Workshops

Coping with Stage Fright and How to Speak in Public

The last two wednesdays I participate in a workshop with the art teacher. Before the workshop I was very anxious about this activity because I wondered about the activities that I was going to do there. My expectations were learn to dominate my nervous when I am in front of a class, learn how to be the authority in the class, and how speak correctly in a class. The first day of this workshop I was very nervous but the teacher was so dynamic and cheerful that I felt comfortable there. Moreover, I know all of my classmates because we have been in the same classes for months so I felt almost relax.

During this workshop I participated in many activities and I really enjoy it. First, we present us making a movement and was very funny. Then we walked in a circle and we make mimics to our classmates. I could complete this activity; however, it was very difficult to be make the three movements that we had to make. This was the first activity in which I started to socialize with all of my classmates and that helped me a lot to feel comfortable. Besides, there was another activity in which I participate and this was to be the mirror of one of my classmates. It was very funny because I did everything that my other classmate did and some things were not common at all.

Moreover, we practice a 
little about the proyection of the voice since this is a very important aspect to take into account when teacher are working with large groups of students. So, the time to speak in front of a class came and I started to feel nervous, and kind of shy. Even though, I know all of my classmates I still feel nervous. The purpose of this activity was to manage the space of the classroom and the volume of my voice. I did this activity but I had some problems at the time speak because the volume of my voice was not correct and the management of the space needed improvement. These aspects were pointed out by the teacher and he explained to me how I can improve those aspects. That was the first day of the workshop but the second day my job was tell a story and try not to repeat the errors that I had the first time. I have to say that I feel nervous again but I could speak better this time so I feel happy about it. However, another aspects showed up and this was the use of fillers. The teacher explained us that when we are working with children it is necessary that teachers speak clear and secure.

All the activities that I perform in this workshops were very useful for me because they helped me improve some aspects. For example; the tone of my voice when I am teaching a class with many students. The proyection of the voice vary inside the classrooms, and this depend of how many students you have. The voice of a teacher should be clear and audible for every students. Moreover, the way you stand in front of a class it is very important because students can perceive your nervousness. Moreover, I learnt that the teacher is the one that control the group of students not the other way around. This is something that I will keep in mind when the time to be a teacher comes. Children are very smart and they must feel identify with you and see you as their friends instead of an old, strict person. Moreover, I learnt how to stand correctly in front of a class and how we can control that class. These two workshops helped a lot and I am happy because I was part of it. I spent I very nice time with classmates and I learnt something of each of them.   

Materials

The last workshop was about materials that are used to create teaching tools. Kriscia and I presented some types of poppets that were made with paperboard, old fabric, and paper bags. The most important aspect to take into account are the size and colors of the puppets that is why we use catching colors to make them more interesting for children. 

Moreover, my classmates share with us some other ideas to use different materials to teach a lesson. The first idea was flashcards presented by Bryan and Eunice. The flashcards contained numbers and animals to teach farm animals. However, flashcards can contained just images or they can be used to teach another topic. The activity was funny because we practice pronunciation and vocabulary about animals.

The second activity was modeling clay. This activity was presented by Brenda and Nancy. They explain us that the use of this materials help children develop their fine and gross motor skill because children manipulate the material and create what they want. Personally, I really like to use modeling clay with children because they develop their imagination at the time to create something with this material. The third option was grouping techniques that are use when teachers need to that students work in groups. 

The most famous techniques are the random technique that means that teachers choose the students randomly to be part of a group. The other one is the social cooperative technique that consist in make groups with different level students in that way students can support and help each other with the ones that have difficulties to learn. 

The fourth option was make a musical instrument with recycle materials, and my friends Deyanira and Jacky presented a type of drum that was made with a plastic glass, a balloon, and some stones.  This option was nice because we can make noise with this instrument and sing a song related to the topic that are being taught. 

Moreover, Wanda and Vanessa create a spinning wheel with recycle material too. This fantastic tool can be used in classes with different topics. In my opinion it can be used to teach colors, to ask question to students related to the topic that they are studying, or simply each color of the spinning wheel can have a command that students must complete. 

The last idea was presented by Josue and it was flip cards that it can be used to tell a story to children; however, it has different uses. One idea that came up in the class was to give a message to students by telling a story, and teachers can engage students to participate in the reading or making the mimic of the characters that appear in the story. 

The most important aspect of these idea of using materials to create teaching tools is that they are attractive for children since they like to play and have fun with their classmates. Teachers do not have to spend a lot of many to create these types of tools because some of them are made with recycle materials that are easy to found and manipulate. In this week I learnt that children learn through play and it is important that teachers give plenty opportunities to their students to practice during the class. I am happy because I have grown a lot during these classes and all the knowledge that I have acquire I will put it in practice in my classes. 

Speaking Activities

This resent class has to do with activities that are useful to practice speaking. Personally I learnt a lot because my classmates create many activities that were very attractive for kids. The purpose of these activities was take some of the activities and put it in practice in our classes. The activities that my classmates presented were the broken telephone, the hot chair, The interactive activity with pupets peresented by wanda, the guesing activity that vanne presented. Personally one of the activities that I really enjoy was the flying balloon that was presented by our classmate Josue. This activity was very interesting, and it consisted in hit the balloon and say an animal every time that we touch it. Moreover, it was nice because we use a balloon to create the activity. Another activity that I really like was brenda's activity that consisted on  through a monkey and say our favorite fruit. All the activities were very constructive for me because I learnt what we can do and say at the time to work with children. For example, the vocabulary that is used to teach children should be simple because children do not master the language yet. 
Moreover, the Instructions of the activities must be short and clear at the time to give it to our students. The color of the pictures or material that teachers use should be very colorful. Children like and pay more attention to those images or visual aids that are attractive for them. Another thing that I learnt was that we need to involve all our students in the activity by encourage them that the activity is funny and the most important that tehy will learn a lot. Children are very smart and they pay attention to everything that is why teachers need to pay attention to the time and the cons that activities may present at the time to perform it. It is neccessary that we as teachers ensure that all the elements that we will need are apropriate and that they will work. These are just some of many aspects that I lernt in this workshop and I am very excited to put in practice this elements that I learnt. 

Songs and Chants Workshop class

The class for this week was funny and interesting because we share a set of songs and chants with the purpose of have a verity of song that we can use with our students. All our classmates chose carefully the song that they presented and explained the age, the stage, and the purpose of the song.  My classmate Thomas presented The Finger Family this song describe the members of the family and requires that children represent each family member by using their fingers.  

 Then, he presented Five Little Monkeys song that is used to practice numbers. I really like this song, and I cannot stop singing it. Moreover, Bryan gave us the song I Have a Pet that include some animals such as dog, cat, and fish. His other song was the Bath Song that talks about parts of the body and it should be used as a warm up if the topic was already thought. 
Then, Olmes sang the If you are happy chant that it is used in the during stage to practice the feelings or emotions topic. Besides, our friend Eunice transported us to the zoo with the two songs that she presented. These songs were Let’s go to the zoo and Walking in the jungle that are used in the during stage, and the two of them talks about wild animals. 
                                                        The next songs that we sang were ten little airplanes that is

used to practice numbers. Also, we sang  old mack donald farm presented by Josue that talks about animals. 
Then, Xunaxi presented the What’s your name song that is used the first day of classes in order that students ask the names of classmates. Furthermore, Nancy gave us the lyrics of I see someting blue song that is use as a warm up, and in the during stage to practice colors. Besides, in this song teachers can replace the blue color for any other color that they studied in previews classes. 

Jacky introduced the songs This is the way that talks about daily routines and the song If you are wearing something red that it is also used to practice colors and that color can be substituted by any other. The song Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes was presented by Jennifer and we spent a very nice time dancing and moving our bodies with this song to practice parts of the body. Moreover, she presented the Animals farm song that talks about farm animals. Our friend Deyanira gave to us the lyric of Days of the week that was really interesting because it has different rhythm inside the same song. Then, Vanesa performed the Skeleton dance that talks about bones. This  is a nice but difficult song to sing that is why the ages to which this song can be thought is  from 9 to 12. 

Brenda presented The clothing song that include clothes like socks, pants, and shoes. Besides, she presented the Color objects song that include some objects and the color that represent them. My other

classmate Kriscia gave us the lyric of the Greeting song and Five little Ducks that was a very nice song with a little bit of salsa rhythm. Finally, our classmate Wanda chose the alphabet song, and the good morning song. I learnt a lot in these two classes and the most important thing is that I definitely will used these song with my future students.