My first day of practicum was everything I hoped it would be, and more.  At first, I was nervous because my initial goal is to teach either middle school or high school and since my first practicum is with primary students, I really had no idea what to expect.  I must say, I was shocked and impressed at how well behaved our grade 3’s were!  Our TM had clearly set out guidelines in September, and effectively enforced them.  I expected the classroom to be rather chaotic, but that could not be farther from the reality.  Students were quiet, organized, and ready to learn.  They followed instructions, didn’t goof around, and actively participated wherever possible.  I think my TM’s classroom management technique(s) is effective because she treats her students with kindness and respect, while being able to efficiently and effectively have control over the classroom.  When the odd time arises and a student misbehaves, our TM quickly approaches the student to discuss their behaviour, or utilizes the technique of complimenting students that are behaving causing the others to follow suit.  This honestly amazed me as I imagined grade 3’s being noisy, distracted, and out of their seats for the majority of the day, but they were very respectful, hardworking, and eager to learn.  This was by far my biggest takeaway from day one at Kay Bingham.

My second day of practicum was also a fantastic day.  Our grade 3’s continued to behave appropriately, and we were able to observe more classrooms.  We observed kindergarten and grade two, and had a much different experience than we had in our assigned classroom.  Kindergarten was noisy, distracting, and off topic.  It would take a very special teacher to teach this age, and I had an eye-opening experience while observing that class.  Grade 2 was also a bit chaotic, but the students still knew their responsibilities.  Although, this was still a stark contrast to our grade 3 classroom.  This caused me to further reflect on the importance of setting our clear guidelines, constantly reminding the students of these guidelines, and learning to effectively enforce them.  Also, during our second day in the classroom, it became very apparent which students are strong learners, which students are at their expected abilities, and which students were struggling.  I understand now why it’s so important to be prepared because while the teacher had created lessons for the entire class to participate in, some students greatly excelled and some severely struggled.  As this was my first time helping students, I found it valuable experience to learn that some grade 3’s are still reading at a kindergarten level, while some are reading at a grade 5 level.  While we learned about this in class, it was a totally different experience to see it in person.  With this in mind, it causes me to be sure that I plan all of my future lessons to be inclusive of students at all abilities, while also planning for those who finish early or need different instruction.  I had my heart set on teaching middle school or high school, but after my first two visits to this grade 3 classroom, I may have had a change of heart.  Although, my future practicums will likely continue to influence my decision on where I want to end up.