Navigating the Realm of Teaching: My 23rd Day as a Student Teacher at St. John's Model HSS, Nalanchira

 

As a student teacher, every day brings new challenges and opportunities for growth. On my 23rd day of teaching internship at St. John's Model Higher Secondary School in Nalanchira, I had the privilege of conducting my first-period class for Class 8 on the topic of "Elements and Compounds." The focus of the day was to use ICT aids to make the lesson engaging and relatable to students' daily life experiences. In this blog, I will share my experiences, the teaching methods I employed, and the impact on the students' learning.

Engaging with ICT Aids:

The incorporation of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) into the classroom has become increasingly important in modern education. With the guidance of my mentor teacher, I had prepared a multimedia presentation that included interactive diagrams, videos, and animations to illustrate the concepts of elements and compounds. This approach aimed to make the subject more visually appealing and easier for students to grasp.

Relating to Daily Life Experiences:

One of the essential aspects of effective teaching is making the content relevant to students' everyday lives. To achieve this, I designed examples and scenarios that directly connected the concept of elements and compounds to their daily experiences. For instance, I discussed how the elements in the air we breathe (oxygen and nitrogen) are essential for life and the compounds they encounter in their daily lives, such as water (H2O) and table salt (NaCl).

Demonstrating the Experiment:

To make the lesson even more engaging, I conducted a hands-on experiment to demonstrate the difference between elements and compounds. I used simple props like colored beads to represent atoms and molecules, and the students actively participated in assembling elements (e.g., hydrogen and oxygen) to create compounds (water). This hands-on activity helped the students visualize and understand the concept better.

Review Questions and Follow-up Activity:

After the experiment, I provided the students with a set of review questions to gauge their understanding of the topic. These questions ranged from basic definitions to more complex problem-solving scenarios. Additionally, I assigned a follow-up activity that encouraged students to identify elements and compounds in their surroundings. This real-world application task aimed to reinforce their learning and demonstrate the practical relevance of the subject.

Student Engagement and Feedback:

Throughout the lesson, I observed that the students were actively engaged and enthusiastic about the topic. The use of ICT aids and the hands-on experiment made the class dynamic and enjoyable. During the follow-up activity, the students displayed creativity and a deeper understanding of the subject by identifying elements and compounds in various household items.

Conclusion:

My 23rd day of teaching internship at St. John's Model Higher Secondary School in Nalanchira was a rewarding experience. It highlighted the significance of using innovative teaching methods like ICT aids and hands-on experiments to make learning more engaging and relatable to students. Moreover, the positive response from the students reaffirmed the importance of connecting classroom lessons to their daily life experiences. This journey has not only enriched my teaching skills but has also inspired me to continue exploring creative ways to educate and empower the future generation