Practicum Self-Reflection

Teacher candidate: Terence Attema

Practicum #1: October 2014, St.Anne High School, Lakeshore, ON
Successes I experienced

Challenges I encountered

I was able to execute lesson plans in a logical

manner, presenting the curriculum in a way the
students can understand.

As I am just starting, I am too focused on

lesson delivery, which means I have a hard
time noticing when students are off task.
I am used to the university mindset, where the
professor does not care if a students fails to pay
attention and take notes. In high school, I still
need to ensure that students are taking notes
and paying attention. Teaching students to take
responsibility for their learning is part of the
role of a high school teacher.

Areas to work on.

Being sure to make clear, step by step
instructions for solving math problems.
Allowing sufficient wait time after
questioning, dont always call on the same 3-4
students.
Keeping an eye out for that student that isnt
taking notes or looks depressed.

Action Plan
I should do the homework I assign, so I can
assist in the homework take-up process in a
much more timely manner.
I can use a random method to call on students.
I can help out in cross country and track
practices, as well as after school homework
clubs.

Getting involved in the school community.

What I learned from this experience
I learned about the importance of looking out for the needs of the students. I can spend a great
deal of energy trying to make that perfect lesson plan, but sometimes, the more important thing I
can do is greet a student as they walk in the door, or ask them if they are having a good day. You
never know what kind of tough family situation a student can be in, or if they are battling
suicidal thoughts. Going out of my comfort zone to offer a kind word of encouragement could
make a huge difference for a student.

Practicum Self-Reflection
Teacher candidate: Terence Attema
Practicum #2: December 2014, F.J. Brennan High School, Windsor, ON
Successes I experienced
I have strong content knowledge, and I am
improving in ways to effectively convey that
knowledge to the students in an interesting
way.

Areas to work on.

Classroom management
Building rapport with students
Differentiated Instruction

Challenges I encountered
I had to read up and do a lot of background
studying, because this is not my first teachable.
I also found it hard to know how to teach open
level and college level classes. There is a wide
range of abilities in this class, and I have never
really experienced how a college/workplace
class looks like, since I have only seen
academic classrooms.

Action Plan
I need to develop a classroom management
plan, and stick with it
I can be more intentional about greeting
students, and ask at least one student how they
are doing each day. I should get to know their
hobbies. For the first day of the semester, a
game or a questionaire for the purpose of
getting to know the hobbies and interests of the
students will be beneficial.
I will do some research on how to improve
interpersonal skills, and maybe even take a
class or read a book on this.
I should come up with at least one kinesthetic,
hands on learning activity each day. Even for

an academic class, this can be beneficial.

What I learned from this experience
My associate teacher made me aware of my biggest weaknesses. I was somewhat aware of what
my weaknesses were before this placement, but having an associate teacher tell me that these are
serious matters that need to be dealt with is a good way for me to get serious about making steps
to actually improve in these areas, rather than just have a complacent attitude. I could be seen as
a stereotypical math teacher, a little bit socially awkward, geeky, and lacking some interpersonal
skills. Some math teachers might get away with this, but a religion teacher cannot. Especially in
a religion class, I need to be able to build into the lives of the students. I have a passion to do
this, but I need to work on interpersonal skills to be more effective in this area. I also learned that
classroom management is important. I know for a fact that I wont manage the class the same
way my associate teacher did, but I have to make my boundaries clear, and let the students know
that I wont tolerate them crossing those boundaries. As a softer personality, this wont come
natural to me, but I will have to learn to do this. For my first two placements, I was often times
so focused on lesson delivery that I neglect to see behavior issues that need to be dealt with. For
my remaining placements, I should have more confidence in my lesson delivery, to the point
where I can focus more on controlling the classroom.

Practicum Self-Reflection
Teacher candidate: Terence Attema

Practicum #3: February 2015, Maranatha Christian Academy, Windsor, ON

Successes I experienced

Challenges I encountered

The students seemed to enjoy my teaching,

with several of them mentioning to me
personally that they enjoyed my style. My
associate teacher was supportive and easy
going, which allowed me to be more in
character. Its a lot easier to find your true
teaching personality when you have an
associate who has a similar personality to
you.

Students in my grade ten class seemed to

lack motivation and work ethic. In the
grade eleven class, there were also a few
students who were struggling with the
material. It is definitely a challenge to
teach to students with a wide range of
abilities. Sometimes I found that the
brighter students were frustrated as I was
reviewing concepts for the benefit of the
lower achieving students.

Areas to work on.

I should try to speak in front of the class
when I am writing on the chalk board. I can
also try familiarizing myself with more
technology. Of course, my opportunity to
learn new technology such as smartboard
or learning management systems will
dependent largely on where I get placed
next, but I hope to become more
technology literate so I can use it to aid my
lessons

Action Plan
I will make a more concentrated effort to
speak to the front of the class when
working out problems on the board. I will
make sure to ask the associate teacher in
my next placement what technologies are
available to me, and hopefully they will be
able to introduce me to some technologies
that they use. Trying different approaches
is a big part of what teaching placements
are meant to be.

What I learned from this experience

I learned that having an associate teacher that has a similar personality to me makes a
huge impact in the enjoyment I have from a placement. Its unfortunate that we dont
have that within our control, but this placement, I lucked out. This gave me a better idea
as to the enjoyment and rewarding experience that teaching can be, when I actually do
have my own class, because I was free to teach the way I wanted. My last placement, I
was having doubts, but this placement confirmed to me that I made the right decision to
pursue teaching.
Practicum Self-Reflection
Teacher candidate: Terence Attema
Practicum #3: February 2015, Maranatha Christian Academy, Windsor, ON

Successes I experienced

Challenges I encountered

My associate teacher was very helpful in

making this placement a beneficial one in
which I enjoyed my time there, and also
learned many helpful tips to help me when I
have a class of my own. I am improving in
having confidence in front of the class, and
building rapport with the students. I also had
the opportunity to coach the distance runners
on the track team after school, an experience I
enjoyed very much. My associate teacher also
introduced me to various technologies and
manipulatives such as the smartboard, Ipads,
and algebra tiles. I now have a better idea how
to implement these tools to improve student
learning.

Many students lack the ability to use thinking

and problem solving skills, and prefer to
memorize formulas and procedures rather than
understand the concepts. My associate teacher
encouraged me to sway away from low level
procedural ways of teaching, such as cross
multiply and divide or FOIL. My associate
teacher has a similar philosphy as me,
encouraging students to aim for conceptual
understanding, rather than memorizing rules.
He helped teach me how to do this more
effectively, as well as foster a more student
centered approach. His method of teaching
might seem unusual to some people, but I
believe it is an improvement from the way
math is often taught.

Areas to work on.

I should continue to make a mindful effort to
speak in front of the class, rather than at the
board. I also need to use learning goals to help
consolidate end reinforce the ideas at the end
of a lesson. I also can work on controlling the
classroom, and making sure I have everyones
attention before I begin my lesson, or
consolidate a lesson after an activity.
What I learned from this experience

I also found that the size of some of the classes

was a bit of an adjustment compared to my
experience at Maranatha. It is tough to reach
the individual needs of each student every day
when there is such a large class with a wide
variety of abilities.
Action Plan
I will use many of the strategies and activities
that my associate teacher provided me with in
future classes, and I will continue to seek out
student centered activities that will keep
students engaged, and help students gain a
conceptual understanding, rather than having a
low level procedural knowledge that they will
soon forget.

I learned several different ways to teach mathematics in a more conceptual way, rather than
having students memorize procedures. I learned also that it is important to allow wait time, and
to provide students with opportunity to discover things on their own, rather than just tell it to
them. The use of algebra tiles can often help with this. Mathematics is so much about teaching
students to think logically. If we simply tell them how to do things without letting them try to
construct the concepts, they will not have an appreciation for mathematics, and they will have
reduced the concept to a procedure that in their minds has no reason behind it. This is something
I knew heading into my practicum, but my associate teacher really helped reinforce this idea, and
taught me what it really looks like to implement a student centered, inquiry based approach,

rather than a teacher centered approach.