experience reflection
Leading into my experience with my district's internship program, I've had many experiences through my life that have supplemented my love of teaching and helping others.A way I expressed this love before formally pursuing it as a class was for the Sunday school program at my church. I was a teacher's assistant every Sunday; instead of going to my own age group's class, I had the special permission of helping the different age groups with anything they may have needed. This ranged from passing out snacks, to fixing the TV to watch VeggieTales DVD's, to helping coordinate craft projects, to choreographing performances for church events! I was often regarded as a valuable asset, and despite only being 11-13 at the time, I proved myself to be a vibrant and effective helper and teacher, and I couldn't get enough.The next major opportunity I got was in freshman year geometry class. (I've always been a year ahead in math, in an effort to jumpstart my educational journey.) Our teacher, Ms. Hu, was teaching her first year in America. English wasn't her first language, and some of her efforts were unfortunately lost in translation. I assumed the role of class assistant, teaching the lesson to the sophomores in my class where Ms. Hu couldn't quite communicate it right. I helped her a lot that year, and watched so many of my peers succeed because of my influence. It was a very special and formative experience in my budding teaching career.Choir has been such a wonderful hobby for me; the spirit of community I've felt through making music with others is unparalleled. As a section leader in my class, I'd always pushed myself to do better so I could teach and guide others. I would learn the songs and perfect them with technique and nuance. This went beyond knowing the notes; it was a matter of quick decision-making to decide the energy and emotion of every phrase and chord. The communication of passion through singing is something integral to me. Whether it was direct, or indirect and unspoken, I'd help my peers to be the best singers they could, and support them in their own mastery of music.And beyond that, it's only gotten better.
internship opportunities
My first semester as an intern in the classroom held ups and downs, and was a great induction to the "inner world" of education.
My lesson was during a unit about the seasons, so I sang and played an interactive song. This was to help the students learn to associate things with the seasons (clothes to wear, weather, etc.) The kids loved it, and it helped set the stage for the unit to come.
MRS. METZLER ; PRE-K, GONZALEZ SCHOOL FOR YOUNG CHILDREN
Mrs. Metzler and I certainly had very different personalities, but instead of causing conflict, it gave me the opportunity to fill in a lot of the gaps in her classroom. Her students taught me a lot about social-emotional learning, and I carry that with me to this day. From self-regulation to empathy, this class gave me valuable skills to understand myself and others in new ways. I hope that I left just as much of an impact on the students there as they left on me as a teacher.
MRS. DELPALACIO; PRE-K SPECIAL EDUCATION, GONZALEZ SCHOOL FOR YOUNG CHILDREN
As someone who is special needs myself, I cannot stress the importance of children having the support they need as early and as attentive as possible. This was a classroom that made that possible, and taught me a lot about myself and the students in the time I taught there.
Because of the small class size, I got to help make the class a bit more personalized and give much-needed 1-on-1 instruction to those who needed it. In creating differentiated lessons, I formed wonderful bonds with both the students and the other teachers.
My lesson involved more classroom management than a traditional classroom might. The activity involved a book reading and a vocabulary matching activity, both of which were executed as best as I could despite the minor behavioral issues in the class. (click to enlarge)
Footage from my lesson this semester- it was over eighth notes ("ti-ti"), and I was given full jurisdiction over the 50-minute period for the first graders both days I was there that week.
MR. ROWLAND ; MUSIC CLASS, K AND 1ST, NETTE SHULTZ ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
The class is very movement-oriented and hands on, and the learning happens through activities and games. This type of environment suits me, so it was easy to jump in, and by the second day there I was leading activities more than I was watching them. I genuinely love being in this class; though I want more experience in other classrooms as well, this is the best fit for me right now.
For this lesson, a part of the activity was identifying voice types (whispering, talking, shouting, and singing.) Using my multimedia skills, I created a music video entirely from scratch- the music, the lyrics, the video editing all personally made from scratch.Below is my decoration for the Career Week celebration, entered into the school-wide competition (and won.)
bonus / extracurricular
This past October, I began working for Extended School Day at the same campus I currently intern at. I’ve made a lot of wonderful, fulfilling bonds with the students, Management skills, decision-making, and planning all come into play; my strength is coming up with the “lesson plans” for them; I love creating things that are engaging, so I’ll often hand-make materials for crafts and other activities. -->
<-- After being in Teach Denton for years as a student, I was finally able to be on the teacher's side of the equation. This was a wonderful way to apply myself in more of the ways a teacher is a leader outside of the classroom. I helped to organize the induction reception for incoming Teach Denton students- my largest contribution being that of hand-painted navigational signs, hung up around the foyer. It involved a lot of toiling and running back-and-forth, but it was incredibly fun and incredibly worth it.
Even when we’re not at our field sites, we’re still learning important information about the theory of teaching. We made flowerpots as we learned about Bloom’s Taxonomy, but instead of flowers, I thought outside of the box and made mine shooting stars instead! The tails flip open like a booklet with additional information. -->
