Practicum

It’s been a month of fun. It’s been a month of hands-on work. It’s been a month of teaching! Practicum was a large learning experience full of discipline, rules, assessment, and differentiation in my first grade placement. During the first week, all students were assessed on several things. Students who are below grade level were assessed on kindergarten sight words for reteaching purposes. After they were assessed on this level, they were tested on the first grade level to see where they stand…

Literature Review My current practicum placement is at ReDiscover Common Ground in Grandview, Missouri. The members (clients) of ReDiscover come from many diverse backgrounds and circumstances. Each member shares at least one common ground, the fact that they all are working towards healthy living with mental illness. Due to the impact that mental health disorders have on each individual many members of ReDiscover are unable to obtain jobs or maintain healthy relationships with others. The staff…

Intermediate practicum has been a real learning experience, and has helped open my eyes to what I have improved on, as well as what I need to continue to work on. After spending time in Ms. Butz classroom, I was able to watch a professional educator and witness their skills in the field of education. I noticed that in order to teach elementary students, a teacher has to be equipped with a variety of skills, gifts, and I have seen the passion that goes into the vocation. Some of these important…

It’s hard to believe that I am six weeks into my senior practicum especially when it feels like I was just walking in nervous yesterday. I received my first visit from my field instructor this week and I believe it went really well. I am glad that my supervisor is impressed with what I have accomplished. I am also glad that my field instructor was impressed with Shepherd’s Shelter Ross Rehab. I have learned a lot in six weeks about my agency and I know there is still more to learn as my…

junior and I am majoring in Physical and Health Education and I did my cultural diversity practicum at a Hutterite colony called Wheatland Colony School near Tower City, North Dakota. Going into my practicum I really did not know what to expect other than it was not going to be the same as a normal classroom setting. I thought that I would be in the gym with the gym teacher for at least some of the practicum but soon found out that I would not be in the gym at all. When I first arrived, the…

My second elective practicum is at Novata Cares assessing children for Autism and other neurological problems. I was testing this 6-year-old child using the WISC-IV. There was a question that asked him, “What is courage,” for which he replied “that’s being brave like me I’m a boy.” His answer did not shock me as I would have expected. It is a common thing for us (society) to tell boys to be brave or not to cry because that’s a girl thing. This 6-year-old child has already learned that courage…

When I reflect on this semester and my practicum experience, the first thing that comes to my mind is motivation and drive. This is the first time I have actually felt comfortable enough to want to be in the classroom all day, everyday. This semester opened up my eyes in many different ways, and if anything, made me fall more in love with teaching and working with these students. After this practicum experience, I bring a new gift with me and that is confidence. I feel at easy in front of a…

I conducted a running record on C.J. a student in my practicum class, he read the book, Aliens in underpants, to me. This student scored In the instructional range with a ninety two percent. This book had a little over one hundred words and out of these words he made ten errors and four self-corrections. I noticed that the student was a little slower of a reader compared to other students in the class. Most of the errors he made were that he failed to use meaning and structure. He used a lot of…

Chapter 7 and 8 in The Practicum Companion gave some very important and insightful points. Chapter 7 was on working in groups while in the field. One of the main points discussed was expectations for practice with groups. They gave four examples of models that social workers may fulfill they were, social action/goals model, reciprocal goals model, and remedial goals model. Another point discussed was learning the factors that come along with group practice. The chapter discussed important…

Practicum Reflection During my education courses I had learned many different concepts, teaching strategies, and covered numerous topics involving the process of teaching. For the first time I was able to put everything I had learned into practice. My practicum was one of the best learning experiences I have experienced as a student. I learn the best when I am doing something hands on, so for me to actually be able to teach and take over the classes I was able to learn a lot. Throughout the…