Monitors and Monitress.

Tuesday (20/07/2010)

I have always wished that I could spend some time with the kids for Corner Playing. You can really see their real characters from this activity. Due to my tight schedule, I always remind myself to observe them as much as possible. I deeply appreciate the sharing of other teachers’ observation too.

a) Table Manners.
• This song was taught just before we started having our tea. It sounded like this:
“Chewing quietly, chewing quietly,
Do not slurp, do not slurp,
We must say Excuse Me,
We must say Excuse Me,
When we burp,
When we burp.”

b) Recap of names.
• We quickly recapped the 10 Care Bears names and also remembering their distinctive colours.

c) Song: Care-a-lot.
• First, we read the lyrics together with understanding. Then, I sang with the class listening attentively. It is actually a long song but I chose the easier verse to attract the kids. It involved rhythmic claps and some kids were already dancing around……mmmmm….should I introduce a simple dance? Haaaa…….Wee Hong is really a talented dancer. 
• The lyrics:
Care-a-lot,
We care a lot!
Care-a-lot,
We care a lot!

Sticking together, we can make it!
Nothing can stop us, we can’t go wrong!
We can be tough, yes, we can take it
We care a lot and we will be strong
We care a lot and we will be strong!

d) Storybook: The Yo-yo Girl.
• It’s a story about a girl who thinks she isn’t good at anything. She said her friends are good at different things but she isn’t at all. Her mother talked to her saying that she was proud to have her as a daughter. Why? She is a Yo-yo girl who doesn’t give up and always trying to improve herself. Even all the kids are good at different things. Adults including myself are like yo-yo. I showed them a yo-yo which I played to let them relate better. They were giggling of course……!

e) Monitor or Monitress?
• Our middle-sized class is always messy and sometimes, the English books are in the Mandarin shelves, sometimes the medicine placed nearby the cellophanetapes and erasers are always strangely misplaced!
• Teacher: Who wants to be a monitor?
• Almost every kid puts up his or her hand. Thus, I decided to give everyone a chance. The kids brainstormed 20 tasks that we can do in the classroom. This is the list we came up with and we briefly went through each task and responsibility. Tomorrow, we would pick lots and explain more thoroughly about their duties.
- 3 Book Monitors for 3 languages. - Pencil Monitor.
- Eraser and Sharpener Monitor. - Colour pencil Monitor.
- Scissors Monitor. - Drawing Book Monitor.
- Cellophanetape Monitor. - Medicine Monitor.
- 2 Toys Monitor. - Bag Shelf Monitor.
- Food Shelf Monitor. - Notice Board Monitor.
- Water Monitor. - Electricity Monitor.
- Attendance Monitor. - Chair Monitor.
- Table Monitor.