I was hired at LCS part way through September because the numbers in the grade one class were high. Instead of splitting the class into 2 smaller classes, the principals and current grade one teacher decided they wanted to try a team teaching model. Now with 6 months under our belts, I can honestly say this has been such an amazing experience.
Outdoor School |
Team Teaching Model |
"In nature, a child finds freedom, fantasy and privacy; a place distant from the adult world; a separate peace." --Richard Louv- Last Child in the Woods.
Once a month our grade ones team up with the grade fives and set off for an adventure to our local wetlands. This is a time where they explore, question and notice changes in the wetlands. They become creative and insightful thinkers and writers using the natural world as their inspiration! This opportunity has allowed our students to take great pride in their learning. They are passionate and excited and eagerly wait for the next trip! They have become advocates for their environment and their future.
They are learning more than any textbook could ever teach them! Click here to read about it on our district website!
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Cali Harris, my team teaching partner, and I lived the dream this year. We got to teach one class--together. This allowed for great collaboration, and allowed us to give our best to our students each day!
When we worked on any Literacy or Math activities, Cali and I split the kids into 2 smaller groups. These groups would change from week-to-week, and would be based on a certain need. When our kids were together, one of us would teach a whole group lesson while the other circulated and facilitated support for students. We had 2 different models that we would use when teaching smaller groups. The first we called "paired-teaching". This is where Cali and I taught 2 different lessons on the same concept and would switch kids half way through our time and then repeat the lesson. This allowed for students to get to work with both teaching styles, and allowed students to really learn a concept in many different styles. We would often pair a visual and auditory activity with a kinesthetic and tactile activity. The second we called "mirrored-teaching". This is where Cali and I would take a group for a longer period of time and teach the exact same lesson. This minimized transition time and allowed our students longer periods of productive time. |