INTERNSHIP PRACTICUM REFLECTIVE JOURNAL WEEK 6
ERDISTON TEACHERS’ TRAINING COLLEGE
POSTGRADUATE DIPLOMA IN EDUCATIONAL
LEADERSHIP
DEL 108- ADMINISTRATORS’ CLINICAL
INTERNSHIP
REFLECTIONS WEEK 6
Over the past two years, my
understudy and I have managed an incentive program that recognizes students’
achievements by presenting awards and gifts at the end of each term. This term,
I decided to involve form teachers more actively in the process. With my
understudy on extended leave, a third-year teacher stepped in to design awards
for various categories. During our planning week, form teachers who
participated suggested recognizing areas such as helpfulness, positive
influence and leadership, deportment, punctuality and attendance, and most
improved in academics and extracurricular activities.
Form teachers were tasked with
selecting students for each category and signing the awards. I continued to
oversee areas such as first, second, and third place overall for the previous
term, as well as recognizing students who achieved 60% or higher overall. To
streamline the process, I created a Google Docs sheet for form teachers to
input their selections and sent periodic reminders to ensure timely
submissions.
This term, we also agreed that
some awards would be presented during form prayers by the teachers themselves,
rather than in a large group setting. This approach not only lightens the
management workload but also strengthens the connection between teachers and
students. Presenting awards in a smaller, more personal setting adds an
intimate and meaningful touch, making the recognition more impactful for
students.
This week, I attended a
Professional Development workshop on the use of manipulatives, which was both
refreshing and enlightening. The workshop reinforced the importance of
recognizing the diverse abilities and learning styles of our students. It
emphasized the need to adapt teaching and assessment practices to cater to
these differences meaningfully.
This workshop reminds me of Howard Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences. Gardner challenges the traditional
view that intelligence can be objectively measured and compared using a single
scale, such as an IQ test. He argues that intelligence is multi-faceted and
includes areas such as linguistic intelligence, musical intelligence,
mathematical and scientific intelligence, among others. Traditional IQ tests
primarily focus on linguistic and mathematical intelligence, often neglecting
the broader spectrum of human potential.
Our students possess a range of
intelligences that educators must recognize, nurture, and develop. The workshop
highlighted the value of using diverse manipulatives in daily teaching to make
lessons more engaging and accessible for students with varied learning
preferences. Gardner’s concept of “pluralization” in teaching challenges us to
deliver the same topic in different ways to appeal to the diverse learning
styles present in our classrooms, (Gardner, 2016).
One area I would like to explore
further is effectively assessing students’ intelligences. Gardner suggests that
educators can gain valuable insights by keenly observing how students respond
to different learning environments and manipulatives, (Gardner, 2016). Helping
students discover their strengths and identities as learners can reduce some of
the struggles, they face in achieving success. Gardner referred to this struggle
as the “grit” in striving toward success (Gardner, 2015).
This approach calls for educators
to appreciate and respect all students, ensuring they feel valued, included,
and celebrated for their unique abilities. Moving forward, I believe our
incentive program should evolve to recognize a broader spectrum of strengths,
talents, and abilities that may not currently be highlighted by the curriculum.
By fostering an inclusive environment that celebrates diverse achievements, we
can empower all students to see their potential, feel appreciated, and thrive diverse
ways.
(2016, July 19). Howard Gardner Discusses Multiple Intelligences -
Blackboard BbWorld 2016 HD [Video].
Https://www.Multipleintelligencesoasis.org/.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8N2pnYne0ZA&t=2315s
[Howard Gardner | TEDxBeaconStreet]. (2015, December 10). Beyond Wit and Grit: Rethinking the Keys to Success [Video]. TEDx Talks. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IfzrN2yMBaQ
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