Block 1: Show and Tell- Kindergarten Science
December 1, 2021
Activity- Poking pencils through a bag full of water to see if the water leaks. I was able to fit 6 pencils through the bag before the water dripped out.
This lesson was shown to me during my observational practicum, and it was a science lesson that I had never encountered which made it very informative. As a new teacher this lesson falls under Standard 7, educators engage in professional learning, and was a high point in my observational practicum. Reflecting on this experience and why it was a moment of clarity for me is paired with the idea that even the simplest activities can be engaging and fun if the teacher is able to bring that curiosity out. It was also a look into the progression of teaching as a profession that is constantly changing with the times and how technology will continue to change both teachers and students.
What was really cool about the actual lesson was how I didn’t know this would work and how it was a small activity at the end of the day that the teacher slipped in on the spur of the moment! It was great that the teacher let the kids ask as many questions as they wanted, and she was gentle when students got a little crazy. The teacher was able to bring out the curiosity of the students by allowing them to hypothesize what would happen in the experiment and teasing them with “wrong” answers, so they were able to correct her. The adaption of this activity to fit into their day showed me how teachers have to be able to be flexible with their time and how important it is to have back pocket activities that are still engaging.
Reflecting on my conversation with the teacher afterwards she said that 20 years ago she probably would not have heard the answer pressure from a kindergarten class, and this was the effect technology has on young students showing how accessible information is now. Thinking on this makes me realize how the teaching profession and the students have evolved with the advent of the technological era. It also makes me reflect on how my future career is going to change as our world changes which shows the need for teachers to always be open to change with the times.
In sum these experiences will affect my educational career by allowing me to be cognizant of how my teaching needs to be flexible and reflective on how technology will change as my teaching career progresses.