Lauren Ralph 4-28-2013 Integrated Reflection 2

This semester is similar to my practicum from phase one but has provided me with an entirely different experience at the same time. Both of my practicum experiences thus far have occurred in traditional academic settings with phase one being in a fourth-grade general education class and phase two within resource and co-taught seventh-grade classes. While the experiences resemble each other in many ways, this semester has opened my eyes to different types of learners and instructional methods. Specifically, this semester I was placed at Urbana Middle School in three seventh-grade classes including homework connections, self-contained language arts, and co-taught language arts. For the most part, I have been working with students with learning disabilities as well as emotional and behavioral disorders. My responsibilities differed from class to class and changed over the course of the semester. Overall, during fourth and fifth hour in my cooperating teachers classes, I was given full range. I led the self-contained language arts class almost every day and worked on an individual basis with students during fourth hour depending on the subjects or assignments they needed to focus on. On the other hand, during seventh hour, I was not given as much responsibility at first. The general education teacher saw me more as an extra pair of hands than a student teacher but gradually began to put more trust in me as the semester progressed. Now, I lead my own small groups within activities and pull students who need individualized attention regarding assignments and discussions. Therefore, this semester occurred in a related setting to phase one but includes completely different classes and responsibilities. My two instructional programs for this semester were both implemented during the fifth hour self-contained language arts class that I was able to lead. The first dealt with proofreading while the second encompassed a whole poetry unit. Overall, I was very happy with my programs

from this semester and saw success within them both. Because I had full control of the class, I was responsible for every aspect of planning and delivering instruction. In this way, I modified activities and assignments to fit the needs of the students repeated lessons that were successful. In addition, I developed probes and assessments to gauge where students were at in regards to the topic. For my poetry unit, I used curriculum-based assessment and conducted a pre and posttest with informal assessments in between to monitor student progress. The student I focused on for the assignment increased her score from five out of nine questions to answering all nine questions correctly at the end of the unit. In this way, I think that my success came from my ability to fully take over the class. Because I was responsible for every facet from lesson plans to instruction to assessment, I always knew what was going on and how the class was progressing. While many successes have come out of this semester, there have also been challenges along the way. One major challenge that became an issue this semester was how to best instruct my students, specifically within the fifth hour self-contained language arts class. It was very difficult for me to find the perfect learning environment in which to instruct them because of their individual needs and learning styles. Some of the students benefitted from written materials while others refused to write anything down and were more successful with oral discussions and activities. In addition, the classroom I was placed in was more like a closet in my opinion. There were no desks, only one table and not nearly enough room to move around. Thus, it was very hard to provide comprehensive lessons that accounted for all of these factors when instructing the students. I tried to be aware of the different learning styles and environments present but it definitely challenged me to think outside of the box. Furthermore, my biggest obstacle of the semester surrounded communication and collaboration with a general education teacher. When I first started the semester, I was very

excited to be placed in a co-taught classroom because of my inexperience within such settings. However, as I saw the relationship between my cooperating teacher and the general education teacher, I knew it wasnt going to be exactly how I imagined. Unfortunately, I went into the semester with unrealistic views that surprised me when I saw what actually took place. Instead of an equal relationship, my cooperating teacher acted more as a teachers assistant than a coteacher in the class. While the general education teacher asked for her advice from time to time and wanted help adapting assignments, she did not co-plan or give up much responsibility at all. So, when I came into the picture, it was as more of an observer and less of a student teacher. I tried to communicate and collaborate with the teacher on lessons such as for my co-teaching assignment but her personality did not mesh well with relinquishing control. She already had plans set for the semester and had a hard time changing them if she did not see the benefit. While I value her dedication and commitment to providing a good education to her students, I found it hard to work with her at times because I felt as though she did not trust me. She made herself more stressed out because she did not allow others to help her with her burden of work. Therefore, seeing the differences in how professionals interact in order to collaborate as well experiencing it first hand made me realize the importance of communication with education. While each teacher may not share the same views or personality types, I found that with negotiation and give and take, relationships can be successful. In this way, teachers can divide and conquer while also providing the best instruction possible for their students. Finally, this semester would not have been successful without the information learned in class and help from my supervisor at any time necessary. Many of the classes this semester directly pertained to what I was experiencing each and every day in practicum. For instance, the curriculum development and instructional strategies courses gave me numerous ideas on how to

adapt material as well as ways in which to instruct while also accounting for behaviors. For instance, my proofreading program included the COPS strategy that we specifically touched on in class. It seemed as though the material directly coincided with my placement which was helpful at many times throughout the semester. Moreover, I am very thankful for all of the support my supervisor has given me this semester. With nineteen credit hours and over three hours of teaching each day, this semester has been busy to say the least. However, my supervisor always acted as my number one fan. During times when I felt like I was not doing anything right, she pointed out my strengths such as within my lesson plans. During times when I thought I was doing a great job, she gave me more advice on what I could improve upon next time to make my instruction that much better such as giving more positive reinforcement to my students. Overall, this semester truly showed me the importance of constructive criticism and reflecting upon my experiences in a professional manner. I have never been one to admit when I am wrong or respond enthusiastically to criticism but phase two has truly changed my views. Because of the behaviors and motivation issues I faced within the classroom, I was always open to suggestions and ways in which I could improve to better reach my students. I want to be the best educator possible and growing as a professional through my conduct with others and instruction will help me achieve that goal. They say that phase two is the clicking moment where this program all comes together for students. In my opinion, this semester has been the perfect combination of rigorous classes and student teaching placements. I have seen myself grow as a professional and student and come into my own. With only one year left until I start my career as an educator, I can honestly say this semester has prepared me with so much knowledge and experience that I am ready to take on whatever comes my way.