As I look back over the past year, it is amazing to see my personal growth.  It seems like just yesterday I was nervous about taking over a classroom, now it is second nature.  Throughout this past year, I have not only grown as a teacher, but also as a person. I have been given the opportunity to challenge myself and try any type of instruction that I felt would benefit my students, while having the support and guidance that was needed. The PDS experience has given me the strength and confidence needed to know that I can be a valuable and effective instructor.    One of the biggest steps I took this year was the growth in my classroom management.  I was very nervous about managing the classroom.  At the beginning, I felt like I was too nice.  I felt like I was going to hurt the students' feelings or upset them.  However, I quickly learned that I needed to be firm in order to gain the students' respect and to get them to behave.  I started to be firm with them. When I said this is your final warning, I meant it.  The students saw that I was serious and they began to follow along.   My biggest fear turned into one of my greatest strengths!  I managed to run a very conducive environment to learning.   As I look back, I also see how I have grown in my confidence to educate.  At the beginning, I was very nervous about having the whole class all day long.  I didn’t think that I could do it.  At first, I would plan a forty five minute lesson and it would only last 30 minutes.  However, after this year long experience, I have learned to plan appropriate lessons for the time period.  I planned many standard-based lessons throughout the semester that were very successful with my students.  My liaison is going to use my lesson plans for the future PDS classes as a model.  I am very proud of this.  I feel more confident in planning lessons that are diverse in content and methods. It is hard to believe my year internship has come to an end. I will take with me many valuable teaching tools, as well as self-confidence in myself to educate the future of America.