Reflection Of My Practicum

Practicum Reflection Essay For my practicum I was in the Glyndon Felton Elementary school working with Mrs. Lauer in her 5th grade classroom. She teaches the subjects of Math and Science. Mrs. Lauer has a homeroom group of students as well as a second group of students that comes into her room for a few hours each afternoon for their Math and Science lessons. Her homeroom students are across the hall learning English and Social Studies with a second 5th grade teacher during this time. The classroom environment is a very crucial part in students’ learning as they learn best when in a comfortable environment, with lots of room to ask questions. One of the main things I noticed in my practicum classroom was that students sat at a table with three or four table mates instead of in a traditional desk. As Ayers puts it, there was “lots of room to ask questions of the world” (Ayers, 45). This encouraged group discussion and allowed the students to build ideas off one another instead of relying on Mrs. Lauer to answer their questions. Each student also has access to an

Sure, teachers so have to teach new lessons and correct tests, but teaching is so much more than that. Mrs. Lauer taught me that relationships are key; relationships with co-workers, administrations, and most importantly, students. If teachers have a solid relationship foundation with their students, the students’ learning experience will be very much enjoyed. The learning environment contributes to this positive experience in many ways. First, if a student doesn’t feel safe or comfortable with their teacher, they simply will not learn from them. Similarly, if a student does not like their teacher, the chances of them asking for help or clarification are slim to none. Which again, is why good teacher/student relationships are crucial in any