-Lester Middle School-
During my student teaching placement at Lesher middle school I had the opportunity to learn and grow as an educator in a challenging and rewarding environment. My immersive experience allowed for me to sharpen my skills in the areas of classroom management, relevant curriculum development, and recognizing and accommodating for the wide range of needs in the art classroom. As I reflect on my time as a Lesher Viking I realize there are many things I count as successful as well as elements that I will learn from and adapt my practice as a future educator.
Lesher allowed me to fully experience the day to day life of a middle school art room teacher. One of the largest challenges of this experience was the large number of students in any given class. These large class sizes, especially in 7th and 8th grade provided unique challenges in management and logistics especially as a student teacher. In order to navigate this challenge, I relied first on the teaching and coaching of my cooperating teacher and eventually moved to a place where I was able to successfully practice classroom management independently. A part of this success was learning that much of management stems from having creative and genuine art projects for students to pursue and engage with. Creating lessons that students found personal investment in was my key strategy to curbing many of my management challenges, especially when working with 6th grade. While having strong lessons that encouraged student engagement I also experienced the importance of having clear and precise clean up routines for students to follow. This logistical element was at first a point of struggle that effected the flow of the classroom. However, after much trial and error I was able to find a system that helped to create a well-run classroom.
There are also experiences I will take from Lesher that have prompted me to change my practice and understanding as a middle school teacher. One of the primary elements is realizing that teaching is a balancing act when you are expected to help so many unique individuals while also planning creative curriculum, participating in art shows, seeking out extra-curricular involvement, and growing as a professional. I realize that it is important to seek out and take advantage of every opportunity and it is important to care for yourself and be kind in regards to the accomplishments of a given day. When I was a healthy and happy individual I was much better equipped to serve my students and provide for their needs. My experience additionally confirmed for me the importance of building meaningful relationships with students in order to have success as a teacher. Even with large class sizes it is vitally important to learn and remember not only student names, but small facts and conversation points about the lives of students. These experiences and challenges impacted and grew my exposure and confidence as an educator. I am confident that I will be able to take the success and lessons learned at Lesher and apply them to a developing and successful teaching career.
Lesher allowed me to fully experience the day to day life of a middle school art room teacher. One of the largest challenges of this experience was the large number of students in any given class. These large class sizes, especially in 7th and 8th grade provided unique challenges in management and logistics especially as a student teacher. In order to navigate this challenge, I relied first on the teaching and coaching of my cooperating teacher and eventually moved to a place where I was able to successfully practice classroom management independently. A part of this success was learning that much of management stems from having creative and genuine art projects for students to pursue and engage with. Creating lessons that students found personal investment in was my key strategy to curbing many of my management challenges, especially when working with 6th grade. While having strong lessons that encouraged student engagement I also experienced the importance of having clear and precise clean up routines for students to follow. This logistical element was at first a point of struggle that effected the flow of the classroom. However, after much trial and error I was able to find a system that helped to create a well-run classroom.
There are also experiences I will take from Lesher that have prompted me to change my practice and understanding as a middle school teacher. One of the primary elements is realizing that teaching is a balancing act when you are expected to help so many unique individuals while also planning creative curriculum, participating in art shows, seeking out extra-curricular involvement, and growing as a professional. I realize that it is important to seek out and take advantage of every opportunity and it is important to care for yourself and be kind in regards to the accomplishments of a given day. When I was a healthy and happy individual I was much better equipped to serve my students and provide for their needs. My experience additionally confirmed for me the importance of building meaningful relationships with students in order to have success as a teacher. Even with large class sizes it is vitally important to learn and remember not only student names, but small facts and conversation points about the lives of students. These experiences and challenges impacted and grew my exposure and confidence as an educator. I am confident that I will be able to take the success and lessons learned at Lesher and apply them to a developing and successful teaching career.
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