promoting student achievement

1. Promoting
Student
Achievement
Discussion Board Slide Show
Jenny Stevenson
Psychology of Education SOE 115
Kendall College

2. I work in a pre-school classroom. The strategy I
chose was Circle Time. I chose this because I see
many benefits for the students. This time is
preparing the students for kindergarten. Circle
time is an important part of the student’s
achievements. Many skills are achieved and
routines are set into place during this time.
Three topics I am going to discuss in this slide
show are:
• Developing social skills
• Building vocabulary skills
• Math exposure

3. Developing Social Skills
Most educators are familiar with the need for their students to
develop appropriate social skills (Day 2011). During circle time
students build and develop relationships. It also enhances self-
awareness and self-esteem. Students feel a sense of belonging
during this group time. Many teachers use circle time as a
calming technique especially after coming inside from recess.
This allows students to reset themselves and adjust their
behavior to indoor activities. Cognitive skills are being
developed by problem solving, negotiating, and self-
monitoring. Affective skills are being utilized by recognizing
feelings. Often times persona dolls are used to help the
students understand a situation. Students are interacting with
each other during circle time as well. Turn taking is a skill we
try to teach by playing games, writing on the board, student
jobs, or just having a turn to talk. By doing this daily it
reinforces a routine and schedule that gives the students the
structure they need to be successful.

4. Building Vocabulary Skills
Adults play a major role in oral language acquisitions of young
children (Massey 2004). Teacher usually take this time to read a
book to the students. This exposes them to old words and new
words. While also allowing the teacher to ask questions pertaining
to the story. Observations of conversation between the teacher
and student are taking place. Students can also retell the story
using props. Letters can be discovered and they can place letters
together to make words. Volume of our voices can also be taught
during circle time. We can demonstrate how our voices go high
and how our voices go low. Also we can talk about how loud voices
are for outside and quiet voices are for inside. When students are
in conversations, they are developing cognitive skills. Teaching and
developing their conversation skills is something they will use
throughout their life. This is a great opportunity to work with
students that need extra help in speech.

5. Math Exposure
Learning experiences that center on mathematical
concepts should not only be enjoyable and meaningful
but also direct children’s thinking toward, and focus it
on mathematical ideas (Trafton, Reys, and Wasman
2001). Circle time is a great time to review color,
shapes, and numbers. Using resources in your
classroom, games with shapes can be incorporated to
give the students visuals of the shape. The same thing
can be done with colors. Patterns can also be
introduced. This will also demonstrate turn taking for
the students. Math is everywhere! We use are
attendance to expose them to math. We count how
many friends we have at school and how many friends
are at home. It is also important to write the number
as you are saying it. Many times a student can count to
three but will not recognize the written number three.
Students will use problem solving skills as well. For
example: “We have 4 apples, how many more do we
need to have 8 apples?” Visuals are very helpful
especially for younger students.

6. Most of my resources are very similar. I was looking for articles that
showed benefits in circle time. Showing that routine and schedules
are good for students and setting them up for success in the future.
Especially in a pre-school setting, it is getting them ready for
kindergarten. Circle time allows students to develop many skills.
Many of these skills coincide with each other. These skills are not
only necessities for school but also throughout their adult life.
Circle time is teaching math skills, following direction,
conversations, problem solving as well as self-monitoring. The
resources also discuss the importance of the relationship this time
builds with the teacher and the student.
Analysis

7. Connections
Vygotsky’s theory believed that people develop through
social interactions. Social interactions allow cognitive
structure and thinking processes. Interactions during circle
time help students’ minds develop. They are learning old
and new information during this time. Language is very
important in cognitive development. It gives the students
ways to express ideas and ask questions, the categories
and concepts for thinking, and the links between the past
and the future. Vygotsky believed that the specifically hum
capacity for language enables children to provide for
auxiliary tools in the solution of difficult tasks, to overcome
impulsive action, to plan a solution to a problem prior to its
execution, and to master their own behavior(Woolfolk).

8. I believe that circle time is very important. It helps build
relationships and develop social skills. Vocabulary skills are also
expanded by reading books and discussing/retelling the stories.
Circle time allows the students to have routine and a structure
schedule. Designating a special spot for circle time helps the
students’ consistency. It allows them to feel a sense of belonging
to part of the class. Circle time is developing students’ skills to
help the in their future classes as well. Cognitive skills will be
used for problem solving and negotiating. It is important to
teach interaction skills that display turn taking and conversations
with other students. Play is very important in students’ daily
schedule. Circle time can be fun! Changing activities weekly
helps students not to get bored. Music, dancing, singing, math,
and reading are all activities that can be used to make circle time
fun.
Conclusion

9. Communication With Families
Parent: What is important about circle time?
Teacher: circle time establishes a routine as well as a schedule for the
students. It also helps develop many skills that they will use in the
future.
Parent: What is a type of skill that they will develop?
Teacher: One skill that they will develop is vocabulary. We will read
books during circle time. This allows me to expose them to many words.
I will ask questions and see if they can retell the story. By doing this, it
demonstrates how to have a conversation with other people.
Parent: When is circle time in the schedule?
Teacher: We usually have circle time after we come back from recess.
Having it at this time allows the students to reset themselves and calm
down to be ready to begin working again.
Parent: What other activities do you do during circle time?
Teacher: We try to incorporate lots of different activities. Sometimes we
will have music, dancing, singing, or games. I also like to include math in
circle time.

10. References
Beneke, Sallee J; Michalene M Ostrosky; Lillian G Katz. 2008.
Calendar Time for Young Children. Good Intentions Gone Awry.
Day, Felicity. 2011. Circle Time for social emotional learning.
Educating Young Children - Learning and teaching in the early
childhood years Vol 17, No 3.
Massey, Susan L. Summer 2004. Teacher–Child Conversation in the
Preschool Classroom. Early Childhood Education Journal, Vol. 31,
No. 4.
Trafton P, B.J. Reys, & D.G. Wasman. 2001. Standards-based
mathematical curriculum materials: A phrase in search of a
definition. Phi Delta Kappan 8(3): 259-64.
Woolfolk, Anita. Educational Psychology. Thirteenth Edition.