Lesson 1!

I did a lesson with 1st grade classes on Thursday.  It didn't feel like MY lesson exactly since I went by plans that my supervisor made, but with such a short period of time and with such young students I don't know I'd have done anything differently even if I had planned it.   Besides, with this age group I need practice in classroom management more than anything else.

First, I have always said it is essential to know students' names when teaching, and teaching in the library is no different.  I do not know how well I'd do with this, though, because you only see the students once a week, and a lot of what helped me learn names in the classroom, like constantly writing/typing a name, doesn't happen in the library.  The good news is that you have students every year, but it still would present a significant challenge to me.  My supervisor has a seating chart of where the students sit on carpet squares on the floor, which helps, but nothing can replace knowing their names.

Second, the time crunch was a challenge.  There has to be a balance between correcting behavior, not interrupting the lesson, and getting it all in with time for check out.  This was interesting because she had me do check out first and then bring the students back to the carpet.  I don't think I'd do that again, given the choice.  It was hard to get them all re-assembled and ready to listen, and then it was hard to get them to pay attention to me rather than their books.  Between the first and second class I asked her what she does, and she said she has them close their books and put them beside (not in front of) themselves so they are less tempted.  That mostly worked with the other classes. 

Still, getting them all back, sitting, and ready to listen was difficult, and I'm not sure what purpose it served other than making sure they had a chance to check out a book, which could also have been accomplished by watching the clock and checking out after the lesson.

I showed the class two books about apples, one fiction (picture book) and one non-fiction.  We talked about the differences between fiction and non-fiction, and I showed them some of the non-fiction book.  Then I read about half of the fiction title, The Apple Pip Princess.  I ended the book right before it got really good, and it was kind of fun to see how eager the students were to hear the end (which they will next week, with me, so yay for continuity). 

I would say that I got a little better with each class, but that I still need to work on pacing (these are 30 minute sessions, which is much shorter than anything I've ever taught before) and discipline.  When I'm trying to rush to get to the same spot in the book with each class, it makes me not want to stop and wait when students are wiggly, but then if they are wiggly they aren't paying attention and they distract their neighbors.  Once I started reading the fiction title, they generally settled.  But I definitely need more practice and patience with this age group!

Some of her techniques I'd want to steal if working with younger students:

• "locking" questions in your head for later, and putting the key in your lap.
• After a student answers a question, letting everyone who knew the right answer pat themselves on the knee (or wherever) 3 times.
• If you think you know X, raise 1 hair, touch your ear, etc.
• quiet nonverbal signal (like thumbs up) for recognizing something, such as a clue that a book is from the author's imagination rather than nonfiction.
• bum ba da dum dum (bum bum) (Shave and a haircut).  Just something you do that signals that you need their attention.

I wish I'd had the chance to observe some of the Kindergarten classes.  My feeling is that the entire year must be really focused on how to behave in the library, because as a whole, the first graders know the rules and how they should behave.  Of course, at age 6, knowing a rule and being able to carry it out are not the same thing!

I'm glad I get a chance to finish the lesson with them next week, on my last day, because it will let me practice the classroom management skills I'd need with elementary students.  I also need to be more lavish with praise, I know.  It just feels like juggling to get all of the management stuff in while getting the content stuff in and having time to check out.  What a whirlwind!