Seminar - Consulations & Interviewing

This last week at my practicum site was very busy. Aside from having Challenge Day earlier, the week was filled with consultation with teachers. I talked with three separate teachers about ways they could change their current practices to accommodate students. When I do a classroom observation on a student, I typically look for three main things. I look at the student, instruction, and curriculum. I also always start out my conversations that way. I think that teachers are more receptive to what you have to say if you're letting them know that there are factors other than the student that contribute to student learning.

From all three of the teachers, I was presented with some resistance about changing something. They all felt they had tried everything and that students simply are not motivated. Fortunately, research has shown us that students can be motivated learners. I posed a few alternative suggestions which will be tried during this week. I'm hoping that there will be some difference, but if not then I will have to go back to the drawing board. Unfortunately, high school students are very difficult to change this late in their development. Either way, we haven't exhausted all of our options.

I've found it somewhat difficult to consult with teachers due to my lack of experience in their field. I know a lot about how things should theoretically work, but little about how they actually play themselves out. And as an advocate for students, to say that there is an instructional element to a student's success places an uneasiness between myself and the teachers. Not that there was any, but just that I almost feel like there should be.

Aside from consultation, I was engaged with my internship interviews. There were two and I am now waiting to hear back. I thought I presented myself better at the second interview than the first because I was talking with someone who did not know me. The first interview was with my supervisor and another school psychologist who works part-time at the high school so it was difficult to "sell myself." The second interview went a lot better because I could talk about my experiences more.