MY REFLECTIONS ON INITIATORY SCHOOL EXPERIENCE
The purpose of
Initiatory School Experience is to provide student teachers an opportunity to
have primary experiences with the functioning of the school. This programme is
for four continuous working days, giving them an opportunity to acquaint with
the school environment and the day-to- day functions. The following activities
must be undertaken by student teachers.
1. Observation of lessons engaged
by school teachers(student teachers
observe lessons individually or in small groups).
To
observe means to watch keenly and note down what happens. You need prior
planning and must get ready to observe the class. Please get prior
permission from the head of the school and the concerned teachers before
planning to observe their classes.
2.
Meeting
students in an informal setting to learn their background and their interest in
learning.
You may get
prior permission from the teacher-in-charge of a class to collect necessary
data from students.
3. To see the learning
facilities in the school.
To take a stock
of the learning facilities, prepare a check list of essential learning
facilities needed and take the list of available facilities. Try to note down
the working conditions and the frequency of use of these facilities. You may also
collect data regarding students’ satisfaction with these facilities.
4.
Observing
the social climate in the school etc.
To observe the
social climate, prepare a check list incorporating a few components like
teacher pupil relationship,punctuality of teachers and students, morale and
motivation of students’, participation and success in co-curricular activities
at various levels, school community relationship, involvement of various stake
holders like parents, local self- government etc. You may collect data by
informal interviews, document study, observation etc.
5.
Engaging
lessons individually or as Shared Practice.
Each
student-teacher has to engage 3 lessons individually or as Shared Practice.Lesson
plans need not be written with the rigidity employed for Practice Teaching
lesson.In Shared Practice, student-teachers will be in small groups of three
members. The lessons will be divided into three parts and each student teacher
will practice one of the parts by rotation in the natural classroom situation.
6.
Maintain
a detailed diary as record of the visit.
The
diary must contain a brief history of the school, learning facilities
available, social and academic climate of the school, notes of all lessons
engaged, your analysis of the above components etc.The diary must also contain
reflective text by the student teacher.
7. After
the four day initiatory school experiences, a one day reflection session will be organized in the college on Friday
24th February. Student teachers are expected to share their reflectionsin
plenary as well as in small groups sessions.
MY REFLECTIONS
Eleven students and I were assigned St. Thomas HS, Karthikapally, Mavelikkara, Kerala for
the Initiatory School Experience (ISE) from January 20th to 23rd 2014.
ISE is a modified version of the School Visit Program of previous curriculum
and it aims to provide student teachers an opportunity to have primary
experiences with the functioning of the school. Though general instructions are
given in the curriculum document, essential planning and customization at the college level is to be
done. This aspect was not properly addressed by the college. Teacher
educators provided a few practicum activities in addition to the one given in
the curriculum document. At the college level, there was no attempt to
integrate various activities provided by teacher educators. Therefore much
planning was conducted at the school after the team arrived at the school.
The program went smooth as planned by the group. The group could
undertake all the stipulated activities. The school authorities cooperated
excellently with the team and extended all the help to complete various
activities. Teachers gracefully permitted student teachers observe their
classes. The headmistress arranged required number of classes for each student
teacher to engage lessons. Student teachers collected data regarding learning
facilities and physical facilities available in the school.
The group couldn't effectively undertake activities related to the
study of the social and familial background of school students. I think
there are two reasons for this lapse. One is the absence of proper planning and
the other is the general negligence of role familial and social background of
students in their learning. A focused attention of this aspect during the planning session
will help mitigate this lapse.
A
few suggestions for better implementation of ISE are given below
1. Fixing the school and finalizing the students’ list much in advance will help student teachers
prepare for the ISE in a planned manner.
2. A thorough planning at the teacher educators’ level and customization and integration of activities
must be undertaken.
3. Distribute an instruction sheet to each student teacher containing
various activities proposed by teacher educators. Core subject teachers may
provide practicum works and help plan other general activities and optional
teachers may help student teachers plan class observation and class engagement.
4. A half day visit to the assigned school and meeting the Head teacher and
the subject teachers a week ahead of the program will help student teachers
plan the activity better.
5. Distribution of attendance sheet to teacher educators help note down
absentees and report the same to the college office.( There are stray cases of
absenteeism during ISE)
6. How to prepare observation notes and class engagement notes must be
discussed with student teachers. A few models may be introduced.
7. Out of school hours or Saturdays may also be included for the effective
study of familial and social environment of school students.
8. A workshop mode embedding constructivist approach will enhance the
effectiveness of the program.Your comments are earnestly
solicited23/01/2014
THOMAS UZHAVATH
ASSO. PROF.,
PEET MEMORIAL TRG. COLLEGE
