Heidi's study life in Poland

Today, I had my first experience teaching our first-grade class. I designed a lesson plan based on a shopping scenario to review previously learned food vocabulary and introduce the new sentence structure, "Can I have something, please?" The review of vocabulary and the practice of the new sentence went relatively smoothly, despite some students not fully concentrating. My first attempt at teaching Polish elementary students entirely in English went better than I expected. As I mentioned in my previous blog, this was a challenge for both me and the students, who are learning English through a Polish-English bilingual approach. However, I encountered an unexpected issue during the activity segment. Some students didn’t understand my instructions, leading to various reactions: some students became so frustrated that they cried, others gave up and started playing on their own, and some sought help from their peers and my mentor. The classroom quickly turned into a chaotic and no

During today’s classroom observation, I focused more on a student in our class who has ADHD. This experience was particularly enlightening for me because I have not previously had any specific education or exposure to working with students with special needs. I haven’t actively read articles or materials on this topic, nor have I interacted with such students before. Thankfully, my mentor provided a detailed overview of the students’ backgrounds on my first day, which helped me understand why this particular student finds it challenging to stay focused during lessons. Due to my lack of knowledge in this area, I was  uncertain how can I support this student. Even though I s at  behind him during every observation class, I was worried  about doing something wrong that might upset him due to my inexperience. Therefore, I tended to maintain a certain distance. Despite this, the student always greets me with great enthusiasm, loudly saying, "Hello Heidi Heidi," with sparkling , ex

 

Today ’ s observation at my internship school provided fascinating insights into the differences in classroom discipline between Poland and China. As someone who grew up and was educated in China,  I was shocked   by the contrast in student behavior and classroom management.   Classroom Discipline: China vs. Poland   In China,  students of p ublic schools  typically sit up straight, keeping their eyes fixed on the teacher or the blackboard. This posture represented their attention and respect for the lesson being taught. Chinese students understand that this behavior is expected of them and that it shows they are paying attention.   In contrast, the first-grade class I observed in Poland displayed a much more relaxed approach. Students could choose the sitting posture they found comfortable, and they did not always keep their eyes on the teacher or the blackboard. Initially, I thought this meant they were not paying attention. However, when the teacher asked questions, even those stude

2024.03.06  students 23 presented, first grade.     Interesting Observations While observing the lesson, I noticed some interesting similarities to English classes in China. In both settings, teachers often use the native language to translate what they have just said in English. This bilingual approach helps ensure that all students understand the material, but it also raises an interesting question: What if I used only English in this class? Since I don’t speak Polish, my only options are English or perhaps some gestures and hand signs. Reflection Would it be effective to conduct the entire class in English, especially for simple words and sentences? This is a question worth exploring. On one hand, using only English could immerse the students more fully in the language, potentially accelerating their learning. On the other hand, the complete lack of translation might lead to confusion and hinder their understanding. This observation gave me much to think about. I plan to discuss the