Amber Jordan Pinecrest Elementary CT: Valerie Davis- Kindergarten

Reflective Journal

Date: Tuesday- February 25, 2014 Student Teaching: Day 26 Taking over the classroom has been a wonderful experience. I have enjoyed getting to work with the students and teaching the students. I have learned so much these past couple of weeks from learning how to manage the classroom to learning how to teach math to the students. I am gaining so much information through this experience. In my lesson today, I also learned how to be flexible and continue teaching even when technology lets you down. I was a so nervous that my Prezi presentations did not work and that I would have a bad observation. I was really proud of myself for not getting too overwhelmed and went on with the lesson. I think the students enjoyed it and are really starting to get the seasons and what they are all about. Date: Wednesday- February 26, 2014 Student Teaching: Day 27 As the week has went on the students have really started to respect me and listen to me more. They are starting to follow directions more and misbehaviors have really started to decline. I have had to pull clips for some students but I can tell that they are starting to know that they need to respect me as they do for Mrs. Davis and Mrs. Madden. Im very thankful that I have had this experience to teach me how to manage the classroom. I know with time and experience my managing skills will become better. Date: Thursday- February 27, 2014 Student Teaching: Day 28 Im very excited about finishing my full time teaching experiences in the upcoming weeks. I believe as time goes by I will become more confident in myself and learn what teaching is all about. I have also lost two students this week. One student moved to Oregon and the other moved to Tennessee. My class total is at 22 now with our one homebound student included. Im learning that as a teacher you cannot get too close to students because you never know when they are going to leave because of moving or other reasons. Student teaching has been a life changing experience and Im so glad to have such great supervisors and cooperating teachers to work with.