My third placement is one of the most memorable experiences that I will remember and treasure in my life. From the insightful lessons and meaningful memories, it is quite sad that it has to come to an end.
It is sad to say that I completed my third practicum. It also feels great to say that I am one step closer to the finish line. My last week at Mary Montgomery school was a bittersweet ending. Not only that but, I had to say goodbye to my sweet students and caring staff members, but I also needed to accept that this chapter of my life comes to an end. This placement taught me the importance of not giving up. I always asked myself the question, ‘how can I be a better version of myself for tomorrow’? By asking this question, it motivated me to work harder. Implementing different methods helped improve my practice as a teacher.
Lastly, I want to say thank you to every single person who helped me through this placement. These warm and kind interactions made me feel welcome and feel right at home. To my grade three students, this is not goodbye. It is a see you later. Thank you for everything.
ICT inside the classroom
Information, communication and technology (ICT) played a role inside my grade three classroom. Our school is quite fortunate to have three Chromebook carts available for the whole student population. During computer class, students will log in and complete different learning activities. Students would usually go on either Dreambox, Spelling City, or Raz Kids. These apps can be found on the school division website.
For the first app, Dreambox Learning is an app that focuses on Mathematics education at the elementary and middle school level. It is a fun way to help students improve their mathematical skills. Secondly, Spelling City is a word game app designed to help kids spell and increase their vocabulary and grammar skills. It is a fun app because of the various learning games that they play. Lastly, Raz Kids is a popular app that allows students to listen to the words, read in their own space, and record themselves reading. These three apps are necessary for our classroom because we have to understand that each student learns differently. Some students learn new information using technology. It is a good strategy because they will also learn how to use technology the right way.
ICT is a helpful tool inside the classroom. Taking advantage of these websites and apps is necessary because most can help make learning easier and accessible. With the ongoing pandemic, a lot of things can happen, so it is crucial to prepare online resources for the students if we switch to remote learning. It makes me happy to see that schools are taking advantage of this newfound technology. Growing up in a poor country, most of the schools in the Philippines could not offer technology inside the classroom. It makes me happy that my students have access to these apps to improve learning.
Two great things from the most recent placement
Time management is necessary for an early-years setting. Planning ahead of time, going to school early, leaving the school at 6 pm, asking the right questions are a few things that helped make this placement a success. Time management made things easier. For early-year teachers, they do not have a lot of prep time to do extra work. It is crucial to have a proper time management routine to stay ahead. Time management is a skill that takes practice but a helpful practice to make teaching easier.
Classroom management is crucial to have inside the classroom. One of the main lessons I have learned is that it is necessary to think outside the box. Classroom management goes a long way because you can be the best teacher in the world with the best lessons. But, without classroom management, it would not matter. I still remember from my first observation classroom management is one of the things that I struggled with. At first, I thought using a loud voice was the answer to everything. It turns out there are better ways to manage a classroom. Using a louder voice with grade 3s invites them to become disruptive during a lesson. Once I figured out what methods to use for classroom management, it made my formal lesson stronger. For example, using the clapping method or adding a reward system are different ways that help manage a classroom. Implementing these methods helped gain the student's attention and teach them the true meaning of organization.
Two things to improve on for the next placement
One of the main things I would like to improve on is understanding when to use a loud voice and when to use a lower voice. The second thing I would like to improve on is trying new and different things and not being afraid to fail if it does not work out properly. One of the biggest challenges for the first part of my practicum was classroom management. My initial thought was, using a loud voice was the best option for managing a class. For example, one of my grade three students starts talking to the person he or she is close with. I would then call them out with my loud voice, not realizing that can cause everyone to start disrupting the class. It was a learning process. After that day, I realized that I needed to find different methods to manage a classroom. For early years, sometimes using your quiet voice is so much better than yelling because the students will understand that they need to be quiet so they can hear what I am saying. 'Picking your fights and battles' is the most significant piece of advice I could give to anyone aspiring to be a teacher.
Being more confident to try different apps and technologies for a lesson. During my last placement, I was always asking my cooperating teacher (CT) what have you been doing for the past few years to teach this lesson? So obviously, she gives me all the resources that I can use to teach. For that reason, I started to rely more and more on those offered resources. I wish I thought more about different ways I can teach a lesson, like maybe using apps such as Plickers or Seesaw to make the lesson stronger. After the most recent placement, I told myself not to be afraid to try and fail. I am not saying that there is something wrong with using available resources. As aspiring teachers, we must always try to think outside of the box. It is a great skill to have. Those two things are just a few examples I would like to improve on for the next chapter of my career as an aspiring educator. P.S. Watch the show Squid Game on NETFLIX!
Final Thoughts on my Placement!
Throw Kindness around like a Confetti.
Kindness is the most important message I learned from Mary Montgomery School. The principal at the school always reminds his students and the teachers that being kind to one another is the best gift you can give to anyone. It is one of the few reasons why I would like to teach there someday because the environment is very welcoming and unselfish. This message is also something I would like to impart inside my classroom. Being kind to one another can make this world a better place.
Anyways, thank you for reading this new blog post. Last reminder, be kind to everyone! Goodbye!
Comments