Week #1

I was introduced to teacher Alexander Valencia: mi new mentor teacher. From the first class, in 4°C, I felt at home. I was told to work with 3rd and 4th grade and I felt with them I can be myself, I mean, for attracting their attention I can be a little more dramatic and spontaneous... I love it!!

I have had the opportunity to observe:

• Classroom management: it is a little more complicated because there are, in each classroom, from 35 to 40 students and they use to be so unfocussed. Almost all the time it is necessary to repeat the instructions and rules for them, thas is why the teacher has too stop, frequently, the class to establish the order.
• Student´s attitude: the most of  them are boys and, with them, almost everything use to be a mess. At the beggining all of them felt curious about who I was and what I was going to do (although I made a short introduction about myself) 
• The interaction between the students and the teacher: students use to be so spontaneous and they always want to call teacher's attention. The teacher has to mediate among the moments of the class and the management of it (Discipline --> because it is the most difficult to manage). It is usual that students make jokes in the middle of the class or make complains about their parters attitudes, which is and obstacle to carry the class out.
• English in the classroom: these kids are in a process of closeness to the second language, so, the class is in Spanish and some specific comands are giiven in English such as: first, second, sit down, let's stop this activity, page 25 and so on.
• Students' needs: I could find some students, mainly, with autism, attention-deficit and hyperactivity. They demand a special treatment and an "extra task" for the teacher.