The daily experiences of a final year education student!
Teaching log
“If you look behind every exceptional person there is an exceptional teacher.” — Stephen Hawking
Life of a teacher- a reflective blog​
Embarking on the three-day adventures of a full time teacher for grade 7 provided insight into the joys and challenges of this profession. Through this reflection I aim to capture the essence of my experiences, growth and the readiness I feel as I progress towards becoming a full-fledged educator.
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Managing the experience
Managing three intense days of teaching was both rewarding and demanding. Effective planning was crucial, as was being flexible and over coming challenges as they came my way. I utilized digital tools such as Google calendar for scheduling and Trello for task management, ensuring I was prepared and adaptable. The key was finding a way to balance the curriculum requirements from the CAPS document, with the actual classroom environment. I often had to adjust my lesson plans on the fly to meet the learners needs, adapting to the dynamic classroom environment. My first experience of life of a teacher was absolutely terrifying, not knowing what to expect and how I would cope with dealing with that load of work all at once. My mentor teacher helped me greatly, giving advice and pointers where needed, and assisted me with over coming my need for everything to run exactly as I had intended, and learn to accepted challenges as they come and adapt my lessons when needed.
Comparing block one to block two
During block one my responsibilities felt very overwhelming, but by the time I got to block two and started day in the life of a teacher again, I felt a lot more confident and capable. I feel like I was very anxious during block one as I was still settling into the school and getting used to the teachers and learners, however by block two I had already established a relationship with my mentor and the learners, making me feel alot more comfortable and at ease. Initially the transition from observing to leading the classroom was daunting, involving not just teaching but also handling administrative duties, managing behaviors, and ensuring a conducive learning environment. The support from my mentor and the responsive engagement from my students significantly eased the transition. I had a lot more confidence during block two as I had already taught lessons before my day in the life of the teacher experience, which gave me background knowledge on how the learners react and behave during certain lessons, giving me the ability to adapt to certain situations. Overall, I enjoyed block two a lot more as I felt more comfortable and intune with my teaching abilities. I had received some prior knowledge from my mentor in terms of admin duties, making me more prepared for the duties I had to take over.
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Challenges and solutions
One of the most challenging aspects was managing my time effectively. I found planning the lessons and ensuring that they were all interactive for the learners a challenge to find the time to sit down and plan them properly. I overcame this by using technology tools such as Google calendar and Trello, to set reminders and tasks that I could refer back to, ensuring I completed and planned all the lessons required. This allowed me to stay organized and manage my time by setting timers and reminders of all the work I needed to plan and complete.
Self evaluation and readiness
The self-evaluation survey I completed after the teaching experience was enlightening. After analyzing the results of my self-evaluation survey, I feel a growing sense of readiness to enter the teaching profession as a beginner teacher. Comparing my initial self-evaluation at the start of the teaching experience with the final outcomes, there has been a noticeable improvement in my confidence, teaching strategies, and overall readiness to take on this role​
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At the beginning of my teaching journey, I identified certain areas where I lacked confidence, particularly in classroom management, lesson planning, and integrating technology into lessons. My focus was also on how I could foster meaningful engagement with learners, balance the curriculum, and navigate the diversity in student needs. While I had theoretical knowledge from my teacher training, I was uncertain about how well I could apply this knowledge in a real classroom setting.
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Throughout my teaching experience, the feedback from my mentor was overwhelmingly positive. I received high marks across all aspects of my teaching practice, particularly in lesson delivery, classroom management, and the ability to foster a positive learning environment. My mentor specifically noted my ability to adapt to different learners' needs, use varied teaching strategies, and create interactive and meaningful lessons. This feedback was very encouraging and contrasted significantly with my initial self-evaluation where I doubted some of these areas.
Key strengths highlighted in the final evaluation:
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Classroom Management: I was commended for my ability to maintain a calm and engaging environment, allowing learners to focus while fostering a positive, respectful classroom atmosphere.
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Lesson Planning: My lesson plans were noted for being well-structured, creative, and aligned with learning outcomes, effectively incorporating differentiated instruction.
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Learner Engagement: I demonstrated a strong ability to engage learners actively in lessons, using innovative strategies such as gamification, group work, and discussions.
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Adaptability: I showed the ability to respond to challenges in real-time and modify my approach when needed, especially when catering to different learning styles or addressing unexpected classroom dynamics.
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Through my teaching experience, I developed a clearer understanding of the practical demands of teaching and how to meet them. Initially, I wasn’t fully confident in applying theoretical knowledge, but now, after reflecting on the progress made and the mentor's feedback, I feel more prepared. I am confident in my ability to:
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Manage a classroom effectively.
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Build strong relationships with learners.
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Deliver engaging, impactful lessons that meet the needs of diverse learners.
The exit-level outcomes indicate that I have developed the necessary skills for lesson planning, assessment, communication, and professional conduct. These outcomes affirm my readiness to begin teaching as a profession. While I recognize that teaching is a continuous learning process, I now feel equipped to enter the profession and continue developing as an educator.
In summary, my initial self-evaluation identified areas of uncertainty, but my practical teaching experience, combined with positive mentor feedback, has significantly boosted my confidence. I now feel prepared to take on the role of a beginner teacher and contribute meaningfully to the education sector.
