This document summarizes the author's reflections on a kindergarten practicum teaching experience. Some key points: - The author taught a lesson on families to 4-year-olds using photos and a video, and had students bring in family photos to share. This engaged the students more than expected. - The experience helped the author become more caring, open-minded, and flexible with students. It also helped overcome a fear of teaching young learners. - Feedback noted students were more engaged in singing after the author's involvement. The author feels confident to make changes and manage classes going forward. - Personal beliefs about not liking to teach young learners were challenged, and the author now loves

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Instituto de Formación Docente Lenguas Vivas - Bariloche

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Reflection on Kindergarten practicum
May 2017

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Helping teachers gain a deeper understanding of themselves and of their actions
Thinking Back
This stage of my practicum has been enlightening for me. I’ve had not many opportunities in my life to share time with
young students. However, this stage has been an enriching experience in many aspects. The original aim of this project
was to teach four-year-old students the topic “Family” in a natural communicative way. First of all, I expected to make
them enjoy the activities in a meaningful way. As they are very young what they most enjoy is having fun so I
introduced the activities telling them about my family with authentic photos. They could see pictures about my dad, my
mum and my sisters and brother. Then, students watched a video about Steve and Maggie which is delicious!
Everybody enjoyed it.It was catchy and students were involved in the activity. They were asked to bringfamily pictures
and post some of them in a padlet designed for that purpose. At the moment of setting this activity in my planning, I
thought that it might be worthless, but they surprised me with their contributions. It means that this learning process
went beyond the classroom boundaries. That showed me that parents were involved in their children`s learning.
Thumbs up for this activity!
Some specific skills were necessary to develop this teaching experience, like being caring with students’ needs, being
open-minded with their answers and requests, being flexible in case the activities weren’t working in the way I thought
they were going to work.
Initially, I was a bit worried about this experience. However, I learnt that it is an amazing world that is worthy to be
discovered and enjoyed. I had the pleasure to feel their natural love with their teacher and their craving for knowledge
and participation.
Thinking Forward
My personal experience at this stage helped me change my personal beliefs as a student and as a teacher. I don’t think I
would change something if I had the chance to develop this project again. I’d add many other activities to enrich their
learningprocess,likechants and songs.My observer’s feedback gave me an insight about that. She praised the fact that
students are much more keen on making the circle to sing the hello song after my intervention in the group. It makes
me feel happy with the way I managed that resource and open an endless horizon for my future practice. Now I feel I
can do whatever I imagine and that I’m able to manage any changes I need to do in the same moment of the class.
Thinking Inward

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This experience allowed me to identify which personal beliefs sometimes blocked my teaching practice. I thought I
didn’t like to teach young learners! I was really scared of facing this challenge. Now I feel in love with this group of
children.Also,I think I can improve some classroommanagement I was aware of and I couldn’t put into practise during
this experience. In the future I won’t be afraid of stopping an activity to sick for some students’ attention. I’m really
satisfied with the way I developed this practice because it allowed me to get rid of my fears about young learners.
Thinking Outward
As I’ve already stated I strongly believe that this experience has opened a new different world for me as a future
teacher. I was able to share experiences, some advice and activities with some colleges immersed in a formal
institution. I’ve worked in my own business and practised for 22 years. But it is a different issue, here and now I had to
follow others’ rules and regulations. It was possible to articulate my point of view with the group teacher and how to
face some students’ attitude to help them make the most of the lesson experience.