How have you grown as a teacher from this experience so far (skills, understanding, or knowledge gained) (lesson planning, classroom management, demonstrations, etc…)?

I have grown because I think that I have gotten a little better at classroom management. I now understand the importance of setting boundaries in the beginning of the class so the students understand what we expect behavior wise. I have also gotten better at understanding that if someone is misbehaving it is probably for a reason other than just the class. Simply talking to them one on one and showing that you care can really make a difference in students attitudes.

What new understandings do you have about children/education/your role in the classroom?

I have a better understanding about how important setting boundaries in the beginning is so you can start building relationships instead of worrying about behavior every day. I also learned that you can’t just be worried about being everyone’s friend because you won’t get anything accomplished and that’s not important anyways. What is important, though, is teaching and making sure the children understand what you are saying.

What has made you happy about teaching this quarter?

What makes me happy about teaching is when the children get enthusiastic about what we have planned. I think it helps the day go a lot smoother and when they are excited about what we are doing they willingly participate which is great! It also makes me happy how well me and Leah work together, we are both super flexible with each other and the plans.

What is something that you would like to work on improving by the end of the semester?

I would like to keep improving my classroom management skills. I still struggle with that a lot. I would also like to improve my lesson planning and becoming more creative with ideas for the course.