Fourth Field Teaching

During our lesson today, we explored the topic of water as a solid, liquid, and gas. I was pleased to see the level of excitement exuding from the students. I could tell that more of the students, since our first couple of lessons, were really connecting these pieces and beginning to understanding the process of water changing states as it is affected by temperature changes.
We have had a chance to review their progress from the formative assessments conducted throughout our lesson this far. There were trends with specific students that we noticed: some students were able to build understanding and make connections with prior knowledge, while other students were not able to make those establish those basic understandings that allow for the connections to be made. With that in mind as I was observing this lesson, I notice those students who were not making the connections were still struggling with the key information that we wanted them to internalize. This is discouraging as preservice teacher, because I want to help all of the students. It is my job to help all of the students. With a class size of 21 and a need for such a wide spectrum of differentiation, I am finding that it is very difficult to come up with ways to reach all students while pushing those advanced students to progress to the degree in which it is necessary. Realistically, we are only here for 5 lessons and cannot achieve this without having more time with those targeted students. However, it does make me start to think about ways I can handle this when I become a professional teacher.
Another issue that I have observed throughout my time student teaching is behavior management. In the Kindergarten setting, many of the students have no prior experience in a school setting. This is a new and exciting time for them, and it should be so. They have very little experience in a controlled setting where it is expected that they sit still and listen quietly. Certainly, this is necessary for students to learn. But, how do you approach this without discouraging their creative nature? I certainly do not want to take this away from them. I am sure that part of there excitement comes from having a visitor in the classroom with whom they have no long term established rules. I also know it is critical that I establish these rules with my classroom at the beginning of the year when I begin my career as a teacher.
We were fortunate to have J, our professor, visit our classroom today. They children were a little more active than they normally were, she was able to see us trying many strategies to keep the noise level down and build understanding with students who are not quite making those connections we were hoping for them. She offered some great suggestions, such as bending down and facing them and asking them to repeat directions to scaffold their ability to start making the connections necessary to progress. Another great strategy she pointed out was to remain quite when the students are talking, rather than talking over them. I guess I have seen Ms. S. practice this technique now that I think about it. I guess it was helpful for me to hear this and make those connections myself!