Field Experience Reflection 1

I have enjoyed my field placement so far in the 7th grade health class that I am in. Currently we are teaching the students about goal setting and planning. I taught a lesson where students were tasked with creating two short term goals and one long term goal. In this lesson I went over SMART goals. Some students were very engaged while others needed to be encouraged to participate in our discussion. I think I have successfully set expectations during my short time in this health class. Students understand that their amount of focus and respect does not change whether I am teaching, or my host teacher is teaching. I have also been encouraged by the amount of participation that the class has engaged in during our activities. A challenge I have faced is just managing to plan, teach and get to know these students in the health class while also working full time in physical education classes and coaching. I am constantly in the health room during my lunches and planning periods and ultimately have to take a lot of work home. Time management has been difficult as I am teaching in a K-3 building for the first time this year and planning a new curriculum for it, coaching, teaching the junior high P.E. classes, and participating in this health field placement. A strategy I have been using is waking up early on weekends, finding a quiet place, and trying to get a good chunk of work done before everyone else in my house wakes up. That way I can limit distractions, and try to be productive. A question I have for my peers is, is anyone else feeling overwhelmed and how are you effectively managing your time so you can still spend time with people who are important to you after work? I am hoping that I will find my rhythm soon because recently it feels like all I do is work! A question I have for my supervisor is, are there any specific strategies that you have found effective in developing relationships with students that you don't see very often? I feel like the students respect me and are enjoying the classes I teach, but I feel like I don't really know them yet. Overall, I am enjoying working in the health field for this placement and could see myself teaching health full time in the future, but am struggling with the amount of work I am balancing and look forward to completing my masters soon!