Final Reflection
As you wrap up your final days, relect upon what this experience has meant to you in your development as a professional. What are the take aways that you have learned?
As you look back on your experience, what would have been good to know before you started? What can you share with those who will be placed at military-based schools in the future?
Congratulations, you have made us proud!
posted by Chris @ 9:16 AM
3 comments
3 Comments:
I cannot believe how fast the time has gone! I've taken away a lot from this experience. I've learned how much time and planning goes into each school day and how that extra time really makes a difference. I know that my first year or two will have a lot of late nights, but they will be worth it to get my classroom up and running! I've learned a lot about getting to know my students and how to adapt my future lessons based on whether or not my students are catching on the concepts.
Before I started, it would have been nice to know how fast the time flies! I think I did a good job taking advantage of my time here but there are still things I did not get around to doing, both in the classroom and in my travels. Teaching on a military base, you really just need to be aware that these children's parents will be coming back and forth from deployments and that does play a noticeable toll on them. So I've learned to be more understanding (not to make excuses for though) of these students' needs.
I can't believe the time is wrapping up! So many wonderful memories have been made these past 4 months and I have learned so much that I will take back with me :)
I've said it to a few people already, Carol included, but I'll share it here as well. Deciding to student teach here has been one of the best decisions I have made for myself in a while. The experience was unique, and as spoiled as we were (with small class sizes, an abundance of resources, a lot of specialists, etc.), it really forced me to reflect and think about how I would teach in a public school at home. Unfortunately, all of my practicum experiences through WSU have been in kindergarten and 1st grade so I may be a little biased when I say this, but I am really buying into the primary grades. Most public schools in Hawaii have a 20 student cap from K-3 (I think). Also, materials are not as readily available, and of course, I won't have a "Mr. Ed" to do all of my grunt work. Ha! In all seriousness though, this student teaching experience has forced me to do a lot of self reflection of how I would modify or adapt things to work in a different setting. A huge take away for me would be to take it easy on the academics. My upbringing has always focused heavily on academics, and I have come to accept that school is much, much more than just academics. Chris, as you've witnessed, our crazy 1st graders still need a lot of practice building basic communication and work ethic skills. They also need to move and have fun... Integrating all of these different components is a tricky, but if done right, is extremely rewarding.
What I really appreciated reading before coming here was Rosie's directions on how to catch the bus to the Hauptstrasse. Being that similar instructions are of no use to the students student teaching overseas next semester, my advice is to figure out the public transportation system. It is cheaper than catching cabs everywhere, and it is definitely worth the extra effort to walk to a bus stop if you're going somewhere by yourself. Every euro counts! It is also valuable to note that not everyone in the school has a sense of humor. Being extremely prim and proper might be a wise thing to do the first few weeks.
As for working with DODDS, I would repeat what Rachael said. Even the students who have civilian parents have a different lifestyle than the average student in a public school somewhere in the states. The cultural experiences that the students have here are extremely rich, and as we learned in many of our classes, it is important that we adapt and teach to appeal to those cultural needs. With the closing of the posts here, it has become evident as to how an unstable home life can really affect a student's behavior.
Tomorrow is my last day with the kids...I can't believe this is all coming to an end...
I seriously agree with Kryssa on the biggest "take away" from this semester of student teaching. Children need so much more from a teacher than to just be taught basic academic knowledge. As we know, teachers are not only educators, but also counselors, life coaches, moms/dads, nurses, conflict mediators, and much more. I have found that these other jobs a teacher has are crutial for students to benefit from, especially in the military environment. I am thinking a lot about how I will build a community in my future classroom and help all students to feel at home and safe in school every day. I have also been observing other rooms and of course am planning on mimicking as much of Mary's academic instruction as possible, she is the best! Seeing as I also plan to be moving abroad to teach this fall, I will also be keeping in contact with many people I have had the pleasure to meet during my four months here. Went by way too quckly!
Previous to beginning student teaching here, I would have liked to know more about the DODDS community and way of doing things here. It is very different than the community in Germany, and very different from other schools I have been in, so it was just something completely new to me. Luckily for me, Mary, Monica and Carol were amazing and guiding us into this new community. I agree that it is always smart to be as "prim and proper" as possible, some things that seem simple may be taken very, very seriously. This is probably good to keep in mind anywhere in life though!
To leave for future student teachers on military bases: BEST DECISION YOU COULD MAKE! Work hard all week, don't take any days off (unless you are so ill you are a health hazzard) because it goes by so quickly! Get to know your kids as soon as possible, they notice when you know little things about them and they love it! Get to know other teachers as well, younger or older you have something to learn from them! Meet people who AREN'T from the states, they are almost always so nice and willing to talk to you about the world! TRAVEL! As much as you can. If you're like me and have an abundance of energy, this is possible 3 out of 4 weekends a month, but do what is right for you to make it enjoyable. Go where you want to go, see what you want to see. Be a tourist sometimes and a local other times, get the full experience! Learn at least 'hello' and 'thank you' in the language of where ever you are. Don't freak out when something goes wrong, because it will, and it's easier to get through it if you stay calm. Have fun! I hope you don't get homesick, but if you do just know that there are so many great ways to contact family and friends, even with the time difference. And enjoy being a little bit cut off from the world, and don't spend your weekends hunting down internet cafes! Although Starbucks is very reliable when you need wifi for directions!
This was the best experience I've had in my short 20 years, and it's made me that much more interested in future adventures!
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