Last Day of Student Teaching

Well this has been a crazy journey. I can't believe that I am actually done with all of my student teaching. I don't quite feel like it is over, but I am sure that in a week or two when I don't get to see my fifth graders or master teacher it will really kick in. It's so funny because when you are student teaching you are working so hard, and you are working for this goal of perfecting your teaching technique but really when you are done all you come away with is knowing that you still have so much more to build on.

I walked into my second grade classroom last September scared and nervous at the same time. I knew I loved kids and I was excited about the opportunity to practice teaching as well as the chance to receive feedback, but I was also really scared that the kids wouldn't listen or that I would be a poor teacher. I learned so many things in that classroom such as how to really listen to a student, how to plan lessons around each individual student's needs, and how to adapt for English language learners.

As I stepped into my fifth grade classroom this January again, I was nervous- I felt more confident than I had been in September but I was still extremely nervous starting at a new school, and with a new bigger class. The curriculum which I thought would be too challenging was actually very fun and exciting to teach- possibly one of my most favorite grade levels content wise. The students were so accepting at first, and each have their own personality and goals such that teaching was more an effort to connect with their everyday life and have them extend upon what they already knew.

As I read their sweet farewell letters that I received today from them, I realize that some aspects of teaching are irreplaceable- such as the students' yearning to get to know you and do activities with you, their interest in a random lesson that you as a teacher didn't even feel was productive, a game or song you taught them to help them remember the capitals, or even the time you baked cookies for them and compared that to the process of photosynthesis.

Although I have learned so many different things from this past year, a few things really stick out in my mind and I will keep them with me forever. I will remember that each child is their own little person with their own experiences, background, and challenges, I will try to always take a concept and make it more vivid in terms of tangeables or visuals, be stern but understanding at the same time, and I will remember that the reason I am here is to teach and share my knowledge and love of learning with children.

I will never forget the many silly experiences, the special "aha" moments, the way it feels when a student says, "that was fun", or the way I felt as each one of my fifth graders gave me a goodbye hug. Although it was my last day of student teaching....it is not my last day of teaching...nor of blogging!