They say experience is the best teacher; perhaps that is why despite all the lectures and textbooks nothing has been as influential in my education journey as my practicum. It was like I saw all the theory we had been taught come to life, and my belief in myself as an educator was cemented. This is not to say that my practicum ran smoothly, quite the opposite. I got a crash course in why classroom presence and consistency are key components of teaching, and how getting through a lesson something that is mandatory. I was fortunate enough to spend my practicum in two class, and this time was split into a week and a half in each classroom. Upon entering the second classroom, I noted my lessons ran smoother and the students were more focused. This was not because the students were “better” children, but because from the start I had confidence in my ability, something that was not true for the first class. It was in this first class that the teacher also gave me permission to stop a lesson if I needed to. She told me that when students are not engaged it is alright to stop the lesson and instead discuss what is going on in the class. If you push through the lesson, they will not learn anything, but if you stop and have a discussion about what is happening or do an impromptu lesson on emotional regulation you will improve your relationship with them and they will have still gotten something out of the class. My other coaching teacher reiterated this. I need to take advantage of the teachable moments, even if they do not line up with what I had planned. Despite how this may make my practicum experience sound, I did truly like it. I was excited about every day I got to spend with the students, and enthusiastic about learning with them. This experience showed me that I have much to learn about being an educator, but it also made it clear that it is what I want to do. I am excited for my future practicum and classrooms, because of the challenges that will bring and the learning opportunities I will gain.