Week One

Weekly Reflections

1. The most positive aspect of my field experience (or an area I showed strength) since my last reflection has been: being able to get excited about teaching my content area. After just one day of observing a theatre arts classroom, I can easily say that I am very eager to start teaching high school students. I felt like I was able to interact and get my points across to the various age levels in the different classes throughout the day. I also felt a sense of respect from the students as well when I was giving them constructive criticism on their performances.

2. The aspects of my field experience which most need improvement or adjustment include: organization. This was the one thing that was an ongoing problem in my classes throughout the day. Supplies were constantly misplaced, as well as the room itself looked messy. However, the teacher’s thought process was organized, which was evident by how she conducted the classroom and the content she went over in her classes, but the classroom itself needed improvement.

3. Two important things I have learned about teaching and learning through my field experience since my last reflection include: One important thing I’ve learned about teaching is that any child can be taught. The teacher I was with had a handful of autistic students throughout the day, and I was amazed at how well they performed in front of the class, as well as how respectful the other students were towards them and their quirkiness. Another thing I’ve learned, especially in relation to theatre, is that you have to be able to make quick changes. For example, the teacher was conducting auditions for a play, but after the first day of auditions, she realized that she had nowhere near the amount of males to play the rolls called for in the script. She ended up changing the play altogether to allow the maximum participation from both males and females.

DDP

1. Demonstrates ability to be understanding, respectful and inclusive of diverse populations. Throughout the different class periods, there were autistic students as well as special needs students. Keeping them on task throughout the class period was the hardest part, but by allowing them to perform their monologues when they were ready kept them included but not pressured to perform. With the special needs students, keeping them on task included arranging the chairs in rows towards the front of the classroom. Instead of feeling left out because they could not sew or build set pieces, they were still very proud of their work in arranging the chairs.

2. Demonstrates an attitude of reflection and thoughtfulness about professional growth and instruction. After the first day of being the classroom was over, I continued to think about how much I could have influenced the students. I began to reflect on the word choices I used, as well as how I interacted with those students. There were times when I felt I might have been too much on their level, and I needed to bring my level back up to a more professional level. I feel that once I gain more experience in the classroom, I will be able to better represent myself to the students in an approachable, yet professional way.

3. Demonstrates a commitment to literacy, inquiry, and reflection. My commitment to literacy included asking the students that were performing monologues about the play that the monologue came from. After taking a look at the entire play to develop the character they were playing, many of the various lines in the monologue made more sense after knowing the big picture. When working with the students, I tried to ask them questions about their characters and how they could improve them or make them more believable. After they performed the monologue, I would ask them to tell me what they thought went well and what they thought did not go well. By doing this, the students gained a better understanding of their character as well as how to become a better actor.