Thu Nguyen
Cohort 01/2016
M7U1A1
CLINICAL
EXPECTATIONS
Like a bird about to leave its
nest, I have a mixed feeling apparently when my course nearly comes to an end. It
is time for “know and show”. It is time for “show and grow” too.
Clinical practice is the final step
in my journey becoming certified teachers. Due to the family relocation, I had
to do an early clinical paralleling with the previous modules during my ex full
time teaching job. This paper aims to reflect my expectations and experiences
during my clinical period.
11. Practice
what have been learning
This is a
common expectation for all parties: Teach-Now institute, the mentor, and me. I
realized this is a privilege for full time teachers like me; I had a golden
chance to bring or apply what I have learned into my teaching practice
everyday, starting from January when my course began. In my particular case, by
bringing mobile devices into Visual Arts, I could confirm its positive impacts
in my teaching proven via the shiny eyes of my beloved students. By greeting
students from the class door and frequently reinforcing class rules and
expectations, I sailed my days easier than I did before with fewer unexpected
interruptions. By planning and sharing my units with fellow colleagues, I
witnessed the real meaning of interdisciplinary teaching and the effectiveness
of student learning. In short, I tried to implement whenever possible some tips
learnt in classroom management and technology integration, evaluated the
effects on students and my work, and adjusted myself to meet better the needs
of students and the requirements of the program.
As
mentioned above, due to the family relocation, I unfortunately can’t follow the
normal route to the final as others. The transfer falls right in the moment of
clinical. Foreseeing that the transfer will impact my study plan, I had to ask
for an exceptional approval for earlier clinical practice that turned out a benefit
for me in putting skills learnt into the practice. Beside the full time job, I
had to work double during the past four months for the course in order to both
satisfying learning modules and accumulating the clinical practice. Thanks to
the understanding and flexibility of the program officers, I could fulfill my
learning in an unexpected situation.
22. On site learning
from my mentor and other colleagues
I felt
blessed to work with a mentor who has more than twenty-year experience in
education and currently is the school PD director. Despite her extremely busy
schedule, she always listened to me, gave inspiring and thoughtful advices. She
was born to be a teacher and a trainer of teachers. She used to visit my
classroom for observation, sat with my team in our weekly meeting, and found
any possible time to give her feedback and constructive inputs. Her patience,
guidance, and inspiration were like a mirror for me to reflect myself as a
teacher.
Many
colleagues in this school have considered Teach-Now for their certifications. They
were my companions, source of information, and comrades. We shared concerns,
findings, and possibilities for each new approach recommended by the program. We
made some suggestions, and I do hope the school’s administrators will consider
their budget in integrating technology in teaching and learning.
33. Try
suitable solutions in real life situations
The
program enables me with up to date teaching practices of the 21st
century. Unfortunately, life is not the same everywhere, so are schools and
policies. Starting from the 2nd module, I learned how national law,
school policy, and culture affect teaching and learning. I learned how
different students learn and teachers teach in the digital age. Nevertheless,
theory is still far from practice in some cases. Lack of resources and
limitation of infrastructure remain restless concerns in some schools,
including my school. But these challenges stimulated my creativity. Convinced
by one of my inspiring colleagues, I decided to bring my own devices, instead of waiting for the investment and violating
the school policies. I decided to test the effectiveness of mobile learning
approach. Similarly, technology was integrated in three out of seven grade
projects in my last Exhibition. I believe this is one of the ultimate
expectations of Teach-Now to empower teachers in their own ways of leading the
changes wherever they are.
44. Enrich my personal
teaching experiences and professional network in this new career
Throughout
the course, I found myself grow and enriched every day. Even though the course
is very intensive and time consuming, especially for working people, I have truly
gained a lot of insights, skills, and useful recommendations from experienced
instructors, friendly cohorts, and the like via social networks created since
the first module. My early clinical fell right in the second semester where so
many changes in terms of systems happened and many school projects underwent. I
sometimes couldn’t imagine how I handled all of these workloads at the same
time. Overcoming all these stressful moments especially after the first year
teaching all grade levels in the elementary school, my confidence was boosted
to a higher level, my maturity in dealing with behavioral issues was better improved,
and my lessons were planned much properly according the Teach-Now lesson plan
template. The course led me to a new horizon where I could meet with so many
enthusiastic instructors and professional teachers, where I could learn from
them in so many ways, and where I began the new career in a proper direction.
All skills
learnt in previous modules were extremely useful in the clinical. I felt myself
well prepared, better equipped, and bravely empowered in each lesson and each
change I did. I knew why, what, and how I could do to make my lesson more
interesting and achievable for my students and in my own.
55. Successfully
obtain a teaching certification
Education
has undergone a lot of changes: one of those requires certified teachers. I
personally believe this is a good chance for both fresh people and veterans in
the field grasp a quick and enhance their view about how education has been
transformed in the 21st century and how technology has affected
their daily life. I believe teacher preparation courses of twenty years ago
look much different comparing with the way Teach-Now do today. I believe the
classroom tomorrow will also look much different from the ones we have today. I
also believe teaching and learning of tomorrow will differ from those of today.
Therefore, professional development is the best way to keep us up to date with
the development of technology.
In brief, most
of my expectations were achieved during my clinical. I actually found my true
self, my true passion, and my potential future through this beloved job and
this demanding course. Hopefully I can find my way in the next destination.