Just as my program director promised, I had a great experience at Bear Valley Middle School. During the last semester, I learned how to manage 180 personalities to ensure that everyone not only learned but also had fun in the process. One thing that surprised me but I appreciated greatly was the willingness of the staff to work together. The pressures of common core and STEM education have placed teachers out of their comfort zones. At BVMS, the staff has taken this change in education as an opportunity to join forces and get creative. A science unit on microbiology was expanded into a cross curricular project. Students learned not only the science of microorganisms but also the historical timeline that lead to the discovery of microorganisms and analyzed literature related to the topic.
I was surprised at the fact that I really enjoyed teaching 7th grade. I was worried about teaching a population that was undergoing one of the biggest physical, emotional and social changes within one's lifetime. But I think because the students are undergoing that change they were willing to experiment and try new ideas. My favorite part of my experience was teaching the Positive Behavior Intervention Support lessons. These lessons would be once a week and during 5th period. The lessons allowed for students to interact and think about critical aspects of life. The lessons included topics such as bullying, how to show respect, and how to persevere. It surprised me which students engaged in these lessons; students that typically were disengaged in class participated in deep discussions. Students brought up controversial personal topics and openly discussed how cope and how to make improvements.
My next site is Rancho Buena Vista High School. I am a bit apprehensive to start at my new site due to lack of planning and lack of resources. Because there are no professional development days, I will be starting the same day the students come back from break. The room that I will be teaching in has minimal resources. There are only a few textbooks for students to use, and a handful of lab supplies. The room is a traditional classroom without access to science lab equipment. Although these conditions will provide to be a challenge for me, I believe the experience will ensure that I am a well-rounded teacher. I will have experience not only working with a range of students but also a range of environments. It is unfortunate that there are school conditions such as the one that I am about to work in but I hope to learn how to be effective in any classroom environment. This experience will allow me to draw upon resources, search and create new resources and expand my teaching abilities and creativity.
I was surprised at the fact that I really enjoyed teaching 7th grade. I was worried about teaching a population that was undergoing one of the biggest physical, emotional and social changes within one's lifetime. But I think because the students are undergoing that change they were willing to experiment and try new ideas. My favorite part of my experience was teaching the Positive Behavior Intervention Support lessons. These lessons would be once a week and during 5th period. The lessons allowed for students to interact and think about critical aspects of life. The lessons included topics such as bullying, how to show respect, and how to persevere. It surprised me which students engaged in these lessons; students that typically were disengaged in class participated in deep discussions. Students brought up controversial personal topics and openly discussed how cope and how to make improvements.
My next site is Rancho Buena Vista High School. I am a bit apprehensive to start at my new site due to lack of planning and lack of resources. Because there are no professional development days, I will be starting the same day the students come back from break. The room that I will be teaching in has minimal resources. There are only a few textbooks for students to use, and a handful of lab supplies. The room is a traditional classroom without access to science lab equipment. Although these conditions will provide to be a challenge for me, I believe the experience will ensure that I am a well-rounded teacher. I will have experience not only working with a range of students but also a range of environments. It is unfortunate that there are school conditions such as the one that I am about to work in but I hope to learn how to be effective in any classroom environment. This experience will allow me to draw upon resources, search and create new resources and expand my teaching abilities and creativity.