This is why we teach!

International School Principal James Pastore writes about a recent visit to an Early Years classroom where the children were being taught by an enthusiastic and talented young teacher.

I have just finished a great observation of a new teacher in KG2 (super new. Right out of uni new. A “fresher” for you UK lot! 😉).

She and her TA were a seamless educational ‘machine.’

I was so impressed! Today was more work on the letter M and the number 4 (adding and subtracting too!).

We do our observations . . . unannounced . . . 

. . . on a multi-page rubric, with evaluative words we must use and with boxes to tick.
So yeah, you might have parsed out of the last paragraph that I’m not a fan of how obs are done and never have been in any school where as a teacher I was subjected to them and as an administrator mandated to do them.

However . . .

The saving grace of mandated observations is that they force a principal to be in the classroom for a full lesson. . .

And . . .

That does permit principals to see magic when magic happens.

Which it does.

Even from a new teacher.

A fresher.

2 months into her career.

Teaching M and the number four to five children who were;

  • Engaged
  • Engrossed
  • Invigorated
  • Thriving

I loved that lesson!

As a bonus, when I left the room two class sections of KG1 were onstage practicing for an upcoming assembly.

So, I had the joy of watching a group of educators – TAs, teachers, assistants – guiding their children through:

  • Movement
  • Song
  • Dance

It was lovely to watch for a minute and feel the smile stretching my face!!!

I’m still smiling as I type this and await an online KHDA (the Knowledge and Human Development Authority – our regulator in Dubai) training meeting to start.

KG matters.

Teachers and TAs matter.

And every time I see a KG lesson on the letter M I think of a short video from Sesame Street from 50+ years ago . . .

“Mmmmmmm…. MARTHA! “
It was soooo cool as a child to see the letter M taught using my mother’s name!
Sometimes I still say to her “Mmmmmmm MARTHA!” when I arrive home to visit and we both light up and laff!!!

James Pastore has been in education as a teacher and an administrator for 32 years of which the last 10 were spent in the UAE. Before joining Al Ittihad Private School in Jumeira, Dubai as Principal, James has previously held positions for the ADNOC schools in Abu Dhabi as Mudir of the Boys’ Schools and in Ras Al Khaimah he was the Campus Principal of the Emirates National School. More recently, was a school improvement specialist for the Emirates Schools Establishment.

FEATURE IMAGE:  Kindly provided by James with the permission of Al Ittihad Private School.