Genre Reflection #1

            While entering the field of pre-student teaching (and eventually student teaching) is exciting and wonderful, I posit there are many pitfalls to avoid stumbling haphazardly into.  This is by no means an all-inclusive list, yet because I’ve been doing this for several weeks now, I shall consider myself an expert.  I present to you, my enthralled audience, the top five pre-student teaching academic entanglements you should make a concerted effort to avoid. 

Number One: On your first day of pre-student teaching, you have a job to do.  Your goal is to make the best impression you possibly can.  You must smile, shakes hands, nod when your CT explains the going-ons of his classroom, and explain to him that you are excited to be there and you look forward to teaching your unit.  Therefore, never, under any circumstances, should you indulge in a spinach omelet for breakfast and then not check your teeth prior to meeting your CT.  Just take my word for it.

Number Two: Because you are a teacher now (Yay!) you must acknowledge your feet.  You must recognize that if you are kind to your feet, they will be kind to you.  Those three-inch stilettos were super cute at the shoe store, and you thought you would be okay wearing them the first three days you participated in your CT’s classroom.  Boy, were you ever wrong.  Trust me, there’s no use explaining your predicament to anyone; the blisters and awkward limping are a sufficient enough explanation. 

Number Three:  Your very first day of pre-student teaching, ask where the restroom is.  Memorize that location.  Trust me.  When that bell rings, the halls will swarm with students and a cacophony of teenage chatter, causing you, the still-nervous pre-student teacher, to lose all mental function related to restroom locale.  That is not the most opportune time to forget in which direction the restroom is.  Oh.  And you’re not Superman; thinking you can hold it will only cause you more grief.  Probably right in the middle of a lesson.

Number Four:  Know your stuff.  Because you are actually responsible for helping to mold the future generations, you must take the time to plan overplan.  You entered the teaching field by choice.  And yes, it’s going to require a lot of hard work, time, and dedication.  Take copious notes in your methods class and put real effort into your lesson planning.  Again, know your stuff—because screwing up the definitions of ‘allegory’ and ‘allusion’ repeatedly in a single class period will not help your students.  It will, however, make you look like a fool.  This is bad.  Know.  Your.  Stuff. 

Number Five: The old adage is true: You only get one chance to make a first impression.  Remember, pre-student teaching is, essentially, a job interview.  You must appear confident, professional and coherent.  Being given the opportunity to participate, assist, and teach in an actual classroom can be the single greatest asset to a pre-service teacher.  But you must facilitate that.  Believe in yourself.  You chose this path.  You want to teach.  You can do this!

Blog post #2: Adventures in rapport, unit planning, and freaking out.

My semester in *Mr. Walker’s classroom is off to a fantastic start!

I know all of the students by their faces, and most of them by their names—pretty good memorization for less than three weeks’ worth of effort, if I do say so myself!  Mr. Walker and I are establishing a great rapport with one another.  I do not hesitate to ask him questions, either directly or in an email, and he is very prompt in his responses, which I appreciate.  This open line of communication is essential for us to maintain a professional, productive relationship—one that will ultimately benefit the students. 

Several exciting things are happening in my classroom.  First and foremost, the students are asking me questions AND they are willing to let me help them and participate/give feedback in their group projects.  I feel totally at ease walking amongst them during individual or group work, and I feel free—but not necessarily obligated—to give constructive criticism.  A few days ago, one student asked me, “Mrs. Leighton, are you a “hero” or a “villain” person?” (To clarify, Mr. Walker had just led a discussion on heroes versus villains, who usually wins, who should win, why it’s okay to sometimes cheer for the villain, etc.  Deep stuff.)  I explained that usually, I am a “hero” person, in that I believe good will eventually triumph over evil.  However, I did offer that sometimes, villains in literature appeal enormously to our pathos, which makes us sympathize with them—Cyclops in The Odyssey, anyone?  Naturally, my answers to this student’s inquiry led several students to challenge my (and one another’s) thinking.  Persuasive points were made for both cases, and in the end everyone decided to agree to disagree.  I loved this interaction—and for more than just its teacher-student dialogue.  This conversation generated differing viewpoints and allowed the students to consider stances other than their own.  I could almost see their minds’ gears shifting.  Brilliant.

Another (quasi) milestone has been reached!  Mr. Walker and I have decided on a topic for my teaching unit.  I will be planning a five-day unit based on the political grit in Shakespeare’s Richard II.  (It’s okay to be jealous.)  Mr. Walker explained to me that since this class is AP, the curriculum has been set and approved by the College Board.  Material taught in this class cannot deviate from the syllabus.  No problem, right?  Ahem.  At first, I panicked.  Oh crap…haven’t read Richard II…I’ve got to get a copy of it….oh crap….which copy will he be using?...politics?...I hate politics….I haven’t read Richard II…character development is my forte…oh crap!  I.  Have.  Not.  Read.  Richard II!!!!!  Once I quit freaking out, my pulse and blood pressure returned to their normal measurements of 180 bpm and 150/120…wait.  Hmmm?  You mean a pre-student teacher’s pulse and blood pressure shouldn’t be that high?   But I digress.  While I admit I am a bit overwhelmed with planning a unit over literature I’m not familiar with, I am excited nonetheless!  This opportunity will allow me to explore new ground, both personally and professionally.  Many high school students graduate without ever having read and studied the remarkable facets of Shakespeare’s works.  Yet my AP students are quite familiar with him, and for this I am grateful.  I am ready to plan a unit that is exciting, intriguing, and challenging—and I am looking forward to the feedback I will receive! 

Mrs. Leighton now presents her fun classroom tidbit of the week:  A student informed me that I could refer to him as “B-Rizzle.”  I politely declined, jesting that “…this is an English classroom and slang names and ‘hip’ lingo should be considered ridonkulous…”  And then I realized what a huge nerd I am.  Oh well.  C'est la vie.

*Names, heart rate, and blood pressure have been changed :p