I've always been a Key Stage 2 teacher. I was trained that way in the early 90s. I was certainly never trained in phonics or in the pedagogy of working with Key Stage 1. However, deep in my heart, I knew I'd love teaching the younger children and begged my headteacher to give me a go at Year 1. I can honestly say it was the happiest, most rewarding year of my latter teaching career - full of magic, hope and incredibly hard work.
Don't let anyone tell you that teaching #KS1 is easy; it's every bit as challenging, and probably more so, than teaching Year 6. Getting 10 and 11 year olds through the dreaded (and IMO awful) SATs is one thing but taking children from being unable to read and write, to reading real books and writing inspiring short stories is incredible!
Be prepared to revisit and unleash your own inner 6 year old self from the yesteryears and you should be alright. Hang up the dulled-down, adult version of yourself at the door. Every single day!
Anyway, one of the first books I read with my Year 1s was Beegu by Alexis Deacon. I fell in love with it as quickly as they did - so much role play, so much discussion, so much art and so much awe and wonder from from a "simple" children's picture book.
As Art and Display Coordinator, and due to my own newfound Beegu passion, (maybe a tad selfishly), I decided that the theme for the term's corridor displays would be "Current Class Readers." I don't need to say much more. The photos of our display below illustrate quite clearly how much the Year 1 teachers, teaching assistants and above all, the children loved Beegu.
Be forever six!