First Day

I was excited to step into the first day of school today!  That is, the first day of school as an actual "student teacher" and not just a wannabe in a classroom full of other wannabes:)  Don't get me wrong, I am learning a great deal being in the classroom with phenomenal instructors and fellow classmates who are just as passionate as I am BUT, nothing beats the feeling of stepping into a classroom full of fresh, little faces and knowing those children are there for me to build into and join on this particular educational trail for a year.

Meeting my teacher mentor was actually a great relief.  I had already done some background research on the school and the teacher I'd be working with and everything came back positive, however I was still feeling a bit apprehensive as I wasn't sure if I would mesh the same way other people had.  BUT, the words were true, he's laid back, passionate, excited to help me learn and clearly loving his job.

Today was eye-opening for me in so many ways.  I realized we student-teachers are ambitious creatures and it will take some time in the classroom to understand our boundaries and time frames.  I learned classroom management is constant each day and in every situation.  I recognized that focusing on the lesson often means I consciously tell myself to re-focus my own thoughts and pay attention to how my students are responding.  I saw that when I am observing I am more fully aware of how things are actually flowing and that it's nice to have a second pair of eyes and ears to point those things out.

My general impression was that I am going to really love this time with a classroom of children who are partially mine and partially someone else's, sharing the responsibility of their learning with another individual and having the ability to rely on that person for honest feedback and becoming a better teacher for it in the process.

Here's to becoming a GREAT teacher!!!