HINTS ON TEACHING FIRST GRADE

 GENERAL ADVICE

1. Introduce yourselves, usually children like to have either “Dr, Mr, Miss, Mrs, Ms before your name   If you have a difficult last name you may want to just use your first name.  Tell them how excited you are to be with them, but state the rules, clear and distinct. 

            a. Student should raise their hand to be heard.
            b. Students should wait for instructions before you start.
            c.  Use a phrase “like 1,2,3 eyes on me” or count to ten, as a signal to be quiet and listen.

 2. You may want to talk to your teacher about his/her techniques for classroom management and how they control their class.  One teacher ay put his/her finger in a “Shhh!” fashion and raise a hand and have the rest of the children follow suit to regain control of the classroom after a noisy activity.

 3. Though it may be challenging at times for groups of children to share materials, the experience encourages cooperation and cooperative learning.  Children who habitually refuse to cooperate or break materials should be controlled by teacher.  As a docent, you are there for a fun hands-on activity.  Tell them "In your class you are getting to be scientists taking data.  we will be giving you 6 special lessons during the year".   Remember the background information is to help you learn more, and not to read it students.  Stimulate thinking by asking open-ended questions.  Ask questions that allows students to ask questions and try to figure the answer logic.  Science teachers critical thinking skills

4. Speak slow and distinct, especially if English is not your native language.  Try to be expressive with your speech.

5.  Don't talk for very long.  Students are there to have a hands-on experience.

6. .  Ask guided questions as much as possible rather than telling kids things, keeps them engaged (be sure to enforce the one at a time and raise your hand rule).

7.  When you read books be sure to be animated.

8..  Repeat key vocabulary words.  You can even ask questions like you forgot and you need them to remind you.     Aside from the vocabulary, try to use simple words that are at their grade level.

9.  Make eye contact, when talking to them and especially when giving instructions.

10.  Young children can only take in one or two instructions at a time.  The younger the child the more you need to repeat.  Having the students tell you what the procedure is also helps.

11. When students are working on lesson, let them try to figure things out on their own.  Try to find the source of their problem. First give them hints if they can’t make something work.  Be sure to demonstrate what you want them to do. 

12.  Don't hand out things ahead of time.  wait until you have explained what to do and shown the model.  Tell them not to start until you tell them to. 

13.  Prepare things so there are materials for 1 to 2 students. Older students can share as long as they have something in their hand.  Young children (Kindergarten to First) cannot wait or share well.

14.   Don't tell them they are wrong if they are expressing themselves.  You can tell them they are close and ask if someone else has an answer.  Pull them back on track if a child starts going off on a tangent.  Children love to tell stories that have nothing to do with the subject.

15.  Do not always call on the same students.  Encourage participation of all students.

 Special to First Grade: 

First graders need the instruction repeated over and over.  They are learning new vocabulary to go with the lesson. They need to learn descriptive terms so they can use the information to compare items.  Students also need to discover and touch items that they are unfamiliar with.