Student Teaching - Day 65

Well, now that it's done and over, I have to say, it was worth all the sweat, tears, sleepless nights, anxious mornings and semesters of planning.  I really had a blast (even though that last sentence makes it seem really painful--but it mostly applies to the semesters leading UP to my Student Teaching.)

Today, Mrs. Josie surprised me with a book of notes from my students.

Book Cover

Honestly, I shed a few tears (some of laughter!) but all the notes were very sincere and sweet.  I'm going to miss everyone!  Here's a few of my faves just for kicks and giggles:

From a student who claimed to hate computers.

From his friend who loved computers and was VERY good at them.

From all the TA's

From a sweet girl obsessed with Cody, obviously.

From a student who had a traumatic experience at the begging of the semester.
She is seriously the braves girl in that whole school.
(Also very classy, sweet and smart.... and talkative.)

From an awesome TA who worked with me for two class periods.

From my students, some with disabilities, all of whom worked VERY hard to succeed in class!

From the Cody previously mentioned.
He was a sweet kid (even if he did flirt with all the ladies to the point of distraction -- which
was a problem that we worked together on until we were both happy with the arrangement).

In all reality, I am surprised at how easy it was for me to get into a groove.  It's like I got started, got busy and then looked up only to find that that I was at the end.  I am really grateful I had some serious support to make it fun.  Thanks to my cooperating teacher, Josie Reynaud, I can say that it was an amazing experience and very fun to complete!  She told me in the very beginning that the best way to keep my sanity was to go to lunch with her and the ladies every day.  Boy was she right!  Getting to know the Lunch Bunch (a group of VERY fun ladies who probably wish to remain anonymous!) made the time go faster and helped me to laugh at the stuff that didn't really matter.  I found that their friendship made me want to work in a school more than anything. It was nice to have teachers and staff members see me as a co-worker, even though I was a volunteer.  Thanks to everyone at SHHS who made me fall in love teaching!

Student Teaching - Day 63

During the first two weeks of class, I was required to record myself teaching.  That part wasn't very painful, but watching the video sure was!  In my last week of teaching, I decided to record my accounting class and see if I've made any progress.  I chose to use my accounting class as the test because it has been my most difficult subject to get a handle on.

Below is my reflection on both videos:

Recording # 1

1. What do you feel was successful in your teaching?

I had a good idea to get students involved.  It was clever to put the information at the student’s level so that they could connect with it.  I also did an ok job of explaining the concepts, though it would have been better to have more vocabulary.

2. What do you feel could use improvement in your teaching?

Everything!  I feel like I was not a very “with it” teacher in the video.  I look confused and like I don’t know what I’m doing and I feel really bad for my accounting class and how they’ve put up with my bad teaching.  I feel like I wasn’t teaching, I was just fumbling everywhere. I also talk too much to myself.  And I do too much walking back and forth from the front to the back because my materials were not together.  I also turned my back to the class while writing on the board.  I also had terrible wait time.

I had no idea that the student I wanted to involve (Porter) was just flirting with the girl in the front row the whole time.  I feel like every time I turned my back or was busy organizing my materials, he walked over to flirt with this girl, was talking to her, or getting her to walk over to him.  Not to mention him waving to the camera after finding a Kleenex.  I can’t believe that I was missing that the whole time!  I feel so oblivious!

I also noticed that it took me 15 minutes to get class going! If I was better prepared, then I could have used that time more wisely.  When I did get it going, I didn’t demand that people stop talking – or take over their screens to help them focus.  My introduction also took about 15 minutes instead of about 5 minutes. And it took me five minutes to get the document camera going.

3. What are your goals for improvement based on this experience?

I would like to develop better vocabulary to explain the concepts more clearly.

I would also like to do a better job of managing student behavior.

I would like to manage the technology and my materials better so that class runs more smoothly.

I would also like to use students’ names to reinforce correct information.

Recording # 2

1. What do you feel has improved in your teaching?

I feel that I am doing a better job monitoring the classroom, there was not as much wandering around and the students were doing a great job at focusing and going along with me.  I also did a better job of using their names to reinforce learning and I did a good job of listening to student responses.  I also did not get as confused with the content. I was much better prepared for this class than the lass class.  I also did a much better job of managing my materials and did not walk back and forth as much as the last class.  I was more clear in my directions and my transitions into activities were much smoother.

2. What areas do you feel could use improvement in your teaching?

I could do better at student recognition and letting the students shine when they have accomplished something difficult.  Students had just taken a test and I forgot to congratulate those who had done very well.  (I also did not say thank you to my student volunteer, or give him professional development bucks for helping me out!)

I could improve more by being better prepared with the material and practicing explaining it to myself a few times before I try to explain it to my students. I kind of got off track in my lecture, but I did do a better job of getting back on track to get class finished.

I did a good job giving hints that will help with the homework, so that students will not get confused (Ex: what recommendations to make to lower expenses).

3. What are your professional goals based on this experience?

I would like to develop more procedures to give students recognition in class.

I would like to study Accounting more so that I can be more comfortable with my content.

I would like to build stronger Teacher-Student relationships and do what I can to help them be successful.

I would like to relax, smile, have fun and be myself more in class.  It took me a long time to finally get comfortable enough with what I’m doing to have fun with the students.

I would like to find a more relaxed pace and not go too fast for the slower students.

I would like to develop more of my own curriculum pieces to help students learn to problem solve and get more creative in class.

Student Teaching - Day 45

Sorry to disappoint, but videos will be rare from here on out.  Student teaching is taking up a lot of my energy and free time.  I don't think I will survive.

It's not that the kids are wearing me out or anything.  In fact, they are really great kids.  They rarely misbehave, and when they do it is usually because they are flirting with each other.

No, it's the wedding planning and being away from my fiance that are killing me.  Every day, I go to school and I teach and give and am selfless, and then by the time I get home, I have tons of emails, texts, phone calls and errands to run for the wedding planning.  Then of course, I want to take time to talk to my fiance, so by the time everything is in a stable condition (No! Not crossed off the to-do list!  Just in a manageable place!) I get to go to sleep and wake up and do it all over again. 

I have no idea how teachers have a life outside of their jobs.  I feel like I could always be tweaking and improving my instruction methods and course ideas.  Or grading.  Or building better student-teacher relationships. Or contacting parents.  Or brainstorming with other teachers.  There is just so much to do and so little time to do it!

So many days I send my students out of class and I wonder, did I really teach them anything?  What did they get out of today's lesson?  Do they feel that the work they are doing is important for their success in life, like I do?

Luckily, these questions don't keep me up at night.  Nothing does!  I'm too tired to think, I usually just collapse at the end of the day.  I can't keep this up forever, but I feel like it is worth it to pour my heart into my teaching and do my really best.  The good news is there are only 20 days left!  I hope I use them well!

Student Teaching Days 4 - 6

The last three days of the Term have been quite eventful!  Stolen candy bars, students barely passing, faculty meetings and of course, GRADING!   I want to know how I can avoid the assumption that all students are dumb.  Comment below and give me your tips!  Thank you!

??

Should I go?
Should I stay?
I'm in control either way.
Well I gave it some time, and I made up my mind.
Moreover, it's my time A-rock's back in the grind.
Are you ready for me?
It makes me stop for a second.