Having a solid plan for each class is one vital key to having a successful day at school. Another important thing for all teachers to remember is to keep a positive attitude and be patient.

Teaching young learners at Happy Marian has undoubtedly been one of the most fun and fulfilling experiences in my life. However, instructing and leading young children who have just started going to school can be a daunting task at times. When I first started teaching I was overwhelmed by the balancing act a teacher must perform of efficient classroom management, providing fun activities and of course teaching in an effective way where every student can learn and retain knowledge from class. I have found over my years of teaching that this is something that is definitely not easy to do but it is manageable through properly preparing for class, having a positive attitude and also having a whole lot of patience.

Having a solid plan for each class is one vital key to having a successful day at school. Walking into school without a good idea of what you plan on doing is not only going to be a frustrating experience for the teacher, but it will also be detrimental towards the children. On the other hand, you also have to be prepared to change your plan. You might discover that the lesson you planned is taking too long, your class isn't responding well or it's just flat out not working and you need to be able to adapt. A good teacher should be able to think on their feet and also have a back-up plan ready at any time.

One part of the Happy Marian curriculum that I try to include in each lesson plan is the "learning while doing" practice. I do believe that all children learn differently but this has been an especially successful teaching method in all of my classes. It is not only very fun for the children to engage in hands-on learning but it also helps the children develop vital word association which strongly promotes retention. Humor is another important part of each lesson plan I prepare. Making the children laugh is key in keeping their attention no matter the subject. I've found that role-playing with the children, using props or even just using a silly voice diverts all the attention back to the teacher and also puts a big smile on the children's faces. Bringing yourself down to the children's levels with humor can also make the children feel more comfortable with you and strengthen your relationship with them. 

Another important thing for all teachers to remember is to keep a positive attitude and be patient. Every teacher has their good days and bad days but one must learn to roll with the punches. Although at times it can be very easy to lose one's cool, it's crucial to remember that these children are very young and most don't fully understand how to behave themselves properly yet. The teacher must set a good example for the class to learn from. Teachers should always try their very best to use a calm voice and use polite, yet assertive words. Show your children how to behave politely and you will quickly see them conform to your actions. Naturally there will be children that struggle with this more than others. 

In my classes, if I encounter an argument between children, I stop them, have them explain to me what they are arguing about and then we will talk about how they could have avoided the argument with proper behavior and polite, assertive language. They normally will have a good laugh about it in the end and most importantly they will remember what to do the next time a problem comes up. Eventually, the children are able to solve their own problems or avoid them altogether.

光復校區 J3a 外師

Joe Frank  / University of Minnesota