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Reflections on Teaching Experience
Reflections on Teaching Experience
At the beginning of the term, I was nervous about facilitating and struggled with confidence. When I assisted in classrooms, I took notes on how others facilitated and which strategies/teaching styles seemed most effective. I found that those who emphasized storytelling in their teaching had the most engaged students. Upon my first time facilitating in the classroom, I knew I wanted to try that teaching style and found that it came effortlessly to me. I discovered my strengths as a facilitator and how my storytelling encourages kids to be careful listeners and find excitement for science. I struggled with being assertive and navigating where I needed to grow as a leader. My first field trip I noticed the areas in my teaching that needed improvement such as clear instructions, redirecting kids who aren’t participating, and finding a balance between enthusiasm and assertiveness. The children ended up teaching me how to be an effective teacher. Their attitudes and behaviors showed me where I needed to step-up and provide support. The questions they asked taught me where I needed to provide clearer instructions and provide them with a balance of scientific knowledge and having fun exploring the natural environment. My last time teaching in the classroom I could feel the growth within my facilitation and how I improved on my confidence and adverse through the obstacles of learning how to be assertive. I found a sense of belonging as a leader, brought my gratitude and passion towards giving back to the community and provided children with the experience and privilege of environmental education.
Reflections on Teaching Evaluations
Reflections on Teaching Evaluations
Throughout the classroom lessons and field trips at Mt. Pisgah Arboretum, I’ve received comments and feedback from teachers and chaperones that reflect my strengths in facilitation and also where I need to continue to grow. My first field trip I had the privilege of our community partner Sarah Spoden from Mt. Pisgah Arboretum joining my group for part of the day. This was my first time ever leading a group of children in this capacity. My group required a good amount of behavior management that I was not prepared for. Sarah stepped in where she saw I needed help within keeping kids on trail, listening and following rules. She demonstrated teaching styles and behavior management strategies that I learned from and was able to implement in my following classroom lessons and field trips. Her guidance in behavior management taught me how to be assertive and clear when defining group agreements and how to give effective instructions to ensure safety in the activities and games outside. I’m grateful to have had chaperones and teachers support me on the field trips and have noticed my feedback improve each field trip. Towards the end of the term I received feedback on one field trip from a chaperone and she said, “You are a natural with kids. I love how kind and supportive you have been”. This was incredibly reassuring and reflected the progress of my facilitation. During my first field trip, I struggled with confidence and assertiveness. Shellsea, my project manager, was with me on this field trip and provided me with additional support and assistance throughout the day. She shared with me feedback and told me that I was a great storyteller and that the kids were engaged when I used that teaching style. This helped me build enthusiasm and excitement when teaching kids which was a skill that I had been working on improving on from the beginning. Professor Katie Lynch observed my first classroom lesson and afterwards she told me that I had a calm energy that encouraged the children to be calm. I had noticed this throughout the lesson as I was reading them a book, they were all attentively listening and made several observations throughout the story like I had asked them to. Hearing that my personality is calming helped me to learn where calmness is effective such as story time. It also reminded me that enthusiasm and calmness can be intertwined. Receiving feedback from my professor, project manager and other supporters helped me to grow within my confidence as a leader. By the end of the term, I felt growth within my comfortability and each lesson and field trip my excitement grew. I learned how to be an inspirational and supportive leader with passion to teach children about the wonders of the outdoors.
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