Reflecting on My Teaching Practice at St. Mary's HSS Pattom

 As a student teacher at St. Mary's Higher Secondary School in Pattom, my journey has been filled with invaluable experiences. On the 17th day of my teaching practice, I had the opportunity to conduct the first period in a class of ninth-grade students, focusing on the topic of "Factors Affecting Resistance" in Physics. It was a day of excitement, engagement, and learning for both my students and me.

The Classroom Experience:

My goal for the day was to make the topic of resistance, a somewhat abstract concept, more tangible and relatable to the daily lives of my students. To achieve this, I incorporated a variety of interesting videos and images into my lesson plan. These visual aids helped students visualize the concept of resistance, making it more comprehensible.

The class was designed to be activity-oriented, with the aim of promoting active participation and engagement. I introduced several activities that required students to work in pairs and groups. For instance, we conducted experiments to measure resistance and discussed real-world applications of resistance in electrical circuits, such as in household appliances and electronic gadgets. This practical approach allowed students to connect theoretical concepts with their everyday experiences, making learning more meaningful.

Review Questions and Follow-up Activities:

To reinforce the concepts taught, I provided review questions at the end of the lesson. These questions encouraged students to reflect on what they had learned and apply their knowledge to new scenarios. Some sample review questions included:

What factors affect the resistance in an electrical circuit, and how do they influence it?

Explain how resistance plays a role in the functioning of common household devices like light bulbs and heaters.

Design an experiment to investigate the relationship between the length and thickness of a wire on its resistance.

Additionally, I assigned follow-up activities for students to complete independently or in groups. These activities included researching famous scientists who contributed to the understanding of electrical resistance, creating diagrams illustrating the concepts covered in the lesson, and presenting their findings to the class.

Supporting Tasks:

Apart from my primary teaching assignment, I also assisted another teacher during her free hour class. This experience allowed me to observe different teaching styles and interact with a diverse group of students. I took the opportunity to share motivational tips on study habits with the students, emphasizing the importance of discipline, time management, and consistent effort in achieving academic success.

Conclusion:

Reflecting on my 17th day of teaching practice at St. Mary's HSS Pattom, I am filled with a sense of accomplishment and gratitude. The engagement of the students during the physics class and the positive feedback I received from both students and teachers affirmed the effectiveness of my approach.

This experience has reinforced my passion for teaching and my commitment to making learning an enjoyable and meaningful experience for students. I look forward to continuing my journey as a student teacher, eagerly embracing each opportunity to inspire and educate the next generation.

Teaching is not just about imparting knowledge; it's about making a lasting impact on young minds, and my day at St. Mary's HSS Pattom was a step in that direction.