An Observation

I spent yesterday and today observing at the school where I will start student teaching in just over a month. It was my first opportunity to see the students I'll be working with and also to see how my co-operating teacher structures a day's activities.

Of all the classes I've observed thusfar (at 4 different schools and with 11 different teachers), I would have to say that the classes I observed over these past 2 days were simultaneously the most dynamic and perhaps the most frustrating that I've seen. I was just an observer in the corner and did not engage with the students in any real way so I say frustrating as their soon to be student teaching.

What I found so frustrating was a general disrespect for the classroom. After class started (there are no bells), it took about 5 minutes for the class to really get engaged. Also, there were many times during the class when the off-topic side convsersations were too loud for the teacher to hear a student asking a question. I wrote previously that my biggest reasons for not wanting to go into teaching were the classroom management and discipline concerns that I will most certainly face. When I committed to going back to school last March, I knew that I would need to confront those fears and it seems like that day will be coming quite soon!

Throughout my life journey, I have come to trust is something (call it God, Higher Power, the Devine or whatever you like). I especially have come to believe that I will be given opportunities to grow and learn when I am ready for them. I think this student teaching placement is no different.

I was on my way home from observing yesterday and it struck me that dealing with these things as a student teacher is exactly what I need. I will face my "biggest" fears about teaching right out of the gate in a temporary, and well-supported environment. Who could ask for a better gift?

I also was relieved that I was not thinking "get me outta here" or "what have I gotten myself into" but rather I am looking forward to taking on this challenge and maybe even improving the learning environment a bit over my 12 week placement.

I am not so naive that I think that I somehow have the magic fix. In fact, there has been virtually no talk of classroom management at all in my courses so I expect I will be learning as much as I can mostly by trial and error and seeking out what I need as the needs present themselves.