Life of a teacher

How I managed completing the three days of “Life of a Teacher”

It was insightful and rewarding to complete three days in the life of a teacher. It gave me an insight into the joys and difficulties that teachers encounter daily. I had the privilege of seeing firsthand the commitment, patience, and passion that teachers put into fulfilling their duties. Below are a few points on how I managed to successfully complete my three days in the life of a teacher:

• Preparation and organisation: I communicated with the teacher well in advance regarding the day I would complete the task and the duties I was to fulfil during this day. I planned the lessons well in advance in collaboration with the teacher.

• Classroom management: I maintained a positive classroom environment by maintaining a balance of firmness and empathy in the classroom. I established classroom rules and expectations when teaching and managing the classroom, and disciplined learners by correcting inappropriate behaviour immediately.

• Collaboration and support: I collaborated with the teacher before, during, and after completing each day in the life of a teacher. This helped me understand what was required of me, plan tasks effectively for the day, and understand the improvements I needed to make.

How I felt taking on the responsibilities of a teacher in block 1 compared to block 2

Initially, during block 1, I had mixed emotions. I felt nervous and anxious due to the fear of making a mistake or not meeting the learners needs effectively. I also had some self-doubt when learners were quiet as I was unsure whether they have understood the content in the manner I taught or not. Alongside the anxiety, I also felt excited and enthusiastic due to my passion for teaching and inspiring learners.

During block 2, I felt more confident as I was now more familiar with learners and as such, I was able to adapt my teaching styles and plan lessons to effectively meet the diverse needs of learners.

Activities I found most challenging and how I overcame these challenges

The most challenging aspect was maintaining control and positive classroom atmosphere. I have found that learners lose focus fast if they are not actively engaged and excited throughout the lesson. Learners would become talkative and disrupt the classroom if they got bored or found the lesson to be tedious. I overcame this, by creating lessons that were exciting and engaging and by consistently reinforcing discipline and reminding learners about the classroom rules when necessary.

Analysis of self-evaluation survey

When completing my self-evaluation survey, I believed that I was proficient in the various requirements of a teacher. However, upon completing the three days in the life of a teacher, I initially encountered challenges such as classroom management and accommodating the needs of all learners in lessons. With time and a deepened understanding of learners, I improved on these aspects. I would rate myself higher in these areas.

How I have improved these competencies through this experience

I became more familiar with learners; their personality, learning styles, and behaviour during different contexts. This was achieved through observations prior to and during completing the days in the life of a teacher. With the deepened understanding of the different learners in the classroom, I was able to rearrange learners seating in the classroom to minimize disruptive behaviour. Additionally, I developed an understanding of the ways in which each learner learns, and was able to incorporate a range of teaching strategies into lessons and plan fun and engaging activities that catered to the diverse needs of learners.

Comparison of the exit level outcomes and final comments of my mentor teacher to the initial self-evaluation I had at the beginning of my teaching experience

Whilst I was confident during my initial self-evaluation, I believed that I was only distinguished in my professional behaviour and ability to reflect. The exit level outcomes and final comments from my mentor teacher indicate that I have improved and become distinguished in my ability to adapt my teaching methods to accommodate all learners as use reliable assessments measures to improve teaching and learning. The final comments also indicates that I have developed effectively classroom management skills.