Practicum I Documentary

Final Course Reflection for Partnering Adolescent Learners

This is a working theory on how to teach students the right directions in a lesson. In my second lesson, not only have I given an example of what I do want them to paint. I gave them examples of what I did not want them to paint. 

In the collaboration grid, I assigned students to take a piece of a giant picture and design it in a way that references the original image. I told them that they could go for realism. If they didn't want to go for realism, the shapes needed to be the same. I gave another example showing that going too abstract would make the image so unrecognizable, that I could move it to another spot on the picture and it wouldn't change anything. 

They all tried to replicate the colors as closely as possible, and almost every student tried to mimic the shapes and proportions. One student didn't get the scale right, but he was doing good with the colors and proportions. 

For some students, just having an example of the correct way to do the assignment is enough. For other students, they might need more information to know what is or is not accepted. That's why I made sure to be specific on the standards so students were all on the right page.

(The final results. 14 students.)

May 9th, 2025

Today is my last day working in Practicum for the MVSD. I am curious to see what the students will be doing for projects are their summer vacation nears.

Update. The students had a free day. Since they were not doing assignments, I tried to find ways to be productive. I started to sort the dry brushes with the wet brushes. This was worse than the high school since there were more brushes. I also reorganized the scraps and cleaned off the paper cutter board so students had space to use it. I even scraped a sink. Most of the paint is removed. I ran out of time once class was over. The other classes were "free time" and most students had their assignments complete. I did other things to contribute my hours in the classroom productively. I scraped the counters, picked up off the floor and under the seats, and helped J in the library put up art projects. It was a slowish day, but doing these chore-like activities helped. J thanked me for my unconditional willingness to clean up. He also told students to keep the sink clean since I "worked hard on getting it clean".

I am thankful for my time in this school. All the art teachers have been nice to me, and I learned a lot.

May 2nd, 2025

At the beginning of class, I got to talk to L directly about how we would do the assignment. I summarized the presentation and we worked on me sharing the .zip files that had the assignment. She will print the selected pictures for me, and I will cut them out so they're prepared for the students.

During the first class, I observed students working on their face portrait assignments. I joked with several students and gave feedback whenever I could. At the beginning of class, I made sure to check on as many students as possible. As the class progressed, I gave the students breathing room and allowed them to focus on their projects.

In graphic design, students were doing prints. The way this class did prints was different from how I was taught in college, so I was not much help explaining what to do. I watched L show a student how to do it, and I made sure to remember that if it ever popped up next time. I helped students with small things like bringing their prints to the drying rack, or dealing with tape that split. They mainly wanted to do it themselves or ask L for help, since she's more experienced with this printing method. I didn't take it personally. They made a lot of fun print designs. I saw one who was doing Michael Jackson. Specifically when he was doing the forward lean in the music video Smooth Criminal. There were also ones doing ones based on Kirby, Among Us, Cats, and other characters. They had to do two colors. It didn't have to be anything fancy, as long as they could prove they could print two colors with the same print. Some did a line across the print, making some of the pictures half-and-half. Others had a more planned line, where one row of characters was one color, and the next row of characters was another color. There were even two who did a checked pattern, which was more time-consuming to prep. One of them was the "Michael Jackson" print.

During Prep, I realized that the resolution of one of the pictures didn't look good. Just to be safe, I looked for different images sharing the same theme as the previous pictures. The resolutions came out clear. The paper they'll be painting on has been cut. I cut the 15 pieces for the 5x3 project, and 2 spares. She suggested that I should label the reference pieces, and have students copy the label for the paper they're going to paint since it would make assembling the final project easier. I told L more about the plan saying that since there would be 14 students, and 15 pieces needed to be done, I would need one student to do two. Since I didn't want a student to be stuck with 2 complicated pieces, I would hold onto a "blank" piece until everyone picks one. Then, I'll ask someone to take the last piece. She knew exactly what I was thinking and played out the scenario "Of course you'd take that one. There's nothing". I hope they're as excited as I am to do this. It's going to be a fun project.

The assignment went great. I laid down what the standard was for drawing. I told them they could color it in whatever way they wanted, but it needed to represent the picture. I used an example on a slide where two students designed pieces while ignoring the assignment completely and just designed random patterns. I explained, "I could swap this piece with that piece, and it wouldn't make any difference". They ended up picking the picture of the characters from Pixar's UP. I told them they could add anything for the sky.

When the pieces were printed, I told students to write the corresponding letters on the back so I could put them together, faster. Instead of leaving the pieces on the table so they could pick whatever, we all circled around the table and I showed one piece at a time asking who wanted it. It turned out better than I expected. I was joking saying things like "Who wants the eye?" and "Who wants the beak?". They thought it was funny. One student asked for a piece with just a blue, clear sky. I joked with him "I'll keep that for now". The only challenge was getting two more students to pick a piece. The last ones were honestly the complicated ones. I handed them the last pieces and said they could decide which one they wanted. Then one student offered to paint the sky piece since hers was easy anyway. 

Surprisingly, all students were trying to replicate the colors, and they all followed the assignment. There were some students adding clouds when the original picture had a clear sky, but that was fine. It was productive and it still reflected the original image. I made sure to be as available as possible. I checked on students to see if they needed help. I complimented their color accuracy or design accuracy.

I made sure to give students a heads-up on time. I gave them a 15-minute mark, a 10-minute mark, and a 5-minute mark. A few students couldn't finish because they had complicated designs. I assured them that they didn't have to paint every detail since there wouldn't be enough time. One had a sash with a lot of pins. I said she could choose to not paint the pins, and just do the rest of the outfit. 

I still believe that this was a success. If I had to change some things, I still have to work on speaking loudly and slowly during the presentation. I got better with volume and speed when it was time to plan and paint. I should have also considered the details students would have to paint. I was so fixated on finding pictures with little-to-none blank spaces (like the sky) that I didn't consider how much color or detail some spaces would have. For what it was, I can tell the students enjoyed it.

April 11th, 2025

Today was my first lesson. It had some hiccup moments, but I think it was an overall success. Since it was a half-day, the schedule for classes was also affected. The classes were not in their normal blocks and they were shorter. I was unsure if he knew about this time change, and L assured me that it was. I'm unsure if he knew or forgot, but he ended up showing up at 9:15 as if the class hours were normal. I ended up teaching the lesson twice. The second time, me and L decided that we would not make the students assess themselves on Adobe Illustrator since they're not familiar with that program. I just presented the slides and assessed them with a Kahoot.

In the first lesson, I was told to check on two students. One is dyslexic, and the other tries to help the other student so he ends up not doing his work (as fast). They both ended up doing a written comparison, and I accepted a verbal response on the different parts of the text anatomy. When class was nearly over, I told students to submit their assignments on my Google Classroom post, or text I accepted a verbal response to show their work. One student said that the file format wasn't accepted on Google Classroom, and I'm guessing that is because he didn't know how to export it as a .png. One student suggested a screenshot. I agreed, saying "A screenshot's fine."

When the supervisor went over how I performed, he said that I did a good job when it came to complimenting students when they got the answer(s) right on the Kahoot quiz. He also liked how I re-explained things after each student submitted an answer since the ones who didn't get it right would get a friendly reminder on what the answer was and why. He said that I could work on speaking bolder, and speak slower. My pace seemed to work out in both classes since they still performed well on the Kahoot. However, I understand where he was getting at. I chuckled and said "My dad says the same thing. He tells me that I speak short-handed." He got a kick out of that. He also said it would've been better to speak in the front of the class, rather than the back. I explained the port for the screen projector was in the back, therefore I had to. He acknowledged it. He then said whenever possible, I should speak in front of the class. He also noted that I could've assessed them in the middle of the presentation by asking them questions to make sure they were following along with the content. He also asked if I understood what a wait time is and why it is important. I explained that it is the amount of time I give students to respond, and it gives them time to think of a response. He was satisfied with my answer and explained in his own words why it is important to give a wait time.

L went over how she thought I did in my lesson. She also put down how I could speak louder and slower. She also noted how I read straight from the slide at some points, and it may seem less personal versus using my own words which would be more conversational. Therefore, students may be disengaged and wonder (as she explains) "I can read it. Why are you here?" That was blunt, but a valid point. My supervisor, R said that he agreed, but he liked how I added my own words after reading it. She also noted that having a short summary for each word and a graphic helps make the content more pleasant without being over or underwhelming.

I thought it was a productive discussion. I don't disagree with what either of them had to say. Though there was plenty to work on, they were both hopeful that I could get better and that I was already at a good start. They liked my lesson plan, and they thought my assessments were good. I didn't take over three years of college to be told I should change my degree. So hearing their feedback and seeing my potential makes me feel relieved.

April 4th, 2025

The start of the day was relatively calm. The first class was AP Art, so students were working on due assignments or making art for fun. When the Pledge was happening, students were quiet, for the most part. One student who was using the spray from the sink for her basket-making project stopped spraying until the announcements were over, so everyone could hear what was being said. However, she squeezed the nozzle hard enough to spray water for a half-second during the Pledge. I think she was bored and didn't mean to set off the spray. I still respect that she waited until the announcements were finished to continue her project.

The students remained mainly independent. They were talking among themselves. I tried to stay as productive as possible. I took the dry paint brushes near the sink and made sure they didn't go bad. I separated the bristles with my fingers, ran the brushes under a bit of hot water, added soap, and kept washing it. I also reread the Practicum I handbook to make sure the information remains fresh and to ensure I'm on the right track and following the standards.

An English Teacher came in trying to get help with editing some photos together. If I remember correctly, it was supposed to be a tribute for Senior students when they graduate. We were both giving ideas for apps he could download on his phone. I told him to use YouCut since it was free, it would speed up the duration of the photos, and it could make fun transitions. All without a watermark. He downloaded it and said he would give it a try. I'm glad that I was able to help him.

Another thing I want to add is that I talked with L (my coordinating teacher), and made sure April 11rth still worked. I learned that this coming week will be Spring Break for [my] college. She was unsure why I brought it up, asking if I wasn't going to show up. I assured her that I am still coming, but I was to be absolutely sure that the school's Spring Break would delay my first lesson, since we agreed on that date. She told me that their spring break is the week after that. Therefore, there's no conflict.

During Open Studio, I checked out some of the students' assignments. I asked questions to learn more about the meaning of their work and complimented the details. They mainly do their own things, so I just observed a bit and let them do their thing.

After the lunchtime (which happens in the middle of Open Studio hours), I decided to check on students who L gave suggestions to. I asked how their projects were going. They are all on the right track. For one student, I gave her a suggestion on her pine trees, explaining how to get the right shape. I'm not sure if she will follow my advice. She might be happy with how they look. I checked back on her and she was working on another piece of her landscape. I disregarded the pine trees because asking about the same twice would get annoying. Instead, I complimented the work with her flower. She made a nice lilac. Most of the students were being productive. One student had to be warned multiple times to not use her phone and to do her homework that she owed in L's class. Other than that, students remained bsuy.

March 28th, 2025

I have been more capable of talking with the high schoolers than normal. In my first class, I made sure to talk with each student at least once. Some students I've talked to twice or thrice. They are working on a lot of interesting projects. Most of them were drawing. There were two who were finished. One of them was weaving a basket, for the first time. She has made a lot of progress. She is continuing to do it in her second class. I think she will get it done by today, as long as she keeps up the pace that she is at. Another student was doing an English assignment where she had to analyze and explain an incident she could find online. The video she found was a group of workers unloading a truck full of alcohol with a dolly. The crates of alcohol tipped off the dolly and made an expensive spill.

Two students sitting together were making interesting pieces. One was drawing a pencil, and the other was drawing a hand. I think they were not sure what else to draw, and drew what was in front of them. They were being productive and were putting thought into the design, which I think is more important.

I joked with one of them when I first saw the pencil. I said "That's meta. You're drawing a drawing tool with a drawing tool. Then I saw the hand and said "Wow. You're both being meta. You're drawing a drawing tool with a drawing tool, and you're drawing a hand with a hand." They liked that joke.

I checked back on the table again, since he wasn't sure what else to add. He attached a tiny stickman to his giant "thumbs up" hand, but he still didn't have anything for the background. I tried to think of a background that related to his generation's sense of humor. I told him "It would be funny if you had a mess in the background, and he would be giving a sarcastic thumbs up." He chuckled and compared it to the meme "Everything's fine" where a comical dog is sitting in a burning dining room. The idea of denial and gaslighting would make his piece hilarious. I think he will do that. I didn't check on him again before class ended.

As I mentioned before, one student was weaving a wooden basket. L got a bucket full of water to soak the material for more durability and flexibility. The problem with the bucket is that it doesn't cover the whole wrap of material for later use. She would have to rotate it once every while to make sure some of the wood didn't go dry. L found a tub that was more spacious and allowed the whole roll to soak. I used the bucket from earlier and poured the water into the tub to prevent waste. Then I got two more buckets full of water and it was all set.

In the second class, some students seemed disappointed that they wouldn't see my lesson. I posted it on Google Classroom, expecting it to be today, but my supervisor couldn't make it due to being out of state. We planned to do it on April 11th instead, which is the next time Digital Media lands on a Friday. I updated the post to state it won't be until that day, but they may have not seen the change. They were asking L what they were doing it today. I felt bad, but all I could do was wait until April.

Update. The basket is finished. It looks to be about 6 to 7 inches tall. 7 inches in diameter on the base. 12 to 14 inches in diameter on the rim. She did a great job for this being her first basket. Other students in this class are working on apps or graphic sketches. Others are doing stuff siuch as 3-d printed sculptures, or working on assignments from other classes. The productivity level in students is high. Some students are using a Nintendo Switch since they're all set. I'm not sure how they got approved, but L seems fine with it. If they truly are all set, then I suppose that it is fine. This time is basically a study hall time, since half the class have finished their assignment already.

March 21st, 2025

Today I am spending my hours working M and J in the middle school classes. L called in sick. I still remember most of the students' names, and I am starting to remember more of their names. They were quiet during the Pledge of Allegiance and announcements. I can't remember if they were like that last time during the announcements, but their behavior during today was respectful. It was respectful when they stood up and didn't disrupt the Pledge, and it was respectful when they didn't talk over the announcements, allowing other students to listen. During my hours in the high school class, they are also respectful during the Pledge, but some students talk over the announcements.

Some students left utensils or papers on the floor, so I picked them up. I even called out one student for leaving a project on the floor. I did it in a joking manner so the message gets across without sounding bossy. I picked it up, showed the project to a student, and told her something along the lines of "Why would you leave something this nice on the floor?" This started a blame game where she said it was her friend's, and she countered that statement by saying she actually drew it. Then she replied back and said she gave it to her. Her friend added she didn't like it. I brushed that off and said what she could add to make it look better. Then I joked "It just doesn't belong on the floor." Her friend nagged her and said "Yeah". That sounds like they are mean to each other, but they're best friends. Best friends like to push each other's buttons.

Students were assigned different ideas. They could either work on designing album covers, logos, or paint. Some students had a rough start since it was the first class and they were tired. Some of them were not actively doing assignments. Eventually, J got the class' attention and told them they needed to work on an assignment, So, they did. Thankfully, it didn't take a second warning.

For some of the class, I decided to cut scrap papers so they had right angles. Some of the papers had been cut poorly or were left cut halfway. J thanked me for helping out.

In the second art class, students with given a variety of options. Just as the first class. I saw a group of boys acting rebellious, and J corrected them. He warned that he would separate in instigator, and he ended up doing so. They were good for a while until class was nearly over, and J was quick to correct them. I went to talk to the remaining group and said "Hey, how's it going?" in a cheerful tone. One of the boys answered "Good how are you?" I tried to find something relateable, and asked if they play video games. That seems to work a lot. The student said he plays a Farming Simulator and joked "Yeah. I'm one of those kids." I supported his interest by saying "That's good. It teaches you Argiculture". Then, I suggested that since he was familiar with farming, he could make a tractor like a Kubota or a John Deere. He seem interested but never actually started. 

I was able to engage him into having a conversation, so I am hoping that next time he will actually do an assignment. J says himself, that the group avoids doing any art. They're an interesting group. When they're not noticed, they goof off. When they are noticed, they are respectful to me and J. I think they are good kids, but they have no real interest in art. I am hoping to eventually change that.

I also saw a student who was doodling and making big circles with a paint marker. I checked back on him and saw him doing nothing. I asked him "You got any ideas?" He said he didn't. I added "I saw you were doing dots." He smiled and said yeah, and that he was just making them. I suggested he could continue that idea and make planets. I also suggested he could do something with Space Invaders or Star Wars. When class was wrapping up, I asked if he got anything started. He said he was still thinking over it. I told him "That's alright" so he didn't feel guilty.

I also finished up working on scrap near the paper cutter. I was organizing reuseable scrap and unuseable scrap. I also found abandoned projects, missing tools, and missing art books. J was surprised to see a sketch art book on the table, and asked where I found it. I told him it was under all the paper. He suggested that I could give it to this one student who draws people. I'm not sure if she used the book, but when I came back several minutes later, and she already done two eyes and a quarter of the head. It was good. I finished cleaning and organizing the scrap. J was thankful saying it never looked cleaner.

In my last class with M, students were assigned to make sculptures based on ideas they drew down. I saw a lot of fun ideas. There was one student who was heavily struggling to figure out how to make his project. He wanted to make a couch, but he didn't know what to use for material. I gave him ideas such as cardboard. I checked on him later and saw that he couldn't make the shapes from cardboard. He was using a glue gun to make trapezoid boxes. I suggested that he could use tape. I watched just to make sure that he was handling the material okay. I then saw that in a box there were long pieces of styrofoam that had corner pieces. pulled them out and saw that they could be good for making the body of the coach, and the corners could be armrests. I suggested that he could use it, but assured him that he didn't have to unless he wanted to. I didn't get so invested in the project that it didn't involve his decisions. Checking back on him, I saw he decided to change the couch design so it was a corner couch. I thought it was a cool idea and told him to go for it. He struggled with the tape since he was only attaching the pieces by applying strips of tape parallel to the slices. I demonstrated that he could add thin strips of tape perpendicular, and then add the parallel pieces just as he was before. He was good at taking advice, and he made so much more progress than he would've if he continued using hot glue. When class was wrapping up, I asked him what his next plan was. I asked if he wanted to paint it. He said he would. Even though I probably won't be back soon enough to see how it turned out, I wanted him to feel hopeful for this project now that he got this far into it. I told him before the bell that I was excited to see how it turned out. Another satisfying day.

March 14th, 2025

B-Day classes have more "art" classes than A-Day classes. There were projects such as Digital Media, painting, cardboard sculpting, and drawing. There were a lot of interesting projects.

I learned that the students have already been taught about hierarchy, so I would have to change my teaching subject. It will still revolve around typography, but it will be about typeface anatomy. I'm still going to have to formulate a lesson and figure out how to create an assessment that evaluates what they learned.

I don't remember any students being noisy. They were all respectful. Students were on their phones and stood near the doorway during the few minutes of their last class, which is expected given how it is Friday. I've been there, and done that. 

Ms. L showed me how to access Google Classroom via my school laptop. She offered to help me learn how to navigate the site, but I told her that I could figure it out. It's been almost four years since I've last been on Google Classroom. Since high school. I was feeling a weird sense of nostalgia. It was nice revisiting the site.

I also figured out that the two lessons would be discussed with my teacher, and then talked to my supervisor so he knows when to watch my lessons. It won't be one planned with my teacher and another with my supervisor. I didn't question why I thought one would be planned with the supervisor since I thought that was exactly what my instructor meant. She clarified it last week, so I brought it up with Ms. L so she was also on the same page.

March 7th, 2025

This is my first day as a student teacher working with my coordinating teacher in her classroom. I noticed some striking differences between the middle schoolers and high schoolers. The high schoolers were more independent than the middle schoolers. Ms. L had a shorter discussion about what the students had to do compared to Mr. J and Ms. M. Then again, most of the students had to work on long-term projects. Whoever was assigned to get a mystery assignment from a gumball machine. It dispenses a plastic ball, which can be opened to have a folded paper that reads a subject the student must do.

There was a study hall, and a prep for Ms. L to grade. The other two classes had assignments related to art where I could really get involved with students. Since the students were mostly independent, I didn't give much feedback. There was one student who was stuck on ideas. 

When I was next to him, he said he was done with the assignment, jokingly. I saw he had nothing on his page, but played along to get him interested. I joked "There's nothing. Is it called "The Invisible?" He added on saying "Yeah, the Invisible Man". I then figured he might be interested in video games. So I then asked "Are there any games you're interested in? You could do maybe something with Call of Duty or Halo... A battlefield." He nodded and smiled, so I let him be for a while so he could brainstorm ideas. After several minutes, I came back to see him looking up icons and logos from a video game he was more interested in. I forgot the name. I happily said "There you go," and let him be to continue his project. I didn't get a chance to see if he finally decided on what he wanted to base his project on. Nevertheless, I was happy to get him to progress forward. I knew from he start that he didn't want to be disengaged, but he was stuck on ideas. Finding a theme he already knows made it easier for him to go on and build further ideas.

Since I didn't need to give students many suggestions, most of my interactions consisted of asking questions about their work and complimenting them. There was even a moment where we talked about stuff outside of class subject to break the ice better. 

In one class, students brought up cartoons, and eventually went on about how there was a fourth Powerpuff Girl. They talked about the one in the reboot, and one from the original. I heard about the episode with the original 4th Powerpuff girl through a YouTube video. I decided to add to the conversation by jokingly saying "Oh yeah. She blew up." The students were shocked and laughed. One student searched up who she is and she said "Her name was Bunny." I then emphasized "Was..." and got more laughter from the students. It was nice to have a conversation with the students outside of just assignments. It gave us a moment to talk about things without feeling like we're only teachers and students.

Ms. L had some interesting differences compared to Ms. A and Mr. J. She had a phone policy where students can keep them, but they have to be used for school-related subjects. I can see this policy working since it teaches students self-control. The goal of this policy is to make going to the hallway or bathroom to use the phone undetected pointless. Therefore, the students are more likely to stay in the classrooms. The only thing is students could switch between screens whenever she is approaching them. Though, the same can be said with school computers. It's a loose argument, but I think it is still a valid concern. I also haven't noticed her given warnings to students who are noisy at their tables. I'm not sure if [she assumes] other students are fine with it, or she just gave up. The students also swore a lot to each other, which I expected from the middle schoolers (the middle schoolers never swore for me). They weren't using swear words meaningfully. They were using them as a filler word. Other than the volume and vocabulary, the students were respectful to others. Including Ms. L and me.

To summarize the day, it was quite a different experience from the middle school. They were still respectful, but the behavior is strikingly different. I felt like I got to help more with students in the middle school since they were dependent on teachers for help. Whenever I wasn't talking with students, I just observed the students or I helped the teacher with cleaning. If she had to get something from another class whenever there were students, I stayed and supervised them. It was more laid back than the middle school where there was always something to do.

February 14th, 2025

I just had my first class experience with Mr. “J”. I became familiar with most of their names. The names I still have trouble picking up are some of the students sitting at the back tables. I don’t get to see their faces, and I can connect names better when I see their faces. Most of them were well behaved throughout class. Some of them got a bit distracted with their table partners, but “J” was quick to redirect them. He didn’t have trouble getting them back on track. That was a sign to me that what he does works, and that the students respect. “J” gave the students different themes to work on. He told them to work with positive and negative space. 

He also brought up how they can experiment with texture, symmetry, and illusion. Students asked questions when they need materials. Most of them were good about cleaning up. Some did clean, but not thoroughly. I made sure to speak with each student so I can get to know them and see what their interests are. They spoke well with me, and took feedback/suggestions well. “J” complimented my ability to talk with students and knowing their names. 

We also reflected on behavior management. For example, I should not things personally if someone says something rude. Serious or jokingly. I should also control my temper and not give students a breaking point to continuously push for. It was a great start. I have adapted well, and I am looking forward to the next class.

---

 Every other class went well. Future classes were a lot smaller, so it was easier to find time to talk to students about their projects. Whenever I wasn't talking with students, I would observe how the teacher(s) would talk to students and handle situations where students were distracted or not behaving. There were some groups where friends were talking, but not working. Most of the time, it was just handled with a warning, and that was it. One group had to be warned multiple times. One student had to be sent out for a walk because he wouldn't stop touching the student next to him.

I ended up teaching half of the day with "J" and "M". She teaches around the same grade level too. Her classroom was comparably more organized than "J". Having students clean up after themselves isn't necessarily a problem. I noticed one student was cleaning paper or cardboard (I can't remember) off the floor, and he only got a bit of it. I don't know if it was intentional or if he was assuming I'd take care of it since I was helping him. I still thanked him for cleaning up since I wanted to encourage any amount of good behavior coming from the students.

I won't be back until March 7th. I got an appointment this upcoming Friday, and I don't want to reschedule it again. Then next Friday happens to be during Winter Break, so there won't be a class to teach. I am still working on figuring out how to fill my tracker sheet, since documenting "proof" is easier said than done. I think I can send my coordinating teacher the goals that are regarding my Practicum, and send it back so I can forward it to my instructor. I believe that's the best way to provide evidence.

February 13th, 2025

I got a tour around the Missisquoi Valley High School about a week ago. The interior of the building is interesting. I never knew that the structure is basically made of three large circles. The walls and hallways have a curve that follows the curvature of the interior. The directions my coordinator gave around the essential classes (art classes and the office) were straightforward. I was introduced to some staff members (as well as the principal) and we changed names. 

My normal days will be Fridays from 7:30 a.m. to 2:50 p.m. starting tomorrow. Friday the 14th. I was told that if I ever wanted to, I could go to the middle school art classrooms if I wanted to try something different. There are two classrooms in the middle school section. Since my coordinator will be chaperoning a field trip. I'll be working with teacher Mr."J" tomorrow.

I have heard some of the student's names whenever an art teacher directly talks to them about their projects. I have not participated in a class assignment yet or got to know the students one-on-one. I'm hoping after a few days at the school, I will get to know all of their names. I'm good at recalling names. That was a skill I used back when I worked at Our Lady of the Meadows. 

There were about 40 residents in my unit. I got to know their names, what they like, who they get along with, and their [assigned] seating arrangements in the dining room. My job was as an Activity Assistant, so monitoring residents, communicating with them, and trying to keep their moods up were some of my high priorities. Though working with the elderly and working with the youth are two different ends of the age spectrum, I believe that my prior experience will help me adapt my skills, and learn to be the ideal teacher.

In other news; my coordinator, supervisor, and I have all agreed on a set date. As long as the weather is not severe by Tuesday, the 18th, that is the plan for when we're meeting. We'll talk about what the expectations are for Mrs. "L" as the coordinator, and me as the student-teacher. That way, my experience is following the criteria.