1. What classes did you teach this week and what was the topic?

I taught Tech Ed 8 (Competition Day – Friday) Junior Auto (L1-CO2 Car, L2-Large Motors, L3-Drum Brakes), Junior Wood (jewellery box/wooden chair) and co-taught Senior Wood (individual self-directed projects).

2. What is going well? What is one thing about this week that caused you to feel good?

This week we had the final week of finishing up the launchers and actually having a competition day for the Grade 8s. The process of implementing this project was a fun and interesting way for students to research, design, draw, build, and test their unique launchers. Each part of the process was done over the last 8 weeks, where students researched designs, sketched out their designs, drew and dimensioned their launcher, built the launcher, and tested it out. The competition day was a huge success where students had fun showing off their launchers and learning the ins and outs of how to make the “perfect” launcher.

3. Did you experience any critical incidents this week? Describe at least one.

There weren’t any critical incidents this week. Every class is running smoothly, each student is on task and working hard during class, and they all seem to be having fun during class time.

4. Where do you think you could use help? In what ways can we (school advisor and faculty advisor) help you?

Continued support and feedback from both my SA and FA have helped me immensely, and the improvement has shown in my planning, class management, and growth as a teacher. I hope that this support can not only continue for the rest of practicum, but also throughout my career.

5. Identify feelings that you experienced this week and what caused them e.g., what are your thoughts and feelings about your students and colleagues this week?

I am feeling more and more confident each day and hoping to get better as time passes. I am open to all suggestions from my peers, mentors, and teachers, and this openness to opinions and feedback have helped me grow immensely as an educator. I hope to feel more confident as my career unfolds in the future.

6. What question(s) are you pursuing this week? And have you found the answer and what is it? (For example: How does the international student system work in the school? What supports are in place for students who do not speak English?)

The main question I will be pursuing is “How can I keep up my work ethic without burning out in the long run?”