Student teaching: The beginning

It has been over a month since I've even signed on to blogger. I have no idea how time flies the way it does. The last semester ended in such a whirlwind that it took me a few days to calm down from the anxiety of knowing that there was ALWAYS something that I needed to be doing.

The weeks following practicum until the end of the semester were absolutely, positively C-R-A-Z-Y. In true V. Ross fashion, I procrastinated beyond what I definitely should have. I spent those weeks working through the night and trying to fit in naps between classes, working at the library, and more more more more school work. I have never been so happy to have a break from school. I probably say that every semester, but I was honestly the most exhausted than I've ever been. However, that hectic semester is past me and it's on to bigger and better things!

Today was my very first day of student teaching. I crawled into my cozy bed in my lonely apartment at 9 o'clock last night with hopes to get plenty of beauty rest and be 100% rested in the morning. However, I was so nervous and excited last night that I woke up nearly a million times. I did wake up ready for the day though....still nervous and excited! I was sure that I would sleep through my alarm clock or something. Haha. Thank goodness I didn't.

As a student teacher, I knew ultimately that I would be taking over the class at some point in the semester. However, the logistics of this feat isn't outlined in any meeting or conversation I have ever had about student teaching. (Duh.) Today, my cooperating teacher and I created a tentative schedule of the semester. I begin teaching on Wednesday. I take over 5th grade science and will continue to teach it everyday until the end of the semester adding another class each week until I'm teaching all her classes. Come March, I will travel with my 4th grade homeroom class to all of their classes. I even get a chance to teach P.E.! Haha. As I was writing down seminar dates and my schedule, I felt a bit overwhelmed, but I am so so ready. This is what I've been waiting for. No more lecture classes. Just doing what I love teaching those little ones everything they need to know!

Before I started today, I worried a lot about student teaching in such a small school. I was able to observe the dynamics of the environment and I really think I am going to like it. It's different than the school experiences that I've had, but I really like what I've experienced thus far. Who knows? By the end of the semester, I may feel so compelled to move to a town with a population of 900.

I got a compliment on how white my teeth were today and I replied that I brushed my teeth just for my 5th graders this morning.