This week was the week that I presented my very first Social and Emotional Learning lesson where my faculty adviser came and observed my teaching. I was very nervous as anyone would be but it was exciting that I could finally apply my knowledge and learning into practical use. When I observed how the students were with their teacher, I was somewhat hopeful that they would be the same towards me when I teach my lesson. Although many students have various behavioral and social issues, they were very well behaved and respectful towards their teacher. However, as soon as their teacher would leave, they acted out and were not the same students whom I thought I knew. The teacher on call was also having a difficult time with these students and although I tried to help the TOC as much as I can, negative reinforcement had to be enforced in order get their attention. There was a TOC for the first three days of my practicum.  Spending time with a recent graduate from UBC was a refreshing experience. It was nice to have someone understand where I am coming from and help me feel a little less nervous. She provided great advice and tips on class management and really made me feel comfortable. She also let me initiate some activities and brain breaks for the students in order to help me practice and prepare for the real lessons that I will instruct next week.

As the day to my first lesson was approaching, I was feeling more and more nervous. I went through my lesson with both my School Advisers, and the TOC and they all approved. Subsequently, I was content with the lesson content. Little did I know that my lesson was incomplete without proper class management. No matter how prepared and well planned the lesson content is, it will not follow through without the students being attentive and motivated. It had not gone nearly as well as I expected. Right from the beginning, the Education Assistant had gone to her break and I was left alone with the students which was instantly a bad sign. Soon after, the Education Assistant practicum student came and joined me.  Therefore, two practicum students were trying to manage an already difficult class together. It was chaotic, stressful, and tremendously overwhelming. There was one student with severe behavioral problems who was provoking the rest of the class. I knew that I had to somehow take care of him in order to manage the entire class. I was a little afraid to get him to leave the classroom but I am well aware that it is definitely a step I have to learn to take in order to move forward. Sometimes, severe steps have to be taken in severe circumstances such as during my lesson. To be honest, I wasn’t quite sure how to handle him or how to ask him to leave. I was so overwhelmed that I couldn’t get myself to think strategically. I was feeling warm and I could feel my face turning red. As soon as the Education Assistance walked in, thankfully, she took care of certain students and was a big help. I managed to get through my lesson and all the activities I had planned. I was quite shocked that every single student was able to finish the assessment portion of the lesson which I thought would be the most difficult. Lunch was approaching as the students were working on their coloring, and I was relieved that their teacher would be coming soon to take control. I was more than happy to give her that position again and be over with my lesson.

Although this was a good experience for me as I move forward into the last week of my practicum with four lessons left to teach, I am still working on finding useful strategies for class management. I hope the upcoming week goes much smoother than this week. I look forward to what I lay ahead as I continue my teaching journey.

Shakiba