How to Prepare for Your First Practicum
Mikaela Campbell
McKay Student Ambassador
Early Childhood Education
Starting practicum can be a mix of nerves, excitement, and uncertainty. With so many new experiences ahead, it’s completely normal to feel a range of emotions as you prepare to begin. To help you feel more confident and ready, here’s a helpful guide to ways you can prepare for and what you can expect during your first practicum!
Volunteer at schools: Pay attention to this one! This is something that really helped me as I was preparing for practicum. Having experience in a classroom and understanding how one is run will give you a sense of what practicum will look like and what you will be doing. There are a few ways you can do so. Y-serve offers volunteer programs which you can find here or you could call the school you'd like to volunteer at directly. And a few of your classes may require you to volunteer in a school for the class so take advantage of that too! Being immersed in the school environment will help you feel more prepared and comfortable for when you'll spend much of your time in schools during practicum.
Make friends: Having friends in your classes makes a difference. This is especially important as you begin your practicum and become part of a cohort. As you get to know and feel more comfortable with your classmates, you’ll find it easier to ask questions, share ideas, collaborate, and support one another throughout your practicum experience.
Don't be afraid of messing up: It’s okay to make mistakes! In fact, they’re expected! Whether you've had some experience in schools or not this will be a new experience for you. Between creating lesson plans, giving instruction, and classroom management there's a lot to remember and you are not going to be perfect, no one is besides Jesus Christ. What's important is to learn from your mistakes and work on growth. And don't forget that you are not alone, everyone in your cohort is learning too!
Focus on Jesus Christ! Jesus Christ is the master teacher. Taking time to get to know him will help you become a better teacher. Consistently reading my scriptures and learning about him has helped me feel spiritually uplifted and concentrate on ways that I can support my students. There's strength that comes from Jesus Christ, in whatever way that you choose to make time for him.
It's okay if your lesson doesn't always go how you expect: It's great when your lesson matches closely to what you pictured in your head but that doesn't always happen. Especially when you are first learning how to teach and guide a group of kids on your own. All your students will come from different backgrounds and have unique interests, experiences, and personalities. As your students begin making friends and feeling more comfortable, you’ll start to see more of who they are as individuals. You’ll also learn that teaching requires flexibility. You may need to adjust your lesson or change your approach to fit the needs of all your students. Remember to stay focused on your learning objective and to create an environment where your students will feel valued, supported, and encouraged to learn.
Enjoy your time with the students: You will only have a semester to be in the classroom with your students so make the most of it. It's a rewarding experience and as you build relationships with your students, being present will become more meaningful. Have fun, get to know your students, find opportunties to grow as a teacher, and make the most of this moment!
Remember that you can do this! Practicum is an exciting learning experience meant to prepare you for your own classroom! To learn more about practicum and other McKay School experiences check out our other blogs!
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