My Teaching Experiences

I have officially completed one out of sixteen weeks of student teaching.

The week started with the realization that my cooperating teacher, K----, has more expectations about my teaching than she initially let on - expectations that I would do more things her way. I'm hoping that as the semester continues, that will subside and I will have a little more freedom.

For instance, the students spent four days in the library this week, Tuesday through Friday. I thought that four days straight in the library was a lot of consecutive days in a row, but since she had already requested them back in November, I had to work with it. I had plans for what they would do in the library - three different assignments - but she wanted them to do the research project she has had students do in the past. The assignment, to me, seemed more confusing than straight forward; that came out with the students as well. I spent the majority of the four days explaining and re-explaining the assignment in different ways so that everyone would get it. Even still, on day four there were students who showed me what they were doing and it was wrong. I have a four-inch stack of papers to read through and grade this weekend...we'll see what that turns up.

I'm trying hard to remember everyone's names. I think I have about 90% of their names down, but every once in a while I'll see a student who I swear I've never seen before...yet they've been there the previous couple of days. It seems like everyone's name starts with a "K," so asking for the hint of the first letter of their name doesn't always work. Many of my students think it's kind of a fun game, however, and get excited when I do remember their names. I've gotten "YES!"s, high-fives, and big smiles for learning their names so fast already.

There are two students in my classes who I'm going to focus on this semester. K---- is one of our special needs students. Her special education teacher said that he thinks K---- is just at that spot where she's reached an educational plateau - that she's not learning anything any more. I don't know much about K----, since I've only known her for about a week, but I think ninth grade is a little early to reach a learning stopping point. I'm going to put some energy toward her this quarter to hopefully figure her out a little and perhaps encourage and stimulate her - to find something new about her that I can share with her other teachers.

The other student I have chosen to focus on is C----. His other teachers see him as a problem and want to send him to Fort Boise. He acts out in class and doesn't do his work. He is a self-proclaimed lazy student who just doesn't care. The counselor talked to him this week about attending Fort Boise and C---- said he didn't want to. Now, we're supposed to keep tabs on all that he doesn't do so that we have more proof for wanting to send him to West. At the team meeting on Thursday morning, however, I shared all the things that C---- had done. No one seemed impressed or even like they cared. I suspect because I'm not telling them how he's failing so they can send him away. I spent some time this week talking to C----; he acted like he isn't used to people asking about him:

Me: What sort of stuff do you like to do?
C: What do you mean?
Me: Like at home, not at school, on your own time?
C: (shrug) Stuff.
Me: Well, what kind of stuff?
C: I don't know. Watch TV.
Me: What kind of TV shows do you watch?
C: (shrug) Funny ones.
Me: Any in particular?
C: (shrug) Not really.

I think I'm still working on earning his trust - which is understandable because he's only known me for a couple days and to him I'm nothing more than another strange adult prying into his life. I don't think he comes from a good home life, so not trusting adults doesn't surprise me. Regardless, this week the students knew how much work was worth an A, B or C. He did work to earn a B - which is a far cry from his F in English from last quarter. He told me on the last day that he thought he could probably finish up the last bit to get an A. I asked if he was going to, he thought about it for a moment, then told me that he didn't think so - that he would be lazy and take the B. I told him that would be fine, that that was his choice, and that I thought he did terrific work already all that week. I'm really trying to be as realistic and yet as positive as possible - enough to be encouraging, but not so much that he'll tune me out.

My Teaching Experiences
I'm a graduate student at Boise State University just starting to work with the school districts. This no-frills blog is my account of my experiences in the school setting. Archives: January 2006 February 2006 March 2006 April 2006 September 2006 October 2006 November 2006 January 2007 February 2007 March 2007 April 2007 May 2007	Saturday, January 27, 2007 I have officially completed one out of sixteen weeks of student teaching. The week started with the realization that my cooperating teacher, K----, has more expectations about my teaching than she initially let on - expectations that I would do more things her way. I'm hoping that as the semester continues, that will subside and I will have a little more freedom. For instance, the students spent four days in the library this week, Tuesday through Friday. I thought that four days straight in the library was a lot of consecutive days in a row, but since she had already requested them back in November, I had to work with it. I had plans for what they would do in the library - three different assignments - but she wanted them to do the research project she has had students do in the past. The assignment, to me, seemed more confusing than straight forward; that came out with the students as well. I spent the majority of the four days explaining and re-explaining the assignment in different ways so that everyone would get it. Even still, on day four there were students who showed me what they were doing and it was wrong. I have a four-inch stack of papers to read through and grade this weekend...we'll see what that turns up. I'm trying hard to remember everyone's names. I think I have about 90% of their names down, but every once in a while I'll see a student who I swear I've never seen before...yet they've been there the previous couple of days. It seems like everyone's name starts with a "K," so asking for the hint of the first letter of their name doesn't always work. Many of my students think it's kind of a fun game, however, and get excited when I do remember their names. I've gotten "YES!"s, high-fives, and big smiles for learning their names so fast already. There are two students in my classes who I'm going to focus on this semester. K---- is one of our special needs students. Her special education teacher said that he thinks K---- is just at that spot where she's reached an educational plateau - that she's not learning anything any more. I don't know much about K----, since I've only known her for about a week, but I think ninth grade is a little early to reach a learning stopping point. I'm going to put some energy toward her this quarter to hopefully figure her out a little and perhaps encourage and stimulate her - to find something new about her that I can share with her other teachers. The other student I have chosen to focus on is C----. His other teachers see him as a problem and want to send him to Fort Boise. He acts out in class and doesn't do his work. He is a self-proclaimed lazy student who just doesn't care. The counselor talked to him this week about attending Fort Boise and C---- said he didn't want to. Now, we're supposed to keep tabs on all that he doesn't do so that we have more proof for wanting to send him to West. At the team meeting on Thursday morning, however, I shared all the things that C---- had done. No one seemed impressed or even like they cared. I suspect because I'm not telling them how he's failing so they can send him away. I spent some time this week talking to C----; he acted like he isn't used to people asking about him: Me: What sort of stuff do you like to do? C: What do you mean? Me: Like at home, not at school, on your own time? C: (shrug) Stuff. Me: Well, what kind of stuff? C: I don't know. Watch TV. Me: What kind of TV shows do you watch? C: (shrug) Funny ones. Me: Any in particular? C: (shrug) Not really. I think I'm still working on earning his trust - which is understandable because he's only known me for a couple days and to him I'm nothing more than another strange adult prying into his life. I don't think he comes from a good home life, so not trusting adults doesn't surprise me. Regardless, this week the students knew how much work was worth an A, B or C. He did work to earn a B - which is a far cry from his F in English from last quarter. He told me on the last day that he thought he could probably finish up the last bit to get an A. I asked if he was going to, he thought about it for a moment, then told me that he didn't think so - that he would be lazy and take the B. I told him that would be fine, that that was his choice, and that I thought he did terrific work already all that week. I'm really trying to be as realistic and yet as positive as possible - enough to be encouraging, but not so much that he'll tune me out.