Science class)

Activity	Individual/group/class	Purpose	Is it teacher directed or does the child choose the activity
Teacher shows the learners video about sounds and lights.	As a class	Learners discover what the sounds and from where we found the sounds. Also, the lights and what is it	Teacher directed.
Teacher get the learners outside to see their shadow.	Individual	To know what the meaning of the shadow.	Teacher directed.
The student pushing chairs forward one by one. And pull chairs by moving backwards.	In group	To know what meaning of push and pull.	Teacher directed.