TEACHING PRACTICE PHASE - I
Weekly Reflection - 3
Day - 10 (28 July 2025)
The tenth day of my teaching practice, held on Monday, 28th July 2025, marked the beginning of a fresh academic week. We reached the school by 9:30 a.m. and participated in the morning assembly led by Class 7A, which included a “thought for the day,” riddles, multi-level news updates, and a quiz, followed by a special address about the upcoming sports day. I had my assigned third-period class, where I focused on extending the previously taught algebraic identity through application-level problems, which the students found somewhat challenging but attempted with interest. After the morning sessions, we assisted with the midday meal duty from 12:30 p.m. to 1:00 p.m., ensuring smooth coordination. The afternoon was relatively calm, giving us time to review lesson plans and reflect on our academic progress. Peer discussions offered valuable insight into teaching strategies, and we concluded the day with student dispersal duties, signing out at 4:10 p.m. Overall, it was a balanced and productive day, combining instructional, managerial, and reflective responsibilities.
Day - 11 (29 July 2025)
The eleventh day of my teaching practice, held on 29th July 2025, was a hectic yet fulfilling day, marked by a combination of teaching duties and active involvement in school sports events. Arriving at the school between 9:00 and 10:00 a.m. with my peers, I was engaged in supervising and coordinating various athletic competitions like football, volleyball, and badminton across different student categories. Despite the busy schedule, I managed to take my regular third-period class as planned. Post-lesson, I resumed my role in sports supervision and also assisted with the UP section’s noon meal distribution. The remainder of the day was spent monitoring matches and supporting student dispersal, with our responsibilities concluding by 5:00 p.m. Though physically demanding, the day offered a rewarding experience of contributing to school activities beyond classroom teaching.
Day - 12 (30 July 2025)
The 12th day of my teaching practice, marked by solemn remembrance and academic focus, began on a reflective note as we joined staff and students in observing a moment of silence at 9:45 a.m. to honor the 53 students who lost their lives in the Puthumala landslide. The tribute was respectfully observed through a two-bell ceremony, setting a calm and empathetic tone for the day. During the third period, I continued teaching Class 8B on square identities, guiding students through textbook exercises that built on the previous lesson's formula. The students showed steady progress and increasing confidence in solving pattern-based problems. During the day time, the DEO Office staffs checking was also there. Despite the lingering fatigue from the prior day’s sports events, we stayed engaged throughout the day, assisting with the midday meal distribution, completing academic documentation, and monitoring student dispersal. The day concluded at 4:15 p.m., leaving us with a blend of emotional reflection and productive accomplishment.
Day - 13 (31 July 2025)
The 13th day of my teaching practice, held on 31st July 2025, was a well-balanced day of academic, reflective, and extracurricular engagements. After arriving at school by 9:30 a.m., the day began with the morning prayer, setting a composed tone. A highlight of the day was the peer observation of my class by David C. Alex, which provided me with valuable feedback and a chance to reflect on and refine my teaching. The forenoon proceeded with regular duties, and by noon, we assisted in the smooth coordination of the midday meal distribution. In the afternoon, we participated in conducting a quiz competition under the guidance of Sajeev Sir and Smitha Teacher, aimed at preparing students for the upcoming district-level Independence Day contests. The event was engaging and saw enthusiastic student involvement. After managing student dispersal, we signed out by 4:15 p.m., concluding a fulfilling and professionally enriching day.
Day - 14 (01 AUGUST 2025)
The 14th day of my teaching practice, held on Friday, 1st August 2025, was distinct as I had no teaching period assigned for the day, having substituted my third period for my peer, David C. Alex, whose class, along with Shamna's, was observed by our college teacher, Dr. Praveena Maheshwari. She observed Shamna's class during the second period from 10:10–10:50 a.m. and David's from 11:00–11:40 a.m. I assisted them in preparing classroom materials and provided support throughout their observation sessions. Despite not teaching, I stayed actively involved by helping with routine duties like the midday meal and student dispersal, while also using the free time to work on my academic tasks and pending documentation. The day was productive and fulfilling, offering valuable insights through peer collaboration and observation.
General Reflection
A total of 17 schools were represented in this round of general reflection, with each student teacher sharing key highlights, challenges, and personal insights from their ongoing teaching practice. The reflections revealed a common thread of active participation in school-level events, including Moon Day observances, quiz competitions, special assemblies (such as Premchand Day), and sports day duties. Many student teachers mentioned their involvement in discipline duties, classroom management, and meal distribution, reflecting their engagement beyond mere teaching.
A major challenge frequently mentioned was the pressure to complete syllabus portions in time for upcoming examinations, often compounded by frequent substitution periods and duties that limited their ability to prepare lesson plans. Some schools lacked proper ICT facilities or functioning projectors, while others faced space constraints or classroom discipline issues. Nevertheless, most student teachers appreciated the supportive role of their mentors, the cooperation from fellow teachers, and the enthusiasm of students, especially during interactive sessions and special programs.
This week’s reflection painted a picture of growing professionalism, where B.Ed. trainees balanced academic responsibilities with school administration support, participated in cultural and extracurricular duties, and gradually adapted to real classroom challenges with greater confidence and clarity.
Optional Reflection
An optional reflection session was conducted for the Mathematics optional group, with full attendance from all 15 student teachers. The session served as a valuable platform for sharing common academic and classroom challenges encountered during their ongoing teaching practice. One of the major concerns raised was the students’ difficulty in subtracting fractions from whole numbers, which reflected foundational gaps in numerical understanding. Similarly, many students struggled with operations involving decimal numbers, particularly in squaring and adding them accurately. Beyond content-related issues, several student teachers spoke about behavioral challenges, noting that students' attitudes often varied based on the teacher’s approach, classroom management style, and rapport.
There was also collective discussion around the difficulty in adhering strictly to lesson plans due to frequent substitution duties and time constraints imposed by the approaching examinations. Many mentioned problems related to ICT tools — in several schools, projectors were either unavailable or non-functional, limiting the implementation of digital learning strategies. Despite these challenges, the optional reflection created a space for collaborative problem-solving and peer support, reinforcing the importance of flexibility, empathy, and innovation in the teaching-learning process.
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