Teaching Reflection

Working in the classroom on a daily basis has allowed me to see that as a teacher I need to be flexible and open to making adjustments in my planning. There were several times throughout my internship that I had to readjust my lesson plans due to school assemblies, fire drills, number of students present, and student readiness (or lack of) to move on. I also had to adjust one of my lesson plans because the students were ahead of schedule. Quickly, I learned the importance of overplanning to accommodate the times when goals have been reached. Taking the opportunity for "teachable moments" was reinforced many times. Unanticipated questions and discussion can authenticate the lesson greatly and motivate the students to learn more about the concept being taught.

From the beginning, I have observed and learned from my cooperating teacher about classroom management strategies and student-centered curriculum. My cooperating teacher has often said, "If you expect it, they will do it." Although the students understand that they can feel comfortable and laid-back in this classroom, they also realize the high expectations of the teacher. By offering differentiated lessons and structure through routines, the teacher has given her students many opportunities to take ownership of their learning and has also instilled in them a sense of pride to their work. Another example of the student-centered curriculum that I participated in was the use of self-evaluations. Throughout many of the projects, the students were required to evaluate their own work and discuss it with the teacher. I can see the value in providing students with the opportunity to self-evaluate their work. I believe this strategy helps students in their learning processes and allows for students to reflect on what they are doing well and what they can improve on. I can now see the importance of valuing students as competent learners and providing them with goals.

I have learned so much from this experience. One area that I specifically have felt I have grown aware of is my tendency to offer the answers, rather than help the learner(s) develop a strategy that they could use to get to the answer. I've also learned that for a teacher to continue to grow and learn, it is important to document and reflect on daily classroom activities. And, I have learned that the classroom is the right place for me.