Educators understand and apply knowledge of student growth and development.
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Practicum reflection
My first practicum was done in a kindergarten class at Sacred Heart Elementary school in Williams Lake. I only had 9 students total- and that was if they all came. However, having such a small class gave me a lot of room to play and try out more challenging lessons. I found a pro to my small class was that I was able to create a great connection with each of my students almost immediately. Creating connections with my students was by far my most favorite part of my practicum. There is something really rewarding about connecting with a student and sensing that they trust and respect you. I learned a significant amount about my teaching style. A couple things I have learned is that I have a soft voice and have a hard time using a more authoritative voice when I need to get students attention. In addition, I found that the more I was in my class the more I felt like myself and that showed in my teaching. Once I began to relax and trust my CT and environment, I felt like I became a whole new teacher. I began to show my goofy side and be more enthusiastic with the kids, even singing and dancing in the mornings with them. One challenge I had throughout my practicum was finding a way to engage one student. He often would come late and always look so tired and would usually end up sitting and zoning out almost all morning. One math lesson we were working with shapes and playdough and both my CT and I couldnāt believe his engagement. Not only was he doing the lesson, but he contributed to the conversation and knew how many sides certain shapes had. We were both so thrilled to see him engaged in the lesson. So, my challenge began to think of ways to teach the lessons that would engage him. It was challenging but very rewarding when I would see him understanding the lessons. Next, I am hoping to learn some more about classroom management. I felt one of the minor downfalls of my small class was a lack of classroom management experience. However, overall I absolutely loved my 391 practicum and was very sad to leave both my CT and the students.
Goal for 490 practicum
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā For my 490 practicum I requested an intermediate grade, something that I am extremely nervous about. I knew this would be challenging mentally for me simply because I have been nervous to teach the older grades. However, I knew I needed to face the challenge head on and gain some experience in the intermediate grades. My goal is to work on my confidence with the intermediate grades and be authentic to who I am. I think I can often get worried that in a grade 6 or 7 classroom the students may be judging how I teach, look, or act. I know that these are very immature concerns, however, they can significantly affect how I teach and hold myself in the classroom. My one word for 2022 was āKindnessā and one of the main goals was to be kind to myself. This goal is something Iāve been working on, and I hope to work on more as I approach the 490 practicum. I think, for myself, I need to remind myself that I am still learning and that if I just stay true to myself there are few people who will not respect or like me. In addition, another goal I would like to work on for practicum 490 is implementing more outdoor learning lessons. During the last practicum it was still quite wintery and so we did not get to do much outdoor learning lessons. I am hoping with the spring weather I will be able to implement more learning outside and gain some more experience with outdoor learning and teaching. Lastly, while I did work on adding First People Principles throughout my lessons in 391, I would like to try some lessons that are primarily focused on First Peoples learning. I think I have gained more confidence in the subject now and could better implement it in my teaching in this next practicum.Ā
At this point in my teaching journey I feel focusing on my own growth and recognizing my own strengths and weaknesses I can better use this knowledge for my students growth and development.