My Journey as a Student Teacher: Teaching Practice at St. Mary's HSS Pattom

 Teaching practice is a pivotal phase in every aspiring teacher's journey. It is the bridge that connects the theoretical knowledge gained in teacher education programs to the real-world classroom experience. I had the privilege of experiencing this transformative phase at St. Mary's Higher Secondary School in Pattom. On the 11th day of my teaching practice, I was assigned the last period of the day, teaching class 8 chemistry. In this blog post, I want to share my experience and provide an insight into the activities and lessons of that day.

The Classroom Setting

As a student teacher, stepping into the classroom on the 11th day felt both exciting and challenging. I had the opportunity to teach a class of enthusiastic 8th graders. The subject of the day was chemistry, and the topic was "Components of Water." To make the class engaging and interactive, I decided to incorporate interesting videos and images into my lesson plan.

Teaching the Components of Water

My goal for the day was to make the concept of water's components come to life for my students. To achieve this, I utilized a multimedia approach:

Introduction: I began the class with a brief introduction to the importance of water in our daily lives, setting the context for the lesson.

Interactive Videos: I showed videos that visually explained the molecular structure of water and the chemical composition. These videos helped students grasp complex concepts in a simple and engaging manner.

Visual Aids: I used images and diagrams to reinforce the key points. Visual aids can be particularly helpful in making abstract concepts more concrete.

Discussion: After presenting the information, I encouraged students to ask questions and engage in a discussion about water's components. This fostered critical thinking and class participation.

Review Questions and Follow-up Activities

To ensure that my students had a solid grasp of the topic, I provided them with review questions and suggested follow-up activities:

Review Questions:

What are the two elements that make up water?

Draw the molecular structure of a water molecule.

Explain why water is essential for life on Earth.

Can you name some everyday uses of water?

Follow-up Activities:

Conduct a simple experiment to separate the components of water (hydrogen and oxygen).

Research and prepare a short presentation on the importance of water conservation.

Create a poster illustrating the water cycle, highlighting the role of evaporation and condensation.

Write a short essay on the environmental impact of water pollution and possible solutions.

Supporting Tasks: Science Exhibition Screening

In addition to my classroom teaching, I had the opportunity to support the physical science teachers in screening students for the upcoming science exhibition in the school auditorium. This task allowed me to interact with a diverse group of students, appreciate their creativity, and witness their passion for science.

Conclusion

My 11th day of teaching practice at St. Mary's HSS Pattom was a valuable learning experience. It reinforced the importance of engaging teaching methods, the use of multimedia resources, and the significance of interactive discussions in the classroom. Moreover, being involved in the science exhibition screening process added another layer of understanding to the role of a teacher beyond the classroom.

As I continue my journey towards becoming an educator, I carry the memories and lessons from this day with me, knowing that each experience, no matter how small, contributes to my growth and development as a teacher.