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‘Observation plays a fundamental role in the improvement of teaching and learning. It is the most exciting and dynamic engine for whole school renewal and change, and it’s a powerful way to inspire and motivate. (Watson-Davies, 2009:5)

That was for me the first time that I had the opportunity to work with kids, it was really challenged but exciting too.

First of all, I observed the place, how it was distributed, the different rooms, it has a kitchen and two bathrooms. It has also a library with different resources as books, posters, flashcards, games, stories.

Furthermore, each room has its own computer, tv, board and library in order to had a better organize space.

The relationships were not as formal as I thought before, when I observed at the beginning I thought It was very formal, as a company, but then I understand that they are like a big family but very responsible, all of the persons in the institution are communicate through watsapp, mail and cellphone, each family has the number of the teacher and the cellphone number of the institution, they said when some child is ill, or if they need something.

It is really organizing and has a lot of resources.

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In the assistantship I tried to create a relationship with children, having into account as Carol said, the main aim of managing children positively is to create and maintain a happy working environment in which the norms and rules of classroom behavior are respected and children are engaged in purposeful activity and feel secure and motivated to learn, so  I play and sing with them, but I also explain different words, said and repeat the vocabulary, help them to do the activity from the book, I read for them and explain, trying to keep their calm, and concentration, but giving them the opportunity to tell me different thing that seem to be important for them, as how they were or what about the school, or different activity they had had before the class.

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I really like this picture because, it describes how is the classroom, they need that space in order to play, but they can also learn while they are playing. Furthermore is really important to create a good environment for the students. Finally keep the calm, and show them how interesting you are encourages them to participate.

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What aspects of the lesson require change / improvement?

I have to consider that they used to work with activitybooks and they didn´t use to play different games, so it was challenged to present a different way of teaching without losing the structure of the class.

It is really important to organize different activities, because sometimes they finished some activity so quickly and other take a lot of time, so it is important to recognize which activities they do quickly and which of them takes longer.

Finally, is important to have some strategies to convince that children who don´t want to enter, I could observe it during the observation classes, and then happen in the first class with me as a teacher, one of them wanted to enter only with his mom.

I would prefer to have a warmer place, trying to decorate, or to put some interesting games in the room before they enter, but it is a share room, so I couldn´t.

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What teaching strategies did you use? Which ones were effective? Why / why not?

The teaching strategies designed for the given classes were designed taking into account that “it is important to define pedagogical strategies that consider the different modalities of play and teaching, encouraging children's right to play as well as their interest in learning.” (NAP MINISTRY OF EDUCATION), therefore, the game was used as a basis strategic for teaching, seeking participation in different game formats: symbolic or dramatic, traditional, local, construction, mathematical, language and others.

Regarding materials:

• Different posters and flashcards were used to achieve vocabulary identification.

• Different songs and short stories to develop listening skills.

• Art work, drawing and painting.

Regarding time and space:

An attempt was made to work based on routines, the greeting from the beginning of the class, the hello song, and then the introduction to the activities.

You will use the different spaces and environments such as the floor, blackboard, desk, each person at their table and the use of the garden.

Those classes where short stories and flashcards were used were effective, since they felt enthusiastic about the different games such as memory game, pass the parcel, jump the line. On the contrary, the use of drawing and painting did not always work, since the children seemed tired of the repetition of that activity.

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It was the last class, and the one that I most enjoyed it. I don´t know if it was because of nervous or because of the different kind of lesson plan.

I presented a cartoon about a monkey that collected fruits. They really enjoyed it, they were commenting and participating on the cartoon while the cartoon was playing.

They play “jump the line” understanding all the sentences, reviewing some vocabulary about the cartoon, colors and vocabulary of fruits and vegetables.

They finished the class painting their own monkey and fruits.

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Fuits and vegetables.

In that class I tried to combine the both vocabulary worked on the previous classes, so we worked on fruits and vegetables. It was a really sunny day so we decided to go to the garden.

I hide some plastic fruits, and we play to “find the vegetable”, they really enjoyed it, it took a little more time that I was thought, because they ran and looked different things that was on the garden, but they could identify and we use different English vocabulary.

They finished the activity painting and classifying different pictures with fruits and vegetables.

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The third class was about vegetables, we sang a song that was about vegetables, we sang and said and repeated the different vocabulary.

They danced and sing, but some of them are a bit bored about songs, them prefer other things.

Furthermore, they participated and the most that they liked from that class was the guess the vegetable, that they had to look the picture and guess what vegetable it was. They really enjoyed that.

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FRUIT SALAD.

The second class was about fruits, I choose a short story in order to present to them some fruit vocabulary, we start with the routine of greeting and song, and then I presented some flashcards with fruit, they just know some of them as bananas and apple, and then they listen and repeat.

We sat on the floor in order to listen the story. They really liked the story, participated and repeat the names, they also review some vocabulary as colors, with the colors of the fruit, and numbers, because we count how many fruits there was.

All of them participated on the class, and that was really comfortable.

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In the first class, we decided with the teacher on the topic: Food.

I choose a sandwich because they have told me that it was their favorite food.

I created some flashcards and a poster in order they could learn and identify the different vocabulary. Some of the vocabulary they just knew them as tomato or lettuce.

The beginning of the class was in order to follow their routine, they arrived at the classroom and choose a greeting (if they want a hug or give five to the teacher, etc), then we song a hello song, the same that they used to sing.

Then I present the flashcards, they really like stick thing in the poster and identify.

To sum up they create their own sandwich, it was a little difficult because I had some problems with the printer and the parts of the sandwich was small, but they could create and took it to home.

It was difficult for me because I got nervours, and two of the kids wanted to be with the teacher, they are the youngest of the class.

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The last assistantship was on 21/09, it was a bit different because it was the birthday of one of the girl, and she decided to take some cake, so we sang the birthday song, and then they play some games.

I helped in many different ways because I cut the cake into pieces, then I brought some water, we have to serve the kids, and then I cleaned everything while they song the bye bye song.

I song with them, speak about their days in English, although they answered to me into Spanish, we could have little conversations in English.

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The second assistantship was on 19/09, the content was the same as before: Sports.

I could help them with the activity book, because some of them didn´t understand what to do with the book, or how to complete it, it was a bit advanced and complicated for them, such as match the meaning with the picture, although they don´t know how to read, the could complete it with some guidance. I worked with two students, I read and explain the activity and they marked it. They were so happy because they could complete the book.

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The first assistantship was on 12/09/2023. The content of the class was sport, that was something new for them.

In the first assistantship the idea was to help the teacher with those students that got bored and didn´t want to participate. For example, in the picture we can see how one of the students didn´t want to stand up, so I talked with him, tried to convince, and explain to him the activities. I could offer a complete time for attention, and that was very helpful for him because he could complete his activities, and furthermore, he didn´t distract the other students. We start to strength our bond.

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Observation Nº 3:

FOCUS ON: RESOURCES AND ACTIVITIES.

I could observe that there are always short activities, and at least two moments of play time.

The hello song is always important, because they understand that is the beginning of the class. There is a TV and a computer in the class, so the teacher can put play the song from there, and they can watch it.

They have a lot of flashcards, so the class can be introduce with the flashcards, they have to listen and repeat the word.

After that they have the pdf of the book on the computer, so they can watch the page that they are working on the TV scream, so they can find the activity easier.

All of them have the activity book and the work book, with the stickers.

There are a lot of material to choose, and they have a good internet connection.

The activities have to be short, no longer that 10 minutes each one, because they get bored quickly.

They wait the moment for playing, so after work with the activity book, they can play a 2 minutes, sometimes with the floor is lava, or other song.

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Observation class Nº 2:

Observation focus on: Bond between teacher, students and school.

If they came early they have to wait on the hall, it is a small place with a lot of chairs where they can sit and wait. Valeria, the coordinator teacher receive them, and wait for the teacher.

The routine is very important for them, so it is important to be on time and make a line for choosing the greeting and enter, there are a lots of different greeting to choose stick on the door. All of them choose one, no matter if they came late, they have the opportunity to

When there is someone who don´t wants to enter, the teacher talk with her/him, and try to convince to enter, if that doesn´t work, a person from the family can enter and wait inside up to the child be ready for staying alone.

The class always star with the song and the question about “how are you?”, sometimes they want to tell some personal information, and the teacher listens to them, all situation is an opportunity to teach some vocabulary.

If they talk about their family, the teacher says its names in English, for example: Mother, grandmother, and others.

If any of them is shy, he/she can stays next to the teacher and do the exercises with her.

There is a little girl that recently is 4 years old, and she is the youngest, so she is always next to the teacher, in order to participate in the class.

All of them have the opportunity to participate if they want, if they don´t want to speak, we have to respect her/him.

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Observation class nº1:

There are about 8/9 students, they are about 4 and 5 years, it is their first year of english. All of them was waiting for me, because the teacher tells them I will be there. They present me to “Yellow”, the puppet of the class, tell me their names and ask for mine.

Teaching and group management strategies

Moment 1: The class start with a greeting: Students have to choose their greeting before enter, then the teacher asks for their jackets and they hold it in the stand. After that, the teacher asks about their felling (How are you today?) and they answer with short adjectives (happy, sad, hungry, and angry)

Teachers begin the class with the “hello song”, all of them dance together, If any of them doesn´t want to dance, there isn´t any problem, he/she can wait sit down in his/her chairs.

Important: She says them “one, two, three, eyes and hears on me” to call their attention, and they know they have to make silence and watch their teacher.

Moment 2: They work in their activity book, the teacher explains them the activity and helps them.

Moment 3: Playing game: The love to play to “the floor is lava”, they ask for it and wait that moment.

Final: “Bye bye song”: They sing the song, while they put their jackets. Make a line behind the door, and go together to the hall for waiting their families and go home

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| Lesson | Date | Duration
| Observation 1 | 29/08 | 60minutos
| Observation 2 | 31/08 | 60minutos
| Observation 3 | 7/09 | 60minutos
| Assistantship 1 | 12/09 | 60minutos
| Assistantship 2 | 19/09 | 60minutos
| Assistantship 3 | 21/09 | 60minutos
| Class 1 | 26/09 | 60minutos
| Class 2 | 28/09 | 60minutos
| Class 3 | 02/10 | 60minutos
| Class 4 | 05/10 | 60minutos

(The schedule suffer some modifications due to personal and institutional reasons, but there was always good communication on both sides. I am always 10 minutes early, to be able to observe from check-in to farewell.)