I had to laugh a few times when students in my practicum class furrowed their brows, trying to understand how I could simultaneously be a learner and a teacher. For grade 2/3s, a teacher is an entity all on its own, simply created out of nowhere; they’ve been that way since time immemorial. How can someone LEARN to be a teacher? I think by the end, my class understood a bit better why a random person was in their class for a month and what becoming an educator entailed. I certainly learned this too!
During practicum, I felt challenged knowing I was being assessed to a high standard while also given the necessary tools and information to achieve my potential. I was in the driver’s seat of my own learning and this was a very empowering experience. Everyday, I was asked to self-reflect on my growth and what I thought went well in a lesson before even hearing someone else’s opinions. I enjoyed this as it was a time for me to be reflexive and think critically. It would have been all too easy to hear where the CT thought I needed to improve, remedy those areas temporarily, then revert back to previous ways once outside of the classroom. I left understanding the “why” of it all. Why did something work while something else failed? Why did it matter? Why did it keep happening? What was different this time? What made it different?
Walking out the door on the last day, I felt like a whole person, not just a teacher candidate who had finished a mandatory four-week stint at an elementary school. I had grown during a short time there thanks to effective feedback and ownership over my learning. When I arrived the the first day, I felt confident, but knew I had a lot to learn, I just wasn’t sure exactly what that learning looked like. Through meaningful discussions I realized I could use my current strengths to improve areas I had ignored.
One of the major areas I personally want to focus on in EDUC 491 is incorporating more assessment into lessons. I recognized how important this piece is for young learners to shine, and I began to see a lack of it in my own teaching. So, for ten-week practicum, my main goal is to plan lessons with formative and summative assessment at the forefront. I also want to focus on utilizing other personnel in the room, such as EAs, so that I can delve more deeply into assessment during lessons.
It was a very positive experience overall and I can only hope that the next practicum will be as meaningful.
