Adventures in Student Teaching Week 9

Wow what a week. I don’t have a reflection paper due this week (I have another two papers due, but that is beside the point) but it has been such a crazy week that I had to at least process it.

In reality this week has been topsy turvy. It started Monday when I walked into the school, confident in my lesson plans for the day. I had also planned out the next three weeks- except for what I was going to do with my classes on Tuesday and Wednesday. No problem I told myself, I can easily take care of that on Monday night. This plan under my belt I walked into the classroom only to find my cooperating teacher was out sick and I would not have access to her computer. My brilliant lesson plan was a PowerPoint presentation on Ruthie’s hard drive. So I had 5 minutes to come up with a brilliant lesson plan. I did. Actually we had a lot of fun with the persuasive presentations the kids did and were able to have a good lesson.

Then Tuesday there was an assembly. I had ten students when the bell rang. The rest of the class was at Jamba Juice getting their free Jamba. I gave a pop quiz that day with the following questions: 1. What is my name? 2. Where do you go to school? 3. Whose classroom is this? 4. What month is it? 5. What book are you reading? Those in the class got 5 pts extra credit. I think I am going to use this tool more often. While I was teaching one of the students asked me what kind of Jamba I wanted. He was on the phone with two of the girls in class and they wanted to bring something back for me so I wouldn’t mark them absent. I told him I was okay, they brought me back a Raspberry one.

Wednesday we finally got to do the PowerPoint I had planned and it was one of the best lessons I have ever had with the kids. It was absolutely amazing. They were so engaged and some of them that never participate were asking questions and adding to the conversation it was brilliant. I was ready to hurt the department of Homeland Security when we had an earthquake drill in the middle of the lesson. It was a big distraction, I thankfully, was able to get the class back on track but it was still frustrating.

The last two days we have been writing essays in class. I actually only have one class period left to grade, because I am brilliant at grading essays now. One day I know my kids will learn and understand what a thesis is. In addition they will learn and understand when I say I want examples from their reading, I mean I want examples from the book we are writing an essay on, not about how Godzilla represents the Atom Bomb- yes I do have that essay and am willing to sell it to the highest bidder.

It was a good week, got my first job offer, don’t know what I am going to do about it, but at least someone wants me.