I don't know if you feel this way yet, but these Field Experiences that you are about to begin are incredibly fun. You will be learning so much, re-evaluating and possibly tweaking your philosophy of education and meeting kids on a level that you probably haven't had the opportunity to do so before. There is a lot of trust given to teachers by students, especially at the younger stages of education. That trust is incredibly precious, and should be nurtured and cherished. There will be many people that let down our youth, but I hope that you - as the new teachers entering the vocation - aren't one of them. When you step into your field experience remember that you will leave an impression and imprint on your students, and that you are creating not just a learning experience, but an impact on their experiences.
As an evaluator, I have to look for specific competencies and develop a narrative of your experience.
Much of that is not observable while you are standing in front of your class implementing your vision for the day. Much of it is in your attitude, your preparation and your reflections. This is the component of your experience that you are accountable for, and that will separate the good teachers from the great teachers. When I form my evaluation, I have a few important long term issues in my mind.
1) My name goes on your evaluation, which means that I am representing you. Integrity is extremely important to me, and I will be encouraging, but honest. I have high expectations, and my time is yours if you need it.
2) Each and every graduate reflects on the program and the University. We are working hard to develop a program that has a great reputation so that our graduates have a better chance of getting hired upon graduation. You are the face of our program and develop our reputation in your school.
3) You might end up being my childrens' teacher. I have that in my mind while observing you. Would I feel excited to learn that next year, you are their teacher? Or would I have concerns?
So I have a vested interested in supporting you through your experience so that you come out of your program the best teacher you can be, and I do take my role seriously. I am passionate about great teachers, and have been fortunate to work with great student teachers.
Here are some tips for your Field Experience that I hope help create a clear path to success. . .
1. This might seem obvious, but it is the single most important aspect of this is experience: you need to be professional. Which means different things to different people in different generations and different schools. Err on the side of the most professional conduct, then adjust. Dress appropriately. This is not the place for self expression. You are learning and making an impression on teachers in the school, students, parents and your evaluators. Allow your personality to shine through, but make sure that you are dressed conservatively and maturely. Avoid gossiping. Not just because it is disrespectful, but in most boards, it is grounds for termination of employment. That includes when you are away from the school. Again, many boards clearly state in their contracts that you are a teacher 100% of the time, which means that any conversation that you have with anyone about a staff, student or parent that is deemed unprofessional can have legal ramifications for you.
be flexible. always
2. This ties directly into being professional, but needs to be stated separately. You need to be proactive and accountable during this experience. Do more than is asked of you, be completely engaged and do it with a really positive attitude. If your school has morning prayer, be there for every one without being asked. If the teachers go out and clean up the school yard, go out frequently. If staff take turns bringing in snacks, ask for a day that you can bring in something. Be as much a part of the school atmosphere as possible without being prompted. Sometimes hiring principals contact principals from your FE school, and you want them to know who you are, and have great things to say about you.
meet with the administration and ask them their philosophy of education
3. When you are given feedback and suggestions, implement it. This is shared praxis and collaboration. If you find that whatever you were asked to change didn't work for you, take the opportunity to reflect upon it. But you do need to respect the guidance of your PT and UC, they are trying to engage you in a learning experience.
send one note home with one student every day
4. Make an effort to get to know each student. Perhaps you could make a lunch date with 2 students everyday. Ask them about school, learning, have them give you advice about being a teacher. Or make a cootie catcher (they love these at the younger grades), with questions that they can ask you. Ask them their 2 favourite songs then add them to your playlist; turn it on during lunch. Maybe you could make them a CD of class favourite songs to leave them with after you have completed your FE. Students who know that you are invested in them are less likely to be as disruptive, and much more inclined to give you a break.
make yourself indispensable.
5. Collaborate. A ton. With teachers, students, community members, parents if you can. Parents and community members are a very underutilize resource. Many want to help in the classroom; they can read in small groups, they can come in as experts (say fire safety - wouldn't a firefighter parent be cool?), police, engineers, scientist. See who you have around you and organize their input.
go to staff meetings to learn about why the teachers do what they do
6. Observe other teachers. You will have a much more comprehensive and richer experience if you can get out of your classroom and into others. Teachers do this as well, just not nearly enough - substitutes cost way too much, but it really eye opening to see what goes on in other classrooms. You have the opportunity to do so; take advantage. Watch teachers who have an ease with students, and see how they interact. Find a teacher who uses technology proficiently, another whose students do engaging group projects. If you can, go into another class of the same grade level and activity and observe how that teacher engages students. And ask a lot of questions. Teach off a sub plan created by another teacher, and create one yourself that your PT teaches from. It is a really valuable experience where you will see what info is important and what needs to be explicitly explained.
try to go to one board meeting
7. If the administration will allow it, look through a couple of Cumm files and IPP/IEP's. A cumm file is the student's cummulative education file that follows them k-12 and is destroyed five years after graduation. Samples of student work, report card, and communication with outside agencies should be in there. It is my practice to put in work samples for each semester, and notes regarding any concerns or repeated situations that came up with a student. For example, if a student has frequent run-ins with peers, that's a pattern that could be relevant 2 years down the road. Having that historical documentation is invaluable. If there are particular strategies that create a successful working environment for a student, I always put a description in the file. I also found it invaluable to read about them if a previous educator had successes with a challenging learner. See how comprehensive the files are in your school if it is allowed. Going through a completed Individual Program (/Education) Plan is invaluable, too. You might be working with students who are being or have been assessed, so you may need to be accountable to an IPP. They are a legal document and the goals in them need to be part of your planning.
dedicate yourself to the experience but also take time for yourself
8. Challenge yourself; this is the only chance you have an opportunity to try and to fail without there being big huge consequences to your career and your students' learning. You have the safety net of a professional in the room with you who can help you pick up the pieces if it all falls apart. When you are a substitute or have your own class, your responsibilities and stumbles are much more impactful. Remember that the important aspects of this experience are what you learn from it, not exclusively how you do it. And remember that the feedback is guidance and insight, not a critique. Mistakes are much more acceptable than being disengaged, defensive, and unenthused.
create as many templates for frequent tasks for yourself as you can
9. Make a point to review the handbook for deadlines and required communication, and review it periodically. It is surprising how many specific responsibilities are in there, yet are not met because students have not looked over them. Descriptions of your responsibilities, the partner teacher's(PT) responsibilities and the University Consultant's (UC) are stated. The time that you have with your UC is very limited, so be prepared when they are there to evaluate you. Know the competencies and make sure you can provide evidence. Not all of them are observable. Also, before you go to your school, check their plone/website to see what the school initiatives are and become familiar with what they entail (examples are Daily Five, Cars and Stars, math readiness). Walking into a school prepared will help your confidence as well as create a good impression. This is also a necessity when preparing for interviews. Principals I speak to will not consider a candidate that has not taken the time to learn about the school, the program and the philosophy.
One last piece of advice - commit yourself completely to this experience. Excuses for not giving 100% will not really go over well. Your partner teacher has committed a lot of time to the experience, and they have life going on for themselves and their families too. If you have an issue that might interfere with your field experience, talk to your PT and UC about it prior to the commencement of you practicum and arrangements will be made to accommodate those issues that are appropriate. Coming in unprepared is completely unacceptable.You have a window of time dedicated to learning and growing in your future profession, and it is expected that you will be prepared daily. That being said, do take a break from the demands of your field experience when you can and in a manner that will not effect your performance.
Good luck, enjoy and learn!
Do you have tips, comments or questions?
What to do when you have challenges outside your control?
http://much2learneducators.blogspot.ca/2012/10/creating-success-in-your-teaching-field.html
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