Taylor University Department of Education
STUDENT TEACHING PROGRAM
Reflective Journal Prompts and Questions
Instructions
Ø Student Teachers are required to write two (2) journal entries each week, beginning the first week.
o Entry #1 should address two of the questions below.
o Entry #2 can be a free write - share significant student teaching achievements, situations, personal reflections.
Ø Discuss how you will submit the journal entries to your university supervisor each week (i.e., email).
Ø As time allows, address these questions at least once in each student teaching placement.
The Learner and Learning
· What ways have I adapted the curriculum to meet the multiple learning styles represented in my classroom?
· How have I established a warm and caring relationship with my students? How has this relationship impacted my instruction? Provide a specific example.
· How have I adjusted my classroom to accommodate students with special education needs?
· Finish this sentence, “I have really been surprised that students…” Explain.
· How do I communicate high expectations for student achievement?
· How have I encouraged diversity of thought and perspective in my classroom? How has this impacted learning?
· What concerns do I have related to classroom management?
· What classroom management procedures have been effective?
· What strategy has been effective in providing discipline and redirection for students? Give an example.
Content Knowledge
· What have I done to fully grasp classroom content knowledge AND provide learning opportunities that allow the content to be accessible to my students? Give an example.
· What higher-order thinking questions do I use? How has this become regular classroom practice?
Instructional Practice
· What evidences do I have that my students learned today?
· Describe examples of formative assessment used in your classroom. How have these informed your instruction?
· Which InTASC Principles were addressed in my teaching and work today? Explained.
· How were the Indiana Academic Standards addressed today in my classroom (beyond written on lesson plans)?
· How has the Taylor Lesson Plan helped me plan effectively?
· What teaching strategy was effective today? How do I know the strategy was effective?
· To give my students the best chance to learn, what have I had to do? Give an example.
Professional Responsibility
· What has been the greatest challenge for me in this placement? How have I addressed this challenge?
· How have the experiences in this placement shaped my view of myself as a professional educator?
· How has this placement shaped my perspective of the teaching profession?
· How did I interact with parents today? What can I do to increase my interactions with parents?
Personal Responsibility
· How did I impact others spiritually today?
· Describe your professional–personal life balance. What changes are needed? What is your plan?
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