I work in grades 1,2,3,4 and 6, though the majority of my classes are with grade 6.
I assist in English, Natural Science, Social Science, and Arts and Crafts.
I also have been working extensively with grade 6 students to prepare them for the external Cambridge examinations (the Preliminary English Test and Key English Test).
My responsibilities in the classroom vary by class, instructor and subject. Usually I assist the instructor in lecturing, correcting homework and clarifying student doubts.
My goals this year for myself were to develop myself as a teacher with in-classroom practice. I hoped to improve specifically my skills in 1) classroom management, 2) materials design, 3) student motivation, and 4) lesson planning. As an assistant teacher, I feel I've managed to gain quite a bit of practice in classroom management and student motivation, but as my classes are structured by a more experienced teacher, I would still like to work on improving my design of materials and lesson planning.
My goals for my students this year were to help them 1) develop their level of English in listening, speaking, reading and writing, 2) be more comfortable speaking and interacting in English, and 3) encourage them to see how language-learning will benefit them in their lives.
My contributions this year to my school were twofold. I assisted the teachers in teaching the students about English grammar, pronunciation and usage as well as helping with classroom management. I also assisted the students in developing their skills and confidence in using English. Additionally, I supplemented their lessons with some activities and games designed to help them practice English usage in a more interactive manner.
The highlights of this experience have been many. I've greatly enjoyed getting to know my students as well as sharing with them my language and my culture. When I began this year, I was surprised at how high of a level my students already had and I'm even more impressed by how much they've improved while I've known them. I've appreciated this chance to practice teaching as well as help my students in their quest to be English speakers.
My goals for the upcoming year are to continue developing my classroom management skills as well as bolstering my students' confidence in themselves as language-learners. I would also love to find more ways to implement collaborative, team-based activities into their learning as well as public-speaking skills, as both are important in a variety of university and workplace environments.