The class starts when the teacher greets students and asks them to place their books on the desks. It is an English classroom where students learn how to concentrate and respond to comprehension. One of the teaching methods that the teacher applies is reading the comprehension loudly for the whole class to hear. This made it possible to hear what the teacher was reading. Her reading speed was average; thus, students could easily get along. Another teaching method employed was asking students to repeat the last two words of each paragraph she read. This kept reminding me of the comprehension flow; thus, I understood excellently.
It is noteworthy that the group work was well-organized students since were accorded groups basing on gender. Here, the students were put in small groups comprising of almost an equivalent number of boys and girls. I understood the topic better through the students’ discussions since this session illuminated their strengths and weaknesses. Moreover, group work was successful due to frequent supervision by the teacher. The teacher made it possible for the students to participate in the discussions by picking them by their sitting arrangement. This is to make them answer the discussion questions. This facilitated better understanding as each student had to come up with an answer before the teacher reached his or her sitting position.
According to the course objectives, the teacher expected the students to acknowledge the methodologies used whilst responding to the comprehension questions. This was through assigning average tasks, which were neither too easy nor too difficult. The questions were related to the comprehension that she had just read to the class. This was instrumental in interpreting the topic adequately. The teacher’s leadership role ensured all students acknowledged the value of the learning materials used in class. These included charts, books, rulers, and other stationeries. Furthermore, she created an open and positive learning environment. It is noteworthy that her leadership role enhanced student concentration in class. This was through regular supervision of the students sitting positions and attention. Her sensitivity became manifest when she responded to answers by students in a way that made them feel that their contribution was valuable. This was through issuing regular, prompt, and positive feedback that encouraged students to perform well. As a result, I understood the topic better.
It was evident that at the beginning of the lesson, the class was lively, as students participated in the session excellently. However, towards the end of the lesson, the class became dull with students losing concentration. However, the teacher maintained her teaching tempo by involving students in frequent discussions. It is a fact that grade one students tend to lose concentration if the teacher fails to involve them in class. I noticed that the class was gender-balanced as the number of boys and girls were almost the same. This made the teacher’s work easier when it came to dividing the students into groups basing on gender. Moreover, the students were not punctual for the lesson because they concentrated more on what they were doing outside the classroom before the lesson commenced.
It is certain that for students in grade one to perform well the teacher must establish meaningful relationships with them. This involves making them feel appreciated and encouraged whenever they answer a question in class. Most importantly, these students should undergo punishment whenever they make mistakes in class. However, this should happen when necessary because students might develop a negative attitude towards the teacher. Consequently, they will shy away and fail to open up to their teachers. The class gender population must be favorably balanced. This is to ensure adequate social development of the students through interactions. Consequently, each student learns how to relate with a classmate of the opposite sex.