Moving on!
Today, I taught my first lesson. I was tired, but ready... but not really. I didn't feel ready, which is always a downer, even if you prepared. Anywhoo, I got to school and noticed several of the 1st period students standing outside of my cooperating teacher's door. I walked in, turned on the light, and turned around to see the principal in the doorway. And wouldn't you know it, my cooperating teacher had called in and was not going to be at school. So, I had all 7 class periods. All. By. My. Self. Honestly, I was totally okay with that. Mr. M had given all the classes worksheets to do and all of the students knew what to expect with that. Only for the second period class, I was to start out with my first lesson of student teaching... all alone. Isn't that fantastic?! I got practice being a real teacher without someone looking over my shoulder. Woo! (yet terrifying) They were good for the most part. I gave them a pop quiz right out of the box so I'm sure they all think I'm going to be really hard.
Maybe I will be :-) Just for them. And 8th period, but I'll get to that later.
Their pop quiz was over the 50 states. It's an American History class, so I believe it's important to know all of the states (as well as their capitals) if you're going to study a entire country's history like the U.S. They weren't too excited about it, but such is life. That quiz took a long time for them to complete. I didn't know how much time to give them, so I just let them take it. The next time I give it, I'm going to give them a time limit - something like 15 minutes tops - to get all 50 states and as many capitals as they think they know. Then we can get down to lecturing and the rest of the good stuff that kids come to history class for. At least, that's what I like to think. I went into lecture, but we didn't get very far, mostly because we didn't have that much time left and partly because I think they were excited to see a new face, so they were a little talkative. But only a little.
The rest of the day went great!
And then came 8th period.
This is the class that every teacher hates to have. Most of the kids don't care to learn and would rather goof off and ask impertinent questions rather than do the work required of them. This frustrated me because it was the last class of the day and I was ready to go home. But I knew that if I gave them any leeway, they would eat me alive. The first question I got asked was, "Are you strict?" Well, only when I have to be and with that class, I definitely have to be, so "yes." And then the rest of the class period commenced with them seeing how far they could push me before I got upset (i.e. making snide remarks, asking questions they didn't have any business knowing the answers to, making rude gestures, the works). I kept my cool (at least I'm pretty sure I did) and tried really, really hard not to get upset in front of them. But, they persisted and I handed out detentions and almost sent two kids to the office, but then the bell rang. By the end of the class, I was so frustrated with them, I could hardly think.
The ride back to campus was quiet for the most part, but a friend and I grabbed some Sonic before getting back to the dorm and that made me feel a little better and forget for a while my traumatic last class period.
Thank goodness they are the last group to I have to deal with. By the time I get them, I'll only have them for about a month before I have to go. There will be no fun and games in that class whatsoever. They can't handle it. If I have to talk and make them take notes for 45 minutes straight, then that's what I'm going to have to do. Their map reviews might need some readjustment, but I think I can figure something out.
Any ideas for that? How to get kids to shut up and know you mean business if you've already shown them you do mean business? What kinds of challenges can I place on them to get them to enjoy their time in my class? I'm having a hard time trying to come up with something. I still have 6 weeks before I get them, but I sort of need some ideas now, so I can start brooding on them and seeing if they will work with this group of disruptive, rude, disrespecting students.
P.S. I only was frustrated with 3 of them, and a fourth was hanging on the line. The rest of the class worked like they were supposed to, the little angels :-)
Well, that's been my day. I wonder what tomorrow will bring... and if I will be alone again or if my cooperating teacher will be back. Somehow I don't think worksheets are going to cut it for some of these kids. They're too easy. They need something challenging/hard to keep them occupied!!!!
Still reliving 3:00,
Aimee
No comments:
Post a Comment