Today is my last formal observation! I don't really mind being observed anymore, in the beginning it was nerve wrecking, but student teaching is pretty much a 16 week long observation. Most of the time I enjoy getting the feedback. There are always those things that I know are going to be brought up and then there are those things I don't even realize. Plus it's always nice having a quick chat with my mentor teacher or field supervisor after a lesson since most of the time it feels like I'm floating in left field, no idea what I am doing. However, observations, both formal and informal, and seminar keep me grounded. It is truly amazing the difference a good mentor and a bad one can have on your student teaching experience. It's nice having someone you know is on your side, looking out for you if you have any issues or concerns or just to touch base with. Student teaching is tough and you need to know who your supports are and feel that they are there in order to survive!
So some other recent updates about student teaching include: we are making our way through our Europe unit and the kids are working hard! I am so proud of the turn around I have seen in them. Getting homework done is still an issue but luckily the majority of homework is behind us and it consists of just studying 10 minutes each night for a physical map quiz over the landforms of Europe for the quiz on Tuesday. Looking back on things, and also looking to the future, I would have done things differently. I would have taken more class time to discuss the earlier history topics. This would have put at least a day in-between the first and second homework assignment and would given my students more time to get things done. I also would have been able to get to everything I wanted to. Secondly, when I am a teacher I am going to have a homework club. This would be a time twice a week where my students could come in for an hour after school and receive help with homework. This would not only be free tutoring as well as teach students the benefit of getting homework done right away to enjoy the rest of the evening, but it would also give some students at least one adult in their life who cares if they get their homework done-even though kids hate doing homework they still need an adult who cares enough about them and their grades to make them sit down and do it. Homework club would be a fun time too. I would bring in snacks, everyone would sit around a giant table and just crank out their homework. Students who don't even need help could come in and work, especially if they are those students who would go home to an empty house after school.
Homework club would also prevent parents from calling or emailing because they are upset by the amount of homework. This has already happened to me this week. On Tuesday, my mentor told me about a parent who emailed him concerned about the amount of homework. My mentor was awesome about handling the situation. He let me decide what I wanted to do but when I didn't have any ideas (except to cry about it), he helped me reach a solution. I gave students a 20 minute work period at the start of class to finish up the assignment. He ended up email the parent back and explaining what we did. It ended up being a minor issue. However, I ended up having a melt down and crying because I was so frustrated. Between sobs I tried to articulate to my mentor that this unit has consumed all of my time and no one is happy especially me because I just need some time to hang out with my friends and do something fun, like go to the movies. Instead, when my mentor asked why I was so upset I could only say, "I just want to see the new Harry Potter movie!" After telling my friends and roommates they have a countdown to the opening of Harry Potter and they seem to find endless jokes and laughter over this. I keep reminding them that this will be them next semester during student teaching. As for now I feel much better about the homework and unit situation and as far a Harry Potter, I doubt I will be going, but I do plan on making time for my friends this weekend.
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