It has been a while since I have written, but many things have happened in between these posts. The semester is coming to an end, which means my German field placement ends after today. I had so much fun working with my students, and was able to help teach them many things that they caught on to quickly. I have just finished teaching them about poetry in German, and was glad to see that they actually enjoyed the lesson. I was able to practice some teaching strategies that I learned in class. Now that the class is almost over, I can see that what I did had an impact on these students. They are able to speak more fluidly and can articulate their thoughts more effectively compared to when I met them.
All of my other placements, however, remain the same. The orchestra at Dixon is one week away from their first concert at the Wilson Center, and they are very excited. The students are finally starting to see the value of practice, and it makes the whole group better. I am very excited as well, because I get to conduct and play the piano during the concert. In addition to helping that way, I get to help them on their field trip dress rehearsal. I had no clue my teacher was going to ask me to participate, but I am overjoyed that she did. I am excited to help the students at such a special event.
As I reflected on my experience, I thought about helpful things that I learned as I went through the program. For people with placements in High Schools, the biggest piece of advice I have is to put yourself in the students shoes. Doing this will help you teach them, without offending them. Just remember to be yourself, and to respect all different kinds of learners.
