How I Survived My First Clinical Experience: Tips for Teacher Education Majors
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Illinois State chapter.
My first clinical experience was a roller coaster of ups and downs. My emotions were all over the place from receiving my school placement, to first-day jitters, to teaching lessons, and ending the semester with the students. As someone who can say she’s officially completed her first clinical experience, I have some tips for fellow teacher education majors entering the process.
My first tip would be to hold any prior notions about the school when you receive your placement. Sure, it won’t hurt to check out some background information regarding the school, but if you have heard complaints about student behavior or staff pedagogies, hold off from judging. The school I was placed at had a diverse population of students with ranging behaviors, and it was sometimes difficult to build relationships with the students, but I wouldn’t trade my experience for the world.
Secondly, reach out to your cooperating teacher as soon as possible. You want to build a positive rapport with that person quickly because you will learn they will make or break your clinical experience. I was fortunate to have an amazing cooperating teacher who was dedicated and knowledgeable about the world of education. She became my go-to person for advice, and I could not have survived the experience without her. Ask questions about what they expect from you, or what a typical daily routine looks like to feel more prepared entering the semester.
After your first day, do not be surprised or disappointed if it feels off. I came home sobbing after my first day. It was extremely overwhelming; I was entering an atmosphere already built for half of a school year, and I did not feel welcomed. I even second-guessed my career choice- the one I had been passionate about since I was five. However, looking back, I fell in love with my time at the school spent with my peers, school staff, and students. It truly takes time to overcome that ‘perfect teacher mindset.’ It’s your first day in a new setting; give yourself some slack and know that with time, your experience will likely improve.
Next, as you flow through your experience, the number one thing I would recommend is to build that positive relationship with your students. Work hard to learn students’ names, even if it means asking them 20 times. Get to know them outside of the classroom; ask about their interests and friends, and if they feel comfortable, let them share about their home life. Once you establish that positive relationship with them, they will be willing to delve into content. In my experience, relationships are key before content teaching can occur.
Once you build those relationships with the students and can teach lessons, be prepared for a plan A, B, and C. Yes, in a perfect classroom, your students will always be engaged and learn your objectives immediately. However, in all the lessons I taught, NONE of them went perfectly as planned. Failure is a part of teaching. The best part is, you can learn from your mistakes and grow. Sometimes, they aren’t even mistakes- maybe your students just need more time to complete a task. You can use that feedback to inform your future teaching, making you a better teacher. In the planning process, using your knowledge from those previously built relationships, try to anticipate your students’ responses to your questions, which will help you weed out a few issues from the beginning.
Lastly, be comfortable crying on the last day of your experience. Your emotions will likely get the better of you, and know that if you’re sad you have to leave your students, it means you enjoyed your time there. You are a good teacher, and those students made an impact on you the same as you made on the students. Plus, if your students see you crying, it tells them that you do care.
Put yourself out there, and make a difference. Your students need you.
<p>The post How I Survived My First Clinical Experience: Tips for Teacher Education Majors first appeared on Her Campus.</p>
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