Engaged Learning concept map

My Service Learning teacher, Ms King, has done a great job of teaching with engaged learning.  She incorporates movement, fun, and relatability into many of her assignments.  She keeps the students engaged even when they are so young and can easily get distracted.

The first place I noticed her use an engaged learning technique is when the students sit on the mat for the meeting she reads a poem from a Shel Silverstein book.  These poems are silly and fun for children.  I remember really liking Silverstein over other poets because they were relatable.  During the reading she asks them to listen for rhyming words.  When they hear words that rhyme, they can raise their hands and talk to the neighbors quietly to ensure they heard correct.  Also, when the students are waiting to go to the Spanish class or recess she has them sit on the mat and instead of wasting this time she will quiz them on things they learned today.  What I really like is that instead of having everyone shout out an answer she instructs them to “take off” if the answer is yes.  The movement and fun choice of words allows the student to pretend they are rockets.  I notice in this exercise in particular she has each students attention.

The area of instruction that I think needs a little work are centers.  All 3 days I have helped out she has done centers.  While the activities seem like they are fun, they are very distracting.  Some of the students definitely focus on the work and always complete it.  But many of the students just talk to each other.  She has a group of 4 or 5 at the table with her and they are all on task.  The kids at the computer center are usually on task but many need help as they have not worked with computers much.  They don’t really know what to do.  The students writing in their journal are either not writing at all or they are writing with spelling errors.  I am not sure what I am supposed to help them with.  The other two centers are usually math and spelling/sight word related.  Those tables are usually well managed and the students know what they are doing.  The latter two centers work well and most students are engaged.  The reason I think these two centers work and the other two do not is the students know what they are doing. The assignments are not repetitious and the students are engaged. 

I think that the centers could work better for Ms King if the students have clear work samples of what they are expected to do.  For example, while I think the reading on the computer program is fun, I do not agree with it being done at school.  The kids have no supervision and some move way too far ahead.  I think if they were reading out of books they could actually hold in their hands they might be more focused.  I know when my daughter is at home she can hold the book, turn the pages, and read aloud, she is engaged.  But when I see her sit on the computer at school she is really just stuck on how to use it and what to do next.  She does not seem to be reading the books at all.  

The way I would improve on the journal writing is to give them a topic each day to talk about.  Write the topic on the board and ask them to write a few sentences.  Maybe have it be related to things going on in the news so they can be more aware of the world and the things their parents talk about.  This would keep them on topic better and leave less time for them to think about what they want to write.  Some just don’t know how to spell the words they want to write about. 

Overall, Ms King is doing great.  I only give critique because I was asked to find an area of weakness.  I think my daughter has done well in her class and she seems to be engaged every day.