Term 4 Untrained Teaching at Pasir Ris Secondary School (Sept 2018 - Dec 2018)

• I was first introduced to the Singapore Teaching Practice during my untrained teaching and use the 4 teaching practices as a framework to learn from my mentors' lessons. I observed skilful sequencing of content by my mentors, learnt about the different ways to approach the process of going through answers depending on the objectives and constraints of the lesson as well as learner profile.
• I learnt that establishing a daily routine and frequent communication is vital to developing respectful and meaningful relationships with the students. I was also introduced to the concept of a classroom climate or classroom care culture where students feel safe and cared for, that they are not afraid to be different, to raise their hands to speak out, where students are receptive to criticisms and thus able to share their knowledge and resources, guide and improve each other.
• During my untrained teaching stint, I tried my hand at writing the end-of-year notes for my Sec 1 NA students. I also had to conduct four lessons for my Sec 3 Combined Biology students on the Respiratory System and the Nervous System. In particular for the latter, I designed a few new activities such as "What's in the box?" as a lesson trigger to introduce the nervous system, an interactive puzzle piecing activity to determine the relationship between the neurones, a reaction time activity to introduce reflexes and the use of Quizzizz as formative assessment.
• I was fortunate to be attached to an up and coming CCA: Tinkers Club where I was exposed to Microbit for the first time and learnt alongside my students. I was also interested in helping the Student Council and thus, wrote a proposal to help improve the Student Council SOW for 2019.