Journal Entry 1

In this journal I hope to reflect on what I learned from my first teaching experience during the weekly school visits. This would be based on a some of the things I learned while teaching Science to year 7 at Betio JSS. It will focus on my initial expectation prior to teaching, what I felt and my response including the lessons I learned from the experience, and lastly, stating the insights gained after delivering the lesson.

To begin with, prior to delivering the lesson, I sensed that the lesson would go well. This is due to the fact that I have spent considerable amount of time preparing for this lesson. Having considered the time, the specific learning needs and preferences, plus other adjustments like student centered strategies, I believe that the lesson would be effective in giving me information about students’ learning. This has always been my major goal and philosophy - knowing my impact on my students. However, the experience turned out the opposite. I sensed that somewhere in the middle of the lesson, there was enough evidence that some are not participating and were not in the mood of learning. This took my attention, and that it bothers me to know that I was not able to assess all of my students’ learning.

This took me to a careful thought and reflection on the things that I may have not considered. Of course I have never dominated the class with teacher talk, and if I did at certain points, I am certain that it was Quality talk rather than teacher talk. But a further deep thought gave me a reasonable and of course, the major driving force which I believe to be my own neglect to take full attention of the class in the introductory part. Another probable cause would be my own failure in getting to know students well. This may sound reasonable as it is the first time that I meet these students, but a keen and committed teacher is supposed to have considered these beforehand. And although there were only a few who did not fully participate during the classwork activities and the likes, the overall expectation of the lesson was greatly affected.

Thus, I now learned that as a teacher, it it is important everything is fully considered and adjusted before actually delivering lessons. Also, it is of great essence that I as a teacher must find strategies that would address issues that evolve around meeting the students for the first time. Life is a learning process, and that in every experience there has to be at least a lesson to learn. However, learning,acknowledging and reflecting on such experience will help us grow professionally, especially in the field of teaching.

Significant Teaching and Learning Experience.

The most significant teaching experience is one that I have during my contract period at Betio JSS and the latter at Saint Joseph’s College. The experience dated back to 2014 and 2017 respectively, and from these I was able to learn many things that had eternal impacts since then.

One of the most significant experience to recall from the teaching experience was the initiatives I often take to get to know my students. So as a start, I treated my students as if they were my friends, with the hope that they may not fear me. But little did I know that it would lead to a chaos classroom, and that it would take much effort in undoing everything. From this, I learned that as a teacher, I should provide a conducive learning environment and that I can be as friendly but must set boundaries so that students would know their boundaries as well, thus experiencing a better learning environment than before.

Another important teaching experience which is more of a learning experience is one which reminded me to be able to assess students’ learning and to know the impact I have on my students’ learning. This happened when a team from the Australian Catholic University came to our School, to conduct a Certificate in Teaching Program. The team was compromised of three Lectures and a Professor named McLaughlin. In their program, they emphasize the importance of knowing our impact as teachers on our students’ learning, including the so-called Visible Learning by Professor Hattie. Also from their teachings, I managed to learn about Learner-Centered Approaches to teaching. To a greater extent, because the Course consists of a number of Theory Learning and Practicums, I was able to learn new things and to reflect on my previous teaching experiences, thus improving on my mistakes every time I entered and exit a classroom.

Thus, although the experiences have long gone, I am grateful that I am who I am now as a teacher because of these short but long lasting experiences. I will continue growing and develop as a teacher who will never retreat from doing my best for students.