Student Teaching Reflection

Luke Kremer
05/01/23

I went into student teaching thinking I had a general idea of what to expect, along with
how I should know how to teach at a higher level without even having experience in the
classroom. I mean why shouldn’t I think that right? I have spent the last how many years
preparing for this experience. I then came to realize that I was not ready for this experience and
that I knew nothing. There was so much to learn and so much room to grow I couldn’t believe it,
but that was the exciting part. The fact that there is still so much more to learn and improve
upon.
The school I got the opportunity to teach at was Tri-Valley and the class I was put in was
6th and 7th grade science with Mrs. Ebert. I chose science as I wanted something challenging. I
always found science interesting but it was definitely the hardest subject for me in school. I
thought this would make a fun experience as science offered the opportunity for so many
different kinds of teaching along with I wanted a subject that would not only challenge the
students but challenge me as well.
I then found out that to teach you have to be a learner first, and that learning the material
to the point where you are able to teach it can be challenging but a lot of fun. You get to learn
new information, but also putting yourself into the students shoes allows you to teach them on a
much deeper level as you can understand what they are thinking. I also found that the more and
more I would help students or answer questions the more I would learn. Constantly learning
through experiences is what I feel, sums up teaching in general. Learning through experiences
and reflecting on them, then learning from them.
I learned so much from 6th and 7th grade. They were only one grade level apart but so
completely different at the same time. They both were very challenging in their own ways and
demanded so much classroom management. Being the student first and learning the material was
challenging enough as it required time to learn the material and then develop lessons that were
demanding enough to challenge the students. Then came the classroom management. This was a
whole different beast and constantly learning different ways to handle situations was something
that I felt only experience could teach. Of course you can plan, prepare, and have strategies but I
feel experience is the biggest teacher when it comes to classroom management. I learned
everyday and constantly reflecting on the situations I encountered along with discussing them
with Mrs. Ebert who is an expert in classroom management was the best way to improve. I look
back at where I started and it blows my mind at how much I have changed and improved. One of
the biggest pieces of advice I have gotten from this first semester is to not take anything
personal. This piece of advice along with learning about your students allowed me to be such a
better teacher in how I handle day to day situations and behaviors with the students.
After 6th and 7th grade science came 5th and 6th Special Education along with 3rd and
4th grade Special Education. I had two different rooms I got to be in which was a great
experience seeing the different levels. Getting to help students in the Special Education room
worked on assignments was a huge eye opener. I finally understood why they needed that extra
help as I got the chance to work with them one on one. This is something that I truly enjoy, the
one on one time where you can get to know the student on a deeper level. You can see what
works for them and what doesn’t along with why they think the way they do. The SPED Room is
also way more hectic than I could’ve imagined. You of course have a schedule but that can also
change depending on the other classroom's needs or schedules. You also are trying to meet the
needs of each individual students which can get intense as maybe you don’t have enough people
to help all the students which can then get stressful. Students in any classroom need you to
consistently be there and be patient with them, but in this classroom they need it more than
anything. Something that I like to think about is to be curious, not judgemental. I have used that
in this environment more than anything but it also applies to any classroom.
Being at Tri-Valley was an amazing experience. I have learned so much from everyone
here. I was nervous coming in but everyone is so welcoming and inviting. I guess I should have
thought it would be like that going into a school environment but I was a little nervous. Well a
little is an understatement. There is so much to learn from everyone here and so many
opportunities to learn from. The school environment has developed me into a much more
prepared teacher. More than I could've ever imagined. There were times when I laughed and then
times when I cried, but I would never trade it for anything. I feel like I may never know
everything going into my first year teaching and there is always so much to learn, but coming out
of this experience I feel I am more prepared than I ever was before. I am excited and ready to
start my professional teaching journey.