Though I promised that this would be my daily outlet and reflection place, where I'd re-articulate what I'm learning as a pre-teacher, life as a teacher is proving to be more than time consuming.
Obviously I didn't get into this field expecting it to be easy. I didn't get into it expecting to have a lot of free time. I knew how hard it was going to be. But actually experiencing how hard it is is much different.
My cooperating teacher had me teach a few lessons. She designed them, so it made everything a little less stressful, but getting in front of the class, especially with the teacher there, was nerve racking. I did it before, when she was gone. I think I wrote about that. The sub was... well, a little worthless (as subs can be... but I don't blame them. More on that later, I suppose), and I didn't have any choice but to take over. I knew what the class was supposed to be doing, I knew how the teacher taught, and I took over. It was a great experience and the kids relayed that I did a great job.
However, when it came to performing a lesson that the teacher designed in front of that teacher, I was a little frazzled. I did okay anyway, and took a lot from the experience. There's no reason to be nervous in front of the kids. Yes, if you screw up they may eat you alive, but they're just kids.
Well, my cooperating teacher was expecting. As in a child. And she was expecting to be in class another week. I didn't think she'd last, but we all hoped. One more week of the WASL. One more week to prepare for the permanent sub. One more week where she could use her own lesson plans and not design them for someone else.
She didn't last. She had her baby on Sunday, and I'm extremely congratulatory. Unfortunately, on Monday, there was no real lesson plan. The sub was as subs normally are and the kids were ready to take full advantage of it.
When I stepped into the classroom and saw that the teacher was obviously either in labor or caring for a newborn (since she wasn't there), I turned into a teacher.
It was an amazing transformation. I was like a super hero...
Faster than a speeding pencil, more powerful than the meanest principal, able to motivate tall students in a single phrase... (well, maybe not... but it sure felt that way)
Look! Up in the front of the class! It's a sub! It's the principal! No! It's MS. HALL!
Silliness aside, the kids were a lot more receptive of me as a teacher this time. I had to pull a few mean teacher moves ("Excuse me!" for quiet, "I need you three to seperate...") but they did the work I asked of them without any more hesitation than they normally have as 14 year olds who are too cool for school.
Creating a lesson on the spot was the best experience I could have asked for. Luckily, my cooperating teacher briefed me a little bit on "the plan"... luckily, I had some examples of previous years of the poetry books they were to create...
I don't want to brag, but I ruled. I was a little shaky at points... but that's to be expected. After all, I'm not a teacher [yet]. I've never created a lesson plan that's actually been taught to students. But I did, sort of, this time! Sure, the plan was pretty much in place... but ... well...
I learned a lot. I learned that you have to follow through on your threats (which I did, mostly. One kid, unfortunately, got sent to the office [actualy I didn't choose that punishment, the sub did]). I learned that you can't reach every student every time, but you better darn well try.
I also learned that being a teacher isn't easy... but it's the best thing I could ever imagine doing. I love when a kid creates a poem they weren't going to create just because I told him it sounded great. I love when students who normally do nothing are engaged in what I have to say. I love this job!!
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