Additionally, I was able to quickly adapt to the group and the pre-established plan set by the school. Despite not being able to change most activities, as all three kindergarten classes followed the same curriculum rigorously, I managed to add my "personal touch" to each lesson.

Moreover, by being actively engaged with the students from the very beginning, I established a strong rapport with both the students and the co-teaching professor. This fostered a positive and collaborative classroom environment.

Additionally, in the first few classes, I struggled asking for attention when students misbehaved. This made it challenging to handle discipline. However, I discovered that engaging the students' interest was key to better behavior and attention. By incorporating numerous visual aids and resources, I managed to catch the students' attention, which helped improve their focus and participation in the following lessons. This adjustment was crucial in overcoming my initial difficulties and enhancing the overall classroom environment.

I also felt that I made great the use of time and resources available in the classroom, despite having limited materials. For instance, even with minimal supplies, the activities involving hot air balloons were made successfully and captured the students' interest.

I also knew when to stop an activity if it wasn't working well. For instance, during a second review of animals, the students started to get tired. Instead of pushing through, I decided to stop the activity and save the materials for the co-teacher to use later. This way, the students' learning experiences were more effective and thoughtful. Being able to adjust based on the students' needs helped create a more positive and productive classroom environment.

While I had a good relationship with the co-teacher, I didn’t feel much support from him in planning or managing the class. He knew the group much better than I did, so his insights could have been very helpful. Additionally, seeing more of how he managed the class might have given me useful strategies for maintaining order.

Another challenge was the lack of consistent English input in the classroom. Apart from a few vocabulary words and simple phrases like "toilet, please," the rest of the instruction was in Spanish. This made it difficult for me to speak to the students in English, as they were used to hearing mostly Spanish.

Finally, during the last class, which I was being observed, the students were very distracted and it was hard to get them to focus. The hot weather that day made many of them irritable, which in turn made me feel overwhelmed. This situation emphasized the importance of having effective strategies for dealing with such disruptions.

Last year, I shared my experience with a colleague who taught the other fifth-grade class. This collaboration was incredibly valuable as it allowed me to gain insights and feedback, which was beneficial for both of us. In contrast, this year I worked alone, which gave me the chance to apply what I had learned and adapt my teaching style to fit my own methods.

The fifth grade class I taught last year were very different from each other, and my relationship with the main teacher was not very close. This lack of guidance forced me to make my own decisions in the classroom, which, while challenging, helped me develop greater independence and problem-solving skills.

Comparing my primary school experience with teaching kindergarten this year, I discovered that I enjoy working with younger children more than I expected. The kindergarten environment provided a new experience. Both experiences have taught me valuable lessons through spontaneous successes and mistakes, reinforcing my passion for teaching and reminding me why I chose this career :)

"Successful learning is greatly dependent upon how we manage the various social relationships that occur in the classroom. Key amongst these are the relationships between the teacher and the class as a whole, and the teacher's various relationships with the individuals that make up that class."

S. Mercer, S. Ryan, & M. Williams (2015). Affect. In S. Mercer, S. Ryan, & M. Williams (Eds.), Exploring Psychology in Language Learning and Teaching (pp. 95-96). Oxford University Press.

"the capacity for recognizing our own feelings and those of others, for motivating ourselves, and for managing emotions well in ourselves and in our relationships"

(as cited in Exploring Psychology in Language Learning and Teaching (pp. 94)

E.g: feelings of disappointment in ourselves for not performing well in a class.

E.g: Love = companionship, trust, physical desire, excitement.

• Subjective feelings refer to how an individual interprets a particular event.

• Expressive behaviour refers to how we externally express our emotions.

• Psychological aspect refers to those physically measurable changes in the body.

As teachers, it can be useful to become aware of learners' facial expressions and body language, since THE BRAIN PRIORITIZES EMOTIONAL REACTIONS = emotions can both facilitate and inhibit learning.

Litwin, E. (2008). Reflexiones en torno a cómo enseñar. En E. Litwin (Ed.), El oficio de enseñar (pp. 63-88). Paidós.

"Pasar de un tema a otro sin detenerse y sin entender su valor en toda su complejidad, o saltear niveles o etapas de desarrollo, seguramente no provocarán un progreso sino que instalarán la desvalorización del tiempo dedicado al aprender"

As the other students moved on to the next activity on the tables, I suggested Vitto join us at the table, but he was still too upset. I offered him the option to sit on my lap while starting the activity, which he seemed to appreciate. Gradually, I asked if he felt ready to work on his own, and eventually, he agreed.

I think that if I hadn’t been there, Vitto might not have participated in the activity, or if he had, his focus would likely have been on his initial distress rather than the lesson.

As I see it, this experience underscores the significance of understanding and addressing students' emotional needs. It also relates to Krashen's Affective Filter Hypothesis, which states that high levels of anxiety and negative emotions can inhibit language acquisition. By creating a supportive and empathetic environment, we can lower the affective filter, making it easier for students to engage and learn effectively.

Litwin, E. (2008). Reflexiones en torno a cómo enseñar. En E. Litwin (Ed.), El oficio de enseñar (p. 63-88). Paidós.

S. Mercer, S. Ryan & M. Williams (2015). Affect. En S. Mercer, S. Ryan, & M. Williams (Eds.), Exploring Psychology in Language Learning and Teaching (p. 79-96). Oxford University Press.

"In order to understand and interact with others, we need to understand ourselves, realize our strenghts and weaknesses, and feel comfortable within ourselves"

S. Mercer, S. Ryan, & M. Williams (2015). Affect. In S. Mercer, S. Ryan, & M. Williams (Eds.), Exploring Psychology in Language Learning and Teaching (pp. 94). Oxford University Press.

"Self-management is essentially concerned with how we manage and control our emotions" (...) "Emotionally intelligent self-management occurs when individuals are able to manage their emotions in a way that takes into account the concerns of others"

S. Mercer, S. Ryan, & M. Williams (2015). Affect. In S. Mercer, S. Ryan, & M. Williams (Eds.), Exploring Psychology in Language Learning and Teaching (pp. 95). Oxford University Press.

"Social awareness is concerned with our ability to interpret what other people are experiencing and thinking - our capacity to "read" people"

S. Mercer, S. Ryan, & M. Williams (2015). Affect. In S. Mercer, S. Ryan, & M. Williams (Eds.), Exploring Psychology in Language Learning and Teaching (pp. 95). Oxford University Press.

Las mismas destacan cómo entender y abordar las necesidades emocionales de los estudiantes puede mejorar significativamente los resultados del aprendizaje.

La colaboración con Celina subrayó la importancia del intercambio de ideas y retroalimentación, enriqueciendo mi práctica docente a través del aprendizaje colaborativo y el apoyo mutuo.

Los capítulos de Litwin enfatizan el papel de la innovación educativa fundamentada en teorías sólidas de aprendizaje, integrando las dimensiones emocionales y cognitivas, y promoviendo no solo la competencia lingüística, sino también el desarrollo ético y la comprensión cultural.

Esto coincide con mi deseo de enseñar inglés no solo como una habilidad comunicativa, sino como un medio para el desarrollo personal y ciudadano.

“Lo habitual en los casos de riesgo es proveer de un programa de educación compensatoria, adaptando el ritmo a la dificultad y disminuyendo la exigencia del rendimiento”

En el caso de las escuelas aceleradoras, se entendió que los estudiantes en condiciones de riesgo deben aprender a un ritmo más rápido y no más lento, porque esto los retrasaría aún más. → ESTRATEGIA DE ENRIQUECIMIENTO Y NO DE RECUPERACIÓN. 

"La escuela debe ser atractiva por las experiencias que en ella se lleven a cabo, las cuales en todos los casos deben ser verdaderos desafíos para los estudiantes. Si los estudiantes se aburren en ella y los padres encuentran que una respuesta posible es hacerlos avanzar más rápidamente, esto implica que no se instalan en la escuela experiencias reconocidas como válidas para atravesar."

Enseñar por proyectos o por problemas puede ser una de las respuestas a la solicitud de hacer más desafiante y provocativo el conocimiento.