Reflection on the lesson 1

 

Place: Szkoła Żagle, Warsaw.
Setting: school classroom
Students age: 6
Topic: animals, numbers (1-10)
Other: The class consists of boys only
Link to the lesson: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=El3g57taeKs

  At the beginning of the lesson, the teacher gathers attention by making the students say a quick chant.
This routine helps to set students up to work and get them focused on the lesson in a careful way. Then
the teacher uses ten pictures of animals to revise the vocabulary that has been studied previously.
During this procedure, he maintains discipline by giving short instructions like “Hands up!”, “Stand up!”
and then asks a student of his choice to name the animal in the picture. He also counts down “Three, two,
one” to let the students know that he needs silence in the classroom. Having a high level of noise in the
classroom, the teacher starts to count down from 10. The students seem to know the rule and what it
means.
  To recall the vocabulary learned, the teacher attaches the same pictures to the blackboard and tells the
children to close their eyes. Then he takes one picture away and the students are supposed to say a
picture of which animal is missing.
  After revision of vocabulary on the animals topic, the teacher puts a paper football field on the
blackboard. That is another visual aid. Whenever the students guess the number on the card the teacher
holds, the magnetic ball moves closer to the gates on the field. The children tend to say “It’s a one” and
the teacher reacts immediately by saying “Is it one?” and waiting for them to ask a number using the
proper sentence structure. Only after he hears it, he replies to their guess. Repetition of the question
used by the teacher is a good way of correction and is completely appropriate, and comfortable with
the students. It helps to keep a positive environment in the classroom.

  In addition, I think the idea of a football game worked perfectly well considering the gender and the age
of the group. The boys look excited and involved in the game. Watching how the “ball” actually moves
makes them motivated to participate in a guessing game.
  Needless to say that maintaining discipline is the biggest struggle with young learners. The techniques
which the teacher uses, work to some extent. It could have worked better if the teacher had
controlled and alternated the emotional atmosphere in the class. The students possess a large amount
of energy due to their age. The chosen activities keep it only at the highest point without going to the
opposite side of the range. However, the video is only 6 minutes long, so maybe there were some stir
and settle activities.

  Overall, the lesson is professional and given in a game-based teaching method. Since the children
are not the first graders yet, it looks suitable and appropriate.