Life of a Teacher Reflection

How did you cope/manage to complete the three days of “Life of a Teacher”?

As I reflect on the past three days, I find myself feeling a mix of emotions. Taking over as a teacher was certainly a challenging experience, but it was also incredibly rewarding. I had to juggle multiple tasks at once, from preparing lesson plans to managing a classroom full of students with different personalities and learning styles. There were moments of frustration and anxiety, but I also found myself inspired by the opportunity to share my knowledge and make a positive impact on young minds. Seeing my students grow, bond with me and learn from me over the course of just a few days was truly gratifying, and it made all the hard work worth it. While it was a challenging experience, I'm grateful for the opportunity to step into the role of a teacher and I feel that it has helped me grow both personally and professionally.

Overall, the experience was an incredibly fulfilling and enriching, and has certainly changed my personal practice of teaching in many ways. I thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of my teaching experience, from creating lesson plans to delivering them to my students. The opportunity to witness my students' progress and growth was immensely rewarding, and it gave me a deep sense of satisfaction to see them achieve their academic and personal goals.

This opportunity has also influenced my teaching approach, as I have gained a deeper understanding of the diverse needs and learning styles of students. I have learned to adapt my teaching strategies to better cater to these needs and to provide a more inclusive and effective learning environment.

Furthermore, I have developed a greater appreciation for the importance of reflection and feedback in the teaching process. By reflecting on my own performance and seeking feedback from my colleagues and students, I can continue to improve my teaching practice and provide the best possible education to my students.

How did you feel taking on all the responsibilities of a teacher in Block 1 compared to Block 2?

While I'm sure the intention of the Blocks were to ease the student teachers into the role and prep for the full days of teacher responsibilities, I found myself completely engulfed in the role from the first day. I took on lessons almost immediately, and jumped at every possible opportunity to teach additional lessons, help in other classrooms where I could, assisting the principal on a weekly basis and even acting as a substitute teacher when another teacher had a personal crisis in the Grade R block. I immersed myself fully into the school so I felt no sense of feeling overwhelmed or out of sorts at my school.

Which activities did you find most challenging? How did you overcome these challenges?

Make no mistake, being a teacher can also be a challenging and demanding job. I worked long hours well after the last bell of the day rang, including evenings and weekends. Preparing lessons, grading student work, and assisting my mentor in parents meetings became somewhat routine.

And although this may sound as though I saw them as obstacles, it felt quite normal. To my surprise, I found that one of the most challenging parts was quickly learning all of my students' names. It may seem like a small task, but it is incredibly important for building rapport and establishing a sense of community in the classroom. In a large class, it can be overwhelming to try and memorise so many names in a short amount of time, especially when students may have similar-sounding names or nicknames that they prefer to go by. I had to be strategic in my approach, using name tags, reading the class rosters over and over, and repetition to help me learn and remember each student's name. It required a lot of focus and effort, but in the end, it was worth it to be able to address my students by name and make them feel seen and valued in the classroom.

Additionally, teachers must be flexible and adaptable to meet the diverse needs of their students, and be able to manage and maintain control over their classrooms. I found several students to have diverse learning styles to the rest of the class, which meant I was constantly adapting my content to suit their learning needs. This I found to be rather enticing. One of the most rewarding aspects of being a teacher is seeing the progress that students make over time. When a teacher can help a student understand a difficult concept or master a new skill, even as simple as basic division, it can be incredibly fulfilling.

Analyse the results of your self-evaluation survey where would you rate yourself higher?

Personally, I don't believe in re-evaluating myself on a higher or lower rating as a teacher. From the start, I was not comfortable with the concept of rating myself, as I believe that the teaching journey is a lifelong one. I don't want to degrade myself or my practice by focusing solely on ratings, nor do I need a surface level sense of gratification or validation of my efforts. Instead, I want my practice to be one where I can simply identify areas where I can extend my knowledge, and work to improve myself in those areas. For me, teaching is about constantly learning and growing, and I don't want to limit myself to a set rating or grade. I prefer to take a more holistic approach to my development as an educator and focus on continuous improvement.

Justify how you have improved these competencies through this experience.

As an educator, I believe that the journey to mastery is never-ending, and I am committed to constantly striving for knowledge and refinement in my practice. For me, reflection is a critical part of this process, as it allows me to identify areas where I can improve and learn from my experiences. Unlike ratings, which provide a surface-level evaluation of my performance, reflection enables me to dig deeper and gain a more nuanced understanding of my teaching practice. I am passionate about delivering education to a multitude of learning styles, and I believe that self-education is a key component of this. By staying up-to-date with the latest teaching methodologies and theories, I can continually improve my competency and provide the best possible learning experience for my students. With a constant drive to learn and grow, I am confident that I can make a meaningful impact on the lives of my students and help them reach their full potential.

PEER COMMENTS

1. https://st10120451.wixsite.com/shay-delport-st10120/family?resourceId=shay-delport-st10120_family&commentId=1d930b32-3948-473c-af78-4f2c65ec9816
   

2. https://st10120442.wixsite.com/reflections/post/life-of-a-teacher?commentId=0f947e66-e356-4933-ac3b-8b1c0881609b