What a year! I’m hoping that visitors to my blog have enjoyed following my teaching and learning development for 2009. I see myself as a learner along with my students and as I’m going to be a Prep teacher again, I’m looking forward to doing things differently in 2010. My Language Experience Approach combined with Play Based Experience will become more ‘purest’, if that makes sense.
In 2008 I crawled, in 2009 I walked and in 2010 I’ll be running. I’ve discovered what I feel is important and what is ‘F.U.T’ – ‘Fill Up Time’ and… WHAT is powerful teaching and learning practice. I’m pleased I have the opportunity to have a 3rd year teaching Prep because I believe consolidation is important for teachers. That’s something I haven’t had the opportunity to do in some years.
Prep is an undervalued year. A recent comment heard by a colleague in my own school was that ‘Prep was the easiest year she’d taught’. Well, it was an inexperienced teacher talking and if I’d heard it I would have questioned this statement. Having now over 25 years experience teaching (not including training) in different settings and across every primary school year level, I can say that this teacher’s statement is ‘crap’. I have found teaching Prep (first formal year of education in Australia) challenging and see it as a crucial year in education. It is a foundation year! We know that buildings with poor foundations fall down, well; it’s no different for learners.
Like all years (Prep – Year 6), the actual year level shouldn’t define learning limits. The range of my student’s abilities is huge. Teaching to student learning needs and styles is where I draw upon my experience and knowledge of teaching and learning. I have an understanding of the learning journey (Prep-Year 6) and have found that the only limits children have, are the limits teachers set.
During the holiday break I’ll keep posting as I’ve developed a passion for writing. I’ll be writing about the e5 Instructional Model and how I intend to use this model to develop my teaching and learning. I’ll also be developing my understanding of this model and reporting what I’ve discovered via my inquiry. In January I’ll be attending the PYP – International Baccalaureate conference in Adelaide for three days and working out how the e5 Instructional Model will sit within its framework.
I’d like to wish everyone who visits my blog a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Cheers Nina
Nina Davis: Teaching & Learning in Australia 
Hi Fiona,
The preps do not need to know all their sounds to write. They need to have an alphabet card to refer to. Collaborative Interactive writing and lots of modelled and shared writing is the key. This enables the children to prompt and support each other. My preps start writing on day one of the school year.
I’ll be posting this weeks writing soon.
Cheers Nina
Hi there Nina….
I am about to go into a Kinder/Prep for my third year prac, and the class teacher has basically handed me the ropes for a month. I have done extensive planning and clicked on your site and would love to include daily writing after reading your blog….what I am wondering is…the Preps don’t really know all their letters yet (I visited them last week for a check up) do you think it is too soon to try and introduce them to this concept…I thought it might help stretch their boundaries and help cement the rest of the activities I have planned. I was thinking about using for example the Gold words from the Magic 100- a, and, be, I, in, is, it, of, that, the, to, was……for creating their first word wall? and doing their first sentences around these words? Where would you start?