Summative Practicum
It is officially our final day as teacher candidates in our classrooms. My grade 5 classroom at Veritas has genuinely felt like home. From my first Monday teaching, I knew this would be an exhausting yet rewarding ten weeks. Though the ten weeks were graciously spread out, I fully emersed myself in the classroom and school culture. This practicum made it feel real. This was a preview of my future. I would be lying if I said every day deserved a gold star. Some days felt like I was pushing a boulder up a hill. But whenever I felt like I was starting to slide, students would run up and hug me or flash a big smile my way. And just like that, any exhaustion would fade away. This practicum taught me the most, not only because I was acting as a full-time classroom teacher but because I was fortunate enough to be treated as a teacher. I was greeted with full responsibilities such as staff meetings, duty, parent-teacher meetings, report cards, and even disciplining students. Thus practicum provided me with all the hands-on experience I never received during our lecture classes.
My coaching teacher also played a significant role in my successful completion. She offered me support, grace, and constant feedback. Upon starting my practicum, we met, and I was upfront about my expectations to receive continuous feedback, positive and negative. I knew this was my last opportunity to progress as much as possible with support. Every day we debriefed about what went well, what I would have adjusted, and any feedback she had. She brought out the best in me, often challenging me to think larger and with a different perspective.
Contrary to popular belief, teaching is a collaborative career. It is the result of a team, the team often including the teacher, educational assistant, other teachers, and the students. Teammates support each other, and during this practicum, I not only felt supported, but I felt like I was set up for success. In turn, my classroom will feel like a team one day, and each student who walks in and out of my class will feel supported and set up for success.
