3/4 Done with Student Teaching

I'm 3/4 of the way done with student teaching! I finished my placement in Kindergarten in October and my placement in 5th grade in December. I'm now done with my 1st special education experience in 5th/6th grade. I honestly have had a really amazing student teaching experience and so far I have had three really great mentor teachers that have passed on their knowledge to me and helped me to become a better teacher. I'm especially thankful for this special education experience because she has really understood me and that I am in my 2nd semester of student teaching. She has given me so much freedom. We spent a few days together at the beginning of my placement and then she let me just take over her schedule and she spent some time with other students. She would come check in on me, but I really loved being left alone. I finally felt like I could do things my way and try some new things I have wanted to try. I just felt like she trusted me. She knew that if she did leave I still would be teaching and doing what I need to do. She saw my passion for teaching and she gave me the most amazing, honest evaluation.

After half a year in 5th/6th grade I'm extremely sad to leave this placement. I have spend a lot of time getting to know the 5th graders and I really have enjoyed working with them. I haven't had as much time with the 6th graders and although some days they make me want to pull my hair out I still enjoy teaching them and spending my days with them. I have gotten to know the staff in this building and everybody has been great as I go on this journey.

My final placement is in high school SPED. I'm super scared about my move to high school. I 'm going into a new building where I don't know my way around and I don't know any of the staff members. My biggest worry is the students and if they will accept me as their teacher for the time I'm there. I don't plan to work with high school students, but I need to give it my best shot during student teaching and perform well enough to pass my final evaluations for graduation. I need to pass one last observation by my university supervisor and once May 1st rolls around evaluations will be done and I can breathe. Fake it to you make it is my saying for high school. I'm sure I will grow to like the students, but I'm not meant to be a high school teacher. My dream is to be a kindergarten teacher and that dream still stands. I try to remember that when I first moved to 5th grade I was scared too because in my mind 5th graders were way too old. I have always loved the little kids, but it took me until student teaching to make me realize that I could be a great teacher to older kids also. I don't know that I will change my mind about high school, but I can most likely be a great teacher for the time being.

I have begun applying for jobs and I'm waiting to hear if I get interviews. I'm working on the last of my homework and I'm close to being done with homework for the semester, so I can focus on interviews. We have Thursday and Friday off this week and I'm excited to have such a long weekend. I'm so ready to have a classroom of my own and I'm so excited to embrace this adventure of being a 1st year teacher and giving my students my all.