Teaching Practice Guidelines

The Teaching Practice component of the 5th Elementary AMI Diploma Course is to be
fulfilled during the 2019-2021 academic school year.

TIPS TO A POSITIVE AND SUCCESSFUL PRACTICE TEACHING

❖ You are visiting someone else’s classroom. It is not appropriate to judge, critique,
or advise the cooperating teacher.

❖ Respect the teacher’s time and priorities. You may ask philosophical or pedagogical
questions during your regular meetings with your cooperating teacher, however it is not
appropriate to ask the cooperating teacher for extensive advice or consultation about your
own school or classroom. You are there to hone and practice your teaching skills.

❖ The cooperating teacher’s primary responsibility is his/her own class, and this task
should not be interrupted. Establish a convenient time when you can meet with the
teacher to plan lessons, exchange information, and ask questions.

❖ It’s important to be punctual: arrive and be organised before the children arrive.
Determine when and where you can practice in advance, before presenting to the
children.

❖ You will need access to all of your albums during your practice teaching experience.

❖ You should expect to give presentations from your albums, as they were presented to
you in your training. Locate the materials and supplies you will need in advance.
You are also responsible for returning things to their proper places. Again, the teacher
should not be disturbed during the work periods to help you with this task. If a
handmade material that you need is not available, you could offer to make it for your
host classroom.

❖ There may be occasions when the cooperating teacher will step back from active
direction of the class, so that you will have the experience of managing the entire
class. Offer to take on this extra responsibility, but be aware the teacher may not be
comfortable permitting this.

❖ Take care when giving presentations that you are in a position to see what else is going
on in the classroom. Be clear about your expectations of children’s behavior, and be
sure those expectations harmonise with the established norms of the classroom.

❖ Remember, you are not there to substitute for the cooperating teacher; even if you are
“in charge” of the classroom, your cooperating teacher should also be present. In the
unlikely event that you have a concern about how you are being treated during your
practice teaching, please contact Jen at course@mariamontessori.org or on +44 (0)20
 7435 3646 for advice and support.

❖ Practice! Practice! Practice! It is to your benefit to give as many lessons as possible, to

as many different children as possible – great stories, key lessons, introductory lessons,
follow-up lessons, story lessons, lessons with materials, large groups, small groups,
individuals . . . the cooperating teacher will help you in these plans by informing you as
to which children are ready for which lessons. Feel free to ask the teacher if any children
are ready for a particular lesson you would like to present. Be careful not to focus on
just a few children in the class. And remember, it’s better to over-plan and be over
prepared than to have to scurry around at the last minute. Do your best to present at
least one lesson from each of your albums during each practice teaching session. A
story presentation and a music presentation are required at some point during either
visit.

❖ Planning and record keeping are important skills and must be done in writing. You are
expected to share your lesson plans with the teacher, also you will copy and leave a
Record of Presentations Given. This documentation (initialed by the cooperating
teacher) is part of the fulfillment of practice teaching. In addition, you will facilitate the
systems in place in the classroom for children to record their work.

❖ You will be observed during your student teaching experience by your cooperating
teacher, who will provide a written evaluation of your Practice Teaching
session.

❖ Maintain a professional demeanor in all ways, including dress, behavior, and language.
Refrain from cell phone use during the school day. Be aware of maintaining
confidentiality at all times, especially in regards to posting on social media sites. Even
positive comments about specific children or teachers are a breach of confidentiality
and should be avoided.

Your cooperating teacher is sharing time, wisdom, and experience. Your cooperating teacher is
also opening vulnerabilities to your view. Appreciate this act of generosity and express your
gratitude in person and through a written note after your practice session is over. Although it is
not expected, students often give a small gift to their host classroom to show their appreciation.
Time Sheets
Teaching Practice Time Record Sheet: Session 1

Student Name: __Sophia Arianna Chokr _________________________

School: ___Montessori Beirut School ____________________________

Teacher: _____Sophia Arianna Chokr (my own classroom)_______ Diploma # ___519014____

Age Range of Children: ___6- 11_________ Number of Children _______20______

Date Time In Time Out Daily Total Teacher Initials

June 1, 2022 9:00 3:30 6.5 hours S.C

June 2,2022 9:00 3:30 6.5 hours S.C

June 3, 2022 9:00 3:30 6.5 hours S.C

June 6, 2022 9:00 3:30 6.5 hours S.C

June 7, 2022 9:00 3:30 6.5 hours S.C

June 8, 2022 9:00 3:30 6.5 hours S.C

June 9, 2022 9:00 3:30 6.5 hours S.C

June 10, 2022 9:00 3:30 6.5 hours S.C

June 13, 2022 9:00 3:30 6.5 hours S.C

June 14, 2022 9:00 3:30 6.5 hours S.C

June 15, 2022 9:00 3:30 6.5 hours S.C

June 16, 2022 9:00 3:30 6.5 hours S.C

June 17, 2022 9:00 3:30 6.5 hours S.C

June 20, 2022 9:00 3:30 6.5 hours S.C

June 21, 2022 9:00 3:30 6.5 hours S.C

June 22,2022 9:00 3:30 6.5 hours S.C

June 23,2022 9:00 3:30 6.5 hours S.C

June 24, 2022 9:00 3:30 6.5 hours S.C

June 27, 2022 9:00 3:30 6.5 hours S.C

June 28,2022 9:00 3:30 6.5 hours S.C

Total Hours in Classroom: ____130 hours________

Cooperating Teacher Signature: _______Sophia A. Chokr_______

Student Signature: ____Sophia A. Chokr____________________

Submit this completed form to:

Jen Saxty
Record of Presentations
Make copies of this form as needed to record all lessons given during the Practice Teaching
session. Each page must be initialed by the cooperating teacher.

Student: ___Sophia Arianna Chokr_________________________

Practice Teaching Site: __Montessori Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon____

PRACTICE TEACHING: RECORD OF PRESENTATIONS GIVEN

Name of Date/ time/ No. of Follow-up (if any)/Notes and Reflections on lesson
Presentation duration children
& ages
June 1, 5 This was a repeated lesson for two of the students
Parts of the 9:06, children, and new for the others, the mix of knowledge was
flower about 7 aged fruitful and new information was obtained for
minutes 6,6,7,7,8 students repeating the lesson

June 1, 2 Lesson was appropriate level for the students, they

Square Root- 11:15, children, have worked on square root up to polynomial on
binomial on about 10 aged the peg board many times and observed other
paper with the minutes 10,11 students working on paper
peg board

Oral June 2, 4
introduction to 9:30, children,
the preposition about 6 aged
and grammar minutes 7,7,8,8
box
Types of angles June 2, 3 Repeat lesson for older child, recalled more than
10:02, children, expected
about 5 aged 6,6,8
minutes
June 3, 3 Older child is new to Montessori system, checker
Checkerboard, 10:16, children, board was successful in solidifying multiplication on
dynamic about 8 aged paper.
multiplication- minutes 7,7,10
one digit
multiplier
 Congruency, June 3, 4
similarity and 11:20, children,
equivalence about 5 aged
minutes 6,6,7,9
Racks and June 6, 3 Remind children that we must be able to share out
tubes, dynamic 11:04, children, our own color beads before offering to a smaller
division with 4 about 15.5 aged 6,7,8 board.
digit divisor minutes
with recording

Parts of a circle June 6, 3 Very straight forward, immediate follow up

11:43 children, completed
about 4 aged 8,8,9
minutes
Introduction to June 7, 4 First example from children were accurate then
volume 9:19 about children, they left spaces between the pieces- not really
8 minutes aged representing volume anymore. Represent to correct
7,8,8,9
Area of a June 7, 5 Very straight forward lesson, great follow up by
rectangle 11:39, children, children to separate the classroom layout into
about 4 aged rectangles and find areas then add it together
minutes 7,7,8,8,9
Parts of a seed June 8, 3 Children dissected the other seeds and presented to
2:10, children, other children immediately following the lesson.
about 6 aged 8,8,9
minutes
Migration June 9, 6 Incredible follow up discussion from children!
charts 2:16, children, Making connection to information from our history
about 15 aged books as well as fictional stories.
minutes 6,7,7,8,9,1
0
Suffixes June 9, 4, aged
9:40, 6,6,7,7
about `5
minutes
June, 10, 2
9:34, children,
Dividing a about 7 aged 7,8
fraction by a minutes
fraction
Clock of Eras June 10, 8
1:45, children,
about 7.5 aged Very distracting noise in the background but my
minutes 6,6,6,7,8,8 stopping the lesson was more distracting than the
,9,10 noise for the children. Discuss with assistant
appropriate class chore timing.
4
Interdependenc June 13, children,
ies 10:19, aged
about 8 6,6,6,7
minutes

Square root June 13, 4 Required second example before concept seemed to
introduction 11:38, children, be absorbed, may need assistance the first time
with golden about 12 aged attempting independently
beads minutes 8,8,9,10
Story of the June 14, 5
stem 8:55, children,
about 5 aged
minutes 6,6,6,7,7
Classification of June `14, 3 Children were extremely interested and involved
Kingdom 10:20, children,
Vegetalia about 18 aged
minutes 9,9,10
Labeling the June 15, 2 Lesson attracted many observers
tone bars 9:33, children,
about 5 aged 6,7
minutes
Animal story June 15, 3 A lot of distantly relevant discussion, go over rules
cards 10:15, children, during presentations again
about 8 aged 6,6,6
minutes
The great river June 16, 6
9:42, children,
about 5 aged
minutes 7,8,8,8,9,1
0
Introduction to June 16, 4 Move to operations soon, lesson was very easily
decimals 11:16, children, digested
 about 4 aged
minutes 7,7,8,9
Compound June 17, 6 Students had a solid understanding of the lesson,
words 9:25, students, particularly helpful to second language student
about 6 aged
minutes 7,7,7,8,10,
11
Pythagoras June 17, 4
theorem, plate 2:13, children,
1, recording about 6 aged
minutes 7,8,8,8
Cubing (moving June 20, 4
between 10:18, children,
successive about 11 aged
cubes) with minutes 8,8,9,9
cubing material
Listening game June 20, 5 Children loved the activity, attracted a lot of
with tone bars 2:38, children, attention, they continued and invited other children
about 5 aged after the lesson
minutes 6,6,6,7,7
Seasons chart June 21, 4 Review lesson again, was hesitant during
9:24, children, presentation, repeat lesson later
about 10 aged
minutes 7,7,8,10
Work of air- June 21, 4 Air takes up space experiment was very frustrating-
prelude to the 10:48, children, children were losing interest but eventually worked
winds about 5 aged
minutes 6,7,7,8
Story of the June 22, 3
grand staff 9:19, children,
about 6 aged 8,8,9
minutes
Parts of June 22, 5 Lesson was clear, beautiful follow up initiated by
Polygons- 2:35, children, children
quadrilaterals about 7 aged
minutes 6,7,7,7,8
Movements of June 23, 4
the earth 10:28, children,
about 6 aged
minutes 6,6,6,7
Supplementary/ June 23, 4 Children loved this lesson, asked for more examples
Complementar 1:48, children, to solve, then began creating examples for each
y angles about 10 aged other
minutes 8,8,9,10

June 27

June 27

Numbers in June 28, 4 Interest was low at the beginning of the lesson but
other bases 10:39, children, peaked when number board was on the table.
about 11 7,8,8,9, fascinating follow up from 2 students post lesson.
minutes
Introduction to June 28, 3 Easy to digest, continue soon
ratios 2:36, children,
about 4 aged 7,8,8
minutes
Story of the leaf June 29, 3
11:05, children
about 9 aged 6,6,6
minutes
Story of the June 29, 3
pronoun with 8:57, children,
grammar box about 14 aged Should have left the children to complete grammar
and action minutes 8,9,10 box and action cards alone
cards

Date: __June 1-28_________

Cooperating Teacher Initial: _____S.C (Myself)_____
Lessons were presented as described above. __yes_______
Student Teacher had prepared lesson plans. ____yes______

Lessons given may be planned or respond to the needs of the children.