The Pekin PDS provided me with an experience that has helped me grow and improve my teaching skills. There were several specific areas in which I had more experiences in and I learned much more about.

In the area of classroom management, I had to learn a lot and had to implement my own plan.  The students did not respond to me as well as my mentor teacher.  My management plan rewarded appropriate behavior and gave me a good tool to use to remind the students when they needed to be on their best behavior.  I found that sometimes teachers need to be extremely flexible with classroom management and be able to change their plan to suit the needs of the students.

I also had a lot to deal with when it came to instruction and finding ways to present the information to students on many different learning levels.  We had students with IEPs and learning disabilities and I had to make sure to differentiate my instrution so as to make sure that I reached them as well as challenge the other students.  That was probably the most challenging part, but when the students did well with assessments and they reacted well to lesson and activities that suited them, they became successsful learners.

I formed so many relationships during this year that I hope to maintain and grow.  I learned so many things about the classroom environment and the students that I worked with.  I will miss the students and my mentor, but I am excited about finding a classroom of my own.