Portfolio page - 3.2


3.2 – Shows competence in observing and planning for literacy and numeracy experiences and environs, adapting to specific learner needs, interests and contexts.

Several weeks ago I observed children engaging in the water colour painting that the teacher set up for an experience at the kindergarten. One child whom I will name Jane for confidentiality reasons, showed a great interest in using the water colour paints as well as a large number of the other children. This experience was both a literacy and numeracy experience as the children were creating pictures and then talking about what they had created and they were also talking about the colours that they were making when mixing two or more colours together. The children were also creating different shapes and patterns using the paints. The children were also given different coloured pastels to use to draw pictures and then paint over the pastels using the paints.

I observed a few children including Jane to see their level of engagement in this activity and I observed them over a few weeks to see that they were engaged in the water colour painting experience. After a few weeks I decided to plan an experience based on their interests in this experience with using the water colour paints. I first went online to research activities that people had done using water colour paints and crayons. I then found an activity that involved using water colour paints and white crayons. I chose to create this experience as I knew the children would find it fascinating to see that when they paint over white crayon they can then see the white crayon and they can also learn that the white crayon cannot be covered with water or water coloured paints. I wrote up a lesson plan to plan the learning experience so I knew exactly what would be involved in setting up the experience for the children.

                                                         Picture of a water coloured painting taken by me.

Once I planned the lesson, I showed my plan to the teacher and then at my placement, we set up the experience. This experience went really well with the children. Most of the children took part in the experience throughout the day as they found it very exciting to see that when they drew on the paper with white crayon, it was invisible, however, when they painted over the crayon with the paints, they were able to see the picture that they drew. The teachers and I were able to have conversations with the children about what they could see happening and why they thought that the crayon couldn’t be painted over. We also talked to them about why the crayon couldn’t be painted over.

Numeracy and literacy skills were used throughout this experience, as they were having conversations about what they were doing in the experience, they were being expressive, and they were also drawing patterns with the crayons and different shapes. The children were also able to use their imagination when creating their pictures. Through my observations and planning this experience, I was able to show competence.

My mentor teacher was thrilled that the children enjoyed the experience and that they wanted to continue doing it throughout the day. The children were able to learn well about what was happening in the experience. I believe they were able to learn effectively as they were being involved in an experience that was interesting to them. As a teacher I was able to encourage them, help them learn and I was able to make the experience enjoyable for the children too.  From this experience, I was able to see how competent I was able to be in observing the children and then from my observations, planning an experience that would be both educational and enjoyable for the children. I felt very happy that I was able to create an experience that the children really enjoyed a lot.

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