**The picture above was taken while I was in my fourth grade placement. Over the course of about 3 weeks, I read Frindle by Andrew Clements aloud to the class when we had free time during lessons and test prep and the students loved it. They got so into the book that they too would make up words as well as using the word 'frindle' in the classroom. This book was later used in my Literary Essay Unit as one of two books for their compare and contrast essay.
my final, final growth statement
As I plan to say goodbye to my student teaching experience, my students, cooperating teachers, and P.S. 24 for good, I have been reflecting back on my time spent here these past few months. I have changed in many ways as a result and they are all going to make me a better teacher one day, hopefully soon. I have grown in my lesson plans, classroom management, and time management. I have developed a “teacher voice” and my confidence in front of a classroom has skyrocketed since the beginning of the semester.
My lesson plans have changed because now, I know so much more what would work in a real classroom. Before, when I was writing a lesson plan, I was always writing it for a fictional class in my head. It was an ideal class of 20 students who understood everything the first time. Now, I know that I need to differentiate for all learning types, I need to represent the same information in different forms, and I need to constantly check for understanding, keep it simple, have an engaging activity, and keep track of my time always. I knew these things before, but student teaching has brought this to life and has given each element new meaning for me.
Another area that has gotten extremely better is my classroom management. In the beginning, I was scared of the students more than anything. “What if they don’t listen to me? What do I say? How should I say it?,” where just some of the things that used to run through my head. With the help of my cooperating teachers, I have learned that there is technique to this and everyone has their own. I learned to use positive reinforcement instead of calling out negative behaviors, using strategies that are already in place such as “class marbles”, and using different strategies to quiet down the class, rather than just raising my voice. I know that sometimes students need to be taken aside and talked to, and sometimes you chose to ignore something. This was one of the scariest things for me when entering student teaching and one of the most valuable things I am taking away.
My time management during a lesson has improved a great deal since student teaching. Before, I had none. My first observed lesson was not exactly a winner in time management, and now it is something I pay attention to. I now know how to plan a lesson with the time allotted in mind. Actually teaching students has done this for me. My old lessons would have way too much to teach for one day. I know that I need to plan with a time in mind for each part of the lesson and try to stick to that. This does not mean I can’t give or take a few minutes and change something around while teaching, but it helps out the overall success the lesson when I have the clock as a guide.
Finally, I think I have become an expert adapter. I went from being in a fourth grade class with older students who did not have the urge to call out every five seconds, to a first grade class full of students who literally sit on the rug in front of you turned around talking to their neighbor during a lesson. My vocabulary had to change immensely, because when I first got to my second placement, I found myself speaking to the group and receiving blank stares. This of course was something I had to adapt to because I was not even noticing I was doing it at first.
Being a teacher means you need to be able to solve problems, manage behavior, guide activities, and check for understanding all at the same time. I have had to change parts of my lesson and just go with what will work the best for my students. I always have a lesson as a guide but I know that is not the end-all be-all for my day. Overall, I have grown a lot. I learned so much from my time here and I have finally been able to put to use all I have learned in my three and a half years at college. It has made such a difference in how I view teaching and has given me the ability to envision myself in my own classroom. I bonded with my students and cooperating teachers and I will truly miss my two placements.
My lesson plans have changed because now, I know so much more what would work in a real classroom. Before, when I was writing a lesson plan, I was always writing it for a fictional class in my head. It was an ideal class of 20 students who understood everything the first time. Now, I know that I need to differentiate for all learning types, I need to represent the same information in different forms, and I need to constantly check for understanding, keep it simple, have an engaging activity, and keep track of my time always. I knew these things before, but student teaching has brought this to life and has given each element new meaning for me.
Another area that has gotten extremely better is my classroom management. In the beginning, I was scared of the students more than anything. “What if they don’t listen to me? What do I say? How should I say it?,” where just some of the things that used to run through my head. With the help of my cooperating teachers, I have learned that there is technique to this and everyone has their own. I learned to use positive reinforcement instead of calling out negative behaviors, using strategies that are already in place such as “class marbles”, and using different strategies to quiet down the class, rather than just raising my voice. I know that sometimes students need to be taken aside and talked to, and sometimes you chose to ignore something. This was one of the scariest things for me when entering student teaching and one of the most valuable things I am taking away.
My time management during a lesson has improved a great deal since student teaching. Before, I had none. My first observed lesson was not exactly a winner in time management, and now it is something I pay attention to. I now know how to plan a lesson with the time allotted in mind. Actually teaching students has done this for me. My old lessons would have way too much to teach for one day. I know that I need to plan with a time in mind for each part of the lesson and try to stick to that. This does not mean I can’t give or take a few minutes and change something around while teaching, but it helps out the overall success the lesson when I have the clock as a guide.
Finally, I think I have become an expert adapter. I went from being in a fourth grade class with older students who did not have the urge to call out every five seconds, to a first grade class full of students who literally sit on the rug in front of you turned around talking to their neighbor during a lesson. My vocabulary had to change immensely, because when I first got to my second placement, I found myself speaking to the group and receiving blank stares. This of course was something I had to adapt to because I was not even noticing I was doing it at first.
Being a teacher means you need to be able to solve problems, manage behavior, guide activities, and check for understanding all at the same time. I have had to change parts of my lesson and just go with what will work the best for my students. I always have a lesson as a guide but I know that is not the end-all be-all for my day. Overall, I have grown a lot. I learned so much from my time here and I have finally been able to put to use all I have learned in my three and a half years at college. It has made such a difference in how I view teaching and has given me the ability to envision myself in my own classroom. I bonded with my students and cooperating teachers and I will truly miss my two placements.