My first week included observing final exams and projects, getting my first taste of grading, navigating missing work due to covid restrictions, department meetings and of course figuring out how to keep students on task and engaged. Everyday provided me with a new learning experience and I'm excited to see how much I will grow over the next few months.
A few Peaks and Pits (Highs and Lows) of my week include:
Peaks:
(1) I really enjoyed helping students complete their final projects, and one of my favorite moments from this past week was watching a student troubleshoot and connect all the dots to finally get to that 'ah ha' moment and get his lamp to light up. I hope to have many more of these moments during my student teaching experience.
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| Ag Mechanics 1 final projects! Students incorporated electrical and plumbing knowledge and skills to create a lamp/charging station that they could take home. |
(2) To be completely honest, I still do not feel very confident in my abilities as a teacher at times, whether it be content knowledge, classroom management, etc. However, Mrs. McMicheal really pushed me out of my comfort zone this week and entrusted me with a lot of responsibility right from the start. From grading to assisting students in the shop I feel that within a few short days my confidence has already become a lot stronger. So, huge shout out to my CT for all the support!!
Pits:
(1) It seems that plans constantly keep changing (2 week units are now 3, different organization structures or students adding/dropping courses) and it can be confusing to try to constantly adapt. While this hasn't made my first week of observing classes change that much, it has made me a little more nervous for next week as I start picking up courses. However, it seems that this is all part of the job and I'm appreciative of the learning experience.
Looking forward to next week, I will be picking up my first class. Ag Mechanics 1 will begin their second semester with Ms. L! I am excited to meet the students I will be teaching for the rest of the semester and start of the course with a fun inquiry lab.
Questions:
(1) #psuaged21 What advice would you give me for my first day teaching students? Is there anything you wish you would have done differently?
Although things change in a normal year too, this is a completely out of the ordinary. Glad to see you taking all the curveballs in stride
ReplyDeleteElise - I am so excited for you to begin teaching this week! I can relate to the constantly changing plans and my biggest piece of advice would be you're not alone. Teachers, student teachers, and even students everywhere are adapting every day. Take time to just be in the moment with your students, I regret this about my first day. I very much had a "let's just get this done" mindset and sure it went well, but could it have been better, YES! I'm excited to hear about your inquiry lesson!
ReplyDeleteUpdate: Inquiry lesson went great! The students were able to get better results than us lol. I decided to take time in the beginning to read through the supplemental material as a group so they had a good starting point. I think that really helped.
DeleteHey Elise! I know things may have been crazy this first week, but you are doing awesome already. Stepping outside of your comfort zone is not easy, but it sounds like you have a great environment that will help you do just that and keep you on your toes(in a good way)! I am excited to see what this semester holds for you and here's hoping that COVID does not continue to cause plans to change constantly. But even so, you got this. You are awesome!
ReplyDeleteHey Elise! It's so exciting that you have started your student teaching, especially your "ah ha" moment with a student this week. Especially with covid, I am sure things are really challenging for you. Sending love and encouragement!
ReplyDeleteHi Elise,
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on your first week of student teaching! I wish you the best of luck as you navigate this new experience. What lesson are you most looking forward to teaching during your Ag Mechanics course?
Im really looking forward to the plumbing unit that I will be starting in the next few weeks. The students will be getting their first taste of the shop and eventually creating their own plumbing square that we will pressure test.
Deletegood luck with the start of teaching next week, be confident in your knowledge and preparation that you have done. no one is perfect and even the most experienced teaches have bad days but what makes them great is they come back the next day better. you got this and good luck the students will love you!
ReplyDeleteHi Elise, it is great to hear about your first week student teaching and I can not imagine how hard it is to start teaching at this time. I know that you will do great as you start to teach lesson, good luck in these coming weeks!
ReplyDeleteElise, congratulations on starting your student teaching internship! On the first day with students, remember to be genuine and firm, but fair when introducing yourself to your students and sharing your policies, procedures, and expectations. Looking forward to following your adventures this semester!
ReplyDelete