Day One

Today was my first day of student teaching, and while I intended for this blog to be about missions, it is turning out to also be about teaching. I sense I'll have much to say over the next 15 weeks but I know I'll also struggle to find the time to update cyberspace about my experiences. Regardless, I'm doing it anyways.

Reflections:
My experiences today felt like they were from a movie because they're so far removed from what my high school experiences were like. This school has a much different culture than what I'm used to; however, I'm really excited to learn what it takes to reach each student: what makes them interested in school, what makes them want do math work, what makes them come to class, what makes them motivated...these things I want to know. The system could never teach me these things; I have to learn them every day.

But then combine the desire to learn about the students and mix it with trying to integrate motivational ideas into the classroom and you'll get what you want, right? Ideally. But life just ain't that simple. There's pacing guides to follow and each day has to be filled with a lesson. Soon after filling in the day-to-day schedule it appears that there's only one day every six weeks open. That one day is probably going to be filled with an assembly or something else. So, there's no free days. Plus, there seems to be way too much that even each lesson could hold. Then, there's homework not only to do, but to go over for those who don't understand. What if someone falls behind? What if they all fall behind? There's not even a day for leeway, let alone time for some cool motivational tactics. Of course, one could say that these motivational tactics could be integrated within the lessons. True, and that's what I aim to do. But what about taking a day to do an exploratory activity? Someone else could argue that by doing this, they learn more. Sure they get the same grades, but it becomes deeper, more real, and true problem-solving begins.

*Sigh. Today, I realized these things. I'm more than eager to get up front and begin teaching. But I'm equally scared of the workload including integrating good ideas, motivating students, teaching them real life lessons, doing more than rote memorization or repetition. Morrie (you know, the guy from Tuesdays with Morrie) called this the "tension of opposites." Eager. Yet scared. I know my time will come to teach and when it does I won't be seeing many friends, but it's hard to just sit back and observe.


What actually happened:
Each class had many students that decided their time to talk was at any time they chose. And they did. I'm not too scared of this because for one thing, I have the look. O < O It's what one middle school student called "the owl." That deep stare that seems to look beyond your eyes and into your soul. I always hated it, but now I love to give it. It works, but not so well from the sidelines. That's where I'm at right now. They don't know I'm authority in the class so they don't care how much I stare at them. In due time, they will know.

Most of my physics students I also have for pre-calc. This is kind of fun for me - I get them for two hours and they'll know what my routines are like. I just hope I can make physics phun enough for them to stay in and push through all the math. I don't have enough fun ingredients for a really good physics class, but I'll make do with what I have right now. That's what this experience is all about, right?

Okay, 6th hour. Pre-calc. Seniors. 39 of them. Seniors tend to do well and have respect. Not this class. Every single student talked whenever they so desired. I'm not gonna lie, the class was theirs. I was even standing next to two girls talking and told them to be quiet. They barely even shot me a glance. So I told them again. They continued to talk until their conversation was complete. I think I'm going to need more than a look O < O or even proximity to get this class together. I'm sure you'll hear more about this class later on. I'm confident that even if it was only 20 students, they would still behave the same way.