M7U1A1

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 21^st century. Unfortunately, life is not the same everywhere, so are schools and policies. Starting from the 2^nd 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 21^st 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.