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Last week I focused on my lesson delivery. This week I focused on my voice modulations for classroom management. I am also working on developing well- guided lessons that have built- in peer discussion time. I would like to have an effective closure on as many lessons as possible. It is getting easier as the students and I get into our routine. There are several systems in place that allow me to teach more effectively. Now I can focus on how to assess better, to ask questions more thoughtfully, and how to model and guide my students in their learning.

This morning I introduced the students to the process of reporting an event. They will take turns being classroom reporters, and it will be interesting to see the articles that they produce. I created a trail of glitter this morning so that the students would follow the glitter lead. They found a big bag of mysterious stuffed animals. I used the hook to teach the students about effective leads, covering the5W’s.

My students are still young enough to believe the little tricks that make magic and fairy tales. I am happy that they were willing to play along. After they found the trail of glitter I grabbed a “fake incident report” which coincidentally had the 5W’s which I asked the students to provide information.

Work for a cause, not for applause. Live life to express, not to impress. Don’t strive to make your presence noticed, just make your absence felt.

 

Being a teacher is hard work. Student teaching follows an extremely steep learning curve, and it is one that requires me to be completely humble. I enjoy the new routine, waking up early and looking forward to an early bedtime. I love being with my students at school, and I feel comfortable and completely at ease in the school environment. However, it is incredibly trying just to be responsible for many, many things all at once.

I appreciate the great feedback I am getting on my teaching, from all perspectives (my mentor, my own reflections, my student’s reactions, my colleagues’ discussions). It is just scary to be so transparent and have to make myself vulnerable to critique in order to grow the most, best.

While I am working on incorporating “Big Ideas” into my lessons, I must also focus on the big idea for me as a teacher. I want the students to love learning. I want to impart strategies that they can use to work together, as well as independently. I want to make learning meaningful for the students by facilitating discussion and exploration of real life events and objects.

Tomorrow is another day.

The science lesson before spring break, I planted marigolds and nasturtium flowers with my grade 2/3 class. I tended them over spring break and was excited to bring them into the classroom for the students to measure and observe their plant growth. Tonight, the night before practicum begins, I come home to find them all dead. I was away for two days on the sunshine coast and had asked someone to water them. Either there was too much water, or the sunshine was too suffocating for the sprouting plants. I panicked.

I had planned to observe these plants throughout our whole science unit, but it seemed like it was all ruined. I cried in dismay, frustration, fear, anxiety, and insecurity. How can I teach children about plants when I clearly knew nothing about them? How am I going to come up with a lesson to replace it?

Then I realized that this was a lesson in itself. Not just for the kids to learn about the importance of balance in moisture, air, sunlight, and soil composition. It was a lesson for me to learn, right before practicum even starts, that things can and will change in an instant. I need to be adaptable, and think about the learning moments that each mistake or bloop affords.

Deep breaths, here’s to my certification practicum starting in the morning tomorrow.

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