Week 1 Reflection

I am pleased with how fast the students and I are bonding. I already feel like I have a good
foundational relationship with many of them. I’m beyond grateful for my TA and how open and kind she
is to me. Her method of feedback is posed as reflection questions which does not make me feel
attacked. I have truly valued all of her feedback at this point.

It is evident in this multilevel grade that there is a wide range reading level I will have to
differentiate for. This has already got me thinking about changing up some of the summative
assessments I had planned.

I’m comforted to know that plans will change, and the unit plans I have created will not be set in
stone. Based on the needs of the students, I have already had to prolong a science lesson based on the
formative feedback I received. This delay in my books has benefitted the students since I have allotted
more time to make an unclear concept more precise.

I am testing my level of noise tolerance within the classroom to try and figure out the level I feel
most comfortable with. It is reassuring that I have continuous support from my TA to try out as many
things as possible within the classroom in order to gain a better understanding of my personal
tolerances and preferences as a teacher.

My TA also takes gym time away from the students when they exceed her level of volume after
it has already been addressed. This is a great opportunity for me to see, first hand, how threatening gym
time can impact student behaviour as we learn about in University.

Week 2 Reflection
I feel that my confidence in teaching has increased significantly over this past week. I value my
feedback both from my TA and students which I ask for anonymously on Fridays. I will continue to ask
for this student feedback every Friday as I see it benefitting both the students and I. The students are
given a voice to which I take seriously. This has been demonstrated by incorporating some of the gym
suggestions I have received.

I’m continuing to find my volume noise level in the classroom, but I already feel like I have a
better stance compared to last week. I was shocked this week when tasks that I perceived as simple
took the students a lot longer than I originally anticipated. In addition, some tasks that I thought would
take longer to complete where done sooner than I expected. This was a good reminder that I need to
always be over planned than under planned. I was grateful when my TA stepped in and gave the
students a task and I was not reprimanded for this.

I was reminded this week to ask my TA for advice or lesson suggestions when I feel stuck. I have
gathered many great ideas in a five-minute conversation with her than I have searching for hours on the
web. I continue to feel so grateful for her and well supported.
 Week 3 Reflection
As I approach the half way mark for practicum, I have met with my TA to discuss areas for
further growth. I’m reassured that this is the right profession for me as my TA outlines the various areas
that I’m currently exceeding at. Some areas that I can continue to work on is the scaffolding and
differentiating of content and material for some of my students. I will also be more aware to break
activities down into smaller steps and try to provide more time where needed for activity completion.

I’m aware that not every lesson will be perfect, but I find comfort in knowing that I can continue
to grow as a teacher when I reflect on the elements that did and did not work. As such, I will continue to
try out a variety of new teaching strategies to keep it fresh in the classroom.

Later in the week, my TA encouraged me to try to relax more and allow the students to take
control of class discussions. This conversation weighed a lot on me as this was something I hadn’t
noticed happening. During one of my science lessons this week, my students transformed the discussion
around sun dials to the concept of centrifugal forces. I was more aware of my urge to bring the
discussion back to the mechanics on sun dials but instead I took this teachable moment opportunity and
allowed the students to take control on the discussion and answer questions where needed. Looking
back on this, I now understand what my TA was telling me. The students got more out the conversation
when they were in control and adding to it than if I were to stop it and bring it back to the lesson.
However, I did manage to tie it all back to the casting of shadows as our overall topic.

Week 4 Reflection
As I begin the final stretch of practicum, I feel the stress catching up to me. I was unprepared for
the emotional toll this profession would have on me. I’m having a difficult time turning off my teacher
mode when I leave the school. I’m constantly reflecting about the day and thinking about the academic
and personal lives of my students. This week has really reinforced my teaching philosophy. I will always
aim to put the child first and the student second. These children are going through so much at such a
young age that it breaks my heart to hear these things.

On two different occasions this week, I had students approach me to talk about family and
friend situations. I was reminded about the social dynamics of all the students within the classroom and
how fast relationships can change.

During one of my reading lessons, I had the students form groups and act out a character
conflict scene from the novel Holes based on the conflict card I handed to the group. It was later
brought to my attention that there was a case of bullying within one of the groups where my TA had to
intervene. A wave a guilt rushed upon me as I felt like I put my student in this situation where she was
harassed. The next day during the reading period, I took my students aside independently to discuss the
situation. I wanted to provide them a day to calm down from the situation before discussing it with
them. With some, I discussed cooperation, team work, and respect. With the others, I apologized for not
being there when they needed me the most. I also emphasized the importance of getting a teacher
before the situation escalates to the point it did.
 By the end of the week, that same student who was bullied came to me when she was in
another group activity to share how she was feeling. I was glad that she can trust me to intervene and
now has the courage to draw the line when she feels others have crossed it.

This experience has heightened my awareness to the social dynamic of the classroom and how
much it affects learning.

Week 5 Reflection
As the weekend came to an end, I met Monday morning with a new sense of enthusiasm to see
my students and pick up where we’ve left off in our classes. While I was expecting my energy levels to
start to dissipate this late in my practicum, I’m beginning to feel more energic and motivated instead.
I’m not sure if this is the result of the routine I’ve created over the weeks or if it’s because I’m truly
passionate about this teaching experience.

I find it humorous that my students consider me strict while my friends are shocked that I could ever
raise my voice at someone. This has really helped me differentiate between my personal and work life
and ensure I set those boundaries. My TA mentioned that many education students “get walked on” by
their class but she has been delighted to see me stand by ground with the students.

One of the simplistic yet most profound compliment my TA has given me was the notion that it feels
more like team teaching rather than feeling like I’m another student of hers. In what seems like such a
short practicum, it is truly rewarding to have a mentor trust and believe in me as much as she does.