So I got my placement for the next 10 weeks
GraySaturday
Posts: 2,878
and where I thought I'd have a class of sweet little 6-7 year olds, I have...
28 8th graders! :eek: Oh, did I mention they are a social studies class?
Half of them are taller then me. Talk about being thrown to the lions my first observation/teaching assistantship.
I did learn all about how to hack a computer from a 13 year old that told me he spends 2-3 hours a day writing "harmless" code to hack things. double :eek:
So at least when I get through 13-14 year old inner city children, I'll be ready for anything, right?!
28 8th graders! :eek: Oh, did I mention they are a social studies class?
Half of them are taller then me. Talk about being thrown to the lions my first observation/teaching assistantship.
I did learn all about how to hack a computer from a 13 year old that told me he spends 2-3 hours a day writing "harmless" code to hack things. double :eek:
So at least when I get through 13-14 year old inner city children, I'll be ready for anything, right?!
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My sister is in the same boat your in
sometimes the quickest way to learn is by being thrown into the fire.
oxc
*May the Peace of the Wilderness be with YOU*
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put on a slow, dumb show for you
and crack you up
so you can put a blue ribbon on my brain
god I'm very, very frightening
and I'll overdo it'
What subject do you teach?
I wish I was there more then once a week, so I could get to know the children faster. I found out my teacher is going to have a student teacher in October, and who knows how I will observe then!
I think its a case of a school taking on too many "pre-teacher candidates".
The teacher was nice to me though, he did explain that the kids would want to ask me personal questions, and to keep it professional. Which I was like..
Special Ed....Highly functional students i.e. certain learning disabilities, behavior problems etc..and some have very questionable IEPs (Individualized Education Program) where I believe they should be mainstreamed but are not due to being labeled and deemed 'troubled.' Granted, they are a handful for sure, but really is a sad/unfortunate diservice in the case of many students..
As for the questions..definitely be prepared to go with the flow and expect anything and everything..I've been called a 'cracker,' 'white boy,' 'asshole,' etc..be ready for sexual innuendos also as their hormones are all over the fucking place at that age..overall, the kids are good..
Definitely be firm and act professional..do not fall into the trap of being a 'buddy.' Especially if you are only there for a limited amount of time per week, not allowing sufficient time to gain the trust of the students..anyway, have fun..afterall, you'll only be there ten times right?
put on a slow, dumb show for you
and crack you up
so you can put a blue ribbon on my brain
god I'm very, very frightening
and I'll overdo it'
Get a long ruler and slam it on the desk on the first day!
Sweep the Leg Johnny.
and sure, you WILL have students crush on you....but such is life.
good luck!
Let's just breathe...
I am myself like you somehow
You taught art, right? I was supposed to be with the art teacher but last minute she wasn't able to take on a student from my cohort.. :(
I will be endorsed in Elem. Ed and Art at the Middle school level, so there is always the chance that I will have 7-8th graders in my careers as a real teacher.
Kindergarteners may be cute and all, but the level of depth you get to in the material, isn't my cup of tea. I want to see actual student progression with lessons, and not heavy on the teaching of reading, etc. I hope to teach either middle school art, or 4,5,6 grade general studies.
yes.
so you can teach elementary age - all classes and only art at the middle school level? not sure i am understanding how you are laying out your future credentials. i am a certified art teacher. that's it, no other subjects. however, i could teach kindergarten thru 12th grade. teaching photography at the HS level is exactly what i wanted to do in fact, but never happened. never say never and all that...and in fact i had the opportunity to appply for just such a position this september, but i didn't even try. i finally am in a good place career-wise, financially...so didn't want to mess with it. teaching is always there if/when i ever decide to return.
and believe you me...if i had a dime for every time someone mentioned how 'fun' my job must be...i'd not hae to work. sure, it was fun...but it was WORK...a whole helluva a lot, and kindergarten is rough! i sooo sympathized with the kinder teacher, and she knew it, and appreciated it. i only had to teach em once a week for 40 minutes. trying to get 25 kindergartners to paint, to follow directions, to actually create 'something'....along the lines of your lesson plan, build upon previous learning...and no one lose an eye, or wear a paint bucket AND get all done and cleaned up in 40 minutes? it was a weekly min-miracle.
anyhoo....enjoy it. observational time is a great window into what teaching is like. once a week isn't much time, but over time you'll get a bigger picture and i am sure more time in the classroom, etc.
Let's just breathe...
I am myself like you somehow
Best of luck to you.
You will be great.
And I don't feel right when you're gone away
Awesome. My wife teaches 9th grade speech. She's a hottie so all the boys love her and the girls just think she's a badass. You'll do great, I'm sure.
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Yeah.. well in IL they do things a little differently then I am even used to, from my undergrad education classes.
Like in PA we had to be certified in either Elementary Education, Middle School Education or Secondary Education, and then you can get Art Education if you want to teach art, or secondary Art to teach art education.
That being said, apparently in IL, and especially the chicago schools, if you are going to be an art teacher for Elem - Middle level, you only need to be endorsed in art for middle school levels. So while I will be technically an art teacher for 7-8th grade students, I will visit all levels. But I don't need to take any classes for that endorsement, because my undergrad is a BFA in drawing and painting, so I'll just take the endorsement test, and then be ready to teach. But here in the CPS, they have K-8th so you have to be middle school endorsed. I however am getting my actual masters in elem ed, so I will also be endorsed to teach the general curriculum from k-6. Since they break off and switch subjects, I'd have to be endorsed in say social studies to teach 8th grade social studies. And I don't have that background in undergrad. Just Art. To teacher high school art, I'd have to get my masters in secondary education, and then take the art endorsement.
I hope that made some sense! :eek:
lol..I wouldn't wish my kids on my worst enemy
put on a slow, dumb show for you
and crack you up
so you can put a blue ribbon on my brain
god I'm very, very frightening
and I'll overdo it'
i taught in a suburban private school.
yes, cushy in that sense.
and no...i would not want to teach where you teach, and thus i don't.
not saying where i was always was a picnic, there was some BS for sure...but nothing like an inner-city school, not even close.
Let's just breathe...
I am myself like you somehow
the kids are great, need a lot of tough love. and plenty of time.
there will be a honeymoon period at first, then they will show you what they're made of.
Good luck, enjoy.
I can't remember if I told you but I've posted-I was in a teaching program two years ago here also. I was placed to teach 'special ed' b/c of my social work background. I had a month! (a month) of classes and student teaching and then they threw me into a middle school also.
It was literally on the job training.
And It was SO LOUD! In the school. You can't even believe it. It was nothing like when I was in school. And yeah all the kids with the cell phones!
I wouldn't want to teach middle school for anything.
And I went back into social work.
But good luck to you! Really. I hope you enjoy it. I think you'll do great.
"Sometimes life should be consumed in measured doses"
6-01-06
6/25/08
Free Speedy
and Metsy!
That's a fun age to teach. I like how they are still playful, but they're just starting to feel independant too!!