Assignment 4

My goals for student teaching were:
1. To become more confident and project my voice
2. To get to know all my students
3. To get involved in any way I can

I think I was able to meet my goals. By the end of student teaching I felt more confident and I was talking louder. I felt like I knew all of my students fairly well. I was getting involved and helping my cooperating teacher in any way I could.

Most Meaningful Experience

I had a student who always challenged me from day one and on. He was either helpful or distracting the class. I could tell he would try to push me as far as he could. As the weeks went on I found it easier to deal with him.
When we had parent-teacher conferences I met his parents. I liked how the parents were willing to help Mrs. Littlewolf and I get him to behave in class. His parents told us that we brought home pink discipline slips he had to do extra chores. That is when I realized why he would get upset when he had to fill out pink slips was because he did not only have to deal with the discipline at school but also at home.
Also on my last day he seemed like he was having a bad day and being difficult. I think this was because he does not like change. I made all the student bookmarks as a going away present. When I returned for a visit two weeks after leaving I noticed he still had the bookmark and it was still in the same condition I gave it. I noticed while I was in the classroom he destroyed every bookmark he received. Also when I returned this student really wanted to read with me. I felt like by the end of student teaching I was able to really connect with this student.
This is one student I will never forget. I learned a lot from him. I learned it is important to get to know your students and their background in order to really connect with them. Also it is easier to discipline a student if you know how they will react and how they respond.