More Than Watching: Lessons from My First Observation

This week, I filmed my first student teaching observation. Nervous. Excited. Stressed. What if it didn't go well? What if the students misbehaved? What if I did a terrible job?
I vividly remember all of these emotions and thoughts. I spent the previous evening meticulously putting the finishing touches on my lesson, asking myself, "What if I add this?" or "Would this activity be appropriate?" I went over every slide and checked for spelling errors—I wanted everything to be perfect.
The truth is, nothing is ever perfect. There will always be that one student who didn't get enough sleep the night before or a student who is having a bad day. These are the variables that aren't emphasized in pedagogical coursework—the inconvenient truth that our students are human and flawed, just like the rest of us.
So what did I learn through my initial observation process? First, I learned the importance of self-efficacy. I have an amazing support group, including my mentor teacher, program mentor, clinical supervisor, and other teachers I work with daily. The guidance and encouragement these individuals have provided have been invaluable. Continuous actionable feedback has given me the confidence to step in front of my English 11 classes day in and day out. It has helped me find the courage to try new strategies and realize that not every teaching strategy I try will work the first time. This has given me the understanding and confidence to succeed in this profession — even when things don't always work out as planned.
Second, I learned that continuous improvement and reflective practice are the keys to success as an educational practitioner. After I submitted my video, I was anxious to see my clinical supervisor's comments. The good news—I passed my initial observation with three "Effective" and seven "Developing" marks. Success! Huge relief! This is where the real work begins. I've spent the last several days analyzing the feedback and looking for ways to improve my teaching strategies. A couple of areas I decided to focus on are student engagement and increasing opportunities for physical and cognitive engagement. What does this look like in my classroom? It means moving away from long stretches of direct instruction and creating more opportunities for students to think, discuss, and respond actively. For example, I've started incorporating turn-and-talk activities, reciprocal teaching, and assigning a specific purpose to reading to transform passive learning into active thinking. These strategies encourage student involvement and deepen their understanding of the material.
My favorite part of this journey has been the continuous opportunities I've had to learn and try new things. I'm excited for my next observation and the opportunity to keep refining my practice, taking risks, and growing into the educator I aspire to be.