The final assignment for this internship is a written report that reflects upon my teaching experience. This document presents my thoughts and incorporates reports from my Teacher Mentors, Administrator, and Faculty Mentor. The following excerpt is from my section of the report.
IntroductionHe Whakatauki
Ka tangi te Tītī,
Ka tangi te Kākā,
Ka tangi hoki ahau,
Tīhei Mauri ora!
He mihi aroha kau ake ki a koutou ngā kaiwhakaako. Tuatahi māku ka tuku te mihi atu ki ngā kaiwhakaako o t e Whare Wānanga o Lethbridge Tuarua ki ngā kaiwhakaako o te kura tuarua o Otakaro mai i Otautahi ki Aotearoa.
Nā koutou i hikitia tēnei kaupapa ka taea e au ki te tūtuki i ngā whāinga i mua.
Nō reira, kei te mihi arohanui ki a koutou katoa!
A Proverb
This is the cry of the Tītī,
This is the cry of the Kākā,
This is my cry.
Tis the breath of life!
Greetings of love to all of the teachers.
First, from the University of Lethbridge,
second from teachers of Avonside Girls’ High School, New Zealand.
You have all lifted me so that I was able to reach my goals that were in front of me.
Therefore it is with much love that I greet you one and all.
The journey to Avonside Girls’ High School in Christchurch, New Zealand has been a memorable learning opportunity. It has been about teaching, living, learning, traveling, exploring, and pushing personal limits. It has been about challenging myself to become a better teacher for myself and for others.
I chose Avonside for a number of reasons, but those at the top of the list include: working in an atmosphere of tradition and reputation; first-hand experience in a single-sex educational environment; and an opportunity to immerse myself in the culture and geography of New Zealand. These features forged a steep learning curve that I wanted to climb because I knew it would make me a better teacher.
For the duration of my fifteen-week practicum I have been under the mentorship supervision of Tom Joel and Anna McNeill, and have also been privileged to receive the support of an experienced English department and a welcoming staff. I have been responsible for the delivery of English course material at three curriculum levels: Year 9, Year 10, Year 11 (NCEA Level 1), and have taught units on poetry, short stories, film studies, a novel study, creative writing, and Romeo and Juliet. It has also been my responsibility to prepare and evaluate senior students for two internally assessed national standards in media presentation and creative writing.
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Classroom Organisation and Management of Student BehaviourIt is my belief that a classroom must be a purposeful learning environment. There is a need for good routines, procedures, and variety in teaching and learning strategies. Since I started a new school year with my students, I found myself in constant consideration of best practices in terms of organizational structure. Also, being in a different country created a bit of gray area in terms of acceptable and appropriate methods for organization and discipline, therefore it was imperative that I communicate with my colleagues whenever I was unsure of procedures.
I have learned that in order to be an effective teacher I must have my classroom organised physically and strategically. In the early weeks of Term One classroom management was difficult because I was still learning names and personalities. I have practiced being firm, but kind, when dealing with assignments, deadlines, and disruptive behaviour.
Planning and PreparationNavigating a new curriculum and a new education system has marked a very steep learning curve. It was not until mid-way through my practicum that I really felt I could make sense of the curricular framework enough to explain it to someone else.
My official timetable was decided just a few days before I stepped into my classrooms. As a result, I had an overwhelming sense of being behind right from the beginning. I need to remind myself that not every lesson I teach has to be self-created – there is something to be said for “tried-and-true” lessons and practices. My generation of teachers has grown up with the Internet as a powerful teaching tool, but even though technology is intended to make our teaching lives easier, it too can be time-consuming and an overwhelming burden.
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Techniques of Instruction When planning my lessons and units I tried to follow a practical instructional model: enter→explore→extend. Conceptualizing this progression proved to be successful in ensuring that material was introduced and explained, and in many cases that real-world relevance or current events could help extend and relate the content to the context of a student’s life.
I think that varying methods of instruction keeps students (and teachers!) engaged. Alternating between student- and teacher-led discussions, and integrating differentiated, cooperative learning strategies such as jigsaw/expert groups can produce some powerful results. I kept a copy of Bloom’s Taxonomy close to my planning books to help me formulate assignments with graduated complexity.
Evaluation of Student LearningOne of the overarching challenges of this final internship has been the need to learn a new education system, especially curriculum and guidelines for assessment. On the same token, it has been a challenge that I will likely experience again in my career. The New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) requires that students achieve specific standards in their educational assessments. Learning and planning with this in mind was a task that got easier as I became more comfortable with the standards associated with the curricular objectives.
As the primary teacher for my students I was responsible for preparing the first round of reports on student progress. Because these reports went home before any major assessments, the feedback focused on observations of attitude, organizational habits, attendance, and participation. The build-up of marking and observation prior to reports was a sturdy reminder to stagger due dates for assignments. I was also responsible for meeting parents on designated Parent-Teacher Interview evenings to discuss the report results. Anticipation for these brief five-minute time slots was nerve-racking, but it was helpful to steer the conversation around qualitative results and set goals that involved home and school.
Personal and Professional AttributesAfter four practicums at the high school level I still firmly believe that I am best suited to teach junior and senior level students. Not only do I enjoy the age group, but the curriculum is extensive and engaging and allows the teacher to plan with personal strengths in mind.
Professionally, I view my strengths as directly related to my passion for English. As a teacher I am in a unique position to use both my knowledge and life experiences as teaching tools to make course content accessible and relevant. Teaching at an all-girls school provided me with an opportunity to question how I was going to empower female students to be independent and self-directed young women who are global and critical thinkers, while at the same time reminding them it is through literature and interaction that we learn about ourselves and the world that surrounds us.
Teaching is about much more than just blocks of instructional time and lesson plans -- it is about everything that goes on in and around the classroom: successful and not-so-successful lessons, improvisations, and the moments of engagement that spark discussion and learning that did not formerly exist on any written plan. Being in–tune with the rhythm of the class has allowed me to grab hold of teachable moments and run with the natural electricity generated by genuine student interest.
SummaryThis professional internship has reminded me of the two-part objective of an international experience: to teach and to learn. My learning has taken place beyond the walls of a conventional classroom – in conversations with colleagues, chaperoning school trips, and embarking on road trips. I have seen this country with my own eyes, met some of its most amazing people, and challenged my comfort zone.
I realize that teaching is not only an occupation propelled by the need to transmit and acquire knowledge, it is also about fostering compassionate, respectful, and trusting relationships with students, colleagues, and other human beings. It is a profession that encourages ongoing inquisition and constant adaptability. This international experience has been a powerful reminder that teachers must first be learners, and that travel is an excellent and worthy investment. A rich travel life is an invaluable teaching tool and I hope to bring to my future classrooms a knowledge and awareness of the world that will positively influence and enrich my teaching.
This internship concludes a five-year post-secondary study in Education. From the first step in 2001, I have climbed a steep learning curve and stopped at intervals to look back at the ground covered. The journey has been full of peaks and valleys, plateaus and steep inclines. Along the way I have learned that it is easy to travel with tunnel vision – looking for and focusing on the obstacles that may stand in the way and pose a potential risk – but it is more rewarding to look up and around to take in the whole view and see how the last leg of the trip has helped get me to the place I am currently standing. In the grand scheme of my career this internship is only one of many base camps on a mountain larger than Everest, but with perseverance comes improved strength and confidence and more magnificent views.
Kia ora.
Thanks for reading.
L.
