Although it wasn't my very first teaching demonstration, as our Majors had already introduced us to the process, this particular experience was different. I felt a sense of confidence when I was assigned the topic, "Read and write numbers up to 100,000 in symbols and words." Despite this confidence, when the moment came for my demo, I couldn’t help but feel a mix of excitement and nervousness. I had put a lot of effort into preparing—organizing my lesson plan and instructional materials—but still, I had no way of knowing how my students would react.
When I started the lesson, the nerves hit me all at once, and my heart raced. I had moments where I doubted myself, thinking I might not perform well or that the students might not fully grasp what I was explaining. But I reminded myself to stay calm and focused. I took a deep breath and tried to simplify the material as much as possible. My goal was to guide them through the lesson carefully, step by step, and ensure they were following along before moving on.
As the lesson progressed, I gained more confidence, realizing that the preparation and practice I had done paid off. It wasn’t perfect, but I felt proud of how I managed to teach the material clearly and engage with the students.