For my last week of practicum, I was to teach four lessons for my School Adviser of which one would be observed. Considering how my first lesson went, I was incontestably nervous and somewhat fearful of how my next lessons would follow through. I planned a little talk, a new signal, and some new strategies for my upcoming lessons in order to prepare for what was to come. It’s amazing how understandable kids could be sometimes and just how considerably behaviors could change with a little bit of alteration from the educator’s part. My little discussion on respect and feelings went a long way because the students seemed to completely understand what I was feeling that day, and exactly what they did to make me feel that way. I didn’t even have to tell them anything because they were fully aware of my feelings. My new signal also seemed to really grab their attention. I used a tambourine and they were all fascinated by it. I think it was an instant source of excitement for the kids and most importantly, it worked! Consequently, my first lesson for my School Adviser was a success and went much more smoothly than I expected. The next three lessons followed were just as successful and only improved by day. I was so pleased with how the students were behaving and my confidence boosted which helped my lesson become more engaging and allowed me to be more firm without fearing chaos. I was happy with all the great feedback I was receiving from my School Adviser and she was impressed by the behavioural changes of the students towards me. I would hope that their change of behaviour was not because the teacher was still behind her desk but because of the changes I had implemented in my teaching and in my rules. I am hoping for the latter but I can’t ever be too sure until I come back for my next practicum. That’s probably my only concern with how smoothly the lessons were going. I would still be nervous up until my last lesson but it was obvious how much it decreased day by day. I was able to feel the joy and passion for teaching as I had before I started the practicum and it was definitely a great feeling.

It was saddening to end my two week practicum and I am going to miss seeing the student’s everyday but fortunately I will be visiting weekly which I am looking forward to. In such a short amount of time, I felt like a part of the classroom community and felt a deep connection with all the students. It’s a bittersweet feeling as I continue my teaching journey and share my experiences with all my wonderful classmates and teachers. I am looking forward to what’s next and what fascinating things we will be learning.

Shakiba