Enter your Core 1 placement.
You will be observing a Gifted class.
You are at a middle school and yet you will still be confused with the other 7th grade students.
Sit awkwardly in the back of the classroom.
For a couple of weeks…do nothing. Absolutely nothing…except be awkward.
Teach only 2 lessons the entire semester. 3 at most.
BUT, in order to do so you must ask your cooperating teacher to show you to the copier room…and how to use the massive machine in front of you.
In one ear and out of the other…. And because of this, you will make weekly errands to your local Fedex to get things printed out. Spending money that could have been saved if you didn’t feel like such a burden to your cooperating teacher.
For some reason this semester (in your classes) you are anxious. and nervous. and can’t talk. Or think. Or breathe… it’s.. really.. hard. To.
B R E A T H E E E E.
A Duck. YOU ARE A FRIGGIN’ DUCK! Ya’ know? Really CALM, COOL, and COLLECTED on the surface, but your little itty bitty flippers are paddling their asses off.
Learn the names of your students. Forget the names of your students. Bond. The ones you do remember will be the sweetest little humans ever. They will miss you when you leave and you will miss them.
Enter your new placement school.
You have start over.
The rapport you had with the staff at the local middle school is no longer useful at your new school.
The “kids” are bigger here. They were already bigger than you at your first placement school, but here.. even the faculty will get you confused with other students.
Again, sit awkwardly in the back of the classroom… but ooooo you get a desk this time.
And your cooperating teacher will bring you tamales and guacamole’ for lunch and then invite you to eat with the other teachers.
You won’t feel like such a burden here.
But oh my! The words that come flying out of their mouths at this age. Cringe because you were once JUST. LIKE. THEM.
Walk around the class. Help a student in need.
Teach your lessons to the class…and again waste more money at FedEx.
Question your CT’s classroom management… they were so sweet in middle school.
Next semester: Core 3
WOOOHOOOOO! You have the same CT! No more awkward introductions.
Except with the students you did not already work with.
An Advanced Placement class… AKA the Students who NEVER need your help.
You only know the names of 4 students.
Feel self-conscious in your ability to “discipline”
Teach lessons that have been created by your CT.
She plans so far ahead and on top of everything.
Now feel awkward because you feel bad for even thinking about changing the lesson even though she said she would be cool with it.
Your CT is watching you teach HER lesson. DON’T. MESS. UP… “ would she do this?”
Christmas Break FINALLY.
It is your last semester in the Core program.
Introduce yourself to the students.
Walk around the classroom and help several students with their essays.
Learn Names.
Sign passes.
Have students request for your assistance.
Grade quizzes and papers.
Know WHERE and HOW to use the copier machine.
Get confused with other students.
Start teaching your unit after only ONE week of being a student-teacher.
Receive gifts from other faculty members.
Take full responsibility for all classes because of the week-long absence of your CT.
Discipline students and feel like you have every right to.
Be awesome. Be comfortable. Feel like you are making a difference. You are making a difference.
