My Experience as a Clinical Teacher

The time I have spent at R. P. Harris Elementary has been beyond influential and life changing. I
cannot talk about this experience without expressing the excitement I felt knowing I would be returning to
the school I once attended from the first to the fifth grade. To say the least, I immediately felt right at
home. One of the assistant principals was very welcoming and she gave me a tour of the school, as she
got a chance to hear about my educational background and future aspirations as a teacher. Many things
have changed since I was a student at R. P. Harris, but something about this elementary school quickly
made me feel comfortable and safe as if I never left the school. As Ms. Orozco completed the tour, I
remember counting the minutes until I would get to meet the principal now in charge of my elementary
school and meet the students who I would be guiding.
Little did I know I would be given the privilege to learn from a teacher I once looked up to as a
fourth grader. Ms. Angela Glover was a sight to see as she taught 5th grade English and Social Studies.
After the first two days in her classroom, my observations were over ten pages long! From her style of
teaching to her way of setting up and organizing her classroom, I was so overwhelmed with how well
thought out everything was. Her mentoring was greatly appreciated, even when it came to me
unexpectedly like a curve ball. For instance, there would be times she would allow me to take the lead
and she would disappear to the back of the class. Ms. Glover would observe me as the students and I
discussed context clues, plot, story elements, and the first settlements. Almost every day I would ask her
how my communication would be with the students or if there was anything I needed to work on. Her
honesty gave me the chance to quickly develop my teacher voice and become better with managing a
class with antsy fifth graders. I am grateful that Ms. Glover trusted me enough to teach her students and
handle certain misbehaviors or misunderstandings between students, at times without her assistance.
Those moments made me realize that although I wanted to maintain a positive environment, there were
going to be times when students would have to learn how to handle their own issues. Above all, I became
a better observer and I learned when to be a delegater. Being trusted, guided, and supported by an

educator that has been working with students for over 25 years was what I needed to be pushed towards
the path I greatly feared.
Upon graduating in the fall, my original plan for the spring semester was to serve as a substitute
at a variety of districts around my area. Substituting would be a great way to get insight on the elementary
schools around Houston and how they were managed. Hence, helping me decide where I would want to
be teaching for the next upcoming school year. Substituting would also allow me to have additional
practice on working with different primary grade levels without being fully committed to teaching. It all
sounded like my best and only option as a December graduate, future teacher. In all honesty, the thought
of beginning a teaching career in the middle of a school year made my skin crawl! It is intimidating to
step in and take over a class in the middle of a school year for a teacher and the students. At least that is
how I felt when some of my teachers would leave for unexplained reasons and we would be left with
someone new, and different, to teach us. Reflecting on those moments as a young student, I was scared to
be the new, mysterious, Oh, she looks like we can run over her teacher and my fear grew as I would
think about it more and more.
Nevertheless, I have three women to thank for the dismissal of this fear. With Dr. Giles and Ms.
Glovers continuous support and feedback of my instruction, I was able to get rid of the jitters. Both
helped me become more comfortable teaching when adults are observing me and they helped me learn
how to maintain a consistent tone all throughout a lesson. Their feedback also confirmed my form of
communication with students was indeed positive. I love to teach and working with young children is
something I have always wanted to do, so knowing that it can be seen by the way I speak to them and
interact with them is affirming that I am able to communicate with students at a level they will not find
too authoritative. Dr. Fernandez once shared a story about a young lady not wanting to seek employment
right after graduating. I admired the fact that Dr. Fernandez did not allow this young lady to follow
through with the idea and it made me become more open minded about starting to teach in the middle of a
school year. In addition, Dr. Fernandezs personal stories as a teacher and principal rose my eagerness to
start teaching immediately!

For the past year and half I have been complaining about how soon I wanted to finish this
program to begin teaching. So why attempt to prolong my career, due to intimidation, when I have been
blessed to be mentored by such strong, encouraging women? Continuing to absorb as much knowledge,
teaching strategies, classroom and time management skills, and all that I can to become a successful
teacher, this entire semester has to be preparing me for something great in the spring. Of course I am still
a bit nervous, but it is technically a new year for my future students and I. Thus, I can approach this as a
new start for us all. This entire experience as a clinical teacher has been great, motivational, a little
stressful and tiring, but overall it has made me confirm that my calling is teaching. I want to make a
difference and I want to teach children more than just what is on the pacing calendar. Time is valuable
and I cannot wait any more time to begin on my calling.
Closing my experience with the grade level that makes my heart melt, I am continuing to be
described as calm and polite as I teach. The students have welcomed me with open arms, literally. They
are showing me that with kindness, a pinch of enthusiasm, and a handful of structure I can enter their
hearts, regardless of the timing I enter the classroom to mold their minds. Thus far, Dr. Giles has told me
that I seem very comfortable with this grade level. My second mentor teacher, Mr. Bradley Scott Rose, is
telling me how much he admires my patience and soft tone with the students, especially how the students
react to my soft tone of voice. From him, I have learned how to set a structure for the lower grade
classrooms and how to create a balanced literacy program that will accommodate the diverse reading
fluencies in the class. Overall, this second placement was where let go of my self-doubt and I confirmed
that I am capable of successfully leading my own class. I thank Mr. Scott Rose for trusting, challenging,
and supporting me as we worked as partners to teach his amazing 2nd grade classroom.

Thank you, for your time and support.

Estefani Velasquez