In truth, the kids really are not ferocious at all, but the prospect of transitioning from a sideline observer and occasional stand-in teacher to a full-time lead in charge of the classroom was terrifying. Thoughts of “can I really do this?” and “this is a lot more work than I thought!” shook me out of my romantic vision of what it meant to be a teacher.
When faced with the challenge of teaching on my own (no hand-holding by my lead – she was out of the building!) I realized that even while equipped with lots of educational theory and extensive planning, there were many challenges I faced throughout the day that I had never anticipated. From creating lesson plans to photocopying worksheets to preparing hands-on science experiments, and instructing new math concepts to translating English content for my Spanish-speaking second graders – there is a lot of work to tackle, and that’s just one day.
It really is the art of juggling, all while trying to deliver quality instruction to twenty-four fidgety seven-year old students who deserve academic success just as much as they do my full attention. Now I understand the importance of getting a full eight hours of sleep per night! That is, if I have completed all of my master’s coursework for the week first…
If I have learned anything thus far through my new experience of teaching in an elementary school, it is that I have much to learn about myself and a long way to go on the path to becoming a great educator. That being said, I’m grateful for the opportunity to actively practice the art of teaching during my residency year rather than only study educational theory without trial and application.
It is incredibly rewarding not only to experience small personal successes and see the students making academic gains, but to also connect with the children and their parents and recognize that even as a teacher resident, I’m helping to make a difference in the community. At the end of the day, this makes all the hard work more than worth it.
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10/20/2011 : “Thrown to the Wolves”
When faced with the challenge of teaching on my own (no hand-holding by my lead – she was out of the building!) I realized that even while equipped with lots of educational theory and extensive planning, there were many challenges I faced throughout the day that I had never anticipated. From creating lesson plans to photocopying worksheets to preparing hands-on science experiments, and instructing new math concepts to translating English content for my Spanish-speaking second graders – there is a lot of work to tackle, and that’s just one day.
It really is the art of juggling, all while trying to deliver quality instruction to twenty-four fidgety seven-year old students who deserve academic success just as much as they do my full attention. Now I understand the importance of getting a full eight hours of sleep per night! That is, if I have completed all of my master’s coursework for the week first…
If I have learned anything thus far through my new experience of teaching in an elementary school, it is that I have much to learn about myself and a long way to go on the path to becoming a great educator. That being said, I’m grateful for the opportunity to actively practice the art of teaching during my residency year rather than only study educational theory without trial and application.
It is incredibly rewarding not only to experience small personal successes and see the students making academic gains, but to also connect with the children and their parents and recognize that even as a teacher resident, I’m helping to make a difference in the community. At the end of the day, this makes all the hard work more than worth it.