Orientation: Day 1 & 2.

My school just had their Orientation Day yesterday and today. There will be four days of Orientation, this week, Thursday & Friday and next week, on Tuesday & Wednesday. School will be from 9-11am.

The first two days was primarily for the new students, so the teachers of the other classes came to help out. With a higher teacher and lower student ratio, it would be less chaotic and the children would receive more personalised attention from the teachers.

It was great! On the first day itself, many of the parents came with their children. The children composed mostly of the first years 3,4 & 5 years children. An entire group worked with playdough, whilst the rest with animal puzzles, knobbed cylinders, pegging, and the Pink Tower.

After the first day's activities, I realised that I had to change many of the Practical Life activities, and set out to change it so that the materials would be suitable for the new children.I had not intended for them to use the Practical Life activities, but I had to change it nonetheless.

By the 2nd Orientation Day, there were still as many parents, but some of the children (the older ones that is) had already calmed down. The younger ones still had their parents accompanying them, but there were some of the more plucky ones whos moms just went to work not long after.

The children worked with puzzles, pegging, and knobbed cylinders till the bell rang. Then they put the materials away, and had circle time. We had singing and a game of passing the ball around. It was sort of a way to break the ice among the children.

After morning tea break, the children had about half an hour to work individually on puzzles, blocks and other manipulatives. After which, they packed it away to spend some time at the play ground.The day ended after that.

I think it is a good strategy to do that without the presence of the existing students, as it would be much more chaotic and having 3 (or 2 classes) of children whose parents.

I am still waiting for school to start. In the mean time, I am still very much in a holiday mood....*heh*. But there will be loads of paperwork to do, in regard to my Special Needs exam & project, my Sociology assignment, my Play lesson plan project, and of course, the upcoming article that is due. Something on pre-natal brain development, memory and cognitive skills.