即使是在一年级，学术严谨很重要。他们在阅读较长的书和在写作中构建完整的句子时，很好地利用了他们在幼儿园学到的所有语音技能和常用词。学生们沉浸在英语中，除了中文课，他们希望自己在任何地方都能使用英语。作为一年级的助教，最好的部分之一就是倾听学生们表达他们独特而可爱的观点。我想从我的角度分享一些关于孩子的事情。我和学生们在一起，在上课时间，在他们休息的时候。你的孩子真的是独特而有趣的!

让我们来看看深美一年级学生的生活。

最近，许多在深美学习了至少4年的学生获得了奖章。当那些在深美学习了几年的孩子们站在舞台上时，所有人都惊叹不已。那里有一些一年级的学生，我突然想起了《Cant Take My Eyes Off You》这首歌。他们个个笑容满面！

课间休息时间包括不同年龄的学生。一年级的孩子和幼儿园至三年级的孩子一起玩。看！这有助于我们的学生与年龄较小或较大的孩子玩耍时的社交技能。他们关心并接纳其他孩子。听到一个一年级学生对其他同学说:“我们需要展现包容性!“我们的学生经常使用这个词汇。

最近，一个孩子说:“我们不想和你玩，因为你跑得太慢了。”没有任何提示，另一个孩子回答说:“这不好。我们想和他一起玩，如果你不想，你可以自己去玩。”那一刻，我为他们感到骄傲。他们表现出了关心和包容。

作为一所PBL学校，我们在学习中融入了大量的项目和实践活动。学生们非常享受这方面的学习，但许多人也喜欢标准考试的挑战。当我们有高难度的测试时，学生们也能做得很好。在其他的一些课堂里，我总是在孩子们跑、跳、跳的时候拍一些有趣的照片。我很高兴能和大家分享这些照片。有时他们看起来像骑士和公主、有时他们看起来像会飞、有时看不清他们，因为他们跑得太快了。还记得美术课上，一个同学问我:“Ms.Jiang，我这样画一朵玫瑰，可以吗?”他把他的照片给我看，但有些玫瑰看起来不像老师教学时示范的那样。我告诉他:“当然!你可以画你自己的玫瑰。”另一个学生说:“每个人都有不同的风格。你可以有自己的风格;看！我有我的风格。”

学生们的勇气和信心也在增长。一个学生受伤了，她说:“Ms Jiang，我的手指被割伤了。”我问她:“你想去看护士吗?”我很惊讶她回答说:“不，只是一个小伤口。没关系。”

这些学生正在迅速学习和成长。我很惊讶，今年才过了一半，就已经发生了变化。我兴奋地期待着继续观察他们在第二学期的进步。谢谢家长把这些小家伙托付给我们。 

Academic rigor is important, even in first grade. They put all those phonics skills and sight words they learned in kindergarten to good use as they read longer books and build complete sentences in their writing. Students are immersed in English and expected to stretch themselves to use it everywhere but Chinese class. One of the best parts of being an assistant in the first-grade classroom is listening to the students express their unique and cute perspectives. I want to share some things about kids that come from my perspective.  I am with the students before school, during class time, and when they are at recess.  Your children are truly unique and interesting!

Let’s peek into a first-grade student’s life at SAIS.

Recently many students received medals for being at SAIS for at least 4 years. When those kids who studied for several years in SAIS stood on stage, everybody stared in admiration.  There were some first graders up there and the song “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” came into my mind. They were beaming!

We include different ages during recess time. First-graders play with early years and up to third-grade children. Look! This helps our students’ social skills when they play with younger or older kids. They care for and include other children. It is magical to hear a first grader say, “We need to show inclusiveness!” to a classmate. Our students use that vocabulary often.

Recently a child said, ”We don’t want to play with you because you run too slow.”

Without any prompting, another kid replied, “That’s not nice. We want to play with him, if you don’t want to, you can go play by yourself.” At that moment, I was proud of them. They showed their care and inclusiveness.

As a PBL school, we incorporate a lot of projects and hands-on activities into our learning. The students enjoy this aspect of learning a lot, but many also like the challenge of a standard test. When we have difficult tests, the students do very well. 

During specialties, I always take interesting photos when the children run, jump, hop, etc. I’m so glad to share those pictures with everyone. Sometimes they look like knights and princesses. Sometimes they look like they can fly. Sometimes I can't see them clearly because they run so fast.

I still remember in art class, one student asked me: “Ms. Jiang, I draw a rose like this, is it ok?”He showed his picture to me, but some roses did not look like the teacher’s example. I  told him, “Of course! You can draw your own rose.” Another student said, “Everybody has a different style. You can have your style;Look! I have my style.”

The students are also growing in courage and confidence.  One student got hurt and she said, “Ms. Jiang, I got a cut on my finger” I asked her, “Do you want to go see the nurse?” I was surprised when she responded, “No It is a small cut. It doesn’t matter”

These students are expanding and growing quickly.  I am amazed that we are only halfway through the year and that changes have already happened.  I look forward with excitement to continue to watch them as they progress through this second semester.  Thank you for trusting us with these little ones.