Tuesday, June 28, 2005

Student Teaching

Student teaching was definitely a unique experience. The first day, Lily, Meredith, and I were simply told to sit in the back of the classroom. We were not even introduced to the class. This went on for several days. The kids did not even know our names! We simply entered the room and sat in the back of the room in our chairs each day. We figured that our teacher did not understand our role in the classroom.

After three or four days, we were given the Pre-Algebra class of five students and our own classroom. The teacher continued to write the lesson plans; however, at least we were actually teaching. After a couple more days, we approached the teacher about us writing our own lesson plans. By now, she was beginning to get more comfortable with us being around the room. She instantly gave us both periods of 8th grade math and the Pre-Algebra class. So, we began writing lesson plans for all three classes. Between the three of us, we each taught five class periods per week. We were even making worksheets and tests for the students. We were also grading all of their work. The teacher was simply recording the grades in the grade book and planning for her new home. While we taught and graded, she shopped for kitchen tables, chairs, and silverware.

Student teaching, however, did prove to be very rewarding. We were actually in front of the room teaching each day. In addition, we were preparing for the upcoming day. So, student teaching was very beneficial to me in that fashion. In addition, I realized the struggles and obstacles that teachers are faced with each day. Many of our students could not simply add and subtract negative numbers. In addition, some of them ha d trouble with simple addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. I constantly wondered how we were supposed to build upon a foundation that was not stable and contained many cracks. Our job proved to be very difficult. Math is a building process. If students do not master one concept, how are they supposed to move on to something new? At the close of this month, I did have a sense of pride and fulfillment. I asked myself this simple question, “Did my students know more now and have a better understanding than they did from my first day?” My answer was “Yes!” Thus, I knew that I had a made a difference in their lives.

Meredith, Lily, and I made an excellent team while student teaching. We were all very supportive of one another, and we seemed to compliment each other’s weaknesses and strengths. We worked extremely well together. We had a lot of fun with the Pre-Algebra class. Since it was a small class, it was easier to do activities and get to know them better. During the first days of class, we made and used a masking tape coordinate plane on the floor. This proved to be very helpful and beneficial to the students. They actually learned the concept of the coordinate plane. On the last day of class, we made “the yarn web.” On Monday, we stayed after class and draped yarn over and everything that would sit still. Each student was given a different color of yarn. They had to unwind the yarn throughout the room. As they progressed, there were math problems attached to the yarn. It proved to be a fun activity for the kids.

Indeed, student teaching taught me a lot about being a teacher because in a sense, we were the teachers. I learned about the ups and downs of being a teacher. In the end, though, I am still glad that I decided to become a teacher. It is worth it! I have always heard that you never forget your first students. I will never forget any of these students, especially the five Pre-Algebra students. Each of them had unique situations with different problems. I know that Meredith, Lily, and I made an impact upon their lives. As I continue to teach, my goal is to impact every student in some form or fashion. I hope that my future years of teaching are as successful as this past month. I will always remember that my teaching experience began at Oxford Middle School with those five students.

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