Observation of a parent teacher interviews during my prac gave me insight into how powerful the influence parents can have on a student’s life. As a parent myself I understood the passion of parents to assist and guide anyway they can. Parents generally want better for their children than they had during their schooling.
Students whose parents encourage them in their academic achievements are generally those with the most success. It is important for teachers and parents to work together to achieve the highest possible outcomes for each child in their classroom.
This teamwork can be achieved by communication. Care is to be taken to always present fair and positive aspects of the child as well as the negative that may need addressing. Teachers should always remain professional in their interaction with parents. All communication should be documented for future reference.
During my practicum I enjoyed a healthy repour with students. I was delighted that targeted students were contributing in class discussion and work output had increased. The personal goal of getting to know each of the students in Stage 4 and 5 was reached due to the smaller numbers of the school.
As for the goal of ICT integration I still have a ways to go. I was privileged to attend to Personal Development sessions on the use of the smart board and will look forward to implementing that in my lessons on in years to come. I still have a fear of new ways of doing things but will find that the more I am involved the greater my ability will become. The time management of these tasks will also need work. I will need to develop smarter ways of achieving the same outcomes or I will burn out fast.
I was able to plan and entire unit in Food Technology and benefit greatly from the input of my colleague teacher. We were able to work together on areas that needed improvement. I have enjoyed the team task of getting the school ready for a Board of Studies inspection. It was a privilege to be able to give a little extra using my administration skills.
Overall, I have enjoyed every aspect of my practicum. I felt the sessions we had in the days leading up to it were very beneficial. I referenced the information on a number of occasions. I especially appreciated the session on behaviour management and found myself using various strategies that were mentioned. I would like to see this session expanded in the future because it is great to know theory but practical application is often harder. I am looking forward to a career in teaching and was privileged enough to have an offer for work in 2011.
