March 4, 2007
Student teaching update.
As per Meg’s request, an update as to how my first week of student teaching went.
Besides being in a grade 5 class that is actually legendary in the school for their bad behavior, and having a nasty cold all week, I’ve enjoyed myself. I really feel at home in a school, and nothing has made me think that I am on a totally wrong career path. I have taught three lessons so far, and will teach three more next week. The feedback I have received from my cooperating teacher is mostly positive, the one thing I need to work on is how I try to project my message over the noise of the students. It is one thing we were warned about in orientation for student teaching. Speak at a normal level, and students have to keep their noise level down to hear you, and you save yourself a sore throat. My one lesson I just kept getting louder. It is hard not to, I was without even realizing it. Hopefully I will do better next lesson!
The students seem to have warmed up to my partner and I. They feel more free to act like themselves around us, which I think is a good thing. My philosophy of education is that the teacher is more a facilitator of learning than a bearer of all knowledge, so it is important to me that my future students and I connect on a basic, personal level and aren’t stuck in some sort of power struggle.
So yes, student teaching is good! I have to be honest though, I think I prefer a little bit older or younger grades for teaching. I really enjoyed working in a grade 7 class last semester, which actually came as a surprise to me! I went into a grade 1 class for a Care Partner activity the grade 5’s did with them, and as soon as I walked in I felt right at home, and connected right away with the students there. Oh well, though, this is only for two weeks, I’m curious to see what grade I will get for my four month internship this fall. Honestly though, I wouldn’t be able to teach if I didn’t think I could teach all grades from K-12. I think I can, I just have my preferences like anyone would.
March 4th, 2007 at 11:28 am
That’s awesome you had a good week! It’s better that you have an “unruly” class than a good class in your practicum because you’ll have that much more experience in dealing with bratty kids and the support/advice of your coop. Have fun in your second week!