Personal Learning Goal Reflection

At the start of this semester, I set several goals for myself. My goal was to create a safe

environment where students can learn and find a balance between forming relationships with my

students while still being professional and respected. Before I began my internship, I thought this

would have been a very challenging goal to accomplish. My reasoning was since I am the same

age as some of their older siblings (20) and since this was my first professional experience in the

classroom, the students would not see me as a teacher. I believed that since they would not see

me as a teacher then they would not respect me, and as a result, no significant learning would be

able to take place.

On my first day, many of my students put my fears to rest. These were some of the

funniest, nicest, and kind-hearted kids that I have ever met. Every Monday, as soon as we would

see each other, students would tell about their weekend. They would tell me about the wins they

got in Fortnite and Warzone. They would tell me how they got to go to the park and that they saw

this “really cool dog with chocolate-colored fur”. Students would often come into the class

excited, and this excitement and passion go a long way. We were able to quickly begin building

our relationships and creating a safe and fun community filled with learners.

Not only were my students and I able to create a safe and fun classroom environment, but

we were also able to get all of the necessary work done. This meant that I was able to find that

balance between being liked and respected by my students. I honestly believe that this would not

have been possible if my students felt like they were in an environment where they can not have

fun. Yes, I could have been very boring and just read straight out of the textbook. However, when

the content is not interesting to the students then the students will not retain that content after

their exam. By making the content interesting and engaging, not only are students more likely to
retain the content well after the class, but they’re also more likely to be able to apply their

knowledge to other real-world applications.

By finding and maintaining that balance between having fun and forming relationships

with my students while still maintaining a professional presence, we as educators are able to best

prepare our students for success both inside and outside of the classroom.