Module Two: Observations

Upon speaking with the professionals in the center and doing observations I am still focusing on the importance of kindergarten readiness and what it takes to assure children are ready to enter kindergarten. In my mind this takes a quality program, reliable assessment tools, and quality qualified teachers. During my observations I note that all the classrooms have schedules, and their curriculum plans posted. The curriculum plan postings even include the Illinois State Early Learning Standards that the activities are relating to. As I observe activities in the classroom I notice that the teachers are taking notes, taking pictures, and using checklists throughout every day. I know that this is a part of the Teaching Strategies Gold Assessment System the teachers are using in their classroom. This form of assessment requires ongoing collections to be organized in individual on-line portfolios. One of the classrooms I visited was reading the Go Away Big Green Monster story by Ed Emberley. As the teacher is reading she is pausing in parts where the children are finishing the sentences. I note that this probably means she has read the story before. She then has the children talk about all the pieces it took to create the big green monster, in order to introduce the art activity the children are about to do. Then the children are asked to make their own big green monster with different art materials on black paper. I thought that this activity fit into working towards kindergarten readiness because it was focusing on comprehension of the story. The co-teacher was also taking notes as the children were offering information about the story. This showed me that the teachers were using assessment tools on a continuous basis, which is also part of assuring that children are ready for kindergarten.  While watching numerous activities in this classroom I noted some classroom management strategies: the teacher says “sit on your biscuit” instead of butt, so it seems more fun for the children. She also notifies the children of what is coming next in the day so they are prepared. Children are asked to put “bubbles in their mouths and hands on their hips” when walking down the hallway. All of these techniques are part of being a quality teacher. If you cannot manage the children in your classroom, then it can become chaotic where you are spending more time wrangling the class then working on the things posted.