This post should have been written a few months ago. Very excited to announce that I am now the teacher of a Junior class. After teaching Year 5s for 6 years I decided that it was time for a new challenge. I asked to be moved to a different year level to challenge myself.
I must say ... So far so good.
It has been quite a wake up call. In the days before school started I was really questioning my choice. While looking at planning of other teachers and the things that we were going to do in the beginning of the year I though, "what have I gotten my self into?!"
I have had to adjust significantly and I think I took some of the skills my 9 year olds knew for granted. I realised very quickly that my little ones have never had to write the full date on anything. It took us most of our handwriting lesson to write it at the top of our page. Some of our learning intentions consisted of learning to copy of the board. Counting on fingers is the norm for many here.
The prospect of all this was terrifying to begin with, but so far I am loving it. There have been times when my patience has been tested of course. Mostly because what I have set for the children they just weren't ready for or the children had displayed behaviour that I haven't had to deal with in Senior classes. For majority of the time I have not had to lower my expectations. These kids have stepped up BIG TIME!
It seems to me that my little 6 year olds are so willing to please that they will do anything in their power to make that happen. There have been times when all I have had to do was mention an expectation or behaviour and it was done. It is still early days so lets just hope that I can keep this up.
Over all, my first impressions of being a junior teacher are great!
I must say ... So far so good.
It has been quite a wake up call. In the days before school started I was really questioning my choice. While looking at planning of other teachers and the things that we were going to do in the beginning of the year I though, "what have I gotten my self into?!"
I have had to adjust significantly and I think I took some of the skills my 9 year olds knew for granted. I realised very quickly that my little ones have never had to write the full date on anything. It took us most of our handwriting lesson to write it at the top of our page. Some of our learning intentions consisted of learning to copy of the board. Counting on fingers is the norm for many here.
The prospect of all this was terrifying to begin with, but so far I am loving it. There have been times when my patience has been tested of course. Mostly because what I have set for the children they just weren't ready for or the children had displayed behaviour that I haven't had to deal with in Senior classes. For majority of the time I have not had to lower my expectations. These kids have stepped up BIG TIME!
It seems to me that my little 6 year olds are so willing to please that they will do anything in their power to make that happen. There have been times when all I have had to do was mention an expectation or behaviour and it was done. It is still early days so lets just hope that I can keep this up.
Over all, my first impressions of being a junior teacher are great!
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