Thoughts on Student Teaching

Although I’m sure I speak for most of my class when I say this, I simply can’t believe that I am in my final semester of college. Three and a half years ago, I arrived on campus full of excitement and anxiety, prepared to take on college as a biology student. It wasn’t until later that year that I figured out that teaching was my true calling. Fast forward three years and three semesters of placements and CI courses later, I find myself on the eve of my first week of full-takeover (yes, I probably should be sleeping right now).

Had you told me at the beginning of my senior year that I would be going into my student teaching experience as calm and (somewhat) confident as I am, I wouldn’t have believed you. In fact, student teaching and having to run a classroom on my own has been a big source o anxiety for me for a long time. Lucky for me, I get to stay in the same placement I was in last semester for my student teaching. This is mostly because I am studying abroad in Verona for the later half of the semester, thus making it necessary for me to do my full takeover a littler earlier. It also worked out because this placement turned out to be the perfect match for me. I love the school environment and the classroom culture. My cooperating teacher and I are quite compatible, and she has helped me to grow not only as an educator, but as a person, over the past several months that I have worked with her. I’ve slowly taken over more and more in the classroom, and have basically been in full-takeover since the new year started. I have been planning units and leading lit groups. We’ve worked on how to set goals and how to multiply multi-digit numbers using the standard algorithm. I have experienced “good” days and “bad” days. And I know how physically and emotionally draining just 7 hours can be, when you have 24 different students fighting for your attention at all times.

A goal I have for myself during my takeover time is to be firm when it comes to classroom management. Consistency and the enforcement of logical consequences are two things that I still need to improve on. I need my students to truly see me as an authority figure in the room and let them know I mean business. Another goal is to be organized and well-rested so that I am always prepared to face the everyday obstacles and surprises. With that note, and with my intentions set for my week to come, I am signing off to go to bed.

Wish me luck!!

Miss S