Reflection Week 7

Well..... How do feel about my progress since my last reflection?

In regards to keeping in contact with parents, I am trying to email them on a Friday to let them know what is coming up for the week ahead. This way they can know exactly what is required from their child.

I have had many parents approach me about my reading programme. One was concerned that there was no incentive or consequence for children reading each night. I have reflected on this and I will update my prize box. When a child has read 25 nights they can get a prize. I might then buy a bigger prize for then they get to 50 or 100 nights.
I also had parents mention that children are getting bored with rereading their books at home. As children have only got 2 books a week, I am encouraging the children to get a book out of their browse box to take home. This is the children's responsibility to do.
Another parent was concerned their child was not being extended during reading time. Her child is very bright and there are other children that need to be extended. I have now started to put in place a reading contract for my elephant group and starting Term 2 I will be expecting my turtles to do the same.

I have been also thinking a lot about my morning routine. I have a list of things to get through: roll, karakia, waiata, star student sharing, revealing the new star student, milk roll, and the newsboard. I have been doing this as I remember and it has not been in the same sequential order. I think that this may be why the children are very unsettled in the morning as there is not a straight forward structure for them. I have jotted down the order of my morning routine and will stick to this each day. I have discussed this with my tutor teacher and she has said that as soon as the first bell goes she plays a song. This gives the children and the parents an indication that the day is about to start. This might be something fun to begin to implement into my morning routine.

So far I am very happy with my organisation. Reports a due in a week and I am nearly completed these.

When reflecting on my behaviour management, this still needs development and this is a focus for me. Dezaiah's contract does seem to be showing some promise. I am referring to this constantly with him and am encouraging to move his car forward. Every time he sits on the mat for a period of time without calling out or he puts up his quiet hand he can move it forward.  His reward is 15 minutes on the ipad. He enjoyed this reward last time. Still trialing this and closely monitoring this.

I am also trying to implement different ways of acknowledging children's different cultures. We are using different greeting and I am putting up a map to acknowledge where the children com from.

This week a responsibility had was so create cards for the duty teachers. This was a sickbay pass and a call for help pass. This is to make it clear that the children need to see the duty teacher for help if they think they need to go to the sick bay.

Overall it has been a great few weeks. The children are settling very well into the routines!