The school had field day last Friday and I was in charge of supervising station 12, which was a water station with snacks for the kids and where the captcher the flag games were held. The whole school was mixed around into different color groups and competed against each other in different games and activities.
Here is a picture of my mentor, Stacey Stevenson, reading a book to the children after recess and before lunch. This is one of the last story times of the school year since this is the last week.
Here are the kids in their last science class of the year on Monday. They finding different ways of getting a marble into a cup using a foam half tube. They twisted them, made loop-de-loops, had them go straight down, etc. They watched a video with a Rube Goldberg invention and then used the tubes, (and other things like dominoes, clothes pins, tape, or anything else they could find) to make their own Rube Goldberg machines. The picture is of a few kids testing out a machine some kids in one of the 1st grade classrooms made.
That's basically what I've done this last week. The kids have still been working on reading and writing, which I still help them with. This week the kids have also been doing assessment testing for math and English. While they test I walk around and reread directions for them if they need it, since I can't straight out help them with these tests. The reason for these tests are to let the teacher know what level they're at and what they need to improve on in the first grade. On Friday, I think it's a minimum day, and at the end of the day the kids will be singing goodbye to the graduating fifth graders. My kindergarten class, the kindergarten class in room 2, and one of the first grade classes will be singing, "Sing Out" as a celebration for the fifth graders. My class has also made thank you cards full of drawings, appreciations, and memories of some of the fifth graders since they've had this year long friendship with them because every week they meet up with their "fifth grade buddies". I'm not actually sure what they do during that time because they haven't had it at all since I've came because the fifth graders have been so busy but I'm guessing they read and write with each other.
I'm going to miss these kids so much. I really like the way Explorer handles their kids. At first I thought it was a little weird and hard to get used to but I really enjoy it now. It let's the kids learn how to do things independently and it let's them think on their own for a lot of things. It's never too harsh for the kids and really allows them grow as their own person. I think I'd want my kids in the future to be raised and taught like this. I also think a lot more kids should be in this kind of environment. They have enough freedom to be who they are and express themselves, which is super important for kids, but not enough freedom where they can just do whatever they want.
One thing I would change is learning more patience because there have been times where I've raised my voice at the kids and I'm pretty sure I've seen a few cry after I've talked to them about behaviors. So learning to be more patient and more gentle is something I need to do because I do like working with little kids and I wouldn't mind working with them in the future and if I do then that's something I want to work on.
Friday: Today is the last day of school and it's going to be a minimum day for Explorer. I brought a treat for the kids. There's going to be a teachers VS students tug of war game. It's teachers and fifth graders participating. My class is meeting with their fifth grade buddies for the last time this morning, then it's recess, then the tug of war game, then a sing-out for the fifth graders, then the class is saying their goodbyes until next year. They'll be in the same class with the same teacher for first grade.