Sadness as Student Teaching Nears the End

It is so hard to believe that next week will be my final week of student teaching. I will have one make up day but other than that I will be done.

I enter these final days with excitement for the new career I will be entering but with sorrow at leaving the school and people I have grown to love. Everyone has made me feel welcome an the kids are well, just darlings and I am going to miss them terribly.

I have learned a lot these last few weeks. I will share more of what I have learned in a later blog. For now I just wanted to check in and say that I'm almost done and I'm sad to leave. This is a hard part of student teaching. You get close to everyone and then you have to leave them.

I have gotten to know many of the parents and they are such amazing and wonderful people. They make me feel appreciated and have made me feel welcome from the start.

The other teachers are also wonderful. They make me feel like I belong.

Then there's the kids. They are so sweet and I will miss the so much.

I am so lucky to have completed my student teaching at such an amazing little school and I leave with a full heart.

Nearing the End

It has been a while since I wrote here because well, life is busy. I am nearing the end of my student teaching and am glad, yet sad to see it come to an end. I absolutely love the school I am at but am ready to move on so I can start making money. Yes teaching is rewarding, it is such a wonderful feeling watching the sweet kids understand what you are teaching them. But, it is hard when you are not making a living.

As the end of this phase of my life approaches though I find that I am sad at the thought of leaving my classroom, the other teachers, the parents and most of all the kids. I have grown to love them all and will miss them very much.

The next things that I have to do as I phase out of this part of my life is fill out job application and start meeting with principals. I am excited but yet nervous about this phase.

Until then though I plan to enjoy my class and the kids as much as possible. It is hard to believe there is only a month left and I will leave this amazing school.

Creating Lesson Plans

I spent the last couple of days creating lesson plans for computer. It was not easy because I am creating plans that will teach and also fill in a pretty huge gap of time. I also have to create lessons for my course work and that is even harder.

The lesson plans that we create for college are so much different than the real world of teaching. I have not come across any of them during my student teaching phase or during any of my practicum. I've even discussed them with teachers and they have told me they don't use them either.  The actual lesson plans are much simpler and easier to create. Whew I am thankful for that.

It is annoying that I have to create this huge lesson plan, taking up ten pages or more, just for my course work but I will never actually do that once I have my own classroom. I have to implement this lesson plan too which goes against the norm of the class structure where I am teaching.

So that is what I spent the last couple of days doing, creating lesson plans to use because of college, not because it is something my teacher wants or something that fits the structure of the school but to meet course work. Seems a bit off to me but oh well, gotta go with it.

Backtracking to Week 3

For some reason I wrote this post on the wrong blog. I know it is out of order but wanted to share it here anyhow. Currently we have been on spring break and Monday will be the start of week 7. It is hard to believe that I am on the downhill side of things. I love my kids, cooperative teacher, the parents and all I work with. I will be sad to leave but glad to get a job.

Here is the post from week 3.

Week 3 was wonderful. Each week is better because I have more duties. Last week I helped out more and still have my computer group. I plan to get a little bit more of a lesson plan for my kids so that they enjoy computer time more. I also really want them to learn how to use a computer.

I will be taking the second grade kids soon and doing more with them. I also have to target one student and work just with that student on some areas of weakness. I identified my student and have made plans on how to teach help her become a more fluent reader.

I am working on a plan to teach the kids how to write a book too. I am having a lot of fun with the plans but they are slow going because of how the school sets it up. It is probably best that way.

Week 4 begins tomorrow. I cannot believe that we are already into week 4.

Half Way Done

I am now half way done with my student teaching. It has been a great experience so far even if I am rather burnt out.  Most of the stress comes from the long days and knowing that I am not getting paid.
I have to remind myself often that I am working toward my future and that it is something all teachers have to do and I will soon be making a living. Some days it is easier to keep my thoughts turned to the positive.

The kids at school make the days happy. There is nothing better than that sweet hug or smile. The fact that you know you've made a difference and when you see the student trying because he or she knows you have faith in them.

I am glad to be on the downhill side of student teaching though. I will miss my class and little school though but it will be exciting to have my very own classroom.

Battling Burn Out

So yesterday was the end of week 6 of my student teaching and now the burn out begins. Don't get me wrong, I love the school I am at, I love the kids and the other teachers.  The parents are amazing and well pretty much everything about the experience is good.

So why am I getting burnt out? Well that is easy, I work an average of 45 hours a week and all for no pay. I can't even find a paying job in my spare time because I don't have any. When I am not at the school I have to do course work.  I have about 10 hours of course work a week along with the student teaching.  It is taking its toll on me and I am just burnt out.

I only student teach four days a week but they are very long days. I go in at 7:30 and am off most nights at 6:30. The days are long too because we do not get breaks. Lunch is even eaten on the go while you take care of kids. I like the three day weekend but yet wonder if maybe a five day week would be easier. When I get home at night it is almost time for bed so I am pretty tired. On Friday I have so much to do to catch up and am also tired from the long week that really I feel like I only have two days off anyhow.

My college course work is taking its toll too. What is bothering me most of all is the fact that I have no income. It is very hard working all week for no pay and knowing that you might lose your hone. A positive way to look at that I suppose is that then I won't have a house payment anymore.

So how do I battle the burn out when I have 10 more weeks of student teaching left. I am not sure, I guess just take it all one day at a time.

Week 5 Begins

It is hard to believe that I am already into week 5 of my student teaching experience. It has been a great experience so far except the getting up early and staying late part. I miss staying home and just chilling.  I think that is one of the hardest things.

Another thing that is hard is working 40+ hours a week and not getting paid. I know it is a part of the student teaching process but it sure is difficult. I can't find a part time job because I am completely exhausted and just could not do student teaching and then work. So financially there is quite a burden.

All of that aside though, the process is very enjoyably and educational. I am learning a lot about teaching. I love the class and all of the kids. I am learning how to manage a classroom and also discipline students in a loving way.

This week I have taken over teaching second grade math. I think then next week I will take on English. That is the subject I will really enjoy since I love English.

Until later.....