This document contains a reflection from a student teacher on their practicum experience. Some key points:
- The student found the experience immersive and learned from both teaching students and observing their guide teacher. They discovered their passion for teaching and motivating students.
- Important values for teachers include responsibility, friendliness while maintaining boundaries, and organization given the demands of the job.
- While initially nervous, the student gained confidence over the semester in their abilities and knowledge.
- As strengths, the student was organized and had good subject knowledge, but needs to improve classroom management and giving clearer instructions.
Reflective Self-Assessment of Teaching Practicum Experience
1. Assessment N° 5
MDD 6
Gabriela Quezada C
Professional practicum
2. Standard 6:
Autoevaluación Reflexiva
Estándar: El profesor o profesora en formación reflexiona sobre su comprensión del rol docente y los valores que sustenta, reconoce sus fortalezas y debilidades y establece prioridades para su aprendizaje profesional continuo.
Tarea 1: Reflexione acerca de su aprendizaje en esta práctica y cómo lo aprendido contribuyó a comprender mejor en qué consiste "ser profesor/a" y los valores que sustentan su trabajo docente. Identifique sus fortalezas y debilidades para ejercer ese rol, y las necesidades de aprendizaje profesional que emergen a partir de ellas y de su conceptualización del trabajo docente.
During this semester as a teacher I could not only teach the students new contents and values, but also I could learn from them and the entire teaching system. I was immersing in the teaching culture during eighteen weeks, doing administrative job, and also the one in the classroom. I was lucky to have a very good guide teacher, because she was very supportive, she let me do new kind of activities and helped me when I needed it. After this experience as a pre- service teacher, I was able to notice that this is what I want to do, I want to teach, I want to share my experiences with students, and encourage them that they can do whatever they want to do, because they are able and they just need a person who can motivate and support them, more than just teach some contents, that is what pedagogy is to me.
Some of the values that support my vision from work and professional role include, responsibility, a teacher must and have to be responsible with all the duties that he/she has to cover, regarding with the timetable, materials, contents, between others. Another important value is to be friendly, but also to respect some limits between the students and the teacher. A teacher has to be friendly in order to give the students the space to share some problems or help them if they need it. Moreover another relevant factors are to be organized, because a teacher has a lot of work to do, and so little time to do it, that needs to be organize with the time, the material, the tests and with his/her life in general. Also a teacher has to be punctual to demonstrate responsibility and commitment with the work.
3. At the beginning of the semester I have to recognize that I was afraid of the head teaching, and to teach during an entire semester, but as the weeks and the time passed by, I was more confident regarding my abilities and knowledge.
Concerning the head teaching, it was totally new in the process of practice, due to during the previous experiences as a pre-service teacher we were not asked to do this. During the hours of head teaching I was able to know better my class, as a group and individuals, we talked about learning styles, careers, grades, alcohol and other topics that called students’ attention. During this period, we (the students, my guide teacher and I) organized a visit to another school from Leoneras, it was an elementary school with little resources. We went to visit kindergarten children and gave them gifts because we were after children’s day. During that activity I was able to notice the values that my students own. They were a very responsible, motivated and good people that was always worried about others necessities. I have to say that it was a great experience, I got along with the students and I really feel that I going to miss them all.
Regarding the teaching of the subject, they were an advanced group; they were able to understand when I speak in English during the classes and do the activities they were asked to do. When it comes to describe my performance as a teacher, I have to mention that as a strength I was very organize during the process moreover I had the knowledge, and I was able to reach the level of confidence that was needed to do a better class, also I was very friendly with the students and I was able to memorize their names easily. In terms of the weaknesses, I have to mention that I need to improve the classroom management, and the way I give the instructions to the students. I need to do them more explicit and shorter, in order that all of the students understand what they have to do. Another important factor to improve is timing, I have to improve the amount of time I give to the students for each activity and respect it.
As I mention before, it was a very good experience, I think that I learned a lot from the students and my guide teacher, nonetheless there is too much to learn yet.