Teaching is so physically exhausting! I told my roommate the other day it's the only profession for which you need a degree to perform manual labor. I was so wiped out during prep, it was only the thought of dirty shoes that kept me from lying down on the floor. Luckly, there was a faculty party after school today. So after some chicken, potato salad, and homemade ice cream, I sprung back to life so I could write two lesson plans and prep my classroom for tomorrow.
But the day brought success. I love the sound of 27 pencils moving on paper. I love it when students show me their work to get approval. I love it when I realize that every single person in the room actually listening to what I say. (It doesn't happen very often and is scary when it does.)
Some of my challenges:
--Teaching enthusiastically after lunch, when I feel more like a nap.
--Knowing how to respond to student behavior.
--Using time effectively if there is an extra 10 minutes at the end of class.
--Giving enough time for the slow students while keeping the fast ones busy! (If you have an answer, please let me know... reading and homework don't seem to work, at least not yet.)
--Feeling confident in front of the class I feel least connected to and most threatened by.
Some things I've learned:
--You can't take your goat to school or all the kids will ride it around. (If you leave it at home, they can' t get your goat.) That one Jenny told me.
--Spelling on a white board is not the same as on a piece of paper.
3 comments:
Don't forget your vitamins and iron ;-)
Yeah, when I was an intern I was always suprised at how tired I was each day. You certainly have to build up your stamina. When I was an intern I always had a hard time with the students who would get done quickly. This year, I have trained them to read when they are done, but if the teacher hasn't done that, it is probably up to you. If I am in a situation where I can talk for a while about something and those working don't need to listen that closely--I will sometimes move on and let them keep working while I am talking about the next thing. That one just kind of depends. Good luck with your student teaching! I hope you are enjoying it. I have a 276 student in my class this semester, so I am enjoying that experience.
One more intern story--I used to take cat naps on the floor behind my desk during my prep and during lunch. It seemed to help. It makes me laughg now thinking about me sleeping behind my desk on the floor. Also, that is the year I discovered caffeine. I don't recommend it--now I have to "rediscover" it every day (if you catch my drift) because of that year... :)
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