Internship Reflection Paper It is the job of the educator to not only relay information to students but to give students

something to ponder on and apply to their lives. Educators have to provide experiences that are useful to the students for people learn through experiences and not solely by lessons that they encounter. The students should become life-long learners. They should know that the information that they are learning is not only for a test or for a grade but valuable knowledge that they will use in their daily lives for years to come. It was my goal as I took on the role of the educator to not only give the students the information but to have students apply the new skills that they learned. It is best practice for students to see a teacher model the skill that they are learning. It is also best practice for students to apply the new skill and to work collaboratively with peers as they apply the new skill. I worked to make the classrooms learner-centered opposed to teachercentered. I wanted the students to have a deeper understanding of the material that they were learning. I didnt want to accept just a correct answer, I wanted the students to tell why or how they got the answer. Students got into the habit of answering the questions and telling why their answer was correct without me prompting them to do so. After students have practiced a skill individually I would give an incorrect answer to see if the students would catch my mistake. The students had to explain why my answer was incorrect and then give me the correct answer. It was my goal to not only have the students recall the information but for the students to have ownership of the information that they have learned. In kindergarten the students writing skills are still developing so most of their assessments were verbal or depended on pictures. To assess the students I asked the students what they thought about the topic. I would then ask them to tell me their thinking. I would ask

them to tell me what lead them to that answer. Some of the students naturally told what else they observed so I started to include that into the lessons. I asked the students what else they noticed in the pictures. The students also made observations in math and were eager to share these observations with me. It is important during the early years to develop as many skills as possible. I involved the students in presenting theyre work to the class or discussing an experience they have had with a partner. The students will need these verbal skills beyond school and into their careers. I used many interactive activities and games on the SmartBoard with the students to keep them engaged in the activities. When the students had fun with the activity they were engaged, active, and attentive while they were learning. I believe students should be able apply the new material that they learn outside of the classroom. In order for them to carry the skills out of the classroom they have to own the new knowledge. When the students readily tell you about the experiences they have had or are currently having that correlates to the lesson it shows that they understand what is being taught to them. It also shows that they are learning from you. I feel like the teacher should focus on the students strengths when assessing what the student knows. Students will least likely to be engaged when they feel defeated. They feel empowered when their strengths are recognized and they are motivated to participate and own the new knowledge that they are learning. Working with the students I learned to try and keep the students motivated. This will keep them engaged and will lower the barriers that the students will have when learning new material. Younger students need constant stimulation to maintain their engagement. All students need an exciting and engaging approach to the new material that they are learning. The students were involved in activities where they were doing all of the thinking and acting. I acted as the facilitator for the activities. The activities are fun and the students continue to learn. Some

students even ask to do the activities again after the lesson is over. While thinking of activities to involve the students in I try to remember how I liked to learn when I was in elementary school. I use those ideas and the resources I have to create a lesson. Two strengths with respect to the competencies that I had are pedagogy and lifelong learning. I tried to make each lesson multidisciplinary. I also tried to make the lessons relevant to the students lives. I wanted them to know why what they were learning was important to them. I wanted to model being a lifelong learner to the students. I wanted to show the students that having questions is just as important as having answers. Having questions still means you understand and shows that you are thinking. I wanted the students to be the thinkers. I ask them what they thought and why they thought that way. Discussions were a big part of my lessons. I made students aware that what they say is important but that it is just as important to listen to others. There was no right or wrong until the conclusion of the student-teacher discussion. I wanted them to know it was alright to make mistakes. I also wanted them to know that it is alright to not know all of the answers. There were many times over the course of the semester where I had to say I dont know, lets find out. I feel like with these strengths the students were ready and willing to learn with me. Two weaknesses with respect to the competencies that I had are communication and diversity. Before I started student teaching, one of my bigger anxieties was figuring out what I was going to say to the students. It was also hard to be clear to the students as to what I expected of them on assignments. It is easy to understand what you mean and what you are saying when you say it but other people could interpret it differently and not be too sure as to what is being asked of them. I quickly started to improve my communication skills with the class as I spent more time working with them. I found it difficult to differentiate for my students during whole

group instruction. I found it difficult to stop my lesson and explain the new topic to the students that struggled with the new material while the other students were ready to move on. Students even in the lower grades can have a large range when it comes to capabilities. It is important to try to have all students understand and work with the standards that they need to meet for their grade level. Differentiating lessons is an ever-changing thing because each student is different and each student has had many different experiences. I will continue to work on differentiating lessons for all students while keeping all students up to pace with the lessons. As an educator it is my duty to be a model. I have to show the students what is expected of them, correct usage of the new skills, and how these skills are relevant to their own lives. As an educator is it my job to keep the students motivated to learn and participate. If the students arent motivated or participating, the lesson is not interesting for the students and the instructor. Students learn best from a confident instructor. They can sense if you are not confident and feel as if it is unnecessary to listen to you if youre not sure. It is also important for the instructor to instill a confidence in the students. If the student feels like they cant do something they will give up before they even start. It is important that I learn with the students and encourage them to reach their potential so they can get the most out of their education.