I can honestly say I was very nervous going into my first placement. It’s not that I haven’t been in front of an audience before, or presented, but this was going to be something entirely different. I was nervous that I didn’t know my subject and that I would be asked questions I did not know the answers to. I was nervous that I wouldn’t be liked and would struggle to connect to the students and even more so the staff.
What happened was something I could never have dreamed of. I made friends on the staff and connected with my students albeit it some I did not but I am putting that down to COVID and my placement being cut short! I thoroughly enjoyed my teaching practice and learned a lot about myself and how I can improve. I am looking forward to my SEPP 2 in September (fingers crossed it happens), and hope that I can bring the new methods I have learned to my classes.
Learning from Reflection
1. Feedback, Feedback, Feedback!: It is important to show the students that you care about the work they submit and take the time to respond accordingly with meaningful feedback. Well done, is not enough to encourage a student to do more or participate more in class.
2. Treat them with respect, they are human beings and deserve to be treated as such. Do not be bossy or dictatorial in class. We all learn from each other; it is a two-way process.
3. If the class does not understand the lesson and asks you to do it again or in another way, take that as a positive as they are not afraid to ask you. It also shows they want to learn. You , as the teacher, cannot be afraid to learn as well, to respond to your students’ needs and learn that sometimes you do not always know what is best!
