I Survived Week One!!!

Well, to start off this post I must say that I truly commend each and every one of you who spends their entire day teaching and still finds time to update their blog on a daily basis. Teaching is an endless job!!

Needless to say, I have been very busy over the past week. I think I just need some more time to get used to the new schedule...and then maybe I'll find some time to breathe and actually think.

Other than being extremely busy, I am really enjoying my student teaching experience thus far. My cooperating teacher is awesome. Not only is she an amazing teacher to her students, but has also given me so many great ideas and "insider tips" that I KNOW I will be able to utilize in the future. She is really trying her best to make sure that I gain realistic and useful knowledge for my future career, and I really appreciate that. She also treats me as if I am on the same level as her, not as if I am some clueless newbie (which I am, and I think she treats me as more than that on purpose) and that makes me feel much more confident in the classroom. And not to mention, we just get along really well overall. So I feel very lucky to be working with her.

My supervisor from the college, however, seems much more rigid. I suppose that the two of them will balance each other out. I just want to learn as much as I can and do as much as I can to help those kids learn.

My colloquium class is also going to be immensely helpful for me. They are requiring us to turn in our resume for a critique, they are going to help us post applications on the state department of education website, walk us through applying for our licensures, and all kinds of other things to help us find JOBS...which is really the ultimate goal...so I am glad to have some help with that!

So all in all, week one was great. I am looking forward to 4-day week two.

I have a hard time believing that people actually get paid to do something so amazing...a career that they truly love! (even though in reality they SHOULD be paid much more...) Who would have thought you could get paid to do something you love so much?

First Day Jitters

So...today was the big day...my first day of student teaching! I woke up around 6:15am, and was surprisingly very awake. I think I was so awake because I was very nervous. When I arrived at the school, I was greeted by all of the staff I encountered...many of them thought I was a substitute! I found my cooperating teacher and she showed me around a bit. The principal even came up to meet me!

Soon enough, the children were arriving. I can't even begin to describe the vast differences between the children at this school (very rural) and the ones I had done field work at previously (very urban). It is hard to believe that within 50 miles there can seem to be two totally different worlds.

For the entire morning, I sat in the back of the classroom and observed. Then, the children had library time. After that, I got to experience my first lunch duty. It was a little intimidating because children would ask me if they could do things, and I wasn't sure of the lunchtime rules, so I was afraid I would tell them the wrong thing. But I survived and so did they. After lunch, I felt a little more comfortable and helped out in the classroom a little bit, but mostly just observed still. The end of the day came fairly quickly after that.

My cooperating teacher does a lot of things I really like. First, when she is administering discipline, she does this thing where she whispers across the room to the student she is trying to communicate with. It seemed to work really well and none of the other children even seemed to notice it. I think it took a little of the embarassment off of being called out in front of the class. She also pulls students aside and speaks with them privately, which we have always been taught to do, but this was the first time I ever really saw it completely in action. She is also very patient with the students and treats them with a great deal of respect. I really think I am going to learn a lot from her!

I am really going to have to get my body used to this early morning stuff. By 5pm today, I was exhausted and took a 2-hour nap.

So, that is really the gist of my first day. Pretty good overall. Pretty long as well.

I am looking forward to tomorrow.

the final countdown...

I officially have only a weekend separating me from student teaching...and I am excited, nervous, and terrified all in one.

I guess it's probably always like this when you start a brand new chapter of your life. Especially when it is going to play a huge part in something that you will do for the rest of your career.

Yesterday was the student teaching orientation meeting at the university. Although my heart was racing during the entire meeting, it felt a little better to talk with others in the same situation as me. I am not the only one who feels overwhelmed already!!!

I have already met my cooperating teachers...and both of them seem great, so that's definitely a plus.

And everyone keeps reassuring me that I am going to do wonderfully.

But I can't help the nerves, I guess.

So my question is this...does anyone have any advice for me as I begin student teaching on Monday??? Do you have any ideas that might make me less nervous?? Any thoughts would be appreciated!

and I still need to update the teacher wardrobe...:)

So Much To Do, So Little Time...

As my student teaching experience comes nearer, it seems like I have more to do than ever. I actually don't start for another week (August 25)...but it seems like a week is still not enough time to do all that needs to be done before then.

First, I need to submit the proposal for my senior honors project (which essentially is like a thesis-type thing) to the honors college so that I can graduate ...I have chosen to do the project on using children's literature in the classroom, which I think I can get a lot from, but I am having a hard time getting the whole thing organized and begun with no help from my advisor since she is not on campus this summer. If I could just get that out of the way, I would feel much better...we'll see if that happens this week.

Next, I need to do some major teacher-clothes shopping. Over the past few semesters, I have acquired much more "professional" attire than most college students because of the enourmous load of field work I've been required to complete for my major. However, back then I did not have to spend the entire day, every day, dressed up. So I need to spend a day this week shopping for some nice clothes...luckily I have a date with one of my best friends, Maria, to help me since she is already a "pro" teacher :)

Another thing that needs to get done, unfortunately, is me moving back in with my parents. Since I am student teaching closer to my hometown than college, I am moving back in with them to save myself some money. But I am not looking forward to moving all my stuff the 50 miles back there. Packing up from my sorority house (where I have lived for almost 3 years) is going to be sad, too. And to add on to that, cleaning out my room at both places. boo. Hopefully that will get done on Friday!

Thursday is the official student teacher send-off meeting as well with the College of Ed. The meeting is scheduled to last 2.5 hours so that they can explain everything we need to be doing. I know it's cheesy, but I am actually excited for this!

This week will be my official last week of Jumpstart (where I have worked for 2 years)...and that is also somewhat sad.

And last, but certainly not least, is attempting to find some time to spend with all my friends in Akron before moving back home.


I am trying to brace myself for a complete and total life change...
here goes nothing!!!

Hours Upon Hours...

Wow! Turning this blog into something that anyone will actually want to read has been quite the job over the past 24 hours! I have been thinking of what kind of layout I would like, if I can con the boyfriend into helping me spruce it up a bit, trying to read other blogs and find other good websites, and so on. This is quite the process!!

But it WILL feel good once it is setup to my liking!

Here We Go...

Hello! My name is Miss Casey and I am beginning a blog to help myself stay sane and share my experiences (and hopefully learn from others) while student teaching!!! I also hope to keep writing once I finally get a job as a teacher. I will graduate in December and will be certified age 3-grade 3. I am excited to get started!!! :)