Laila Ali

Professor Williams
TED 5780
Journal 4: Final Summary
Reflecting on my student teaching experience has helped me become a more effective
educator. I am able to look back at my teaching experience to see what went well and what
needs to be modified. It has allowed me to also look back on how I could be an innovative
educator who is committed to diversity. During my pre-student teaching experience, I was able
to write about my experiences in the classroom. I discussed what I observed and talked about
the lessons I taught the students in the classroom. The journals allowed me to document what
happened during my experience and discuss ways I could have improved my lessons. I was
able to connect my experiences to the InTASC standards to see which ones were observed in
the classroom. My lessons took into account the students needs, learning environment, content
knowledge, and assessments.
Looking back on my experiences in the classroom and the journals I have written, I see
how I have grown as an educator. I was able to gain the confidence I needed to create a positive
learning environment and learn the management skills that lead to a productive classroom. I
was able to observe various students and work with them to improve their academic and social
skills. I realized that there are things that may go wrong during a lesson even if you are
prepared and have planned ahead. It is always important to look back on each lesson and reflect
on the aspects that went well and the ones that did not go as planned.
My experiences in the field have allowed me to create lessons that were innovative, and
committed to diversity. I was able to create lessons that integrated music into subjects like

science, math, and phonics. I made sure to include accommodations for my students to create
an environment that was inclusive. The lessons included visual, auditory, and kinesthetic
aspects that would engage students and meet their needs. With young children I used a lot of
worksheets that allowed them to draw, color, and show their creativity. I wanted children to
learn the material but also kept each lesson age appropriate and fun. For a math lesson, I used a
song to help teach students about doubles (i.e. 6+6 and 4+4). The song was easy to memorize
and we sang it everyday for a week. Students still come up to me to ask if we can sing it again.
For reading, I read a book called I Like Me by Nancy Carlson. The story is about how we
should like ourselves even when we make mistakes. Students really liked the story and it
helped teach a very important lesson.
When I began creating lessons for students, I kept in mind the students development,
differences, and the classroom environment (InTASC standards 1-3). I made sure to look at the
common core and take into account what students are able to do in their age group. If I came
across a topic that was too complex for them to understand, I made sure to use supplemental
material to help explain the concept to them. For example, I taught students about
photosynthesis. The word photosynthesis is hard for them to say. We practiced reading and
saying the word. Then I showed students a video about photosynthesis and we talked about it
everyday for a week. By the end of the week, each student was able to explain to me what
happens in the process of photosynthesis (basic explanation). I also took into account the
various needs of my students. I created lessons that accommodated visual, auditory, and
kinesthetic learners. Students worked in pairs on some assignments and used pictures to explain
various concepts. I strived to create an environment that was positive, fun, and safe for students
to learn in.

I was able to create lessons and observe lessons that showed InTASC standards 4 and 5:
Content Knowledge and Application of Content. For example, when I taught the unit on
habitats, I activated prior knowledge by asking students what they know about habitats and
where various plants and animals live. I was able to use their responses to create a lesson
geared towards what they want to know and the state standards. I used a PowerPoint
presentation and worksheets to explain what a habitat is, what animals need and want, and the
four types of habitats (forests, deserts, ocean, and arctic). I read a story about the rainforest by
Helen Cowcher and the artic animals by Jackie Glassman. Students were able to listen and I
paused throughout the stories to check for understanding. Students applied what they have
learned by doing a worksheet where they had to draw a habitat along with three animals that
live in that habitat.
Along with teaching the content, I also used various assessment tools to evaluate
student understanding of the content. I was able to implement InTASC standard 6-Assessment
after each lesson I taught. During discussion, I would ask students various comprehension
questions to check for understanding. For example, while reading a story on caterpillars, I may
ask students, What has happened in the story so far? What do you think the authors purpose
is? Various assessments I have used with students include worksheets, interactive games,
journal writing, and unit tests. When students were learning about caterpillars, they were asked
to give one fact about caterpillars and we created a class chart of facts. That was an informal
formative assessment that I used to see what they know. Students wrote three sentences in their
journals about plants and animals. This allowed me to see what they have learned. These are a
few ways students are assessed.

An important aspect of teaching is planning. I was able to exhibit InTASC standards 7

and 8: Planning for Instruction and Instructional Strategies. At the beginning of my student
teaching experience, I was able to sit with my mentor teacher and plan for lessons a week ahead
of time. After watching her plan a few lessons, I began planning for lessons on my own. I used
the teachers guide for reading and math to map out what students should be able to do each
week. From there, I planned lessons that will help teach the target skills they needed to know
and the strategies they needed to know to accomplish each task. It is important to plan ahead
and to think about student needs as you plan. It is also important to have more than one plan for
a lesson, just in case something goes wrong. When planning for instruction, I also looked into
various strategies I could use to engage students and teach them the content. For example, in
order to check for understanding from each student, I would ask them to give me a thumbs up if
they agree and a thumbs down if they disagree. With each decision, they have to tell me why
they agree or why they disagree. I have also planned activities where students can work in pairs
to complete the assignment.
Furthermore, I have used Give Me Five as a signal t o get students to the carpet for
various mini-lessons between Daily Five and math workstations. Ive also used a chime to
signal the end of each round of Daily Five. Through my experience, I have learned how to
create lessons that are interactive and fun. I also created lessons that integrated other subjects to
help students learn concepts in new ways.
Working with other teachers is also something I have learned from this experience. I
worked with another 1st grade teacher to create a plan for the month. We mapped out what
students would focus on each week. We also worked together to create the bellwork and
homework for each week. It allowed me to see how educators work together to create a positive

working environment. I was able to exhibit InTASC standards 9 and 10: Professional Learning
and Leadership. I participated in professional developments with my mentor teacher. I was able
to hear from other teachers in the district about the math and reading curriculum and how they
manage their classrooms. I have learned how to use Everyday Mathematics and Reading Street
math and reading programs through these professional meetings. Overall, my student teaching
experience has been great. I have learned so much and gained knowledge that will help me be
the best teacher I can be. I will continue to learn about new strategies and innovative techniques
that will help me meet my students needs. Teaching is my passion and I cant wait to be in my
own classroom.