Beginning Days in the Classroom

I was so excited to be back at school and in the classroom.  I decided to go by the school the week before classes started for the public schools.  I wanted to get a copy of the schedule of courses and the student planner so I would know what the policies and procedures for the students are.  That day, I was walking down the hall to check in with a couple of teachers that I had worked with last year.  I found myself smiling as I walked down the hall.  I felt happy and comfortable in this place and hope to have a place on the faculty and staff once I graduate in December, 2012.  This school has already hired two students after they completed their student teaching here.  This is very encouraging to me.  I was also very excited to learn that this was also the goal of my CT.  I feel as though I have met some people that care about me and my professional future.  It helps so much to have someone looking out for you and paving the way. 

On the first day classes met, I wanted to be there.  I think it is important to be in the class room welcoming students back and setting the tone.  I was introduced to the students and from the beginning the students have accepted me as part of the teaching staff.  I am learning from them and they are learning from me.  I am also learning from my CT.  She has a great sense of humor that I have not noticed before and wondered where this person came from as I have worked with her in the past.  I wondered to myself how I could compete with her as I am a more serious person.  I need to lighten up!  I know I don’t have to compete with her but I feel as though I am sometimes.

I also discovered how much I have in common with my CT.  We are both organized and can think alike at times.  We color coordinated the students folders and their spiral notebooks so they could be found more easily.  The folders are for homework.  I return graded work to the left pocket and they can keep work that they are doing in class on the right side.  (Returning graded work last year was a mess and piled up way to quickly) The spiral notebook is to write their quick writes.  I use quick writes to help them develop their thoughts and ideas.  While they are doing their quick writes, I am taking attendance.  This allows me to take care of other duties while they work quietly.  These items are kept in a plastic basket (milk crate) which contains an alphabetic card organizer so the students can quickly and easily find their own book and begin working as soon as they enter the classroom.  This helps me to put some of the responsibility on my students to help themselves.  I really struggle with this idea because I feel as though I need to be busy doing something all the time.  I know that I need to let the students learn responsibility.    I am working to improve on this.

Another thing that is new in the classroom this year is the “Noise Level Poster”.  We move an arrow up and down on the squares indicating what the noise level should be at that moment in the classroom.  Since this is new we are trying to remember to do this and inform students of our expectations regarding this issue.  I have seen this method work so effectively that the teacher only has to respond with a “what number are we on for noise level?”  I want my own poster!

I am anxious for the opportunity to be able to take on more responsibility in the class room and become “teacher”.