My first week on practicum has had its up’s
and down’s, and most definitely has involved a huge amount of learning for
myself. Most importantly, it has shown me the importance of student feedback in
my development, building strong relationships, and having a positive attitude.
I arrived on Monday and spent the morning
getting to know my students, and letting them get to know a bit about myself.
Students then collaboratively decide upon the most important characteristics of
an effective teacher. I was very surprised by their responses; I assumed they
would identify personality traits. However, planning and communication were the
most evident in their responses. These students clearly appreciate having a
teacher who is organised and plans appropriately to the level of their needs.
They also believe teachers need to help students understand the learning through
effective communication. Intertwined with these is the need to have a sense of
humour and a helpful nature. This firstly exemplified the type of teacher I
need to be to suit these students. It also demonstrated that they have a very
clear idea of what they appreciate in a teacher; their feedback is crucial to
my professional development and ability to enhance their learning.
Relationships are vital in teaching; I have
always believed and valued this. From one week in a classroom with children
from low socio-economic backgrounds, it is so clear how crucial these are for
the wellbeing of all students. Some of these students have tough home lives,
lack confidence, and have minimal support. Having strong classroom
relationships will ensure they enjoy learning and feel appreciated regardless
of their backgrounds. They need to feel safe, supported, and valued. If we do
not take the time to get to know them individually, we will not be able to
connect their lives to the learning to make it meaningful. Without authentic
contexts, how are we supposed to support motivation and success in every child?
I believe that we need to support children holistically before we can support
their academic skills. Relationships are key to creating safe and supportive
classroom environments. If we successfully create this classroom culture, then
we can make learning meaningful and support students to reach their full
potential through intrinsic motivation; they need to believe in themselves and
know how to learn.
The most important thing I have learnt this
week is about attitude. There are various behavioural issues that occur in this
classroom; one day may run smoothly, the next may be disruptive. It became so
clear halfway through the week that the teacher’s attitude could make or break
the day. Students’ know if you want to be in that classroom and can easily
sense whether you believe in and trust them. We need to leave negativity from
our personal lives at the door. If we have a negative mind-set, there is no
doubt this will transfer to our students. Every child comes to school to learn
and be supported. Seeing students engage in the learning and enjoy being in the
classroom is the reason we are in this profession. We cannot risk being the
cause of negative actions. Regardless of how yesterday may have been or any
events that occur, each day needs to be a new day. Every time we enter the
classroom it is crucial to be positive, happy, and confident. If we do not
uphold this, how can we expect our students to?
I do believe I have built strong
relationships with each of my students, and I will continue getting to know
them further in the weeks to come. They respect me as a teacher and know I will
support their learning, as well as learn from them. I have learnt to take each
day as it comes, and most definitely always be positive, confident and
supportive towards every student and their learning.
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