If you are reading this, I hope you are as prepared as I pray I am for the roller coaster ahead during the next semester. Neither of us knows what to expect in the coming weeks, but without a doubt, it will be the adventure of a lifetime - at least until I get thrown out into the real world. Hehe.
Oh dear, where are my manners? Introductions are must-haves in the education field! Since you have been subjected to my words (of I have subjected you to...), I will introduce myself, but only if you want.
Well, if you insist... :-)
Hi! My name is Aimee and I am a teacher... in training. During the next few months, the posts on here will be all about my experiences as I student teach. I hope and pray it will be as exciting for you as I'm praying it will be for me. But I have no doubts...not many, anyway.
Where am I? I'm located in a small public country school in the Tennessee/Arkansas/Mississippi area. My supervising teacher, we will call him Mr. M, has been fantastic in every way so far. The rest of the school has been oh, so wonderful and helpful. Such is the luck I get with a small school. I love it! What else... Oh yes! The students. Well, they're high school kids, what do you expect? Yep, that's right. I've thrown myself to the dogs; subjected myself to those upper class scoundrels who either don't seem to care or care so much they get on your nerves.
I'm kidding!!
Well, sort of...
Onwards!!!
What am I going to be teaching? Before you stop reading, let me just say that I absolutely love the area I'm getting a career in, so don't knock it 'cause you thought it was boring in high school. History can be fun! Oops... did I say that out loud? History can be fun? Yes! And with every cell in my being I want to try and make this an enjoyable experience for these kids. Some of them really do love it. Some of them couldn't care less. Some of them are in the middle. I still have to figure out who those kids are... But I am SO very excited and I hope you can share in my joy. I will be graduating in May, but I'm hoping to update a few days a week, whenever I can in between lesson planning and meetings and events and class, etc. I may wind up doing one large post on the weekends. Who knows?! I like it that way. Sometimes, I love not knowing what's coming. It makes life so much more enjoyable. Know what I mean?
Today was my first day of student teaching. How this is going to work will be the first week, I will mostly observe, start getting to know the students, grading papers, taking attendance, etc. The second week, I will take my first class, teach that class for a week, then add another class the third week (meaning I will be teaching two classes a day), and add another class every week until I have my supervising teacher's full load. In the meantime, I will be preparing lessons for my University Supervisor as well as my portfolios and all that good and wonderful teaching stuff.
I never thought I would get here 4 years ago. It's simply unreal. I've worked so hard (had many a sleepless night...) and come so far and now, it's almost over. Life really does go faster the longer you live (not that I've lived very long at this point...). Truthfully, I am TERRIFIED of becoming a teacher, but I am so excited at the same time. These kids scare the mess out of me and inspire me at the same time. They're awesome! I have no idea what to expect from this. Only know that I can't wait to find out what's in store for me. I hope when I am finished with this semester, I will understand a little better what makes an exceptional teacher. Not that I will live up to all those expectations all of the time, but I will certainly try.
For those of you who either do not know me, know me but were unaware that it existed, or simply forgot, here is the link to my pre-student teaching experience in Scotland. I would do that again in a heartbeat! Now, it's not very long because apparently I didn't have much time in 5 weeks to write anything (I will admit I'm sort of bad at the whole blogging thing), but you get a good idea... I think. I haven't actually read it in 7 months, but that's my bad. Behind those posts you get into my semester abroad the autumn before that, if you're into that stuff. Shakespeare, Ireland, Italy, and London galore!
Anyway, this blog is about my Student Teaching semester with High School History and Geography. It should be fun. Maybe I'll get some really good ideas about what to do as a teacher in the classroom. Got any suggestions right off the top of your head? I'd love to hear them. Anytime! Really, even at 3 in the morning. I'll see what I can do to make it happen and give feedback. I'm very open to suggestions of all kinds.
I'm starting the Jazz Age on Monday if that helps stimulate any thinking synapses...
Look at that History teacher knowledge! Being put to such good use :-)
Above all, I hope that I can share my love of education with you as you watch me being molded into the teacher I will become. I've dreamt of this since I was 14 and for it to actually be upon me is very scary, but I love that feeling.
And now, off to do the teacher thing 'cause I have responsibilities, yadda yadda yadda. The joys of being a college student.
Enjoy your evening, Tuesday, week, weekend, whatever floats your boat. Pitch might help...
Cheers everyone!!
Aimee
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