Today's Lesson...

Today I taught my first official lesson for student teaching. It went fairly well, and I think that the students really grasped the concepts I was trying to teach them (short e and short o sounds, consonant blend identification, friendship, sharing, etc.-all tied together for a reading/phonics lesson). Afterwards, my cooperating teacher made a few suggestions that I could try for next time (like specific materials I could use, etc. to involve the students a bit more) but she said she thought it went pretty well, which was most definitely reassuring. I am just trying to be confident in the classroom...but I think a more natural confidence will come when it is my own classroom I am teaching in.

Have I mentioned that I really love my cooperating teacher? She is just great. I feel like I have already learned a ton, and she is giving me very useful feedback. At times though, I can tell it is strange for her to just sit there and let me take over her classroom, but I am most definitely very gracious in her doing so.

To my surprise my classroom management skills are much sharper than I had realized. I have been actively and conciously practicing the use of proximity and eye contact, as well as speaking with children privately when they are acting out. It is working much better than I had anticipated! And the best part is I am actually recalling this stuff from my ed classes! Hooray...all that money on college tuition may not have been wasted!!

On a final note, I have always wanted to teach either Kindergarten or 1st grade, because I have spent a lot of time working with students of those age levels and have really enjoyed those experiences. My experiences with 3rd and 4th graders were alright, but just weren't my favorite. Now, though, I think I HAVE found my favorite...2nd grade! Maybe I am only saying this because I am working with second graders now, but I love their age level. In-between the two ends I mentioned before, I suppose. The kids I am teaching now are all on different ability levels, but somehow I feel like I can really reach them!
...and isn't that the point? :)