Jillian Schoer Student Teaching Professor Schneider April 28, 2013 Final Reflection

Reflection Leaving Student Teaching As I am approaching my last week of student teaching I am feeling nostalgic

about my experiences. In my first placement I was placed in a sixth grade math class. The experiences I have endured teaching higher level math have helped me create effective lesson plans. I have learned how to effectively create lessons that allow for students to retain the information. This was my first experience with upper grade students and I must say I believe that I did a great job! At first I was hesitant because I am not a math concentration, but what I did have was determination. I was determined to not let my struggles with math stand in the way of teaching. Prior to teaching lessons I would complete problems in the math textbook provided by Ms. Sheivachman, which allowed for me to create effective lessons. One benefit to learning the materials with the students was that I was able to use a students perspective to these topics. I was able to see how a student may understand this topic. For example for the order of operations lesson, I used the example of morning routine. How in the morning we each complete a routine and without this routine we would not be successful. This allowed for the students to understand the purpose in real life and then apply this to math. In my second placement with first grade students I was nervous at first. The youngest grade I have observed or had field experience with was second grade. Transitioning from sixth grade to first grade was quite a difference but I felt confident in my teaching skills. One of the major challenges I had in my second

placement was using lower level vocabulary with the students. I had to explain what words meant to students in a way that would be understood. On one of my first days in first grade I asked students to reflect about a story, students then asked me what the word reflect meant. Although this was a challenge I was able to translate my vocabulary in a way that could be understood. As I am transitioning to the next stage in my life I have enjoyed every experience I have had at PS/MS 37. I have enjoyed the experiences with both sixth and first grade students. I will use the lessons that I have created as reference for my future lessons. I will also model Ms. Sheivachman and Ms. Gonzalezs classrooms in my future classroom. I would honestly never change the experiences I have had at PS/MS 37 for anything and I can say that I will miss the students very much!