Working With Prep 1

by Sharyn
(St Helens Tas Australia)

The Counting Caterpillar

In Australia we have just started a new school year. This year I am working with Prep and Grade 1 students (those who turn 6 and 7 this year). I have 22 students in my class and I am lucky to have a teacher assistant 20 hours a week to assist one of my students with special needs.

At the moment we are looking at 'Being the Same Yet Different' and we are looking at the ways in which we are all the same and how we are different.

My students love playing a game where everyone sits on chairs in a circle and we take it in turns to ask "Stand up if you like ..." or "Stand up if you have ..." This is adapted from 'Change Places with a Partner' but I think the changing places thing would be a bit too chaotic especially at the moment. We might try this later on in the year.

Currently we are setting up routines for literacy and numeracy and getting used to reading a taskboard. At present I list 3 jobs in separate columns and have students sign their name when they have finished. In this way I see who has not completed their work.

Next week I am hoping to start with a proper taskboard that involves students working in groups.

I am also assessing where students are at in Maths. I like to use a chart that I devised called the counting caterpillar. Please see the picture above. I simply sign off when a student can count to 10, 20, 100, by 2's 5's and 10's etc. It is bright and colourful and the students enjoy using it to see what they would like to learn next.

If you have any questions about this please ask.