I cannot believe I have made it this far. I remember back in September when we would be talking about our ten week practicum; afraid and anxious at the thought of it. Well, those feelings became reality this week. I was nervous, excited, and hopeful all at the same time. Fortunately, it went much better than I had expected. The students were excited and joyful that I would be spending ten weeks in the classroom teaching and helping out. Feeling the positive vibes from all the students really made me become more positive about practicum. I taught math every day and got constructive feedback from both my SA’s which helped me improve and enhance upcoming lessons. During my observation from my SA on Friday, I wasn’t very nervous because my lesson was very interactive. I only spent about 10 min giving instructions for the task and for the remaining time, the students were working in groups measuring around the room.

I think I have improved greatly on my classroom management which was a tough obstacle for me. I feel much more confident as a teacher and am able to be more firm yet kind on my expectations rather than letting things slide and escalade. Being able to teach every day in the classroom has had a drastic impact on my teaching which has become apparent to my SA and myself. I am loving the practical experience of teaching everyday rather than the usual once a week. For the next week and following weeks, I hope to improve on my pacing and brain breaks. I feel as though I speak too much and not allow enough time for students to do their work. And sometimes, even if I think my activities are interactive, the students are still sitting down and I have to remember that they get tired of sitting. A brain break is crucial for their learning and it’s important for me to remember to give them that opportunity to take a break.

I look forward to beginning Science and MindUp next week. Week one is officially over and I hope the rest of the practicum goes as smoothly as this week.