What is the First Week of Practicum like for Elementary Education?
- Student Ambassadors
- 2 hours ago
- 3 min read
Rachel O'Malley
McKay Student Ambassador
Elementary Education
Going into my first week of practicum was a little nerve-wracking, but it ended up being the most amazing experience and made me even more excited to become a teacher! I was assigned to a first-grade class at Westridge Elementary. Before this experience, I wasn’t sure what grade I wanted to teach, but now I know I want to be a first-grade teacher! I loved the students because they were hardworking, sweet, and always made me laugh. My mentor teacher, Mrs. Frame, was incredible and gave me so many opportunities to practice teaching lessons. She also provided wonderful feedback and creative ideas that I can’t wait to incorporate into my own classroom.
When I arrived at the school at 8:10 a.m. on Monday, I was introduced to Megan Clark, the instructional coach, who gave the other practicum students and me a tour of the school, showed us the classroom and school policies, and made us feel right at home. My favorite part of the teachers’ lounge was the massage chair, which I definitely tried out a few times. I created an introduction slideshow to share with the 20 students in my class, and they were very excited to meet me. I even included a slide with a picture showing me in first grade and me now, which the students thought was awesome.
On the first day, I observed Mrs. Frame teach lessons, took notes, and walked around helping students during work time. I played shadow tag with a group of first graders at recess and began building meaningful relationships with the students. My mentor teacher and I also planned out which lessons I would teach that week and how I could fulfill my class assignments.
I am currently enrolled in ECE 334 (Introduction to Early Childhood Education), EL ED 299R (Management & Practicum 1), EL ED 333 (Teaching Literacy in Grades K–2), EL ED 445 (Teaching Social Studies in K–6), EL ED 310 (Planning & Assessment 1), and EL ED 435 (Teaching Writing in Grades K–6). During my practicum, my responsibilities included teaching a lesson each day, observing and reflecting on whether social studies instruction was implemented in the classroom, interviewing my mentor teacher about her writing instruction practices, administering a student oral reading assessment and phonemic awareness assessments, and video recording myself teaching, followed by writing a reflection. Additionally, I documented daily notes reflecting on how I demonstrated a variety of teaching skills. My coursework and classes from the past four weeks thoroughly prepared me for these assignments and helped me feel confident in my teaching. It was also incredibly helpful to have no additional homework or assignments due during the two weeks of practicum, allowing me to focus fully on my classroom experience and relax when I went home each day at 3:30.
Throughout my first week in the classroom, I taught the vocabulary words each day in a mini lesson to the whole class, worked with small groups during differentiated learning time for reading practice, graded assignments, helped students complete assignments one-on-one, and read stories aloud animatedly. I also got to watch how my mentor teacher handled all kinds of situations and learn how she ran her classroom smoothly. These experiences helped me build confidence in managing daily classroom responsibilities and strengthened my ability to support students through both whole-group and small-group instruction. They also gave me valuable practice in assessment, planning, and engaging students and targeted vocabulary instruction.
I attended two Professional Learning Community meetings with all of the first-grade teachers and also a staff meeting. It was interesting seeing behind the scenes of an Elementary School and learn from the awesome staff.
Overall, my first week of practicum confirmed that teaching is exactly where I am meant to be. From building relationships with students to planning and teaching lessons, every experience helped me grow in confidence and skill. I left each day feeling fulfilled, motivated, and even more certain that I want to be a first-grade teacher. I also felt myself grow closer to my Savior as I learned to love and serve these students as Christ would. This practicum not only strengthened my abilities but also deepened my love for education and excitement for having a classroom of my own one day.
Schedule an appointment with a student ambassador here to learn more about the Elementary Education major and practicum.
