GRADE 2
Grade 2
In second grade most children practice the skills learned in earlier grades and begin to use them with ease. Some children who were not completely ready to understand all the material introduced in first grade may now be ready to master it. Second graders apply what they learned about the meanings of letters and numbers to more complicated material, and begin to develop their analytical abilities even further.
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DEVELOPMENTAL BENCHMARK
By 2nd grade children are beginning to spend more of their school day sitting at a desk in a classroom, so it is especially important for physical activity to remain part of their daily routine. In the same way that they are establishing the learning and studying habits that they will rely on throughout their education and working life, they are also forming personal habits that will determine their future health and well-being. Children’s gross motor skills, which involve whole-body movement, are almost fully developed around this age, although they will continue to be refined as your child learns greater body control. The same applies to fine motor skills, which involve the coordination of small muscle movements. Children in 2nd grade are usually 7 or 8 years old, and the information in this section covers children in the typical age group. However, the age at which children reach milestones for physical growth varies considerably.
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Check out the site linked linked site to see the specific overview of each developmental profile!
FIRST PLACEMENT
MY EXPERIENCE
I had the pleasure of being placed in a grade 2 class for my first placement of my undergrad.
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As I had the opportunity to test out my teaching ability, I found it extremely addicting. When the students are eager to learn, you feel eager to teach. This class has helped me understand how to plan accordingly, and to expect the unexpected.
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As I grow, I hope to achieve the level of success that I have seen my students accomplish throughout my practicum. I have gained a better understanding of teaching the curriculum during this placement, and will grow to understand how to adapt the curriculum to my classroom's needs.
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As you can see in the photos below, I have included items that have helped me to develop a better understanding of classroom management at this age level. I have also included items that I have created, and items that the students have created.
SANTA
CREATED BY MY STUDENT
During Christmas my students learned about The Polar Express, and due to this, they have engaged with the book and the idea of Santa that this particular student decided to create his own Santa during free activity. As a basis for inquiry based learning, I asked other students how many blocks were used, or how tall is this Santa. This lead to into a math lesson unintentionally.
FREE WRITING
CREATED BY ME
I have read The Pigeon book to my students at the start of my practicum. This has guided my future lessons to be based off of this storybook. In one of the language centres, I had created a free writing activity that had involved Pigeon related questions that enticed students to think creatively and express their opinions through these activities.
CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT
CREATED BY MY ASSOCIATE TEACHER
I wanted to include this particular photo because of how well this classroom management strategy has helped to regulate student activities and develop collaborative associations. I found it very useful in helping students to understand that their actions were noticed and negative actions lead to negative consequences, while proper behaviour would be recognized.
MATH: PLACE VALUE
CREATED BY ME
During my placement, I had the opportunity to lead a math unit on place value. This unit has helped me to grow and understand the learning opportunities as an educator that we must cooperate with the comprehension of our students and not the timeline. My students have found the concept of place value to be difficult in understanding, however, as I reflected on their learning I had to readapt my lessons to fit the majorities difficulties to ensure proper progression.
