Where are my glasses?
Posted by Amateur Teacher on Saturday, January 21, 2012
Where are my glasses? My rose colored glasses, that is. You know, the ones you put on in your Early Childhood Education classes. The ones that make you see everything you want it to be. The ones that let you see how you can change the world one kid at a time. The ones that help you put a smile on your face when you enter your room every morning because you know that today is the day lightbulbs will come on, dreams will be made, and future leaders will be taught. You have a pair of those, right? Or did you lose yours, too? I lost mine back in August, but I found them again this week.
This was week 2 of having a student teacher. And I am now of the firm belief that every five year teacher who is trying his or her hardest and doing their very best and are about to let their little light of teaching passion fizzle out, need a student teacher like Mrs. M. I've handed over more and more to Mrs. M so she won't be bombarded with everything when her two weeks of take over begin. So, she's been doing the attendance, our morning meeting, our Saxon math lesson, and the Science lessons. This has given me a chance to get a lot, and I mean A LOT, of things done while sitting in the back of the room as a fly on the wall. More importantly, it's given me a chance to look at my little room in a whole new light.
As I sit back and watch what's taking place, I can't help but feel happy. My babies aren't as bad as I thought they were. They are learning, they are working hard, and they are happy, too. And, Mrs. M, well, she looks like me five years ago. She is so excited and so enthusiastic about the smallest things. From hanging student work in the hallway to making pin-wheels with the kids for our energy unit, she is on cloud nine as she practices and learns how to be a teacher. And she is looking at ME to guide her. ME. She thinks I am amazing. *eye roll* ME. Amazing. Yeah, right. But as she asks me for advice when we're alone at the end of the day, I realize just how much I do know and have learned about teaching in these first few years of my career.
It's hard work, but somebody's got to do it. And I pray that there are more student teachers like Mrs. M out there just as excited as she is. And I pray that the teachers, like me, hosting them are getting a breath of fresh air and putting their rose colored glasses back on.
This was week 2 of having a student teacher. And I am now of the firm belief that every five year teacher who is trying his or her hardest and doing their very best and are about to let their little light of teaching passion fizzle out, need a student teacher like Mrs. M. I've handed over more and more to Mrs. M so she won't be bombarded with everything when her two weeks of take over begin. So, she's been doing the attendance, our morning meeting, our Saxon math lesson, and the Science lessons. This has given me a chance to get a lot, and I mean A LOT, of things done while sitting in the back of the room as a fly on the wall. More importantly, it's given me a chance to look at my little room in a whole new light.
As I sit back and watch what's taking place, I can't help but feel happy. My babies aren't as bad as I thought they were. They are learning, they are working hard, and they are happy, too. And, Mrs. M, well, she looks like me five years ago. She is so excited and so enthusiastic about the smallest things. From hanging student work in the hallway to making pin-wheels with the kids for our energy unit, she is on cloud nine as she practices and learns how to be a teacher. And she is looking at ME to guide her. ME. She thinks I am amazing. *eye roll* ME. Amazing. Yeah, right. But as she asks me for advice when we're alone at the end of the day, I realize just how much I do know and have learned about teaching in these first few years of my career.
It's hard work, but somebody's got to do it. And I pray that there are more student teachers like Mrs. M out there just as excited as she is. And I pray that the teachers, like me, hosting them are getting a breath of fresh air and putting their rose colored glasses back on.