My first teaching practicum was a Socials 9 class at PGSS, and it was an eye-opening and beneficial experience.
Going into this practicum, I was nervous for multiple reasons. The first reason? The general anxiety you often get before a big event where you feel like the stakes are high. The second reason? The fact that the content I covered was things I had learned 11 years ago (not to age myself), meant I spent a lot of time reviewing, relearning, and delving deeper into the information. The last reason? The general fear of potential failure or letting someone down, and in this case, that someone was my CT.
Outweighing the nervousness was excitement and eagerness to learn and grow as a Teacher Candidate. Although I have two years of experience working in a high school, I never formally taught. This practicum was the first time I would be teaching, using slideshows, worksheets, and assignments I had created on my own (with assistance from my CT).
The first week of practicum was a steep learning curve. The combination of making sure the lecture/education side of the class went well along with classroom management was overwhelming at the start.
The second week went much more smoothly after talking to my CT and getting advice on managing those situations. The educational side of the classes went well, the activities were successful and I got feedback from my CT on how to improve them for future use. The classroom management was getting easier, I was forming relationships with the students based on their interests (ex. Hockey, social media, etc.), and it became much easier for all of us.
The final week was the smoothest of all (which makes sense). The final day for me was a little heartbreaking. Saying goodbye to the students was challenging, knowing I might not see them again.
While this first practicum was challenging, it was incredibly valuable for my growth as a Teacher Candidate. I learned so much in such a short time, and I credit that to my CT and the students.
I cannot wait to apply these lessons to my next practicum, and I can’t wait to see where I am next.
