Student Teaching Shenanigans: Saying Goodbye Part 1

Before I begin my story, let me explain why this is "Part 1".  As I am getting my degree in Elementary and Special education, I have to do two placement for my student teaching; one in regular education and one in special education.  While this is good because I get two wonderful experiences with different types of students, it also means that I have to say goodbye two different times. Saying goodbye is hard enough once, but having to do it twice is even more painful!  One of my two sets of goodbye's happened this past Friday as I finished up my regular education placement with the little first graders.

The kids knew that I was leaving, they had been told at different points during the week, though every time they were told, they acted like they didn't know. Even on Friday, some of them didn't understand that this was my last day.  I was not teaching too much in the class anymore, I even left the class a couple times to observe other classrooms.

As the end of the day on Friday drew near, my big goal was to not cry in front of the kids when I said goodbye.  I was hoping that this would be easy because I was not really leaving, I am staying in the same building, just going to a different classroom.  I should have known that my co-op wouldn't let it be that easy! I knew that the class had done something for me, they were teasing it and trying to tell me all week, but I just pretended that I was oblivious and didn't know what they were talking about.  When the end of the day on Friday came, there was a big pink bag that I was supposed to open.  All the kids gathered around as I pulled out this picture frame.  The frame held a paper that said "Thumbody Loves Ms. Clawson" and all over the paper were they kids' thumbprints, decorated to look like them! It was the most beautiful thing that I have ever seen and I was just so happy! As if that was not enough though, there was even more in the bag! My co-op gave me fancy paper to print notes on, a few books for my classroom, a notepad that she had that I had been admiring, a Reader's Theater book and a book with some teaching ideas in it! I could not believe she had gotten me all of this and it was at this point that I had started to tear up! All of the kindness that she had shown me in the last 7 weeks and then doing all of this for me....I was completely speechless! I was good though, I composed myself, said goodbye to the children as they left to go to the buses and did not cry in front of them.  When my co-op came back, I thanked her from the bottom of my heart and gave her a little surprise of my own.

This first experience was by far one of the best I have ever had and I will never forget a single one of the students that I had! With the ending of this first experience, it means that I am half way finished my student teaching, which is beyond unbelievable!! I barely remember it beginning! Tomorrow morning I walk into my new placement, my special education room, with new adventures to begin! My first adventure: a field trip on Tuesday! Can't wait!

Student Teaching Shenanigans: Third Observation and Mid Term Meeting

Last Wednesday was my third observation and my final one in my first placement. It was for a reading lesson, I was being observed for my questioning techniques.  I had the entire lesson typed up and it was ready to go! And then...naturally...the snow came, canceling school on Tuesday.  This snowday moved my entire lesson back a day, so instead of the students reading the story for the second time and answering the questions, they were reading it for the first time! As the lesson went on, I was just making up the lessons on the fly, coming up with prediction and open ended questions to ask the students.  It turned out that my supervisor liked what I did on the fly even better than what I had planned! She understood that the lesson was different because of the snow and said I did fine adapting.  In this visit, we also had a small meeting with my second co-op, the teacher that I will be going with next week.  You will be hearing more about that very soon.

My Mid-Term Meeting...something that I was honestly not sure what to think about.  I did not know if I should be nervous or worried, so I just went in confidently and hoped that was the way to go!  It was just a small meeting with my supervisor where she went over my binder and over the evaluation forms that she filled out, that my co-op filled out and that I did.  She said my binder was very well organized and was looking good (Yay!) and as far as grades, looks like I am off to a very good start! My co-op and myself both gave me in the B+ range for a grade (I always grade myself on the low end, I hate grading myself!) and my supervisor almost gave me a perfect score! I was beyond shocked, but very happy!

As for today, I finished my final day of solo teaching in my first placement, which is beyond crazy! Where has these last 7 weeks gone?! Now all that is left is the report card day tomorrow, Thursday I start transitioning the class back to my co-op and Friday, I say good-bye to the class. :(