Today was the 6th day of school. I have yet to really sit down and record any thoughts and figured it is appropriate to do so. I am the student teacher. I don't know that there is another student teacher in the school at the moment. As a WGU student I started on day 1 of the school year and that was pretty fantastic. I've been able to sit through course disclosures on 6 separate occasions now. They are perhaps the most exciting part of the new year. I think students probably tune out for these though they contain lots of good information. As a parent I find myself bombarded with them at the beginning of the year or the semester. I admit that I don't read every detail and when I sign the document and hand it back to whichever child it belongs to I hope that they remember to turn it in so they can get the 50 special points or whatever points are assigned to my signature being on the form. I am sure it is something teachers are required to do since they all do it. I wonder how I could make that a simpler thing? It is already simple or can potentially be simple. Some teachers tend to get a little too excited about their course. Gotta love the disclosure.
I have been assigned to work with James Davidson. I met Davidson a couple of years ago as part of an optional assignment I did for one of my education classes at SUU. He worked in Annie Drapers class with her when I was doing the growth mindset presentation there. I didn't realize that he was in special ed back then but it turns out that he is the department head. I have thoroughly enjoyed being his shadow. He is tall and thin and I am short and stocky so my actual shadow presence doesn't quite match but that is ok. We get along pretty well and I enjoy asking questions and learning from him though I try to be cautious about asking too many questions.
The students. Love the students. I am a shy person to begin with and I am also a guest in the school so it has taken me a bit to feel comfortable with the students but I am working on getting to know names and getting to know them. I find that I like them and like to learn about them and to show interest in what they are doing, hope to do etc. One of the classes we have is an extended learning period where all of Davidson's cases are enrolled in the class. These are all students with IEP's that he works with. I got to visit with several of them over the last two days about things they are interested in and are considering for careers and post high school life. That was pretty cool. A lot of them aren't all that certain but have some fun ideas. Another one of my favorite classes is a remedial math class that Davidson teaches. I have really enjoyed being in there with those students because the math is on a level that I can understand and many of these students are severe special ed which I happen to quite like. They are wonderful. I have also spent some time in the severe classroom though it is broken up into two sections, those that are more mild and then those that are severe severe. I have not done a lot with the severe severe but the mild severe is a great group. Lots of fun.
My time here is going to be short. I think I am realizing that more and more and I get a little sad to think that this is not a permanent thing for me. I would love to be teaching at this school. I like the faculty and love that I can walk there. I stroll home for lunch each day and that has been great. Fortunately my next assignment is at South and so I will continue to walk to school. Hopefully at the end of the student teaching I can find a position. I would love for it to be at the high school though I have no problem with South where I thoroughly enjoyed my pre-clinical experiences last spring.
I don't know how hard this student teaching thing is really going to be. I am having a lot of fun and just trying to absorb all that I can at this point. I know there is so much more to learn and being the teacher of record would require me to do more that just being a shadow. I will do my best to pick up what I can during this time.
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