Monday, April 18, 2011

Last day at the middle school - April 18

Although I have finished my fifteen hours, I decided to go in for an extra day. I wanted to talk more with the cooperating teacher about my lesson and ask her what I could improve upon. The students were still working on their clay containers, which is a fun project that I enjoy helping out with. Most of the time, I couldn't help but converse with students and help them with their projects. Now that they are familiar with me, they openly ask questions and seem to value my input and suggestions. It is disappointing that today was my last day with them. One student suggested that they throw a party for me! They were all so welcoming toward me and I will definitely miss seeing them every Monday and Wednesday.

When I asked the teacher for some advice on my lesson, she said that I did very well. She liked my PowerPoint and the content of the lesson. The students obviously enjoyed the project as well. Some suggestions were made in carrying out the lesson. It would have been beneficial to let the students "play" with the materials and get to know them on scratch paper. Next time, I will definitely do this. I did consider this strategy when planning, but I was concerned about time management. The teacher also suggested creating a brainstorming worksheet to pick out which animals would be best for their project. The projection of my voice could be improved upon, as the classroom we were in was quite large.

During some downtime, I asked the teacher what she thought about being facebook friends with students and what the social boundaries are for her. She explained that once her students earn their diploma, they have earned the privilege of being "friends" with her. There was an emphasis on private life and professional life and keeping a separation. I cannot agree with her more. She discussed how rewarding it is to keep in contact with the students who have graduated.

After I thanked her for having me in her classroom and letting her know how beneficial the experience was, she let me know that I was organized, responsible, and that I will make a great teacher. It was nice to hear her compliments and I valued all of the constructive input that she offered me.

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