Day Three review of my practicum:

On Monday afternoon, I felt energetic after my first day. I thought that was odd as I usually find myself drained upon leaving a teaching setting. Tuesday afternoon, 3:05pm and I felt as flat as the proverbial pancake. I had taken two guided reading groups, and saw my maths lesson turn the usually raucous class into a tremendously raucous class. I did try to maintain order, and I believe some learning was done, but once I had done all that I could, I quickly gave the reins back to the reliever teacher.

Wednesday, I had a more effective reliever teacher who was quite keen for me to learn from how she did things, and she was quite a proficient teacher in my estimation. I did more guided reading but otherwise just interacted with the kids. I felt less run down than Tuesday. Needless to say, I have been hitting the chocolate again to get me through.

Tomorrow, the regular teacher should be back. Hopefully I get to see her current methods of giving directions and getting attention and order. That is one thing that gives me some explanation for a lack of classroom control. Teachers must install some cues to get the classes attention or to bring them to the mat etc. In the schools I attended, the clapping "tah, tah, tah-teh-tah" was a signal for you to drop everything you are doing, copy the clap and then pay attention to the teacher. But each teacher has their own way. The Tuesday reliever did that ever-so-familiar clap yet the students didn't stop at all. They must have thought she was amusing herself. Once I get a hold of her cues, then I will have the commands to orchestrate the lessons I need to do for my assessments and then some.

This school doesn't have the spirit of my last practicum school, or a feeling of professionalism that I like. My last school felt so on to it yet collegial. Avondale however, is just a friendly staff, that is all you can say. There are advantages to it, in my last practicum school, it was hard to really mix with the people, they had their cliques but were experienced and could discuss issues with you. At Avondale, I don't feel left out, I can just start talking to someone about anything.

But their professionalism seems lacking, exemplified by my current supervising teacher (a huge contrast to my last supervising teacher). This supervising teacher, although sick, should have had at least prepared something. Instead we have muddled through two days of essential education for students at an important stage of their learning. That kind of neglect is abhorrant to me. I remember when I was sick at my language school, I still faxed in lesson plans and objectives, directions and all that I could to not leave the reliever in the lurch. In retrospect, that might be because I am possessive of my class, and desire control, and would hardly ever want some person to wander in and subvert my intended lessons.

In some ways, this leads me to thoughts of culture and values in schools, which is an awfully convenient pivot considering a presentation I will be doing soon for AIESEC.

So 3/24th of the way through my practicum, I march on.