Overview
Planning and Reflection During my student teaching experiences I kept a journal, which greatly helped me to organize my thoughts and clarify the areas in which I most needed to improve. My mentor also pointed out for me the key areas that need improvement. As I look forward to a professional career as a teacher, I will be able to draw on these early experiences. I will remember what works and what doesn\'t and I already feel far more confident and proficient than I did before I undertook the student teaching challenge. Major themes emerged through reviewing my journal entries and the statements written by my mentors. My strengths include a willingness to use a wide variety of teaching materials and teaching styles. An enthusiastic implementation of multimedia materials keeps students actively engaged and makes lessons more interesting. My lessons are well-planned and incorporate different activities that sustain student interest. When multimedia materials and meaningful activities are used, students absorbed more material and remained focused. My mentor noted that I plan my lessons well, which reduces lag time and contributes to a professional classroom atmosphere. I intend to continue using these techniques as a skilled teacher, and I remain attentive to the needs and progress of students during in-class activities. I also recognize the value of understanding boy-specific learning styles to support student learning.
Strengths
- Willingness to use a wide variety of teaching materials and teaching styles.
- Effective use of multimedia to engage students and maintain interest.
- Well-planned lessons with diverse activities that support student focus.
- Attentiveness to student needs and progress during in-class activities.
- Understanding of boy-specific learning styles to help students learn at their maximum potential.
Areas for Improvement
- Transitions between subjects: initially challenging, but progress was made over time.
- Questioning skills: moving from vague to specific, relevant questions to enhance learning and retention.
- Lesson planning: need for more organized and logical sequences.
- Introductions to lessons: developing compelling, structured introductions to capture attention and provide context.
Additional Notes
Further reflections describe how planning and question formulation contributed to improved classroom time management and student engagement. The document also references entries about the use of multiple materials and feedback from mentors on behavior management and classroom presence.
Sources used in this document
- Armidale.
- Ballantyne, R & Packer, J 1995, making connections: gold guide no 2, Hersda, Canberra, pp 4-14
- Department of Education and Training. Online at
- Lorsbach, Anthony and Tobin, Kenneth. "Teaching"
- Malouff, J, 2001. "Fifty problem solving strategies explained."
- Outcomes-Based Education (OBE). 2001. Maskew Miller Longman. Online at
- Queensland education (2002) "Overall learning"
- "Teaching Styles." 2005. Indiana State University. Online at
Document metadata: Words: 3285 Length: 12 Document Type: Term Paper
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