My Big Mistake

     I started my job at the Head Start on a Thursday. The first day was a nightmare. School is not in session yet but they had their summer program going. I had told the director from the start that I am not a babysitter and did not want to work in the daycare area but, that is what they have in the summer so she put me there. I thought that it was to train me but from what I was seeing they needed people and needed them right away. It was the worst job I have ever done.

     I went home and cried after the first day. The thought of doing that even one more day just made me so sad. It took all I had to return the next day but I did. I told the director that I hired for Head Start and only wanted to work toward getting my class ready and do training for my class. She said ok and put me in a room with a Head Start teacher who was subbing there for the summer with the older kids. That teacher was amazing and gave me hope that maybe things would be ok. I felt better about the job and was actually excited to get my room set up.

     I spent the weekend thinking of my classroom and how I would set it up. I was ready to go in Monday and start working toward that goal. School did not start for two weeks but there was a lot to do.

    Well, I went in on Monday and they put me back in the day care summer program area. They were very short staffed and that is where they needed me. But I had not hired on for that job so I was not happy about it at all. I decided that night I was not going to continue working there. I also decided after looking at the lesson plans in the summer class I was in that Head Start, Pre-School is not for me. There is a lot of play time which is fine, but I want to teach and teaching that little of kids is not what I went to college to do and not something I can handle.

     I decided I will sign on to sub until I can find a permanent position.

     So here I am without a steady job, kicking myself for turning down a good job in the town 45 minutes away thinking that I might start looking even farther away but hoping something will come around before I have to do that.

     This is sure not what I thought it would be like after I earned my degree.

The Job Hunt Begins...

     I really thought once I completed my student teaching I would apply for some teaching jobs and well get one of them. My friends who became teachers seemed to just step into a job once they were done student teaching. Maybe it wasn't that easy but it sure appeared so to me. Well landing a teaching job has not been easy for me.

     I started applying for jobs with the school district where I live right after I applied for my license. there were several openings in my district and well, they always complain about the shortage of teachers so I thought for sure I would get one of the positions. I also applied for positions in a town 45 miles away.

    In June I was called for one interview in my town but it was at the school where I most wanted to teach and it was Kindergarten so I was very excited. I dressed nice, took my portfolio and thought the interview went rather well.

     Not long after that interview I went to one in the town 45 miles away to interview for a first grade position. That interview also went well but they called shortly after to let me know someone else got the position. I was bummed but hoping for the local job.

     I got the call soon after telling me I did not get the local job either. I was very upset because none of the other schools in my area had called me either and well, there were a lot of openings. I was baffled as to why no one was calling me. I did find out why one school did not call and also one problem with my interview at the school where I wanted to work most of all. I will save that for another blog.

     In July I completed a phone interview for a job in the town 45 minutes away. In the mean time I also applied at Head Starts because I just need a job. Head Start is not my area of study nor my desire but I need to get started on my career.

     I got one of the Head Start jobs and then another Head Start called me too. The second school offered more money so, being so financially strapped I left the first one and took the second. I had not actually started the first job so they had time to replace me. Then a few days before I was supposed to begin at the Head Start I was offered a 3rd grade position in the town 45 minutes away. I seriously considered it but felt that I was not ready to jump into a classroom where school had already begun. I was not sure I could handle the drive and just felt stressed over it. So, I turned it down and stuck with Head Start. That was one of the biggest mistakes I have ever made.

     So late August, there I was turning down a job that is more suited to my degree and beginning a job in an area of education that is well, very unfamiliar to me.

    

   

Student Teaching Journey is Complete

I have sucessfully conpleted my 15 week student teaching journey. It seems like yesterday when it started but yet feels like it took foever to complete. I do not say that it feels like forever because itw as a bad experince, I say that becasue during student teaching you make absolutely no money so, it was rough on me for that amount of time financially.

My classroom experience was a beautiful one. I alreayd miss my kids, peers and the families. I feel like I built a wonderful relationship wiht all of them and sad that it is done. I plan to visit when I can because I really loved everyone.


The kids were sad to see me go, I got a lot of hugs and well it was sad. Some of my little studetns were very sad to see me leave.

In the next few weeks I will write about the highs and lows to my experience. There were way more highs than lows but with anything there's always a few lows. One of them I will say now was helping with 4th grade and up math. I am not good at it and was not able to help much in that area.

The entire experience has left me feeling enriched and puts a smile on my face.

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.