Setting Goals for Pre-Student Teaching

One goal I have for this semester, while working in a middle school, is to really get to know the students in the classrooms I will be in. I know that may sound cliché, but I really think it is important that I get to know their names, first off, and then a little more about their personalities as the semester goes on. I believe it will help communication within the classroom and also make me feel like less of an outsider. My goal to get to know the students’ names is two weeks; the classes are not too big so I think that will be achievable. On the flipside of my first goal is another goal of mine, making sure the students know me. It is a goal of mine because I am sort of shy and this goal will help me come out of my shell a bit more. Plus it may be a bit more challenging since there is a high population of Hispanic students in the school. My goal is to overcome any language barriers enough so that I can communicate effectively with the students and vice versa.

I would also like to further learn lesson planning skills and strategies that I could use in my classroom someday. I think lesson planning may be the number one thing I worry about as a future teacher and I will definitely try to take away any skills or strategies I come in contact with. In addition to this goal is another goal to work more closely with my cooperating teachers and get to see the ins and outs of teaching and how they prepare. I really would like to get a better grasp on the inner workings of being a successful teacher. In the past I didn’t have much in depth interaction with my CT and I will work to change that this semester. My goal is to become more like a colleague rather than an observer.

An overall goal for me this semester, in the classroom, is just to be more outgoing and involved and hands on. I really want to try and just jump in, participate and interact with the students. I can’t really see how I will be successful if I don’t, again this may be a bit tough since I usually take a while to come around and really get warmed up to the idea. My goal is to have the students see me, as they would their own teacher, as someone they can turn to for anything and feel comfortable I will do whatever I can to help them. As a way of reaching this goal I will set goals to work with students one on one when applicable, lead small group sessions, and also to not be afraid to discipline students when necessary.

A broader goal I have set for this semester is too learn and come up with more defined management strategies for my future classroom. I have two very different CTs this semester and I believe that to be an opportunity to pull different strategies that I think will work for me. I would like to be able to recognize at least a couple of strategies without having to ask for an explanation of what they were or how they were used by the end of the semester. In addition I would like to know why some strategies are used in certain situations and the order of day to day operations within the classroom. I want to learn how to lead a productive classroom, full of productive students.

Last but not least my goal for this semester is to have fun and don’t worry about making mistakes or taking myself too seriously. Mistakes are going to happen and probably a lot but how else am I supposed to learn if not from my own mistakes? I just have to realize that my CT is there to help and guide me along the way, as well as my professors. With that support team in place it is up to me to get into the mix and have fun and enjoy being around new students and do my best to learn how to become a great teacher.

Practice Post

Apparently technology and I are not the best of friends. Well hopefully as this semester continues I will get more familiar with it. Looking forward to learning a lot and working with students in the middle school, here's to a great year!