What Went Well

One of my strongest attributes as a student teacher was my ability to develop

relationships with students. Although I was a bit apprehensive at first with students lack of
engagement towards academics, I made an effort to connect with every student; especially, with
those that I found difficult in class. I wanted to get involved in students lives. In helping a few
teachers of the World Languages department with Spanish club, I was able to foster many
relationships with students in my classes. I also made it a point to attend as many extra-curricular
activities as possible, including basketball games, dances, film festivals, and more.
Another strong attribute of mine as a student teacher was my ability to set clear
expectations. My objectives were always clear and my lesson plans included procedures that
consisted of great details. What helped me succeed at setting clear expectations was creating very
concise lesson plans. Outlining the lesson plans, creating them, and then carrying them out, gave
me the practice I needed in order to effectively instruct my classes.
What I learned
One of the most important things I learned throughout my student teaching experience
was to not be judgmental of students. I come from international American schools and grew up
in very strict environments, at home and at school. Missing school, being late to class, not
turning in assignments or turning them in late was looked down upon unless they were legally
excused (i.e. doctors note). Therefore, when I first started student teaching I was in awe with
students overall behavior. I could not believe that they could miss school, be late to class, and/or
turn assignments in late without any penalization. When a student did any of the aforementioned
behaviors, I would be quick to jump to conclusions about them and judge them. However, I
learned that, most of the time, students are not the ones at fault. In fact, they are well aware of

their behavior(s) and want to change them but do not have the support that they need. ]
Therefore, I made it a point to establish a relationship with students, show them that I care about
their academic performance, as well as their personal well being, and help them in any way I
could. This involved many things; it varied upon each student. Some students needed me to
create a to-do list for them. Others needed me to guide them whilst they completed the work.
Others simply needed to have me in the background; some students would come in during lunch
and/or after school to complete their work. They would do so independently but felt the need to
have me in the background for support. With other students, it wasnt even about academics.
Some just needed motivation, someone who believed in them and guided them to the finish line.
Another thing that student teaching afforded me was an invaluable confidence in my
ability to produce solid lesson plans, thereby designing effective and creative assessments which
help students learn through interactive lessons. This interactive approach encourages students
and myself to think outside the box and have fun whilst learning.
Prior to this experience, I had a very old school approach in regards to teaching. Coming
from a college background, where professors simply lecture, I relied on the process of presenting
material strictly from a PowerPoint method. My delivery however, has evolved to the point
wherein I stepped away from that format, only relying on PowerPoint once or twice during the
unit.
Another essential thing that I learned was the importance of closure activities. Closure is
the key to students optimum absorption of course material and concepts. This philosophy was
especially useful in addressing the problem of homework consistency. I encountered a lack of
initiative on the part of students to actually turn in assignments as assigned. To counter-act this
detriment to their comprehension of subject matter, I designed lessons that allowed for students

to begin their homework during class. This method was helpful not only to the students but to me
as a teacher. Starting the homework in class allowed me to show students that the material they
learned was indeed applicable to real-life situations. Additionally, it allowed me to facilitate
instruction even further and it also allowed me to assess what the students understood and what
needed to be revisited.
In designing lessons, I also made an effort to employ as many teaching styles as possible.
In any given lesson, I would try to focus on the visual, kinesthetic, and auditory learning styles
while incorporating interactive activities. I instructed the students to write in their notes and then
communicate with their classmates, as well as with me. This encouraged their participation and,
as a result, it benefited their comprehension of the material.
What I would do differently
Something I would do differently in order to make my student teaching experience even
more enjoyable would be completing the teacher work sample sooner. Between getting
acquainted with a new schedule, getting familiarized with how the school works, becoming
comfortable with my cooperating teachers style, and getting used to creating lesson plans,
teaching, and grading on a daily basis, it was very hard for me to complete my teacher work
sample in a timely manner. Not having it done it advance truly put a lot of stress on me and it
made the last bit of my student teaching experience somewhat unenjoyable. Therefore, I would
work on my teacher work sample much earlier.
If I were to repeat this unit there are a few things I would do differently. First of all, I
would have given quizzes throughout the unit. I waited to give a formal assessment until the end
of the unit. I feel that this left the students with a large amount of information to study. In
hindsight, I would have broken the unit test into two parts while allowing the students to practice

via quizzes. Although I assessed them several different ways throughout the unit, it would have
been preferable to add a few more of those formal assessments.
My thoughts going forward
My observations of classroom management are that most problems in the classroom can
be eliminated using two tools: numerous, short activities and set routines. If students are given a
routine, they begin to understand what is expected of them when they enter the classroom.
Structure is key to eliminating distraction. Routine helps foster a sense of focus that leads to
better productivity and comprehension. Knowing what is expected helps them to understand
what they need to do to create a good learning environment. Reminding students of expectations
and routines helps the classroom to run smoothly.
Although my teaching philosophy is one that has evolved, today, after having completed
student teaching, I believe that it is truly important to have a classroom that incorporates a
student-centered approach, interactive technology, and differentiation. By utilizing these
approaches, student-learning outcomes are positively impacted. I realized that, to be an effective
facilitator of learning and acquisition, it is key that I guide students learning. Doing so requires
asking guiding questions that help students develop and strengthen their self-efficacy, critical
thinking, and problem solving skills. This not only encourages student growth but also
collaborative learning, which is a key aspect in a strong classroom culture. In order to have an
effective classroom, I make it a point to help students feel comfortable in the classroom. The key
tool in facilitating this is communication. Effective communication is reached through a strong
and professional student-teacher relationship, mutual understanding, set goals, and a resilient
classroom culture. Additionally, it is crucial to collaborate with students to help them discover
the meaning behind what they are learning, ideally by providing clear examples, which can make

the content relatable to their day-to-day lives. I never stopped thinking of the impact that helping
a student feel recognized and valued can have on their overall success. Recognizing and valuing
students efforts is what positively impacts their overall performance, participation, and
motivation.
My goal as a teacher is to teach to every student through interaction in the hopes that the
students love to learn, acquire a positive mentality about their academic journey, and fall in love
with the language. I want to be a teacher that demonstrates and inspires students to become better
citizens of the world. I believe that education should be about helping each student gain the tools,
knowledge, and confidence they need in order to succeed in and outside of the classroom.