Expectations
Hello teachers,
Welcome to seminar and your class blog. You have had a few days to get adjusted to your teacher, children and school. I'm sure you are starting to settle in to the routines and expectations. Hopefully you are still enjoying your placements as much as you were after the first day!
A few things for you to think about:
1. How is student teaching just what you expected?
2. How is student teaching NOT what you expected?
Also...
3. Any ideas for issues, etc. that you'd like us to cover in class? Remember, this is your class, so be sure to make suggestions to get the most from it!
See you later. Dr. Blouch
1. For the most part, student teaching has been what I expected it to be. So far I have been observing my co-op and learning the basic classroom routines. Once I am more familiar with the daily routine I will slowly move into teaching. I will start with small group work and move into whole class teaching. My co-op has been very helpful and nice and the other 4th grade teachers have been friendly as well. Like all of my classmates, I will eventually have a lot of lesson plans and preparing to do but I had a good idea of how much work student teaching was going to be before beginning.
ReplyDelete2. What I did not expect was that my co-op and two other 4th grade classrooms are participating in a trial run of a 3-way switch. This means that my co-op teaches reading to those three 4th grade classrooms while the other teachers teach math and science. I will be teaching the same reading lesson three times a day. When I first heard about this I was concerned because I want to be able to get experience teaching all subjects but my co-op told me that I can have the opportunity to teach a math and science lesson in the other classrooms if I would like. Another thing that I did not expect was the class work for senior seminar we have to complete outside of student teaching. I feel a little overwhelmed with everything.
3. I am not sure if this pertains to the question but there is a teacher work day next week and my co-op said that some of the teachers go out to eat for lunch and she invited me. I thought that we were taught not to go out socially with our co-ops but I can not remember exactly. What should I do?
Also, we made a portfolio brochure in Methods. Are we using the same one just updating it? Or are we creating a new one entirely?
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ReplyDelete1. Overall student teaching is what I expected. It is a much faster pace then methods, there is a lot more work to complete, and the expectations are a lot higher.
ReplyDelete2. Similar to Alex I am feeling incredibly overwhelmed by all of the items we have on top of student teaching, as teaching alone requires a lot of time and work outside of the classroom. I did not expect their to be so much to do for our course.
3. We have covered so many different areas throughout all of our Ed. courses at Etown. I think the most important thing is to just remain up-to-date on changes that are occurring in the US/PA Education System because this is what will effect us most after graduation.
Becky, I definitely agree with you on how much more fast pace student teaching is. However, it's nice to have more responsibility in the class. I am finally feeling like a real teacher. I also agree with feeling a little overwhelmed with all the work outside of student teaching. I'm already teaching lessons and doing a lot of busy work that I'm feeling pretty tired. I think it'll be a challenge to read as much as we have to, but we'll figure it out!
Delete1. Overall student teaching thus far has been what I expected. I expected it to be a lot of work and outside hours. I also expected the extra effort to be completely worth it. I understand that it will be a lot of work once I am full-time, but for now, I am just so eager to begin. My Co-op has a very relaxed style of teaching and running her classroom. I think her relaxed style will help me to try to not become overwhelmed by the workload.
ReplyDelete2. This morning I was surprised when my Co-op arrived with her two year old son. He had been kicked out of day care because he looked too sick. So the office called for an emergency substitute so that my teacher could take her son to the doctor. It was very unexpected as you can imagine. It was interesting to see the differences in teaching styles between my Co-op and the retired teacher who was our substitute. In terms of my schedule, I was pleasantly surprised to find out that our special period backs up to recess and lunch, leaving us with over an hour without students. My Co-op chooses to eat in the room so that she can get more planning in during the day. Personally, I think I will enjoy the extra time to plan and reflect with my Co-op. Finally, much like Becky and Alex, I was surprised with the amount of work for our course.
3. In class, I would like to go over how to set yourself apart during student teaching and the interview process. I would like to know more about what will make your more marketable and what really impresses the interviewers. I would also like to learn more about what resources we should be using on campus during our job searches.
I also had the opportunity to see the differences in teaching styles between my co-op and a substitute teacher who has been teaching for awhile. It was interesting to see how different the two styles were. It was also interesting to see how the students in my class acted when the substitute was there and when my co-op is there. Surprisingly to me, they really didn't act that much more differently for the substitutes. My co-op had to unexpectedly leave early on Thursday so it was helpful to see how she wrote her plans for the substitute based on what she had planned to do that day.
DeleteI also got to see the difference in between what the day looks like with my co-op and what the day looks like with a substitute. In my case, we had a substitute for the first few days while my co-op had meeting days, so I wasn't sure what the students' expectations were. When my co-op came back, I got to see what the expectations were and how it was a challenge for the students to get back in the swing of things.
DeleteI haven't had the opportunity yet to see how another teacher would handle the classroom, but I would love to be able to see that! However, watching my cooperating teacher so closely has allowed me to gain an appreciation and better understanding of different teaching styles. My cooperating teacher has a loud voice and is not afraid to use it. I appreciate that we have very different teaching styles and I am grateful that I have the opportunity to see someone who does teach very differently than myself. I am curious as to how this will play out and how the students will handle these two teaching styles.
Delete1. Just as I expected, student teaching feels like being in the real world. I don’t always feel like a college student. I have more responsibilities and things to take care of on a daily basis. It is no longer just going to class and doing classwork. My cooperating teacher has been a big help in making the adjustment to the teacher lifestyle.
ReplyDelete2. Student teaching involves much more than anyone would ever know. I feel slightly overwhelmed with the amount of things being asked of me. While I knew that I would have to write lesson plans and prepare materials for the classroom, I did not expect some of the assignments and tasks that were given for seminar and by my supervisor.
Another surprise was that my cooperating teacher does not teach science because they switch with another class. While it has not fully been discussed yet at this point, I do not know if I will actually get to teach any science lessons while I am there. However, I will be observing the class this week. Also, in regards to the class scheudle, I was surprised to find out there is no Social Studies. They try to integrate Social Studies objectives into reading but they do not always get the information that they should be getting.
3. In class I would like to spend some time discussing the job search process we are all about to begin. I would like to be as informed as possible when it comes time to put in applications. Any tips or bits of advice to help us along the way would be great!
Brittany, I completely agree with your shock on your teacher not teaching science. I am in the same boat. The dates have not been set, but we have discussed the possibility of me working with the other teacher to teach the subject areas I am missing. I still feel a little anxious about not being able to teach math and science lessons on a daily basis. Thankfully, both of our cooperating teachers have been helpful with easing us into the real world teaching lifestyle. I think it helps relieve the anxiousness.
DeleteThat is how I feel too Brittany. We are out of our "homes" early in the morning and do not come back until close to dinner time. It is a long day! I think it'll take some time for our bodies and minds to get used to the routine. I also agree with feeling overwhelmed with the added work senior seminar and our supervisor have for us. I think we should be able to put all of our time and focus on our placements but I guess this other work will be important for our development.
DeleteMy classroom also switches and I do not teach science or math. I will have the chance to teach and observe at least one class in these subjects but I wish I had the opportunity to teach all subjects every day. Hopefully this switching does not hinder our teaching experiences at all.
After the first week, I already feel like I have no time to do anything. I have attended two meetings so far, and they have both started at 8 and gone until 8:45 - right when the kids get to school. I am also glad that I was included in the grade level meetings because it was interesting to hear the teachers talking about how they feel about some of their lowest students. Some mornings are more busy than others. It just depends what day of the cycle it is. I noticed that the day flies by and I'm stuck with doing all my outside work and lesson planning at home. There's always something to do and I usually only remember everything if I write it on post-it notes. I need to get into the routine of starting to write lessons during my planning time at school.
DeleteEmily, I completely agree with you. Student teaching, even thus far, has been incredibly demanding. However, the things I am seeing and doing both in and out of my classroom are proving to be extremely valuable. I feel like everything I have learned is truly being put to the test. I am also beginning to feel much more comfortable being in front of and running a classroom.
Delete1. I expected that the days would feel long. I knew I would be tired and overwhelmed. I am till getting used to the daily routine, but I am enjoying every minute I get to spend with my students. My teacher has me involved as much as she can. I am learning a lot from my students and my teachers. I am excited to continue to teach to the best of my ability.
ReplyDelete2. I expected the unexpected when I walked into my first day of student teaching. I knew that teaching had many challenges along the way. I knew that there were going to be bumps along the way, but I knew that my cooperating teacher would be there to help me.
3. Like my classmates, I would like to learn more about the job search process. Another thing I would like to learn what advice and tips teachers from other areas would give us as first year teachers.
1. Student teaching is what I was expecting. I feel like I am less of college student and more of a professional. My cooperating teacher has helped me with the transition by getting me involved immediately. She is careful with explaining things to me and makes sure I know how the school and classroom operate.
ReplyDelete2. Student teaching has been everything I expected and hoped it would be. The things that I was the most surprised about were the demands of seminar. I did not realize that we would be expected to have readings on top of our daily teaching duties. The other surprise that I had involved the style of my classroom. I did not realize that my teacher only teaches the language arts and social studies subjects. I will be working with two separate classes and be given some opportunities to work with the math and science teacher.
3. One thing that I would really like to cover in class would be the job search process. I feel like it will be a very overwhelming process, so all the help we can receive would be great!
Kimmy, I am in a very similar situation. My cooperating teacher ONLY teaches reading, so she is going to try to get the other teachers in the 4th grade team to allow me to teach a couple of lessons in the other subjects as well. Good luck!
Delete1. Student teaching is just what I expected in that I knew how much work it was going to be. I also knew how day to day things change and that often times your plans need to adjust depending on what your class was able to get through on that specific day. Since I am only in my general education placement for eight weeks, I knew that I would quickly need to learn the routines of the classroom and be able to create a rapport with the students early on. I think that going into student teaching knowing this, I was better able to transition from going to classes all day to being the teacher myself.
ReplyDelete2. Student teaching is not what I expected in that I have to go to multiple meetings a day and have very little time to plan during my planning period. This is both a good thing and a bad thing in that I get to see what it is like to collaborate with other professionals, but on the other hand most of my work has to be taken home or I stay late. The other thing that I did not expect was for the other teachers in the building to treat me as a professional and include me in many of the important meetings. This has allowed me to see the other side to teaching and how to better serve my students. The other thing that I did not expect was how much I was going to have to do for both my supervisor and the seminar class.
3. I would like us to cover in class how to go through the job process, as it is a vast unknown right now. I think that it would also be helpful to hear from teachers in the profession now and how education is changing and what we should expect going into our first year of teaching.
Laura I completely agree about the time during the day! We have only been there a week and I have already attended multiple meetings. I am glad that we are able to be included in these types of collaborative experiences. However, it does cut into planning time quite a bit. I feel like I have little to no time to actually talk to cooperating teacher about things. Hopefully the meetings lighten up!
DeleteLaura,
DeleteI definitely agree with you about going over the job interview process in class. That is something that I also mentioned in my post. I am very curious to know what we should be doing at this point in the semester, regarding job hunting. I would also love to hear more from professionals in the field, as I feel that that would bring a great perspective to us.
1. So far, student teaching has been what I expected it would be. This first week, I did a lot of observing and note-taking, just like I thought would happen. I want to get a feel for the classroom environment before I take charge. I am starting to feel more like a teacher and I have already had the opportunity to use my "teacher voice" the other day. I also expected that my days would be very long, but at the same time, they would fly by. This is very true because one minute I feel like I'm just arriving at the school, and the next minute, I'm walking to my car at the end of the day. From what my roommates who student taught last semester told me, I expected to be standing up most of the day. This is also true. I only really sit down for lunch. I feel like if I sit down, I am not a part of the class. Standing up and walking around the room makes me feel more involved.
ReplyDelete2. Student teaching is also not what I expected. Along with Rachel, Becky, and Alex, I was not aware of all the work we have to do - both for senior sem and for my class. A lot was put on us in class Monday night in addition to having to write lesson plans and prepare things for our classrooms. It's a little overwhelming and I need to learn how to manage my time better. I also did not expect that my cooperating teacher would have me make a new seating arrangement for the kiddos right away. I didn't realize how difficult it would be to set up desks without even knowing the students. It was a good experience for me because I'll have to do that in my own classroom anyway.
3. Like Laura said, it would be neat to hear about the changing profession of education from teachers who have been through it all. It would also be cool to hear a current first-year teacher's view on educational issues and compare it to a teacher who has been in the profession for years and years. In addition, I have the same question as Alex about spending time with our cooperating teachers outside of school. We had an in service day yesterday, and my coop invited me to go out to lunch with her and the other kindergarten teachers. She and I just ended up getting take out from Subway and meeting the others back at the school.
1. How is student teaching just what you expected?
ReplyDeleteStudent teaching is just what I expected due to the time and effort commitments. Last semester I only had classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays, so going from that to being an active and engaged member of an early childhood classroom has definitely been a huge transition. Now that the first week is officially over, I've had time to reflect more about what I actually did expect from student teaching. My co-op is awesome. He is so inviting and welcoming to me which definitely helps this major transition. On my first day, he introduced me to literally every faculty member we passed in the hall. He has also gotten me so involved in the classroom. I've been helping with the morning routine, he made my last name a spelling word this week, I sent home a welcome letter to the parents and students in December, and I presented an about me presentation on my first day. This has made my first week such a great experience.
2. How is student teaching NOT what you expected?
I never expected I would be teaching a lesson during my first week. My co-op has never had a student teacher who was splitting their semester with a special education placement. I like taking on this role, but I never thought I would be doing it so quickly. On my fourth day of placement, I taught a science lesson, and I will be teaching the rest of the unit next week. I also did a read aloud and a Martin Luther King Jr. lesson today. This was a little overwhelming, but I received great feedback from my co-op on both lessons, which was really encouraging. I'm excited to see what next week will bring.
3. Any ideas for issues, etc. that you'd like us to cover in class? Remember, this is your class, so be sure to make suggestions to get the most from it!
I can't think of anything right now, but I know things will come up in placement that I'll want to cover. As for right now, I am just happy I survived week one, and get to enjoy a three day weekend on top of that. See you all on Monday :)
I also started teaching science this week and felt this same way at first! Over break my co-op emailed me and told me she wanted me to start on Wednesday. I was definitely overwhelmed about only observing two days. However, I think in the long run I will be glad my co-op encouraged me not to waste any time since I'm sure the remaining 7 weeks will fly by!
DeleteAgreed! It's nice that we are sort of ahead of the game because it will make it a smoother transition when we begin to take on more subjects. Good luck with the rest of your lessons Anna!
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ReplyDelete1. Student teaching is a lot what I expected. I know that it would be mentally, emotionally, and physically draining. Although it is only the first week, I am tired from all the hours I put in to work. I just think my body needs to adjust to the hours and the demands. But I am loving the students in my class, and am already comfortable with them. I really can relate to my coop, because we have some of the same teaching philosophies. She takes the time to make sure that I have everything I need and keeps me busy!
ReplyDelete2. Like the majority of the comments, I was not expecting all of this work from both my placement and seminar. Along with these two demands, I also have to think about applying for a job or grad school, fixing my resume, and just having time for myself.
3. Like a couple of people said above, I would like to know how to apply for jobs and what the requirements are for teachers to teach in other states.
Sara, I had never even thought about the requirements in other states. At our in-service yesterday, I was talking with the other teachers and they said because of what we are facing coming into the world of teaching it would be a good idea to consider moving. I think that it would be helpful to learn what we would have to do to get certified in other states surrounding PA to help us on our job search, especially if there are significant differences between the states.
DeleteHow is student teaching just what you expected?
ReplyDeleteI felt I knew what to expect with my student teaching experience after completing many different placements since freshman year. I was most looking forward to finally putting everything I have learned into practice and proving myself capable. My co-op has been very welcoming and encouraged me to jump right in. She has also been helpful in planning out the rest of my experience. I have a good idea of how my work will build, as far as what subjects I am teaching and when I will “takeover.” I was expecting the amount of work to be overwhelming so it helps to know what I will be expected to do in the future.
How is student teaching NOT what you expected?
After just one week of student teaching I have heard about and seen the additional stress that my co-op and her colleagues feel. I have found out about different responsibilities that my co-op has outside the classroom. It has been interesting to repeatedly be around the other professionals.
Any ideas for issues, etc. that you'd like us to cover in class?
I am sure several issues or topics will come up over the next few weeks that I may need advice about. However, right now as I look towards graduation I want to know what I should start doing to prepare. I know the job search process will be included in our class. I feel like right now I know very little so I want to make sure that our class covers all the basics.
Anna, I completely agree with what you said about your co-op's extra stress outside of the classroom. My co-op was telling me about how she was chosen to write curriculum over the summer. She said it was very time-consuming and tricky to plan around when you have six children at home for their summer break. What types of responsibilities does your co-op have outside of class?
DeleteI agree with both of you! I give my co-op so much credit for all of the extra time and effort she puts into working with the students. We've also discussed some aspects of her personal life, and I really don't know how she does so much on top of having 3 kids, a husband, and 2 dogs at home! I hope to be as good of a teacher as she is one day.
Delete1. So far student teaching is pretty much what I expected it to be like. I have been observing my co-op and how she does things in the classroom, like routines, rules, behavior management, among other things. I have also been getting to know the students as well as the other adults that are in our classroom throughout the day, as well as the adults that work in the school and other teachers as well. I have been helping with individual students and leading small groups for reading and math group work as well. Thankfully my co-op has been extremely helpful in explaining things and letting me kind of just jump right in to doing things in the classroom. So far my student teaching experience has been great!
ReplyDelete2. Like many others have mentioned, one thing I was not expecting was that we have so much other work to do for seminar and our supervisor on top of what we already have to do for our student teaching experience. Also, one of my students has a TSS everyday in the classroom and I was not expecting there to be issues with the relationship between the child and the TSS, However, it is very interesting and helpful to see how my co-op and the principal are going about things to try and fix the situation.
3. Like others have mentioned I would like to talk about applying for jobs and the interview process. I think it would also be helpful to talk about how to handle issues that may be occurring with a TSS or other adult in the classroom.
Holly, that relationship between the TSS and the child sounds very interesting. Although it's probably not appropriate to ask too much about their issues, I would be curious to know what the issues were and how it would get handled. There are probably a lot of different steps that have to be taken in order to fix the situation.
Delete1. I expected the days to be very busy and they have been so far. There is always something to do and something to prepare with very little time to plan things out or think things fully out. We're constantly on the go to the different groups and specials during the day. I also expected to see a lot of teacher collaboration with common core standards, curriculum needs, and student leveling; which I have seen almost everyday. For the first week, I've been able to assist students one-on-one or in small groups. Thankfully my teacher has let me jump right in to helping out in the classroom.
ReplyDelete2. I did not expect the students to move from teacher to teacher for different subjects. Our team is set up so that students move to different teachers for reading strategy groups, reading clinic, and math. This means there are different students in the classroom much of the day. I wasn't expecting to have so much interaction with as many students with different ability levels, but it's been really interesting and I think it's going to give me more experience than if I had the same 25 students all day.
3. Like many others, I would like to go over the job and interview process. I have many questions about the exact process of applying and the materials we need to have to do so.
1. Student teaching so far has already been very rewarding and it is only the first week. I expected to feel more accomplished and expected it to be worthwhile, compared to always sitting in class and discussing being in the classroom. It is great to wake up and go there every day. I also expected the long hours, demanding days, and continuous workload. I expected to feel more adult-like and distanced from everyone else on campus.
ReplyDelete2. The school district in which I have been placed is a very well off district and it is pretty strange to get used to that. I have never been in a school district which has no restriction on printing for teachers, has colored printing, very small classes, and little behavior problems. In addition, I also really appreciated my cooperating teacher bringing me into decision processes for the classroom so soon, and I really wasn’t expecting to feel so welcomed and become a part of instruction plans this quickly.
3. As other students have said, I would like to learn as much as possible about the job search and the best possible ways to make myself marketable. In addition, I would also like to hear about my fellow classmates’ experiences and the situations that they are confronted with, so we can gain knowledge from a variety of perspectives.
I have something similar with my school. I didn't expect for my school to be well off in terms of supplies and the children are also very well behaved. The staff at the school have also been very welcoming and it definitely helps with the process of becoming comfortable. The principal always checks in, and the teachers are very inviting. Seeing this environment and the success that the school has shows me that your relationships with your coworkers is also extremely important in creating a welcoming environment for the students.
Delete1. Student teaching is so far what I have expected in the sense of just getting to know my students and helping out my cooperating teacher when she needs it. I was also expecting to get lost throughout the rather large building, which has happened once or twice, luckily the building is built in squares so you can't stay lost very long. I also expected one of my classes to have significant behavior problems, because that is what my cooperating teacher warned me about when I went in before the break about. And this is true, in my first week of student teaching, seven of my students were in ISS for fighting at indoor recess.
ReplyDelete2. Some things that I was not expecting out of my student teaching experience include: My cooperating teacher having issues with her dog, causing her to leave early and be very distracted and that my cooperating teacher ONLY teaches reading,with the other two classes rotating into her room for instruction. Also I was not expecting to have Professional Development every single day, which is a thing in the elementary school that I am in.
3. Any ideas for issues, etc. that you'd like us to cover in class?
I cannot really think of anything that I would like to be included in class just yet but I am sure as the weeks go by, things will come up.
1) Student teaching is pretty much exactly what I expected it to be. Things are very quickly paced and I have already begun picking up various subject areas. I am very busy during the day and by the time I get back to school I am exhausted. I am certainly enjoying my experiences so far though. The expectations are very high, which was expected as well. The third graders are taking to me well and beginning to come to me with their questions or concerns throughout the day.
ReplyDelete2) I didn't expect that the students would move to different classrooms for various subjects. The way it is set up at my school is that the third graders are split up between teachers depending on what level they are at for their math skills, reading skills, etc. I feel like doing it that way can be a good thing because all students are on the same level and you can move at a quicker pace, but at the same time, having students of various levels in the same classroom could increase peer interactions. I would like to see what it would be like to have those students on a higher level paired together with students of a lower level and have them work together on a specific skill. I think both students would benefit from that. Also, I did not expect to have as much work in senior seminar as there seems to be. I feel very overwhelmed with all that is too come this semester between teaching obligations, as well as senior sem requirements.
3) In class, I would love to go over the interview process and what employers are really looking for. For example, how can you set yourself apart from other student teachers. I would also love to hear more from professionals who are already in the field.
I agree with you Liz. The switching of classes for certain subjects seems good, but I do agree that it is important for students to interact with peers from different levels. I knew that teaching would be exhausting and come with many obligations, but senior sem also came with more obligations than expected. Taking on multiple subjects so quickly seems overwhelming right now, but I know that it will get better and with time it will come with ease.
Delete1. Student teaching is exactly as I had imagined it would be. The days are long, and can be tiring but it is worth it. Although I have not done much in terms of teaching, I have seen how important it is to establish a relationship with the children and work with them as they learn. Displaying interest and getting to know them creates a relationship that shows the students you care and provides a safer environment. After finishing my first week, I can see how there is a lot of work and planning that needs to be done. On top of lesson plans, my cooperating teacher is involved in various outside activities, which take up a lot of her time.
ReplyDelete2. Some things that I have not expected while student teaching are that my class changes for different subjects. For instance, the different fourth grade teachers each have a specific subject that they teach and for that class time, each class rotates to the different subjects every day. Also, I was not expecting for my class to be as high in skill as they are. There are six gifted students in the class, which makes planning for certain activities a little more challenging.
3. As far as any issues or ideas that I have to discuss in class, as many people have written, I would like to discuss how our certification transfers to different states. It would also be interesting to explore the different curriculums and what the teachers do to teach them, as well as the technology that is used.
I agree Aly! The days are really long and exhausting. I also agree with establishing relationships with your students. That's a great way to get to know them. I would also like to know how our certification transfer to different states. I plan on moving back to Jersey after I graduate so learning the process of being able to teach in that state is really important to me.
DeleteI definitely want to know how we will be able to transfer our certifications back to New Jersey. I plan on living at home for the first couple years :)
Delete1) On the first day of student teaching I was extremely nervous. So many different thoughts were going through my head about how this experience was going to unfold. With that being said, my first day was a great experience. I knew coming into student teaching it was going to be a lot of work. My first five days of student teaching proved that to me right. I was exhausted by the end of the day. I also knew coming into student teaching that kindergarten was going to be a class that kept me on my toes. I couldn’t have been more right about that. These kids have so much energy throughout the day and it only takes looking away for one second for these students to get into something.
ReplyDelete2) I did not expect my first week of student teaching to be so eventful. Within the first week, I had experienced a fire drill, intruder drill, an assembly, a substitute teacher, and my teacher leaving various times to administer the Dibels. I am happy that all of this did happen within my first week because now if any were to happen again I will be prepared and know how to handle them. I did not expect my kindergartners to cry as much as they do. I know that these kids are 5 and 6 but it seems like on average 4 cry a day. It breaks my heart to see them cry.
3) For in class I would really like to discuss current educational issues. I know it doesn’t have to do with PA schools, but in New Jersey Governor Chris Christie is trying to extend the school day and the school year. Keeping up with current politics is important for our future career.
I agree that we need to keep up with the politics surrounding the education system! It is our responsibility to be involved with what is going on and stay up to date with the changes that are being made! Personally, I do not know enough about the laws in PA and I would like to know more!
Delete1. Student teaching, so far, has been what I expected. The first week I was observing, teaching centers, and I also had the opportunity to teach a science lesson. I am in an inner city school and the students are definitely a handful. They have such strong personalities, and can be difficult to manage at times. However, my coop is giving me the opportunity to revamp her whole system and bring in a new type of classroom management strategies which will be wonderful experience.
ReplyDelete2. I did not expect the students to have such personality and for me to be as busy. After the first week I was exhausted, but I am so thankful that my coop is putting me to work. I've been totally involved in all aspects and the school has made my experience so great already. I also did not expect how horrible some of the children's home lives to be. Some of the students have been confiding in me and I am still learning how to file reports and deal with some of the information. It definitely makes me more aware of how I treat the students and I am always trying to stay positive and be the best support system I can be.
3. I'd really like to talk about the interview process and classroom management strategies. I am excited to bounce ideas off of everyone.
1. Before going into student teaching, I expected to be nervous for the first day but hoped that would go away once I got into the swing of things. I also expected to be extremely tired at the end of the day. I knew that it was going to be an exhausting experience, especially at the very beginning! My co-op had informed me that the children were a bit hard to handle. When I met them in December they seemed like good kids, but they loved to talk! I expected for it to be hard to manage them at times, but I had no idea how hard that would prove to be! I am implementing a different behavior plan so hopefully that will deal with the talking!
ReplyDelete2. Like I said above, I did not fully grasp how hard it is to handle a group of students that love to talk to each other and out loud. I am definitely going to have to think of new engaging ways to get them to focus more. Also, after teaching a couple of lessons and running morning meeting, I am realizing that you have to be prepared for everything. Teaching is a career that requires you to constantly be on your toes and well prepared! The teaching staff is very friendly and open to me! I was expecting it to be a little harder to form relationships at first, but they really embraced me right away!
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3. I would definitely like to discuss classroom management techniques and thoughts on addressing the constant talkers. Also, I would like to discuss things that you need to report and things that do not need to be reported. How do you know?!
1. How is student teaching just what you expected?
ReplyDeleteBefore beginning student teaching, I was extremely nervous. I honestly didn't really know what to expect since every single placement I have had has been unique in its own way. Once I got into the classroom, it was actually much less nerve-wracking than I was expecting. My co-op eased me into things the first week, which I was so grateful for. She allowed me to do things, but didn't expect me to do everything right away. I didn't expect to meet so many great people in just 5 short days, but I am so glad that I have. My co-op has kindly introduced me to so many other teachers and staff members in the building, and they have all made me feel so welcome. I believe that having a positive learning environment is crucial for success, and I love that this school possesses that.
2. How is student teaching NOT what you expected?
It is definitely much more exhausting than I ever thought. I obviously knew that it was going to be tiring, but waking up at 6 and not getting home until 4:45 takes a lot of you. The first week was also very busy. Between meetings, testing, and having visitors come in, a lot happened. Having the opportunity to just take all of this in is awesome. I like getting to see all of the behind the scenes aspects of teaching. I'm realizing how incredibly important it is to have good classroom management, too. There are 22 students in the classroom, and some can get pretty rowdy at times. Without good classroom management skills, the class would absolutely have the potential to get out of control. I've learned so much in such a short amount of time, and I look forward to the next 7 weeks!
3. Any ideas for issues, etc. that you'd like us to cover in class? Remember, this is your class, so be sure to make suggestions to get the most from it!
As others have said as well, I would love to cover current events. I feel as though it is important for us as future educators to know what's going on in the field of education. I would also like to discuss the application process in much more detail. I don't know how all of that works, and the real world is rapidly approaching!