Student Teaching Internship
Walnut Creek Middle School
Walled Lake Consolidated School District
7th Grade World History and World Geography
7601 Walnut Lake Road
West Bloomfield Township, MI 48323
School Phone - (248) 956-2400
Walnut Creek Middle School Website
Walled Lake Consolidated School District Website
Mentor Teacher - David Schade
Michigan State University Field Instructor - Jill Price-Winters
My student teaching internship placement was at Walnut Creek Middle in the Walled Lake Consolidated School District. This placement was one school year in length (August-April). During the first half of the year, I completed guided lead teaching of 7th grade world history. I lead taught 7th grade geography for the entirety of the third marking period.
In world history, my students discovered history from the beginning of man to the fall of the Roman Empire. The semester began with an introduction to history, including the purpose of recording and studying history and ways in which we investigate and learn about history. From there, we examined the history of early humans and the spread of humans across the world, incorporating the reasons for hunting and gathering. Next, we explored the neolithic revolution and the beginning of human settlement and civilizations. This transitioned us into the development of the river civilizations of Mesopotamia, Egypt, the Indus River, and China. While learning about these early civilizations, students compared and contrasted the many different aspects of their cultures, governments, and geography. The development and rise of early empires around the world came next. We placed a large focus on the growth of Ancient Greece and the rise of the Greek Empire. Following that came the Roman Empire, including the time from its rise to its fall.
In world geography, my students learned about the geography of Africa. During this marking period, I was the lead teacher in the classroom. I developed lessons, activities, projects, and assessments for this unit. The marking period unit covered the geography of Africa, including the physical and cultural aspects. The semester began with the review of the five themes of geography and practice of map, chart, and diagram reading. This helped to preface the semester with basic information that would allow students to utilize these important geographic tools to their fullest during their future lessons. Our study of Africa began with the physical geography. From there, we learned about the many different cultures of the continent as we study region by region. Finally, we studied the cultural geography of Africa as a whole, because many aspects, such as European colonization, relate to all areas of the continent. In the end, students should understand the vast differences of Africa's physical and cultural geography and how they are so closely related to one another.
Over the course of the school year, I taught around 135 students, in four sections. These classes have not changed since the first day of school. Even though we shifted from world history to world geography, the classes remained the same. Having the students for a whole school year has truly given me the chance to develop close relationships with them. As we got to know one another better, I was able to adapt the curriculum to meet their individual learning needs, and student performance improved greatly.
Throughout the year, I have seen myself grow and I owe a lot of that growth to the people I have been working with this year. I have gained valuable experience and information from my mentor teacher, university field instructor, school staff and administration, and fellow student teachers. Team work plays a big role at Walnut Creek and I have experienced how truly beneficial it can be for our students.
Overall, the ability to student teach for one school year, as opposed to a single semester, has provided me an opportunity to learn and to grow greatly as a social studies educator. I look forward to carrying the pedological skills and methods I have learned and practiced, into my career. In addition I plan to build upon these skills and methods to become an even better teacher, as I constantly look for growth within myself and my students.
West Bloomfield Township, MI 48323
School Phone - (248) 956-2400
Walnut Creek Middle School Website
Walled Lake Consolidated School District Website
Mentor Teacher - David Schade
Michigan State University Field Instructor - Jill Price-Winters
My student teaching internship placement was at Walnut Creek Middle in the Walled Lake Consolidated School District. This placement was one school year in length (August-April). During the first half of the year, I completed guided lead teaching of 7th grade world history. I lead taught 7th grade geography for the entirety of the third marking period.
In world history, my students discovered history from the beginning of man to the fall of the Roman Empire. The semester began with an introduction to history, including the purpose of recording and studying history and ways in which we investigate and learn about history. From there, we examined the history of early humans and the spread of humans across the world, incorporating the reasons for hunting and gathering. Next, we explored the neolithic revolution and the beginning of human settlement and civilizations. This transitioned us into the development of the river civilizations of Mesopotamia, Egypt, the Indus River, and China. While learning about these early civilizations, students compared and contrasted the many different aspects of their cultures, governments, and geography. The development and rise of early empires around the world came next. We placed a large focus on the growth of Ancient Greece and the rise of the Greek Empire. Following that came the Roman Empire, including the time from its rise to its fall.
In world geography, my students learned about the geography of Africa. During this marking period, I was the lead teacher in the classroom. I developed lessons, activities, projects, and assessments for this unit. The marking period unit covered the geography of Africa, including the physical and cultural aspects. The semester began with the review of the five themes of geography and practice of map, chart, and diagram reading. This helped to preface the semester with basic information that would allow students to utilize these important geographic tools to their fullest during their future lessons. Our study of Africa began with the physical geography. From there, we learned about the many different cultures of the continent as we study region by region. Finally, we studied the cultural geography of Africa as a whole, because many aspects, such as European colonization, relate to all areas of the continent. In the end, students should understand the vast differences of Africa's physical and cultural geography and how they are so closely related to one another.
Over the course of the school year, I taught around 135 students, in four sections. These classes have not changed since the first day of school. Even though we shifted from world history to world geography, the classes remained the same. Having the students for a whole school year has truly given me the chance to develop close relationships with them. As we got to know one another better, I was able to adapt the curriculum to meet their individual learning needs, and student performance improved greatly.
Throughout the year, I have seen myself grow and I owe a lot of that growth to the people I have been working with this year. I have gained valuable experience and information from my mentor teacher, university field instructor, school staff and administration, and fellow student teachers. Team work plays a big role at Walnut Creek and I have experienced how truly beneficial it can be for our students.
Overall, the ability to student teach for one school year, as opposed to a single semester, has provided me an opportunity to learn and to grow greatly as a social studies educator. I look forward to carrying the pedological skills and methods I have learned and practiced, into my career. In addition I plan to build upon these skills and methods to become an even better teacher, as I constantly look for growth within myself and my students.