I have had several different learning opportunities that have helped prepare me for my future teaching. One being my SIOP Lesson Plan assignment, where I had to use a TEK associated with my grade and subject to form a lesson plan. It took a lot of time and effort, but I learned so many ways to approach teaching, and how to make modifications and accommodations if needed.

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I created another lesson plan template in my Education Psychology course, where I dove deeper into the specifics of what needs to be in an effective, excellent lesson plan. There, I learned the importance of visual aids, manipulatives, gestures, questions, stating the objective, and practicing your lesson plan out loud several times!

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I currently work at a daycare and church called In His Hands Methodist Church in Canyon, TX. I’ve been with IHS for 4 years now, and I’ve truly enjoyed every moment of working there. I work with the 2–3-year-olds as an assistant teacher in the afternoon for extended care. Teaching at IHS has taught me how to use positive reinforcement in the classroom, how to redirect, lay out a lesson plan, make smooth transitions, be patient and understanding, along with so many more things that I know are going to be beneficial to know in my future classroom as well!

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By creating several lesson plans, and learning more with building each one, I am preparing myself greater for effective teaching. There are many different qualities to a lesson plan, but through constant practice, I will retain information easier and continue to grow.

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One of my favorite experiential learnings was during my observations which took place at Canyon Intermediate School. My observations teacher, Mrs. Coggins, a 5th grade mathematics teacher, was absolutely excellent. The first thing I noticed was how well she managed the classroom behavior-wise. There was little-to-almost-no difficult behavior taking place. This was because she constantly reminded the students of the rules and expectations in the classroom. She was also engaging and I could tell instantly the students trusted her and enjoyed her class. These are just some of the things that stood out to me that I strive to do within my future classroom.