Last week, and for many weeks to come, I will be going into a 5th grade classroom to observe and eventually teach. My first time in 5th grade was an enlightening experience. I had forever though I was a primary person, and I still believe I am, but I am not so afraid of 5th grade anymore, however this is only after one week. I went in to observe reading and I was amazed at what I saw, and I also learned a lot!
Before the reading lesson started, I was able to talk to the 5th grade teacher a little. He shared a few of his tips and tricks. He allows his students to write on their desks, and he does too! He sometimes writes them messages in the morning, so the come into class with a nice message to start their day. I thought that this was amazing! It is a great way to show the students that you value their attendance and that you enjoy having them in class. And the best part is, the marker washes right off!
Another cool thing that I learned was the teaching of making the students accountable for their own behavior. Whenever there was a transition into a new subject, the teacher would ask the students what level conversation they should be on, not tell them. This allows the students to understand the expectations of the classroom.
I thought that his behavior management system was AMAZING!!! He does positive praise in his class. Each time that a table group of students is on task, or follows procedures, they earn a star. Whichever table has the most stars at the end of the day gets a special treat! This system works great. For the ENTIRE reading lesson, his students were on task and earning stars. He did not have to re-direct behavior at all. I was so impressed. I want to try this out in my classroom.
Overall, I learned a lot from my experience in 5th grade and I am excited to learn more and eventually teach.