The final few weeks of my 491 practicum were focused on transitioning into catchup and my final units. Throughout the remaining time I had with my students, understanding how classroom behaviour and management can be influenced by impending breaks/holidays was a major learning curve. For this practicum, I found myself teaching Humanities 8 and New Media 10 to two very challenging groups in terms of learning needs and social/emotional needs.
Planning and prepping for my grade 8 class included frequent school based team (SBT) meetings, and constant connection with in-school supports. This was great experience for learning how to connect with youth care workers, counsellors, learning assistance teachers, and others to help support my students. Both my grade 8 and grade 10 classes taught me a lot about effective classroom management, and the importance of knowing your students.
During this practicum I also experienced formal assessment in terms of writing interim report cards, and drafting final report card comments for the end of the quarter to help my CT’s have those prepared.
I feel like one of the biggest moments of learning for me this practicum was in relation to disciplinary measures related to classroom management. Although the majority of my practicum was a positive experience, having two challenging groups presented some unfortunate moments where some learners had rough times. While these circumstances were definitely not a part of my favourite moments of practicum, they did contribute to my growth and understanding of an educators role in ensuring that the classroom environment is a safe and stable place for all members. The results of these events were learning how to deal with planning for absences due to suspension, and how to handle directed abusive language. These circumstances taught me a lot about how to connect with in-school supports and administration, and greater understanding of what necessary disciplinary measures are taken when the need for these measures arises.
Overall, this practicum was an excellent learning opportunity, where I had a great support system. Both of my Coaching Teachers were very welcoming, and I was able to make many great connections with other educators and supports within the school. I will miss working with both groups of students, and wish that I could have had the opportunity to finish the entire quarter with them.
