Goal 1: Improving my short term and long range planning techniques
Throughout my PSI I created lesson plans daily for each lesson I taught. Each lesson I planned was very long and detailed and began to feel almost like a script to me. One of my goals for PSII is to use my unit plan as a resource to be able to create shorter lesson plans that still have enough detail to tell me how I will hit my learner outcomes, but not take me hours every night to complete. Learning different planning techniques is one way I can ensure I am meeting the mandatory TQS goals of career-long learning and professional knowledge. I aim to always be prepared for my lessons, however, I want to begin to feel more comfortable and confident with being flexible while teaching. If my lesson does not go exactly as planned, that is okay, as long as my students are still on task and happy. Ways I can meet this goal are having discussions with both my TA and UC about my planning goals. I will ensure I send my plans to my TA every night and consult her if I have questions about the amount of detail within my plans. As my practicum goes on I hope I can find ways to make my planning go by faster as I become more comfortable navigating different Programs of Study, as well as knowing what my students are capable of.
Reflection: I left my PSII feeling confident in my short term and long range planning techniques. I learned that no matter how well I plan, a lesson simply may not work out the way I intended to, and that is okay! I learned to not rely on my lesson plans as much and take possible teachable moments throughout the classroom and build on them. While working on a lesson for my poetry unit the students began to get very excited about how they were going to plan and decorate the classroom for our poetry cafe. Prior to the students bringing it up to me I assumed I would just do the main work of the planning and decorating. However, once I saw how excited the students were about being involved in every aspect of their poetry cafe I realized my lesson plan for the day could wait, and I needed to follow where the students were going in this moment. We ended up spending our Language Arts block planning for our Poetry Cafe by writing poetry menus, making seating arrangements, making posters, writing letters inviting other classrooms and catching up on our poetry! This was a very valuable moment for me, as it helped me realize that no matter how well I know the Program of Studies or how put together my lesson is, it may not work the way it was intended to.
Goal 2: Classroom management
Classroom management was not something I struggled with throughout PSI, and I hope to improve on my classroom management skills and techniques throughout my PSII experience, Being in a younger grade level I am a bit worried about being too stern and coming across as 'mean'. However, I know how important it is to set my boundaries early on with my students and ensure I follow the rules and the standards that I set for them. My goal is to ensure I go into my PSII and build relationships with students as fast as possible. I plan on using similar techniques that my TA uses so students know that my expectations of them are the same as their teacher as well. Resources that will help me reach this goal are: watching my TA and seeing how she handles different tough situations, adding possible problems that could occur within my lesson plan and being prepared to handle them once I know the students better, and being consistent and following through. I will have checkpoints at the end of each week to measure if I am moving in the right direction. After each lesson I plan on reflecting on the behaviour I witness, whether good, bad, or neutral, so I am prepared for the next lesson. I also plan to discuss this goal with my TA so she is able to observe me while I teach and give me feedback specific to classroom management which can help guide me if I am struggling. This goal will be ongoing throughout my PSII experience. This goal is related to KSA #7 meeting students’ needs and KSA #8, respecting students’ dignity. By showing respect to my students they will, in turn, show respect towards me. I will practice my disciplining skills so I do not discipline students for small issues and by staying consistent they will know what is expected of them within my classroom, without having to set numerous rules and be too authoritative. I will know my goal is beginning to be achieved when I am able to properly disciple students who are not exhibiting the behaviour I ask of them, as well as teach a lesson and have students be engaged.
Reflection:
Goal 3: Building relationships with students and other faculty members