Student Teaching

             It's funny when I first started student teaching I was so on top of what week we were in as far as week 1 of student teaching, week 2, etc. And what I have noticed now being in week 12 is I didn't know what week number it was until looking at my other blogs. What this thought brings me to is that I have gotten so much more comfortable I feel like I finally feel like a "real" teacher and I have that confidence that I so desperately craved from the very beginning of this process. It's not that I ever dreaded student teaching but I was intimidated by the unknown. Now that I have gotten into a routine and feel I can really excel each day I am not as focused on counting down the days, instead, I'm making the days count! As other blogs have stated it truly has been a journey, and I truly have been able to grow. I have made mistakes, I've reflected on them and I have learned from them. I think just how we want to emphasize to our studen...

          Last Saturday, I attended a job fair at Homewood-Flossmoor High School where I had the opportunity to speak with administrators from the district that I student taught in who were attending the fair. From the school that I taught in the Principal came up to me, and recognized me and said what a good job he had heard I did, and that there are openings for PE and that I should apply. This flooded me with emotion after speaking with him, because it would be an absolute dream and honor if I could be afforded the opportunity to teach in the school I student taught at. I then decided to speak to another school in the same district and to my surprise they had too heard of me, which absolutely blew me away. I then spoke with the third school in the district and the administrator had recognized me from refereeing the powerlifting meet.  Standard 8 - Collaborative Relationships – The competent teacher builds and maintains collaborative relationships to fost...

           This week was quite a week. Monday I started out my week at Trinity working on my edTPA and I was determined to finish task 1 since I already finished task 2 that would only leave task 3. I had to stay until 6PM but I finished task 1 which felt really good. However, it's quite the testament to just how much time is invested into completing each task.             Tuesday, hit me with some change and that was the transition from my first placement in high school to my second placement elementary. I couldn't stop thinking about how adorable all the little ones are. It is definitely much different from my first experience but I am looking forward to working with all the kids. This week all the classes were just completing the pacer test, so there wasn't any instruction happening this week, but I have a cooperative teamwork week planned for next week that I think the kids will all really enjoy.      ...

              Wow! These past 9 weeks really flew by. I can't believe my time at my first placement has already come to an end. I truly could have not asked for a better experience. I was extremely lucky to be surrounded by what I consider the best of the best in terms of educators. I take so much value in being able to work alongside such amazing teachers and I will take what I learned in this experience on my next journey and through my teaching career. I wasn't expecting to make lifelong friends from this experience and to have gained that I am truly grateful.  Standard 8 - Collaborative Relationships – The competent teacher builds and maintains collaborative relationships to foster cognitive, linguistic, physical, and social and emotional development. This teacher works as a team member with professional colleagues, students, parents or guardians, and community members.                Something that I w...

           This week started off at Trinity working on writing for my edTPA. I struggled a bit just getting started because for me it is such an intimidating process, and I want to make sure every part is perfect and that I am meeting exactly what they are looking for. My challenge is when I look at all that is due for it I keep second guessing myself thinking I will accidentally miss something or not have everything that is needed. It just feels like a lot, which I know it feels that way for most of us going through the process.               And, for many of us, we also are going to be transitioning into our next placement. This means change. I do feel more confident than I did going into this next placement, than I was my first but it is still a scary thought. I just hope to do well and that it is a seamless transition. And one thing for sure is I am really going to miss my current placement.      ...

            This week started off extremely stressful and overwhelming knowing I would be filming for my edTPA. I'm convinced I probably made myself sick over it. Tuesday was the first day of filming and I was struggling to keep my voice. However, I was able to make it through the lesson, and I think it went very well. It was definitely a relief getting through it. One of my senior leaders knew I was extremely nervous, and said he never seen me like that. Luckily, I don't believe my nerves reflected on my video. It's not that I wasn't confident in what I was teaching, it's the process of the edTPA that is really getting to me. Knowing if i fail I'm not only letting myself down, but my family. I feel like as an adult studies student for most of us our family's livelihood is on the line. There is a lot riding on being successful and the pressure is overwhelming.                 I think just the process in general ...