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...
