Reflective EssayUpon completion, I have learned a lot about myself as a TAFE student, from getting experience in teaching. I feel confident at this point that I am capable of successfully being able to help students out when they need it. I have acquired many useful skills, many of which came directly from the TAFE seminars. In working to develop my teaching abilities, I have learned much about how we can target all three different types of learners in a classroom. There are English Language Learners (ELL) students which are students who have difficulty speaking or understanding English. Special Education (SPED) which are students with spec ...view middle of the document...
Auditory being that the student learns best by hearing and kinesthetic being that that student learns best by hands on activities. You need to be able to target all of them! If they are young, you need to be able to grab their attention with an interesting focus. You cannot just go straight into the topic because the students will not be entertained and they will not have the desire to learn especially since their attention span is short. At first, I was uncomfortable speaking in front of even small groups. Now I am happy to speak in front of a large classroom. Since I am more comfortable in front of the classroom, I am better able to multitask while lecturing. I also learned how time-management is very important. While as teachers we are training students in content, I have come to understand that we are more importantly teaching skills, which require a delicate balance of time and attention. I have come to realize that I would not "get it all" in this short period of time. This has taught me to be more gracious and accepting of myself, and I believe it will have a positive impact on my teaching. Having wrestled through these challenging moments will help me be more supportive and accepting of the students when they struggle for understanding. Additionally, it has taught me that I will recurrently be learning and growing as an educator. I have learned the value of setting goals and objectives that will push me to continually raise the bar for my level of teaching and hopefully, to be setting an example for my students.
