Introduction

This blog will be used in many different ways. Its main focus will be my observations and reflections of my student teaching experience, hence, the title. At times this will function as an outlet for my many thoughts and ideas within my first significant educational experience. From time to time, I may even vent my frustrations and disappointments of this experience and those people involved. This is by no means meant for entertainment but it is my attempt to illustrate, through my observations, what it is like for a new teacher struggling in a field little appreciated for its difficulty. This my attempt to document what I learn as I try to develop my own philosophy of education and individualized teaching style.

As an education student, part of our program is dedicated to student teaching which is basically an apprenticeship. For one semester, I will be shadowing whats called a cooperating teacher which is a teacher with more than three years of experience. During this time there is a period of observation after which I start to "take over" classes. This means I will be responsible for that class as if I were the actual teacher. Grading, classroom management, curriculum development and lesson plans are just a few of the functions a classroom teachers must master. This is not without any assistance. The cooperating teacher's role is to assist and evaluate throughout the process. Hopefully, this will prepare me for what I expect to be a fulfilling career choice.

Part of my reasoning for wanting to create a blog is that I want people to have access to my experiences. One of my fears is that this experience will destroy my idealism and motivation. I am in a rough school where, in my opinion, very little learning seems to occur. I want to be able to discuss this with others instead of allowing the negative experiences kill my idealism. I hope that when other people read this it will inspire them to think more about the importance of education and how difficult it is to teach in some environments.