I really enjoy teaching senior classes as they are more independent and you can do a lot with them. On teaching practice however they can be quite scary. I’ll always remember my observation day in 5th class on senior tp- I was terrified.. Being 5’1” most of the children were taller than me and had reached the ‘too cool for school’ stage. They also knew I was a student teacher and some thought that meant I wasn’t a real teacher and could behave however they wanted. Some tips;
Observation; this is vital – make sure to observe the class, see the routines and the level of the children. Find out what they are interested in and use this to plan your lessons. Talk to the class teacher about the classroom management plan, routines etc.
Lesson planning – find what the children are interested in and use this as a basis for your planning, for example – if you are doing eadaí and the children like One Direction then use the members as the basis. Or if the class are really interested in fashion then use this as the basis of a materials lesson in science.
Early finishers – make sure you have a plan for children who finish their work quickly. As children get older the gap between them widens – some children will complete a task in half the time it takes their peeers. Early finishers free download
Be fair and consistent – this is so important. Children respect teachers who treat them fairly.
Classroom Management
Class Dojo – this is amazing! Make sure to have a dojo shop so the children can trade their points for
prizes like choosing a job/a seat/prize from prize box etc.
Smile – many people will tell you not to smile when you first start teaching as this shows you won’t tolerate any messing however. Smiling keeps you calm and in control, it makes you approachable and is contagious.
Golden Time – This can work really well with some classes – where children get 30 mins to do something they enjoy (usually on a Friday) This might involve bringing in a toy/game, making loom bands, going outside for an extra P.E. session etc. Children start the week with 30 minutes and lose time if they are not behaving appropriately – however they can earn this time back with good behaviour.
Have fun 🙂
