WEEK 5

Now we get down to business. I have been pretty much teaching solo all week, and I’m very grateful for the trust my mentor teacher has in me. This has helped me to build my confidence. The more contact time I am having with my students the more they get to know me, and the more I get to know them. The two-week honeymoon period that teachers talk about with students is over. I wondered what my students would ‘try on’ with me as I was new. I’m happy to report that I am forming a great student/teacher relationship, being mindful to be friendly with the students but at the same time maintaining that professional distance between teacher and student. I know the students who need attention during class, and I know those who are self-directed learners. This is working out very well, and I’m glad these roles are being more and more defined as I take on additional teaching responsibilities.

One thing I have learned is that it is good for teachers to laugh at themselves. I’ve put the wrong overheads up, covered the projector with a water bottle and wondered why the white screen was fuzzy and gotten some words muddled. I think its good for the students to know I am human and am not some kind of machine. I’ve been making a conscious effort to get to know the kids – who is in the soccer team, track and field, and who are in the production of Grease, for example. I want them to know that I care about them as individuals as well as being students, and I think this is paying dividends for me. I want to take a genuine interest in who they are as people.

I also feel as if I’m getting into a routine with my classroom activities. This is good for me and for the students. It was difficult for me to come into the classroom when the students were in the middle of a unit and to take on teaching responsibilities. This coming week I have been preparing lesson plans and copying material for the week to come. This has helped me to gain more ownership of the class, and I can explain and describe to the class my expectations. The students are being really helpful as I take on more activities, and are taking the transition of me as the lead teacher in their stride. I feel I am becoming more comfortable with the students