I have a question....where did this last week go? I blinked and now its Friday. It seemed like just yesterday I eagerly and nervously pulled up in front of Tri-Valley High School and week one has already come to a close.
I had many goals this week, but the idea was to hit the ground running. This meant getting a head-start on my assignments, continuing to build a successful and communicative relationship with my cooperating teacher, and building as much rapport with students as possible. And you know what, I think I did a pretty good job of accomplishing those tasks.
One thing I really appreciate about observing one week prior to teaching is that you learn the power of watching, listening, and interacting. I have been able to see how my cooperating teacher interacts with students, what routines she has put in place, and how she handles discipline issues. Knowing this will hopefully aid in my transition from an "extra" person in the room to another teacher they respect.
However, if I had to choose just one major take-away from the week, it would be ROUTINES. Here at Tri-Valley, there has been a day off school and an early dismissal in the past week. And boy, when schedules change, it comes through in the students like I have never seen. But it does make sense, they are used to a strict routine. They get up, do their morning routine, come to school, attend their prescribed classes, and go home or to their extracurricular activities. When something is off, so are the students. What I have learned is that on those days when things are just "off," you still have to push through, do the best you can, and know that eventually the students and environment will revert back to its "normal."
So, as I look to next week, my goal is to continue getting into my own routine, but also learn what parts of the students' routines I shouldn't change as I begin to take over some of my cooperating teacher's classes. Change can be good, but it needs to be in the best interest of the students, teachers, and the objectives in the classroom.