When Classrooms Teach You Too: Reflections from Week 2

Weekly Reflection 

Week 2 (21 July – 26 July 2025)

Day 1 – Monday (21/07/2025)

The day began with heavy rain, and as a result, the special assembly planned for International Lunar Day had to be cancelled. We reached the school by 9:15 AM and signed the attendance register. This day also marked the arrival of TTC students for their teaching practice, and we warmly interacted and shared our space with them, which added a refreshing dynamic to our experience. I had my scheduled class in the first period with 9B (English medium), starting at 9:45 AM. Compared to the previous week, I was able to manage the class more efficiently. I had learned many students' names by then, and I noticed how calling them by name helped reduce distractions and increased engagement. I made better use of my teaching aids and classroom strategies. For the noon meal service and road crossing duties, we were supported by the TTC trainees, which created a nice sense of teamwork.

Day 2 – Tuesday, 22 July 2025

Today was a public holiday declared as a mark of respect following the demise of veteran Communist leader and former Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan. The school remained closed, giving us a moment to reflect on his legacy and contributions.

Day 3 – Wednesday (23/07/2025)

We arrived at school as usual. As per the timetable, I had a class in 8A. I was pleasantly surprised to realize that I had already learned all the students' names in that class. While the students were generally attentive, there were moments of distraction. I managed to bring their focus back using interactive strategies and audio-visual aids, which helped maintain their interest. I also received a substitution period in 9B. These repeated engagements are helping me understand individual student behaviors and classroom dynamics better, allowing me to adapt my teaching style accordingly.

Day 4 – Thursday (24/07/2025)

Today was Karkkidaka Vavu, a day of spiritual observance in Kerala, and hence the school remained closed. It was a day of rest, reflection, and mental preparation for the busy days ahead. Even on holidays, I found myself thinking about lesson plans and how to fine-tune my methods.

Day 5 – Friday (25/07/2025)

The school day started as usual. According to the timetable, I had two continuous periods—first in 9B (English medium) and then in 8A (Malayalam medium). Handling back-to-back classes in different mediums was challenging but manageable. Despite having a sore throat, I delivered both classes and maintained energy throughout.  Later, along with fellow teachers, we conducted a Lunar Day Quiz, which turned out to be fun and educational. During the last period, we visited 8B to collect data for our practicum work. The day was tiring but fulfilling, especially as I saw myself handling multiple responsibilities more efficiently.

Day 6 – Saturday (26/07/2025)

Although it's a Saturday, the school followed a Thursday timetable to compensate for the holiday. Only UP and HS sections had class today, so the campus felt unusually quiet, especially since LP students were absent. I didn’t have any scheduled classes today. Sitting in the usually vibrant LP section felt calm and nostalgic without the usual lively noise of young learners

Week 2 of my teaching practice was a blend of growth and adaptability, where I improved classroom management, built better rapport with students by learning their names, and effectively used teaching aids, despite facing challenges like unexpected holidays and throat discomfort. Collaborative experiences with TTC trainees and participation in events like the Lunar Day quiz added to the richness of the week.

Learning to Teach, Teaching to Learn: My First Week of Teaching Practice

Weekly Reflection 

Week 1 (14 July – 18 July 2025)

   Our 40-days teaching practice began this week as part of our Semester 3 B.Ed. program. We selected Government High School, Thalachira for our internship. My peer group includes Keerthy Molly Jacob from the Mathematics department and David C Alex from my own department, Natural Science. 

 This was the first step in our teaching journey, and I was both excited and curious. Our mentor teacher, Smitha Teacher, gave us a warm welcome, making us feel comfortable and supported in this new environment.

G. H. S. Thalachira

Day 1 (14/07/2025)

Day 1 (14/07/2025, Monday) marked the official start of our practice. We arrived at 9:15 AM and met with the Headmaster to submit our attendance register. Since the Sanskrit teacher was absent, we were asked to sit in the Sanskrit classroom. The day started with a well-organized morning assembly by the seventh standard students, including a prayer song, pledge, news reading, proverb, thought of the day, and a quiz segment for LP, UP, and HS students, with prizes for the winners. A special highlight was the recognition of students who excelled in Arabic at the district level. I was assigned two classes: 9B (English medium) and 8A (Malayalam medium). Although I had hoped for both classes to be in English medium, I decided to take it as a challenge. During the first period, I took my first class with 9B. It was a valuable experience, though I faced some initial difficulties such as lack of number of activity cards, grouping challenges, classroom management, and limited use of the blackboard. We also helped serve the midday meal, giving us an opportunity to interact more closely with the students.  I had a substitution period in 9B. Rest of the day we explored the school’s infrastructure. We signed out at 4:20 PM, reflecting on a meaningful and insightful beginning.

Day 2 (15/07/2025)

Day 2 was quieter as I didn’t have any classes scheduled, but I received a substitution period in 8A, which was my first class in the Malayalam medium. I was slightly nervous, but the session went well. I gave activities, and the students were highly interactive. We also helped serve the midday meal and had the additional responsibility of assisting students in crossing the road after class. Later that day, the Vice Principal met with us and encouraged us to contribute creatively to the upcoming International Lunar Day .

Day 3 (16/07/2025)

Day 3 started as usual, and I had a class in 8A during the fifth period. I felt more confident compared to the previous day. I also got a substitution period in 9B during the fourth period, where I started developing a closer rapport with the students.

Day 4 (17/07/2025)

Day 4 turned out to be a busy one, even though I didn’t have any scheduled classes. I got three substitution periods—one in 8A and two in 9B. In one of the 9B periods, I conducted a sociometry activity to understand the students' group dynamics. They participated with great enthusiasm. I narrated a story that connected with their daily school life, which sparked a lot of curiosity and questions.

                       Day 5 (18/07/2025)

The day began with some mixed feelings. According to the timetable, I was scheduled to take two classes - the first period in 9B and the second in 8A. Unfortunately, due to the educational strike organized by ABVP and KSU in response to the tragic death of a student, regular classroom activities were disrupted, and I missed both sessions. I felt disappointed, as I had prepared for these classes and was looking forward to connecting more deeply with the students. Despite the cancellation of academic periods, we were asked to remain in school. Rather than seeing it as lost time, our team turned the situation into a productive opportunity. Determined not to waste the day, our team was decided to create an album on moon expeditions and divided the tasks among the three of us. We shared the idea with the Headmaster, who appreciated our initiative.

This first week of teaching practice was a mix of learning, adapting, and reflecting. Each day presented new challenges and opportunities, and I feel more prepared and motivated for the coming weeks.