In the first day of my teaching practice, I went to Al Amwaj kindergarten in UAQ. I entered the school and asked in the reception about the principal’s office. I went there, I talked to the principal and told her that I came to practice teaching for four days every week in one month. She said that she just received the e-mail today morning, so she was shocked. But everything was in ease although she received the e-mail in the same day.
I went with her inside the school, and I saw their lovely colorful designs on the floor, walls and roofs. I also liked their playground. It has many physical games that aid children to move and play physical games for good health. After that, I attended the assembly, and the principal talked with teacher Huda (English teacher) and teacher Moza (Arabic teacher) to attend their class during my teaching practice and their class is KG2b. In the assembly, I saw teachers are singing the national anthem and doing morning activity with children. I have noticed that children imitate every single thing that the teachers do, so that's why we have to be good role models for children.
After that, I went with the Arabic teacher to the class. Children were looking at me when I attended their class because I was a new person to them. Then I sat and observed what the teacher did with students from the beginning of the day, and I knew their daily morning routine. The teacher started the day by greeting the students and choosing the helping hand that helps the teacher to count the students, choosing the day and weather, writing the date, and reading Doaa and Quran. When she finished the morning routine, she gave them a new lesson in the circle time about a new letter in Arabic. The teacher used many ways to encourage children learn the new letter e.g. she wrote the letter on the floor, in the air and she gave them a worksheet to trace the letter. When teacher Moza finished the lesson, she asked me to help her in cutting papers and correcting the worksheets. Teacher Moza also told me about the new system in teaching that came from the ministry of education, and the system is starting the day with Arabic and the other half of the day they have English. So that is the reason why I have to be with two teachers.
In the English class, they have only one hour. They first sat in the circle time, and the teacher started by asking them "how do we sit in the circle time?" and children said the rules and modeled doing the actions of them e.g. they say "looking" and they pointed on their eyes. In the circle time, they have revised the letters that they have learned before "s,a,t" and then she let them move from the circle time to the tables to do worksheets. The worksheets are about tracing the letters and writing them many times.
At the end of the day, children were standing in a line to go to the buses. There are three buses for this school. Every leader for every bus comes to take the children to their bus. Children know that this is the leader of their bus and they are used to stand in the line before the leader comes.
Last day journal:
November 9, 2016 In my last day at the school, I was sad and upset because I spent with my students about one month and now it is time to leave them. I attended the assembly, then I went with them to the class. After that, I did my last observation and I wrote some notes. In that day, I explained two lessons, one math and the other one is English. When I taught my last lessons, I have noticed some improvements in three things: voice level, confidence in teaching, and managing behavior. My voice level is high now so I can say it is teacher's voice and everyone can hear it. I also improved my way in teaching, and I'm more confident now. And the last point is that I have known how to manage students' behavior although it was only one month to improve this point which is a difficult strategy to improve in a short time. I brought gifts for teacher Huda, the students, and the administration. The teacher and the children were delighted when they saw the gifts. They thanked me a lot and all of them were sad too because it is the last time to see me. I spent that day normally and as usual. At the end of the day, I took the children to the reception where they stand and wait for the bus and then I gave the principal a box of roses.