4. ADOPT A CHILD
On our Priciples of Teaching 2 subject, we have this project called ADOPT A CHILD. With this project, we are required to pick five students which we think have educational needs. For one week , we will innovate our own teaching strategies to address the needs of the learners. Here's our journal and photos and hope you can get something on it.
Day 1
Today , we've officially started our project "Adopt a Child". But before we could start, we chose five children who really need our assistance and help. These children will be our focus and our students for many days. We've started our day by introducing ourselves to these learners. It's more fun when these children also introduced themselves. At first, of course, they were shy but as soon as they get to know us, they became free and close to us. We ask them if what subject they have difficulties with and they answered in chorus "Math!" And "English!", so by that we have this idea in mind wh t to teach. We do not just ask them their weaknesses but hence we've conducted a diagnostic test to really jnow in which areas we need to focus and teach, as we've checked it, it seems that they really need assistance in the area of Mathematics and English (specifically in Reading), we gave them time to take their break and as they eat, we are already making our first instructional material and we called it, "Movable VC". We call this IM "Movable VC" or "Movable Vowel-Consonant" to test how fast and to test if they know how to read CVC(consonant-vowel-consonant) simple words. We first sound out the sounds of the alphabet s and combined the vowel-consonant. These children as we've observed, enjoyed the Movable VC. They even circled as a group and with that use of Movable VC, they even circled as a group and with that use of Movable VC they read together and learn together. Our first day day was filled with reading session and fun. We made sure that out of that CVC words they have build or create and read, we provide the meaning of each words and used it in a simple sentence. To sum up todays session, we are very happy and excited about the next meeting because these children were very eager and patient to learn.
DAY 2
To address the problem with regards to the area of English ( specifically in Spelling), we, today, focussed on spelling in line with reading for this session. Two out of five students were good in reading but have difficulties in spelling-out words and the rest were still having difficulties in coping up with reading basic CVC words mainly because they were not given a strong foundation which is knowing the letters of the alphabet at home or at their school. And to address that weakness,we have today's IM which is called "Who?Guess". We named this IM "Who?Guess" because we cut-out some shapes out of colored paper. And we all know that the Filipino word for shape is "hugis" so to make it catchy and uniques we arrived at that name. This IM's target is to familiarize the learners with the basic shapes'name in Filipino(Tagalog) and English and not just that because as they guess what that shape is,they were tested to spell the names in Filipino and in English. With this,we've found out that they were not just having difficulties in the letter-sound relationship in English but even in the language they were using. We gave them activities that could somehow lessen the difficulty that specific matter because we know that it is not just in one click that the children would knoe that. It is not instant, it needs time and we'll make sure that as for the next session ,this weakness will probably be their strength. We do not just use this IM to improve their ability to spell but this IM helps the learner unleash their creative sides and to move out their box. Those shapes that were given by us, and spelled and identified by them were asked to use in a drawing or anything in their mind that incorporates shapes. These activities were enjoyed by them and today,we've enjoyed seeing them learning at the same time enjoying.
DAY 3
Since last meeting we've focused on the first area/subject they are having difficulties with, so we've decided to teach Mathematics today since based on their diagnostic test, It is one of their weaknesses. We conducted a discussion about the basic operations (addition and subtraction). It was quite difficult to teach mathematics for we have variety of learners with different grade levels. Some says the answer in chorus for that was easy for them because they have already know that so the other learners were not given a chance to figure out the answer for they were distracted. And as a future educator, we do not ignore that for a simple confusion or distraction encountered by a child has a big impact on himself/herself. To address the variety of grade levels, we sorted them according to their grade levels. We used the printed activities about adding and subtracting. For the one digit number, it was answered by the five students. For those who are still having difficulties dealing with adding one digit number were given another set discussion and illustration and another activity to move to the next level. And for those who scored that high will move to the next level instantly. and that is answering the two digit numbers or adding to digit numbers rather. The same process, those who scored high will move to the next level and for those who scored low will remain until they've mastered the two digit numbers. The last level is the three-digit addition. This strategy called "MATHira, MATHibay" simply because this strategy can help the students/learners to improve, to compete and to master art of adding. In line with this, we have also conducted a quick spelling bee about the different numbers so we could follow up the progress of the learners in terms of letter-sound relationship. Another session was ended and we are hoping that these children will not get tired of learning because we are here to make learning fun.
DAY 4
For today we've discussed the differences of an adjective to a noun and a noun to a pronoun.But our main topic here is about the noun and its two types or kind (Common and Proper noun). And we have this strategy that we called "A noun, Sir!" The name of the strategy was somewhat synonymous with the term announcer simply because in this strategy we need an announcer. This strategy is simple, first, the teacher should announce five words composed of two adjective s, two pronouns and one noun. Out of that five words, the children must identify what is the noun there and the one who knows the answer must raise his/her hand and shout the magic words "A noun sir" and lastly, that student should identify if that noun is a common noun or proper noun. As we have observed, it is is very useful for kids because through this kind of strategy they are really thinking and analyzing what is the noun. It turned out as a game that was enjoyed by every one . This kind of technique have goals and those are - to identify the nouns, to distinguish a common from a proper noun, to develop critical thinking skills and to enhance the vocabulary as well as the memory of the child. after theyve discovered the meaning and kinds of nouns, we asked them to pick any object that they want and identify if its a common or proper. although some may have some bit confusion about the two/some may use these interchangeably, the children still enjoys and learned something. we, today, maximized our time so we use the Movable VC an instructional material again to follow up the reading session and conducted a short basic facts activity to check the progress of these children in math.
DAY 5
Today, we are done with discussing the previous lesson which is about the nouns. We've conducted a review about that and to take that into the next level,we have the simple strategy whic is common to the teachers and that is the "pool of words" and the "jumbled letters".This strategy was very simple, we just make them choose between the words sorrounding the thing/noun but what made it special is that out of these traditional strategies,the things we are aiming to teach were tapped. Example: There is a noun at the middle and the children need to pick a word that suits the noun and in order for them to knoe the answer they need to read. So by this, there is reading and one of our main goal is to make sure these children fast and good readers. Another was seen at the jumbled letters, the children need to arrange the jumbled letters to make the word right. This time, spelling ability was tested. One of these five students was given a different task since the level of difficulty was not suited for him, so as a different activity,we made him count the words in the pool of words and we made him identify the thing that was enclosed by the pool of words. At this juncture , Mathematics was incorporated.These five learners ,as what we have observed, were really improving and as teachers,it was our precious moment to see them growing and also improving. And we've also realized that it is the not a crime to use traditional strategies as long as it is effective and as long as you can derive some of the key points in there. One word,innovate.
DAY 6
This is our last session and we have really prepared a next level instructional materials for this. Since it is our last day we maximized our time and treasure every moments. For the first activity we go over the past lessons. An oral recitation was held in terms of spelling. Happily, these children improved because almost all of them wanted to recite, eager to answer and spelled the words correctly. For the next activity, we have the discussion first about the rhyming words. Since today, everyone knows what a 'Pokemon Go' is. We have incorporated it in our strategy or instructional material today. If the Pokemon Go famous app requires the people to search for the pokemons, we have this so called 'Rhyme Go!' and it requires the learners to search for the words. The first thing we do is to make the children pick for the "Rhyme balls" they want and at the back of that rhyme ball there is a word. This words have rhymes at the pool of words in the "Rhyme Deck" and all they need to do is to choose between this words that rhymes the word they have held. At this moment our goals were met and that is to introduce and let them know what rhyming words are. And of course to make them read and read. It is obvious that these children seemed that they do not encounter difficulties in dealing with this latest activity because we always incorporate reading in our session. It seems that the relationship of letter and sound was understood by them and that made us happy. Another activity is the "Shared Reading". We used our story book we've created in the Developmental Reading. You can see that stories really attract kids. They were very excited to see the next illustration and they were already guessing what happens next. Through this we could see how well they are in comprehending the story through the questions or queries we've asked and through this we can enhance the imagination of learners by having them by visualize what could happened next. Lastly, we have conducted a summative test to the children and the results made us happy and proud because that summative test obviously say that there was really and improvement with these learners. This maybe the end of our "Adopt-a-Child Project" but the knowledge we have shared will continue to improve and inspire them. It was indeed tiring but those hardships are worth it seeing them bloom and grow.
With this project, we've witnessed the different problems and issues in our country and we've realize that we as future educators should inject on every individuals minds that poverty is not a hindrance to success. Let us be that bridge and let us be the light needed by the children to reach their goals.
