In which I (re)discover that I love teaching!

Today was the first day of me taking small groups. I am alternating language groups one day then maths groups the next, one group from each class each day. Well, at least for now. I can already see that if I am going to do this properly I may need to see some groups every day!

So I set off a little earlier than usual this morning and managed to catch the bus and the matatu with no problems (other than bumping my head as per usual when trying to squeeze my way off the matatu!), arriving at school at 8:30. I set up the classroom and a bit before 9 had my first group - four children from the youngest class, including the famous Osman. In fact I had an extra one from the middle class who was sad and refused to go into class but was happy to come in with my little group! We made name cards - I got them to trace over their names - which was interesting as most of them struggled with this. I then played a game where they took a letter out of the bag and said what sound it was. We just focused on the first set of 6 sounds as found in the 'Letters and Sounds' scheme that I've used in England. We said each sound together and I taught them the 'Jolly Phonics' action for each one. Then we used some big paper and felt tip pens (very exciting!) and they all had a go at writing each sound. From this activity I have realised that we need to go through each sound again as they are unsure of many, and they also need practice in letter formation. We may need to do some fun activities to develop their fine motor skills and mark-making too - I feel some shaving foam coming on!!!

After break the next group was three children from middle class. They wrote their own name labels, a task which proved they too will need to consolidate letter formation! We played a similar game with the bag of sounds, and then I got them to write some of the sounds independently for me. I will have my work cut out with them! I tried them with blending sounds to make words but that was pretty hard. With the last group from the top class I did similar activities but we made CVC words (eg cat, sun, hot) with the wooden letters and then I got them to try writing them - this helped me establish the level I at which should be pitching my teaching.

So tomorrow will be maths groups, a different thing altogether. One of my groups is just one student who really struggles, but she is keen to try and I hope we will be able to get somewhere. After school I headed to Nakumatt (the supermarket in Karen that I pass on my way home) and bought some small exercise books, triangular pencils (easier to grip), a maths workbook for this student that I will use after practical activities and some boxes to hold all my stuff! Hopefully as I get used to these groups I will find activities that work really well and I will be able to share these with the teachers. I wonder what they would make of my slightly mad, over-the-top teaching personality though! - I think the children were a mixture of confused and amused! Anyway, I really enjoyed myself today, the children were enthusiastic and had fun and I remembered just why I love teaching so much!

I shall leave you with a picture of my stash from Nakumatt and bid you goodnight - this teacher is tired!