Although I was not very knowledgeable about Japanese foods and etiquette prior to this unit, I now feel very comfortable with the topic 'eating in Japan.' I have done quite a bit of research for the unit, and I think that my lesson plans reflect this. These lessons were my first in [teacher's name]'s K/1 classroom, so I was a little nervous teaching this mini-unit. The students really seemed to enjoy the lessons, and they have learned quite a bit about Japanese dining.
The one thing that I would really change about this unit is the amount of time that was spent teaching it. I think that this unit should be carried out over a period of several weeks, or maybe even a month. I think that students, particularly students at this grade level, need time to really explore the concepts that are being taught. The students are quick learners, but I think that some of the concepts presented in the lessons take some time to understand.
I also would have liked have liked to teach some or all of the lessons with the help of [teacher's name], the Japanese teacher who visits the classroom for language every day. She would have been a wonderful asset to my unit! I think that it is important to have 'real' role models whenever it is possible. She could have demonstrated a number of things much more naturally than I was able to.
I felt very comfortable teaching these lessons in centers. The students asked a number of interesting questions during the lessons that were easily addressed in small groups during center time. During the constructivist Science lesson, the students made a number of fascinating insights when I asked them questions about the Japanese seafood. The class book from this lesson is great! The students enjoyed hearing How My Parents Learned to Eat for the Language and Literacy lesson, and our class book on how we are learning to eat in Japan is wonderful. I am very pleased with the results of these lessons. The Social Studies lesson was especially fun because of the traditional Japanese house (ryokan) that is in our classroom. Learning how to use chopsticks and Japanese table manners was so much more authentic in our Japanese house!
My cooperating teacher, is "delighted" that I was "brave enough to tackle what might be considered an obscure topic," one which required me to gain some background information. She thought that my lessons gave students some great experiences with Japanese foods and etiquette, as well as the opportunity to become more immersed in Japanese culture. [Teacher's name] thought that my lessons were very successful. She thought that I did a good job of questioning the students, and accepting all of their answers, and allowing them to truly explore the topics without giving anything away.
[Teacher's name] knew that I had brainstormed an even wider range of activities, and how difficult it was for me to narrow my focus. She said that she would be excited to see the full range of ideas that I have discussed with her. Over all, [teacher's name] thought that chosen "excellent, diverse topics," and comprehensive plans. She thought that my choice of evaluation style was very effective, and efficient.
My supervisor was very pleased with the L&L lesson ("How My Students Learned to Eat in Japan") that she observed. She thought that I asked relevant questions, and used rephrasing and prompting when necessary to aid comprehension. She commented, "your lesson plan and unit were very well conceived and implemented and very creative."
When I first spoke with my cooperating teacher about a topic for my mini-unit, I thought that I might want to do something about Japan, since her class is 'in Japan' for the year. I felt a little nervous about doing a unit on a topic with which I was not very familiar, but I have learned a great deal from creating this unit. I have learned a great deal more about Japan, but I have also learned how to create a unit, and execute it successfully.