Why did I post that?

I decided to post this entry because after reading the document our teacher gave us about the blog, I understood the 'Free entries' should've a connection with the topics we are working in class.

Through this new entry I will explain why did I write about those topics and which connection I think they have with education and  teacher training.

Entry #1: It was about Halloween, the reason I wrote about it was because I was in the United States in that moment and Halloween is such an important holiday there. Well, it is not a holiday because they do work that day buuut I wanted to share with my classmates and the cloud how was my first real Halloween experience.

As all you know, English teachers always prepare special activities for Halloween in the Spanish schools and we all love this fun topic.

Entry #2: Why kids close their eyes when hiding? I've been a blog reader for years, I follow some blogs that I read everyday (or week) no matter what. Cup of Joe is one of these blogs thats I love and since the author has become a mother she has this Motherhood Mondays and all topics are pretty interesting for parents and teachers.

There's some investigations about kids that you'all may like. Like the one I posted here and that one about the mashmallow test, did you watch that video? Click here if not.

Entry #3: Yoga is one of my favourite things in the world, most yoga teachers would agree with me when I say yoga can help children in so many ways. Not only to get focus on something, to be patient, to have a routine (you can get this with many sports too), to know how to calm down, to learn to breathe...

Yoga and meditation are good for everyone, we can use some yoga techniques in class to help our students to relax and concentrate.

Entry #4: What to say about this... for sure affection is something we always talk about in class. Knowing our students not only in their academical issues is very very important.  In fact, children spend loooots of hours with us and they need to trust us and if you are good with/to them, they will love you as much as you will love them. It is impossible to divide love from the relationships between kids and their teacher.

#5 Meeting individual needs

I couldn’t help myself thinking in my own learning while reading this article. When I was in Primary (and of course in secondary or superior education) none of my teachers organized different kind of activities to reach every student, at least I do not remember it. Maybe they’ve done it, but I was not aware.

About the article what I found most important was what we always say in class, taking into account of children’s current levels of ability, prior knowledge, strengths… I think it’s really important as a teacher to know the specific reality of every student, their situation at home with their family, the way they learn, etc.

As we’ve been talking since last year. Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences Model can help and guide teachers to understand better their students and also to plan different activities to help each learning style. 

 In the article ‘Learning strategies’ by Susan House, that we read last year, it is said «we try to provide the students with various models to choose from […] they must choose for themselves».

 {Funny nepali kid in class}

I think this is really important, giving students the chance to choose what they prefer to do gives them a kind of freedom they enjoy and at the same time they’re working, even more if we just give them a worksheet.

It connects with those videos we watched at the beginning of the course about symbaloo and that girl that showed how she organize her own time and choose how she wants to do the task.  

Of course it is not easy to do this, buuuut at the same time because we care about our students we should all do a big effort and try to achieve our goals (in this case, to reach every student and their learning style)

Did any of my classmates have the opportunity to do that when they’re in school? I don’t think so. But now it’s our time to do things differently, to decide what we want to do and share with our students to provide them the best guide that we’re able to. 

{I would like to finish this entry with this quote of Dr. Seuss, we still have to learn many many things from him}

#4 How important is affection?

Some years ago my friend Jared told me that in American schools and kindergartens, teachers are not supposed to hug and kiss their students. As well as people shouldn’t give affection to other kids in street or shops. 

For years I’ve been thinking about this and I couldn’t imagine it was true. Last month, when I went to Arkansas I had the change to meet Miss Charlotte (Jared’s mum), who is a primary teacher, she explained me that it was true but she gives love to her students anyway because they need it. Even thought, she knows she could be fired because of this.

I know so many bad things happened lately, but we can’t forget the needs our children have, how many hours they do spend with us and that some children don’t get the affection their parents should provide.
I also have the opportunity to meet a little girl called Katherine. I went trick-or-treating with her and her parents. At the beginning I was a bit nervous, not only because it was my first trick-or-treating, but also because I wasn’t sure about how to act.
After few minutes I saw and felt Katherine very comfy with me and even I am an adult, she wanted to share that moment with me and she tried to make me experience that special moment.

I would never forget when she asked me “Would you like to knock that door with me?” and also “but… you don’t get candy for Halloween in Spain?  Ohh That’s horrible!”

I didn’t act the same way I would’ve done here but I understood it was not that strict as I thought it would be.

 

In my opinion, us as teachers should be allowed to give love, hugs and affection to our students, because they need to feel we are there for them and that they can count on us.
What do you think about this?

#3 Something I like

by Adriana

Today I want to share with you what I like the most, YOGA.

Since the moment I started doing yoga (2 years ago). This has changed my life in so many ways that I find hard to tell when it is not present in my daily life.

The style of yoga I practice is Vinyasa and Hatha Yoga. Vinyasa is very active and I like doing it in the morning, so my body is not rusty the rest of the day. When I am really busy that I don't even have time for this I do not work as well as I would.
Before bed I like to meditate and do a bit of Hatha yoga, it allows me to relax and to have a better sleep. 

It is also present during the rest of the day, it helps me to keep focus and balanced. I take care of myself, what is the only way to take care of the others too.

Yoga is union and it is everything, so I can't imagine my life without it now.

#2 Why do kids cover their eyes when hiding?

Hello!

Some days ago I read in one of my favorites blogs, CUP OF JO, a post that talked about a research done by the team led by James Russell at the University of Cambridge. Their work tried to answer to the question Why do children hide themselves covering their eyes? 

Did you ever ask this question to yourself?  I find this is such an interesting topic and children is just fascinating!

 "In both studies so far, when the children thought they were invisible by virtue of their eyes being covered, they nonetheless agreed that their head and their body were visible. They seemed to be making a distinction between their 'self' that was hidden, and their body, which was still visible. Taken together with the fact that it was the concealment of the eyes that seemed to be the crucial factor for feeling hidden, the researchers wondered if their invisibility beliefs were based around the idea that there must be eye contact between two people—a meeting of gazes—for them to see each other (or at least, to see their 'selves')."

I loved the quote Jonna posted so I want to share it with you. And I also invite you to follow her blog, I've been following her for years and I can't stop reading her and her husband. 

You can read what they found out here.