Student Teaching Experience

Student Teaching

To prepare and gain the experience needed in order to receive a multiple subject teaching credential, I was admitted into the Integrated Teacher Education Program. The program included a semester long session of well-rounded student teaching.

During my first placement, I taught 5th grade in Parthenia Elementary School. In my second placement, I taught 1st grade in Valley Charter Elementary School.

Parthenia Elementary School is a public school that includes a high population of English Language Learners. As I completed my first two weeks of field experience, I became intrigued with the mixing program the school implemented to address their English Language Learners. My fifth grade class contained English Language Learners; therefore, during the first 30 minutes of school the English Language Learners from two 5th grade classes would mix and join to receive basic interpersonal communicative skills through bilingual education from one of the 5th grade teachers. Those who were reclassified, or English only, would receive instruction from the other 5th grade teacher. After 30 minutes, the classes would switch and return to the classroom where they receive multiple subject instruction.

My Placement was in a 5th grade classroom with 30 students, ranging from 10-12 years in age. I taught from February 2016 through May 2016 and began taking lead responsibilities within the first couple of weeks. I was responsible for classroom management and teaching math and English Language Arts.

Valley Charter Elementary is a unique and creative public charter school that provided me with innovative teaching approaches. The school follows a constructivist approach that helps develop innovative curriculum to address a variety of learners. Currently, the school’s curriculum is supported by research and it includes teaching through guided reading, shared reading, reader’s workshop, writer’s workshop, and Singapore math.

My placement was in a 1st grade classroom with 21 students, ranging from 5-7 years of age. I taught September 2016 through December 2016 and began taking lead responsibilities within the first couple of weeks. I was responsible for classroom management and teaching all subjects: math, reading, writing, science, social studies, and art. I gained knowledge and experience implementing, directing, and teaching lessons in all subjects, specifically in Singapore math, guided reading, and interactive reading. During this 1st grade placement I also learned to team-teach; therefore, I was able to plan lessons with another 1st grade teacher. Team- teaching allowed me to teach science and art to 42 students. I also gained experience teaching student to sing as a whole class.

Both of my student teaching experiences were vastly different. This allowed me to gain different teaching strategies and approaches that have helped to shape my own.