20 Truths About Student Teaching

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, but it was also the last step in our college career.

1.

How you feel on the first day of student teaching.

2.

When you meet your assigned teacher and your students for the first time.

3.

You start to believe that all the stories of "This will be the worst experience of your life" were wrong.

4.

After that first week you start to realize you have been tricked into feeling like everything is going to be okay.

5.

Your reaction to the whole taking over the class starting on week two, the lesson plans, projects, and workshops you have to attend.

6.

Your reaction the first time a student does not listen to you or does not like the activity you have planned.

7.

Your reaction when grading your students' papers and assignments.

8.

When you ask the students what you just read about or for them to elaborate and they go off on some tangent that has nothing to do with what you were teaching about.

9.

When you volunteer to monitor indoor recess or recess of any kind..but mostly indoor recess.

10.

When you get that great one liner from teachers who have been in the profession for 35+ years: "Are you really sure you want to be a teacher?"

11.

Your supervisor hits you with "I'm coming in for my first observation!" Then tells you the time and it is the time of the day the kids are least focused.

12.

At some point you will eventually hit your breaking point because the overwhelming stress has gotten to be too much.

13.

When that time comes lean on your fellow student teachers to get you through it.

14.

There will never be a better feeling then when a student finally grasps a concept or passes a test with flying colors.

15.

When you finally learn all their tricks.

16.

When you're students start to complain about life and all you can think is..

17.

When you get to be the champion for your students because you may be all they have in their corner.

18.

You could be having the worst day and it just takes that one comment from that one student to turn your whole day around.

19.

When that last day comes, saying goodbye to your kids will be the hardest thing you've had to do all semester.

20.

As you leave the school on the last day of your experience this thought will cross your mind as you drive out for the last time.